GROUPE DE LECTURE #2

ASTERIX ET CLEOPATRE RENÉ GOSCINNY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1z-Lrxa8VY The writer: RENÉ GOSCINNY

 14 August 1926 – 5 November 1977

 1959: He founded the French humour magazine

 Scriptwriter of several other French comic strips, such as: Lucky Luke Le Petit Nicolas Iznogoud

 1967: He was made a Chevalier of Arts and Letters The illustrator: ALBERT UDERZO

 Born 25 April 1927  1940: At only 14, he is accepted to La Société Parisienne d'édition where he learns the basics of his job as an illustrator. He publishes his first illustration, a parody of Le Corbeau et le Renard (La Fontaine) in the magazine Junior.  1979: He continues the adventures of and alone and creates “Les Éditions Albert René”  Illustrator of several other French comic strips, such as: Oumpah-Pah Tanguy et Laverdure Benjamin, Benjamine Astérix et Obélix  Sixth book in the Asterix comic book series

 First published in serial form in Pilote magazine (from issue #215 – 5 Dec. 1963 to issue #257 – 24 Sept. 1964)

 The comic book was then published in 1965

 It contains many anachronisms, the most important being the Military Campaign of in Egypt in 47 BC (and not 50 BC as mentioned in the book)

 Another “mistake” is that Cleopatra is represented as an Oriental woman when she was Greek.

 The album has been adapted as a cartoon in 1968 (Astérix et Cléopâtre)

 And as a movie in 2002 (Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre)  After an argument in which César belittles the accomplishments of the Egyptian people, especially concerning buildings and constructions, Cléopâtre bets that her people can build a new palace in Alexandrie within three months.

 She then designates Numérobis who claims to be the best architect in Egypt, to be the architect for this ambitious project. If he fails, he will be a meal for the sacred crocodiles; if he succeeds, he will be covered with gold.  Numérobis knows he will not be able to so he decides to ask his friends Les Gaulois for their help and travels to talk to Panoramix, the druid. They accept and Astérix, Obélix, Idéfix and Panoramix travel back to Egypt with him. Of course, they are offered the same deal by Cléopâtre: gold or crocodiles! As they walk to Numérobis’ home, they are quite surprised by his “creations” as an architect, which make them realize the challenge they accepted!:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1z-Lrxa8VY 18’40” – 20’

 As Numérobis’ rival, Amonbofils is very jealous, he tries to sabotage the construction by all possible ways, wth the help of his fellow Tournevis.

 In order to boost the Egyptian workers and get them back to work, Panoramix prepares the magic potion (made of secret ingredients and which is LE secret des Gaulois!)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1z-Lrxa8VY 24’30” – 25’30”

 … and everything changes!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-8cyImYoU8  Amonbofils gets more and more mad and keeps inventing new stratagems to impede the building of the palace and have Numérobis and his friends thrown to the crocodiles.

 He tries to frame the Gauls by sending a poisoned cake to Cléopâtre, but Panoramix makes an antidote enabling Les Gaulois to eat it, then cures the taster and claims eating too much rich food was giving him a bad stomach.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shi9C368X0s  Amonbofis is kidnapped and hidden in a sarcophagus, but Obélix frees him. Amonbofis and Tournevis are forced to work on the palace, but without magic potion.  Just before the palace is due to be completed, César sends a spy who sees the effects of the magic potion.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1z-Lrxa8VY 5’25” – 51’55”

 Therefore, he orders the commanding officer to proceed to shell the building with his catapults since César’s army cannot fight the men who drank the magic potion.

 In desperation, Astérix and Panoramix deliver the news to Cleopatra.

 Cléopâtre is furious and hurries to the construction site to catch César red- handed.

 His legions are ordered to fix the damage they caused, without any magic potion to help them, and the palace is successfully completed on time.

 Cléopâtre wins her bet, as well as Numérobis, who is covered of gold. He eventually reconciles with Amonbofis and they agree to build pyramids together.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1z-Lrxa8VY 1h7’50”