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Trailer+1 trailer

The City of Lost Children

1995Movie1 h 52 minR

77
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.4Letterboxd3.8/5Metacritic737.9Rotten Tomatoes80%89%

A deeply unsettling, dreamlike fantasy movie about technology and fantasy, with standout world-building.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want to half-watch while scrolling

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Not for warmth, comfort or uplift.

Movies with

Story

Where happily ever after is just a dream.

A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process.

Feels like

  • Surrealist Fantasy
  • Dark Fairy Tale
  • Steampunk
  • Visually Striking
  • Psychological Mystery
  • European Cinema
  • Nightmarish
  • Atmospheric
  • Thematic Complexity

Cast

24 of 30

Crew

Directed by
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Written by
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro, Gilles Adrien
Produced by
José Luis Lopez, Claudie Ossard, Elías Querejeta
Music by
Angelo Badalamenti

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

May 17, 1995 · 1 h 52 min · R

Released
May 17, 1995
Runtime
1 h 52 min
Age rating
R
Content
Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure
Original language
French
Made in
France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Budget
$18 million
Box office
$2 million
Available in
66 countries

Tropes

Little People Are Surreal, Iris Out, Blood from the Mouth +9

  • Little People Are Surreal
  • Iris Out
  • Blood from the Mouth
  • Creepy Circus Music
  • Jaw Drop
  • "Be Quiet!" Nudge
  • Artificial Human
  • Older Than They Look
  • Unflinching Faith in the Brakes
  • Conjoined Twins
  • Industrial Ghetto
  • Faceplanting into Food

12 of 111 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The City of Lost Children?"

Questions about The City of Lost Children

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The City of Lost Children?

Howdy

In the United States, The City of Lost Children streams on Howdy. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 46 other countries.

Is The City of Lost Children worth watching?

77
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 77 (IMDb 7.4, Letterboxd 3.8 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 80%, and Metacritic 73).

Will I feel good after watching The City of Lost Children?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Will The City of Lost Children scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

At times: scares are rated 7 of 10.

Was The City of Lost Children a box office flop?

Budget$18 million
Box office$2 million

Yes: it cost about $18 million to make and earned $2 million worldwide, 10% of its budget.

Is The City of Lost Children in English?

French

No, it was made in French.

What tropes does The City of Lost Children use?

Little People Are SurrealIris OutBlood from the MouthCreepy Circus MusicJaw Drop"Be Quiet!" NudgeArtificial HumanOlder Than They LookUnflinching Faith in the BrakesConjoined TwinsIndustrial GhettoFaceplanting into Foodand 99 more

TV Tropes lists 111 tropes for it, including Little People Are Surreal, Iris Out, and Blood from the Mouth.