Blood of the Beasts

1949 0h 23m FR

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 85

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

An early example of ultra-realism, this movie contrasts the quiet, bucolic life in the outskirts of Paris with the harsh, gory conditions inside the nearby slaughterhouses. Describes the fate of the animals and that of the workers in graphic detail.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Georges Hubert
Narrator (voice)
Nicole Ladmiral
Narrator (voice)
Alfred Macquart
Himself, horse slaughterer
Maurice Griselle
Himself, cow slaughterer
André Brunier
Poleaxer
Henri Fournel
Butcher

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Georges Franju
Writers: Jean Painlevé, Georges Franju
Languages: French
Countries: France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 23-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

77 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Georges Franju, shot by Marcel Fradetal. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Joseph Kosma. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor André Joseph shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Georges Hubert and Nicole Ladmiral and Alfred Macquart carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0041842 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Georges Franju directs. Marcel Fradetal behind the camera. Joseph Kosma scores. André Joseph cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 23-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
277 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Georges Franju, shot by Marcel Fradetal. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Joseph Kosma. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor André Joseph shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Georges Hubert and Nicole Ladmiral and Alfred Macquart carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0041842 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 85 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 11 themes, including "gore", "butcher", "meat", "slaughterhouse".