A Hong Kong actress, Maggie Cheung playing a fictional version of herself, is cast in France to star in a remake of Les vampires (1915), but petty intrigues and clashing egos plague the production.
French filmmaker René Vidal was once a renowned director, but most see his career on a quick downward slide based on his last several films. In Paris, he is just starting to film his latest movie, a remake of Les vampires (1915), and has hired Hong Kong based Chinese actress Maggie Cheung as the title lead, "Irma Vep" (an anagram for "vampire"), despite she knowing no French and she not being an obvious choice to most. Maggie has never worked with Vidal before and knows little about his movies, but many of his primarily French crew are part of his regular stable. As such, Maggie may become isolated among the cast and crew, unless there are those who bring her into their English conversations, they who may have somewhat ulterior motives in doing so. There are also factions within the cast and crew, who, based on their history, have a poisoned sense of what is going on. With Vidal, he is dealing with some personal issues while he tries to regain his film making form. He may transfer his thoughts of Irma Vep to Maggie, who he hired because he too sees her as strong and sexy like the skin-tight latex clad Irma. And Maggie may take her research for the comic bookish character to an extreme.—Huggo
Knowing that his glory days are far behind him, the hopeless French director, René Vidal, enlists the help of Hong Kong actress, Maggie Cheung, to save his doomed take on Louis Feuillade's classic silent-era film serial, Les vampires (1915). Cast as inimitable Musidora's Irma Vep, the sleek, latex-clad cat burglar with the strange name, Maggie Cheung turns up in Paris without speaking a word of French, bent on giving her all. However, amid catastrophic screenings of daily rushes, intense sexual objectification on the set, unrequited loves, and mysterious dreams, more and more, Maggie Cheung becomes obsessed with her character. But, the question remains. Can they finish the film?—Nick Riganas
Rene Vidal, a director in decline, decides to remake Louis Feuillade's silent serial "Les Vampires." Believing no French actress can match Musidora as Irma Vep (an anagram for vampire), he casts Hong Kong action heroine Maggie Cheung, though she speaks no French. On the chaotic set, she's aided by Zoe, the wardrobe mistress with a crush on her; she defends Vidal to a Parisian journalist who trashes all French film and praises John Woo and Schwarzenegger; she befriends Vidal when he goes over the edge; and, in costume, she breaks into a hotel suite to steal jewels as her victim talks on the phone. We also watch the making, the rushes, and the remains of Vidal's unfinished film.—<[email protected]>
Director René Vidal [Jean-Pierre Leaud] has been charged with the remake of LouisFeuillade's 1915 silent French movie Les Vampires. The star of LesVampires, Irma Vep, was played by a French actress named Musidora. In asearch for an actress to play Irma, René has become impressed with Chinesemartial artist, Maggie Cheung [herself], because of her beauty, her grace, and herpresence, he says. Maggie is hired and flies to Paris from Hong Kong.Unfortunately, she is three days late in arriving, which is causing havocwith the filming. It also doesn't help that Maggie does not speak French.
First thing on the agenda is for Maggie to be fitted in her costume,a skin-tight latex catsuit, much like the one worn by Halle Berry inCatwoman. Next, Maggie grabs some lunch with costumer Zoé [Nathalie Richard] and learnsthat René Vidal's reputation as a director is going downhill. To Maggie,however, he seems to believe in the remaking of Les Vampires, so sheisn't worried. Then comes the shoots. They shoot the scene where Irma ischloroformed and a double substituted in her place. At the viewing of theshoot, however, René is so P.O.ed that he stomps out of the theater.
That night, following the viewing, everyone drives off and leavesMaggie behind until Zoé happens by and offers Maggie a ride on hermotorbike. They go to a friend's house for dinner, where everyone isdissing René in French and Maggie has no idea what they are saying.Meanwhile, out in the kitchen, Zoé and a friend are discussing Zoé'sattraction to Maggie, and the firend advises Zoé to go for it. When shegets Maggie alone, the friend tells her that Zoé wants to have sex with her.Maggie is very embarrassed.
When Maggie gets back to the hotel, she finds a half dozen messagesfrom René, who's been calling every few minutes, asking her to call back.He asks her to meet him at his house. By the time Maggie arrives, thepolice are buzzing in and out. René has had a huge fight with his wife,and the doctor on call has given him tranquilizers. As René is in themiddle of explaining to Maggie her role in the movie, he passes out.
Maggie goes back to her hotel room. Almost as though she is possessedby the spirit of Irma Vep, she puts on her catsuit and sneaks into theroom of a hotel guest where she finds a pile of jewelry and takes it withher. Like Irma Vep, she flees to the rooftop where she drops the jewelryover the ledge. The next morning, Maggie is so tired that she sleepsthrough her wakeup until Zoé shows up with the hotel passkey to see ifMaggie is okay. When Maggie gets to the studio, she rehearses the scenewhere Irma kills the Great Vampire.
Meanwhile, René has come up missing, and the entire crew is indistress. It turns out that René has had a nervous breakdown and has beenadmitted to a rest home. René's director friend, José Mirano, is going totake his place. What Mirano cannot comprehend is why René chose a Chineseactress to play Irma Vep, the epitome of the Paris Underground. Miranoagrees to take over direction but only if he can replace Maggie.
Maggie is given a ticket to New York where she is to meet with RidleyScott and then fly on to Los Angeles. Mirano views the film as it's beenedited by René. The film is a total mess (although some reviewers claimthat it's a "love sonnet" from René to Maggie). [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl]
