“Summer was unfolding without a hitch, until the return of the 99 bats from the Sleeping Stone cemetery.”

In 1901, in a peaceful English village, two eccentric twins (one an alchemist, the other a candy apothecary) trigger a series of alchemical disasters with uncontrollable side effects. A race against time begins as the local notables exhaust themselves trying to contain the chaos, while Professor Dumdell sets off on a frantic quest between London and Paris in search of legendary ingredients for his potions. But each experiment threatens to break the already fragile balance… and forever transform the notables, his twin, and the village.

With Les mésaventures des jumeaux Dumdell, Alessandro Cassa brings to the screen a magical tale that leads the viewer to the edge of an early 20th-century English village. He thus offers an opera-tale for the whole family.

Like a tale being told

To dive into an Alessandro Cassa film is to accept surrendering to a narration that recalls a tale one loves to have read by a loved one. His way of storytelling is close to the literary and folk tale worlds. This was true of his short films like Un gigantesque petit univers or On m’appelait Marguerite, and it is the case with his first feature film, Les mésaventures des jumeaux Dumdell.

Adapted from his youth trilogy published by Alice Éditions, this fantastic adventure between alchemy and disorder is narrated by the author himself. This narration, imbued with gentleness and magic, is solid and effective. Cassa’s voice transports the viewer into the unique world of his characters. One could almost watch this film with eyes closed and simply appreciate the words, the tones, the voice, and the story while being carried away on the little cloud created.

Then, the music is added. Music that accompanies us from beginning to end, reinforcing the narration. Sometimes epic, sometimes melodious, it contributes to creating emotions in the viewer. An original score that allows for a slightly deeper exploration of the narrative.

A singular technique

Could we qualify Les mésaventures des jumeaux Dumdell as an experimental film? I imagine it depends on the definition one gives to experimental cinema. This feature film uses a thoughtful blend of techniques to offer an image like few we see, or like we’ve never really seen before.

The images are, at their core, shot with a camera and actors. Non-professional actors, by the way. Then, these images are animated using a rotoscoping technique. Since Alessandro Cassa loves playing with the image and molding it to fit what he sees in his head, filters are added. At times, several layers, and at others, almost nothing. These layers of filters allow for variation in the level of the animated style. In this way, the director plays with the viewer’s perception. These changes in style serve to create doubt. Doubt about what? About what is real and what is fake. And it is particularly effective with children. A scam! Just as much as Santa Claus. In other words, it provides magic and hurts no one. And if you watch the film with a child, you might have the chance to hear them say: “I knew it really happened!”

A little more…

One cannot overlook the effect created by the blend of music and narration. Les mésaventures des jumeaux Dumdell is not an opera. It is not a tale. It is a tale-opera. With narration reminiscent of literary or spoken tales, and music reminiscent of rock-opera shows, the result is a perfect blend that I would call an opera-tale. You have to see it to truly understand.

As a bonus, for those who have read the novels, some images in the film are actually 3D models of the sketches from the books. A beautiful touch from the author-director that will certainly be appreciated by young readers/cinephiles.

The film lasts almost two and a half hours, but isn’t that a perfect opportunity to settle onto a big soft cushion with a hot chocolate and let yourself be told a story; the story of the Dumdell twins and their misadventures…

Exerpt