..... But that`s all it is , a story . Having watched several documentries on Devil`s Island there is some debate on weather Henri Charriere had even been an inmate at the penal colony , or if the claimed incidents happened but they all agree on one thing - none of these incidents actually happened to Charriere , other inmates maybe but not to Charrire .
Watching PAPILLON the film ( I`ve never read the novel ...sorry book ) it just doesn`t ring true ****** POSSIBLE SPOILERS ****** on arrival the inmates are warned about madame guillotine but several times in the film Charriere violently attacks guards and Louis Dega is seen to hit a guard over the head possibly killing him , and these two trouble makers survive captivity and recapture without getting their heads cut off ! Also unlikely is the scene where Charriere and Dega`s fellow escapee dies in a very dramatic way - just as Chairrere comes out of a hellhole after spending five years in solitary confinement. How very very convenient to have such a dramatic moment at that particular time , and one of Dega`s victims just happens to work in the reception area of the prison leading to some difficult work detail for him and Charriere , man astronomical bad luck just isn`t the word. Oh and where`s the depiction of " The terrible promiscuity " that History Channel documentaries refer to on Devil`s Island ?
Controversy as to the veracity of Charriere`s book aside PAPILLON is still a rather average film despite its epic qualities , the script is very episodic and disjointed , McQueen gives a brooding performance which isn`t exactly bad but neither is it memorable. Hoffman is good as Dega but I can no longer take him seriously because he looks exactly like Adam Clayton the bass player from U2 ! I`m being serious here , watch PAPILLON and look at a photo of U2 post JOSHUA TREE to see what I mean
Watching PAPILLON the film ( I`ve never read the novel ...sorry book ) it just doesn`t ring true ****** POSSIBLE SPOILERS ****** on arrival the inmates are warned about madame guillotine but several times in the film Charriere violently attacks guards and Louis Dega is seen to hit a guard over the head possibly killing him , and these two trouble makers survive captivity and recapture without getting their heads cut off ! Also unlikely is the scene where Charriere and Dega`s fellow escapee dies in a very dramatic way - just as Chairrere comes out of a hellhole after spending five years in solitary confinement. How very very convenient to have such a dramatic moment at that particular time , and one of Dega`s victims just happens to work in the reception area of the prison leading to some difficult work detail for him and Charriere , man astronomical bad luck just isn`t the word. Oh and where`s the depiction of " The terrible promiscuity " that History Channel documentaries refer to on Devil`s Island ?
Controversy as to the veracity of Charriere`s book aside PAPILLON is still a rather average film despite its epic qualities , the script is very episodic and disjointed , McQueen gives a brooding performance which isn`t exactly bad but neither is it memorable. Hoffman is good as Dega but I can no longer take him seriously because he looks exactly like Adam Clayton the bass player from U2 ! I`m being serious here , watch PAPILLON and look at a photo of U2 post JOSHUA TREE to see what I mean