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Les revenants/The Returned


Sméagol

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I promised I’d do this @Fierce_LiNk

 

Channel 4, 09 June at 9 PM

 

Although I still haven’t seen the last 4 episodes. Many excuses etc. But I'’m authoring the subbed DVD’s as I speak (ehh type), and next Saturday I am definitely going to do that marathon with a friend.

 

So this is a French TV series called Les revenants, in English called “The returned”. It’s well.. about zombies. Just not the typical kind. It’s set in a remote little French village, and suddenly, people start coming back from the dead.. The series start when Camille, one of a pair of twin sisters (the girl in my avatar is the other half of the pair, all grown up), who died in a bus accident, suddenly returns home to a shocked family. She initially doesn’t realise what has happened to her, and doesn’t understand the commotion. More dead people keep turning up, and although they want to just continue their lives, something’s off.

 

I could list the characters, but it’s more fun to just watch it and see what happens to them and what their backstory is. Every episode focusses on one specific character, and all the dead people have different backstories (some are older than others).

 

Other reasons to like this is the awesome music by Mogwai. Let me post the intro:

 

 

Unfortunately that’s the only video of the intro itself, but if you want a better version of the song:

 

Anyway, you people can enjoy Les revenants on Channel 4 today, it will air at 9 PM. The English name is “The returned”, which is a literal translation. Revenants is French for people who have returned, but also for ghosts or zombies from what I’ve gathered. Initially the name was slated to be “Rebound”. Like I said in the general TV thread, this is the best thing I’ve seen at a film festival, so it was pretty amazing. I urge you all to go watch it!

 

Another thing, the series is based on a film with the same name (although the English name is translated as “They came back”). I haven’t seen this film, though it was shown at the same festival where I saw the TV series this year. I can remember wanting to see it, but ultimately didn’t go. Probably because lack of money, because I don’t think I’ve gone to the festival at all that year (2005). [The film’s IMDB page]

 

[Official site]

Those who understand French can watch the first 12 minutes here.

 

[The returned @ Channel 4]

 

Edit:

Also, people who understand French can simply buy [the box on Amazon.fr] like I have.

 

Season 2 will air in 2014 (on Canal+).

 

Another film I’ve seen this year at the same festival, with a similar theme:

 

 

Halley, a Mexican drama about a undead person.

 

Edited by Sméagol
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It sounds a bit similar to a series on BBC3 I watched called In The Flesh (or something similar to that). I love anything to do with zombies so I'll definitely give this a go. Thanks for bringing it to my attention! :D

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fainting.gif

 

This was awesome! I wonder just how many people actually watched it, though. If that jeopardises Channel 4 showing a second season, I will be supremely pissed off.

 

Mogwai were born to make the soundtrack to this. It was like a television series of Silent Hill.

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Really enjoyed it as well, has a very high quality to it and it's just very gripping. Really want to find out what happens next.

 

The only thing that annoyed me is the commercial breaks, but then the first one made me laugh as they played all of them in French. =P

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Great stuff, completely hooked already. Originally thought everyone coming back was on the bus, but not so. Can't wait to see how it's all going to pan out.

 

We've got to wait a whole week for the next episode. I usually like to watch 2 or so episodes of a series a night and go through it that way. I haven't done a series like this in ages.

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fainting.gif

 

This was awesome! I wonder just how many people actually watched it, though. If that jeopardises Channel 4 showing a second season, I will be supremely pissed off.

 

I'd like to think if the ratings turn out bad Channel 4 being Channel 4 they have got the brass to run the second series despite a potential lack of viewership.

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No!! Someone destroyed my beautiful title by adding the English title to it! :(

 

I did that, so that people wouldn't miss it if they didn't know the French name for it.

 

I'd like to think if the ratings turn out bad Channel 4 being Channel 4 they have got the brass to run the second series despite a potential lack of viewership.

 

Channel 4 are probably one of the only ones who are good in that way. Finger's crossed.

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Still watching it, still have no idea what's going on (I think that's the point) and that boy is creepy as hell. Stupid grin on his face, he seems to have magic teleporting powers as well.

 

I couldn't work out if the wolf came back alive or it was a different wolf?

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The wolf came back to life as it was no longer hanging from the hook.

 

I find this really gripping and interesting. It is great to try and figure out who has returned and who they are related to etc. Makes me look forward to the next episode so I will be given more information about what is going on. =)

 

Also yeah, that boy is just very very creepy. He would very much annoy me if I met him in real life and he wouldn't say a word!

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I’ve finally done that marathon Saturday (and Sunday). Awesome! But..

 

Unfortunately, the series only gets more mysterious.. Few things get resolved by the end of the season, end it ends with a major cliffhanger. I hope for those few of you watching that Channel 4 will show season 2 as well. (But hey, you can always get the French box and use fansubs (or learn French))

 

 

Léna!!! :love:

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

Season 2 will start on Canal+ on 29-09-2015, if you can get that. I have no idea about Channel 4. But I'm getting the French Blu-rays which will be released on 23-10-2015.

 

(and for those who can't stand French.. You can watch the American remake, but I don't know anything about that).

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Season 2 will start on Canal+ on 29-09-2015, if you can get that. I have no idea about Channel 4. But I'm getting the French Blu-rays which will be released on 23-10-2015.

 

(and for those who can't stand French.. You can watch the American remake, but I don't know anything about that).

 

Goddamit, wish I spoke French/could speak and understand it well.

 

The wait for this has been torture. Pure torture. Season 1 was excellent and I'll probably rewatch it all before Season 2 starts.

 

Soon.

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The American version has been cancelled anyway so no real point in watching it.

 

I was lucky enough to be at the international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last week and watched the first two episodes of season two.

 

If you liked season one, you'll really enjoy season two. Set six month after the last episode the mystery deepens with some answers being delivered towards the end of the first episode. The first half being quite confusing but in a good way.

 

I won't say anymore so as not to ruin it, but it was really enjoyable watching them on the big screen, and also having the creators there for a Q&A.

 

They stipulated they've always known how it was going to end, but the middle parts have changed along the way.

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Which is making me jealous :P, but at least I'll see it soon enough.

 

But hey, post something about the Toronto film festival will ya?

 

A bit of Googling tells me that season 2 will be broadcast in the UK, but on More 4, instead of Channel 4. No dates given, but I suspect you won't have to wait that long either.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

We watched all of the first season this week in preparation for season 2.

 

I can't believe how good season 1 is. I remember there being a fair few complaints about the finale, but I think it's absolutely stunning. It's unsettling, upsetting and bizarre at the same time. My favourite story is the one between Victor and Julie. In fact, they're all pretty great. I love the fact that the season is short, yet they cram so much in so that every scene in important. It's very, very intense.

 

We couldn't watch the premiere of season 2 last night...we'll have to watch it tonight. It's killlliing meeeee.

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I forgot this was coming back but luckily my girlfriend didn't and recorded it, got to find some time to watch it before the spoilers get on twitter. Did anyone ever end up watching the US remake? I heard mostly bad things but that was from folk who watched the original series in French first.

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