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The Rainbow Thief

Play trailer Poster for The Rainbow Thief R 1990 1h 31m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 0 Reviews 38% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
An eccentric prince (Peter O'Toole) lives in the sewers of a city with his scavenger servant (Omar Sharif), until an act of God.

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member An early Jodorowsky, and one of his least known. Some guy, Prince Meleagre, waiting to inherit a lot of money when Uncle Rudolph dies, hids out for a while. He hides in the sewage together with a crook. The crook is doing plenty of things for the Prince. He steals food and everyting else that he needs and he gladly shares. There are also a giant and a dwarf here. Well, it's an OK film. It's weird, but not that weird. It got great moments but not too many. It floats very good. The big movenments in scenes as our crook runs around and steal stuff. The scenes are also well put together. After an hour or so my interest is quite low. I can't keep focus - it's not engaging me. For me, the best thing here is Omar Sharif that does an amazing job as the theif. Peter O'Toole as the Prince is also a big name here and he does all right. OK film, but there are only few hints of Jodorowsky's brillance here. 6 out of 10 tarot cards. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member The type of movie that should be seen but mostly because it's just so strange it got made. I mean, it's a Lawrence of Arabia reunion set in grimy underground sewers! It wouldn't surprise me if Jeunet somehow saw and liked this movie because it reminds me of a more reined in Delicatessen. Or even Fincher's Alien3. This movie is less about a plot and more about a feeling - specifically a feeling of dirt and grime and underground cities. The movie stars two men over 50 and I hate to sound AGEIST but the energy level of this film kind of matches that age level. Or perhaps I'm just surprised at how stilted the film is... you can tell it's a Jodorowsky but it feels so constrained. There's no focus on any characters other than Omar Sharif's and unfortunately all of those other characters are so much more interesting. I liked the rainbow women and Christopher Lee's Great Dane house and even O'Toole's dead dog. Instead all we get is Sharif sticking his nose in women's boobs while picking their pockets. Okay. On the other hand, I loved O'Toole's cryptic character but it was too frustrating how he felt like he was holding back the better film and wouldn't spill the beans. I want to know your secret to life, damnit! But instead he lets himself drown the way I suspect Jodorowsky wanted to do to himself while directing this film. In fact I'm now convinced: O'Toole represents the movie Jodorowsky wanted to make but wasn't allowed to. A lost film within a lost film! Overall, my biggest problem with the movie is the overall saccharine tone. It's weirdly precious for a film about a bunch of creeps and jerks. Didn't work for me. It was also just too disjointed (even in comparison to other Jodorowsky films). Can't tell if it was lost in translation somewhere between the writer to the director or if it was botched in editing? Side note, I enjoyed the soundtrack. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member The Uncle's dogs are Harlequin Great Danes, not Dalmations as stated in the synopsis. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Una pelicula de Jodorowsky con un argumento coherente, creible y lineal. No es facil. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member A fairly interesting tale, but probably the blandest of Jodorowsky's work. It is nice to see him do something a bit tamer, even if it suffers occasionally from a lack of emotional pulse. Oh, and it's really fun watching Christopher Lee go nuts at the beginning. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Alchemy, the Tarot & Edith Piaf in the sewer... just wonderful. OSharif was brilliant & POToole & CLee were hilarious. My absolute fav AJodorowsky to date. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Rainbow Thief

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis An eccentric prince (Peter O'Toole) lives in the sewers of a city with his scavenger servant (Omar Sharif), until an act of God.
Director
Alejandro Jodorowsky
Producer
Vincent Winter
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 31m