Irma Vep (1996) (Remastered, Special Edition)

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French filmmaker René Vidal (Day for Night s Jean-Pierre Léaud) is commissioned by a TV company to direct a remake of Louis Feuillade s classic silent-era serial, Les Vampires. Maggie Cheung (playing a version of herself) is cast in the central role and heads to Paris for filming where she finds herself amid the chaos of artistic differences, petty rivalries and the immense egos which make up a film set.

Hong Kong action diva Maggie Cheung (Ashes of Time Redux, In the Mood for Love) plays herself in Olivier Assayas' spiky satire of the French film industry. After seeing her in Johnny To's Heroic Trio, past-his-prime director RenT Vidal (New Wave legend Jean-Pierre LTaud) impetuously casts Cheung as the lead in his remake of the silent classic Les Vampires. Unable to speak a word of French, Cheung tries to navigate the disorganized production while clad in a head-to-toe rubber catsuit and receiving cryptic direction from Vidal. Things only get crazier as she juggles a lovesick bisexual costumer (Nathalie Richard), a gossipy executive's wife (Bulle Ogier) and the whole backbiting crew. With freewheeling shots choreographed to the strains of Sonic Youth and Luna, Irma Vep immerses the viewer into the heady desperation and l'amour fou of modern moviemaking. Zeitgeist Films celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a sparkling new DVD release of this supercool comic gem.