Asterix the Gaul (film)
| Industry | Animation, Film |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (original comic creators) |
| Products | Animated feature film |
Asterix the Gaul (French: Astérix le Gaulois) is a 1967 animated feature, marking the inaugural film in the Asterix series, adapted from the original comic created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. The movie remains faithful to the source material's storyline.
Initially produced with French television in mind, the film was ultimately distributed in cinemas by Dargaud, the publisher of the comics, without direct participation from Uderzo and Goscinny. Although they were dissatisfied with the final product, the creators reluctantly consented to its release but stopped two sequels planned without their collaboration. Thereafter, they insisted on being involved in all subsequent adaptations, starting with Asterix and Cleopatra. The animation was carried out by Belvision alongside Halas and Batchelor.
Plot
The narrative centers on Asterix defending his village against Roman soldiers, leading their commander Phonus Balonus to seek out the secret behind the Gauls' extraordinary power. A Roman spy named Caligula Minus infiltrates the Gaulish community disguised as a native and attempts to steal the magic potion’s formula. Once his identity is revealed, Minus flees to report back to Phonus.
Phonus captures Getafix in an effort to coerce him into divulging the potion’s recipe. In response, Asterix sneaks into the Roman camp to free Getafix and uncovers a conspiracy aimed at toppling Caesar. Getafix tricks the Romans by supplying them with a hair-growth potion rather than the genuine magic strength elixir, leaving them powerless. He then brews the authentic potion for Asterix while preparing a so-called "antidote" that is actually vegetable soup.
As Asterix and Getafix start overpowering their captors, Julius Caesar arrives, dismisses Phonus for his incompetence, and grants freedom to both Asterix and Getafix. The film ends with a festive banquet held in the Gaulish village.
Cast
| Character | Original Dub | English Dub | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Dub | English Dub | ||
| Astérix | Asterix | Roger Carel | Lee Payant |
| Caligulaminus | Caligula Minus | John Clive (uncredited) | |
| Obélix | Obelix | Jacques Morel | Hal Brav |
| Abraracourcix | Vitalstatistix | Pierre Tornade | Yves Brainville (Tonabrix) |
| Le marchand de boeufs | Ox merchant | Hal Brav | |
| Caius Bonus | Crismus Bonus | Steve Eckardt (Phonus Balonus) | |
| Panoramix | Getafix | Lucien Raimbourg | John Primm (Panoramix) |
| Le narrateur | Narrator | Bernard Lavalette | John Clive (uncredited) |
| Marcus Sacapus | Marcus Ginantonicus | Pierre Trabaud | Lee Payant (Marcus Sourpuss) |
| Jules César | Julius Caesar | Jacques Mauclair (uncredited) | Steve Eckardt |
| Assurancetourix | Cacofonix | Jacques Jouanneau (uncredited) | John Wells (Stopthemusix, uncredited) |
| Tullius Octopus | Tulius Optupus | Unknown | Billy Kearns (uncredited) |
| Claudius Catilus | Claudius Quintilius | Maurice Chevit | Unknown |
| Le bourreau | The executioner | ||
| Un soldat romain | Roman soldier | ||
| Un légionnaires | Legionnaires | Roger Carel | |
| Pierre Tornade | |||
| Pierre Trabaud | |||
Additional Voices
- Original Version: Robert Vattier, Michel Puterflam, Georges Carmier
- English Version: Steve Eckardt
Uncredited
- Original Version: Henri Labussière (minor role)
No official English cast list is available; however, many recurring performers are believed to be the same as those in Asterix and Cleopatra, with only a few character assignments verified.
Production and release
The English-language dub features several altered character names compared to the original series and books—Getafix remains as Panoramix, Vitalstatistix is renamed Tonabrix, and Cacofonix becomes Stopthemusix. These modifications occurred because the dub was produced before the official translations of the books were released. Later reissues adjusted the titles to align with the names spoken in the film. Additionally, Caesar is depicted with black hair rather than his traditional white.
Reception
In 2004, the film drew an audience of 500,000 television viewers in the United Kingdom, making it the third highest-rated European-language movie on TV that year.