February, 2004 - Nr. 2
Tom Twyker to film Patrick Sueskind’s "Das Parfum"
TWIG - German Director Tom Twyker beat out Hollywood heavyweight Ridley Scott to film the adaptation of the international bestseller "Das Parfum" (English title: "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer") - a book hailed as one of the most influential works of German literature in the past two decades.
Twyker is best known for his directorial success with the international hit "Run Lola Run," the 1998 thriller that made actress Franka Potente a household name.
Filming on "Perfume" is set to begin this year. The film is being produced by German film industry icon and producer Bernd Eichinger, whose most notable projects include "The Neverending Story" and "The Name of the Rose," both adaptations of major European works of literature.
Since its publication in 1985, Patrick Sueskind’s "Perfume" has entranced readers worldwide with its strange mix of suspense, history, and post-modern poetic imagery. Amid the bustle and stench of a fish market in 18th century Paris, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born to an unwed mother and survives a horrifying attempt at infanticide. He grows up in the slums of Paris among the putrid smells of the city, discovering that he himself has no discernable scent.
But Grenouille has been gifted with the country’s most sensitive sniffer. In a twist of fate that runs to the heart of the novel, he becomes a local legend as the preeminent Parisian perfume artist.
Tortured by his own lack of scent, Grenouille’s story takes a dark turn as he attempts to develop the most perfect human scent — and his science turns to murder.
Grenouille is to be played by actor Orlando Bloom, whose recent roles in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "Pirates of the Caribbean" have catapulted him to stardom.
"Perfume" has been translated into over 30 languages and has sold over 15 million copies worldwide, making it one of the most popular pieces of post-war German literature.
Republished with permission from "The Week in Germany"
