Asterix Marathon Bonus - The 12 Tasks of Asterix

I've still got a day or so before I go to Swanwick. In the meantime, I thought I'd do another review. Since I spent the past month reviewing the Asterix comics, I figured I'd take a look at The 12 Tasks of Asterix, an animated film released in 1976. Now, I mentioned during the marathon that I wasn't going to look at the film adaptations. However, I've decided to make an exception here for two reasons: Firstly, this film is not an adaptation of any of the albums, but has an original story; secondly, it serves as a finale to the series.

The animated films actually had a rough start. There had been an animated adaptation of Asterix the Gaul back in 1967, but Goscinny and Uderzo weren't fond of it. To the point that they refused to allow an adaptation of Asterix and the Golden Sickle to be made. Nonetheless, they saw the potential and decided to make their own animated adaptations, starting with Asterix and Cleopatra in 1968. If you want something done right, you do it yourself. Anyway, let's look at the story.

After repeated failures to conquer The Indomitable Village, rumours spread around the Roman army that the villagers are gods. This reaches Julius Caesar, and he decides to test this hypothesis. If Asterix and Obelix can successfully complete a series of tasks akin to the Labours of Hercules, Caesar will relinquish control of Rome to Vitalstatistix. If they fail, the Gauls must surrender. So, it's up to our heroes to complete the tasks while observed by Caius Tiddlus.

Since this story was written and directed by Goscinny and Uderzo, the film retains the signature humour of the comics. On top of that, it utilises more fantasy and also takes a rather surreal tone in places. While this is a major shift from the tone of the comics, I'm pretty much OK with that. I especially love how bored and deadpan Caius Tiddlus sounds when he gives them the tasks.

My favourite moment has to involve our heroes venturing into "The Place Which Sends You Mad", which is not a forbidden forest or sinister cave (that was the previous task), but a municipal office. Their task is to obtain a "Permit A-38", but the bureaucrats are intentionally unhelpful and the place is labyrinthine. I can kind of relate to it, once having had to submit an application for a premises license which had to be hand delivered to five different places. While it differs from the previous tasks, it takes a cathartic satirical jab at how bureaucratic some places can be, and shows how much Asterix can be a guile hero as well as an action hero.

I could describe a lot more of what goes on, but some of the things in this film have to be seen to be believed. It's available on Netflix UK, and I do recommend you check it out.