The Bunker of the Last Gunshots (1982)

Interesting facts

The Bunker of the Last Gunshots is a 1981 French science fiction short film directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, from a screenplay written with Gilles Adrien. Set in an isolated military installation in an unspecified future, it follows soldiers whose fear of an unseen enemy gives way to paranoia and violence after they discover a mysterious countdown device. The 26-minute film has no spoken dialogue, using stark monochrome imagery, intermittent color and an electronic soundtrack by Caro's group Parazite.

Production

Caro and Jeunet had previously collaborated on animated shorts, including L'Évasion (1978) and Le Manège. Caro had worked as an illustrator for French comics magazines, including Métal hurlant, and brought his interest in science fiction, graphic design and punk culture to their first substantial live-action project. Gilles Adrien collaborated with the directors on the screenplay, while Zootrope produced the film.

The production had a budget of 135,000 francs, including support from TF1 Films Productions. Jeunet described it as a collective effort by friends working with limited remuneration. Preparation of the costumes and sets took four to five months, followed by six weeks of filming and extensive work on models, animation and post-production.

Filming took place at two principal locations. One was a former wartime bunker incorporated into a telephone exchange on rue du Plateau in Laxou, near Nancy. Jeunet had grown up around the facility, where his father served as director, and this family connection enabled the filmmakers to obtain permission to shoot there.

Jeunet and Caro jointly designed the sets and graphic elements. Zorin was credited with designing the military insignia and symbols. Jeunet recalled personally constructing models used in the special effects, including the tank, the bunker and an animated insect. For the insect, he inserted fine lead wires into a dried specimen purchased from the Paris taxidermist Deyrolle.

Bruno Delbonnel photographed the film on black-and-white 16 mm stock. Caro and Jeunet then enlarged the footage onto color 35 mm themselves, using an animation stand to introduce optical effects and frame-by-frame alterations. The finished film retains predominantly monochrome imagery interrupted by red, green and blue passages, which punctuate its stark compositions of machinery and enclosed spaces.

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