View source for The Twelve Tasks of Asterix

{{Short description|1976 English/French animated film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = The Twelve Tasks of Asterix
| native_name    = {{lang|fr|italics=default|Les Douze travaux d'Astérix}}
| image          = Douze travaux d'Astérix.jpg
| caption        = Original theatrical release poster
| director       = [[René Goscinny]]<br>[[Albert Uderzo]]<br>Pierre Watrin<br>Henri Gruel
| screenplay     = {{Plainlist|
* [[Pierre Tchernia]]
* René Goscinny
* Albert Uderzo
}}
| based_on       = {{Based on|''[[Asterix comics|Asterix]]''|[[René Goscinny]]|[[Albert Uderzo]]}} 
| starring = {{Plainlist| 
* [[Roger Carel]] 
* [[Jacques Morel (actor)|Jacques Morel]] 
* [[Jean Martinelli]]
}} 
| narrator = [[Pierre Tchernia]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Georges Dargaud]]
* René Goscinny
* Albert Uderzo
}}
| music          = [[Gérard Calvi]]
| editing        = {{plainlist|
* René Chaussy
* Isabel García de Herreros
* Minouche Gauzins
* Michèle Neny
}}
| studio         = {{Plainlist|
* [[Dargaud|Dargaud Films]]
*[[René Goscinny| Les Productions René Goscinny]]
* [[René Goscinny#Studios Idefix| Studios Idéfix]]
* [[Halas and Batchelor|Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films]]
}}
| distributor    = [[Gaumont Film Company|Gaumont]]
| released       = {{Film date|1976|03|12|Austria|1976|10|20|France|1976|12|19|United Kingdom}}
| runtime        = 82 minutes
| language       = {{Plainlist|French
}}
| country        = {{Plainlist|
* France
* United Kingdom 
}}
| gross          = 9.4 million tickets<ref>{{cite web |title=Douze travaux d'Astérix (1976) |url=http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=8100 |website=JP's Box-Office |access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref>
}}

'''''The Twelve Tasks of Asterix''''' (''Les Douze travaux d'Astérix'') is a 1976 English/French [[animation|animated]] [[feature film]] based on the [[Asterix comics|''Asterix'' comic book series]], and the third in the [[List of Asterix films|animated franchise]]. [[René Goscinny]] and [[Albert Uderzo]], the creators of the series, wrote the story and directed the film themselves; with co-direction by Pierre Watrin and the screenplay co-written by [[Pierre Tchernia]], a friend of Goscinny and Uderzo. The film was directed, produced and animated at Goscinny and Uderzo's own animation studio, [[René Goscinny#Studios Idéfix|Studios Idéfix]], and is the only Asterix animated film that used  [[Traditional animation#Xerography|xerography]], instead of traditional inkers. 
At the time of its release, the film received mixed reviews since its tone is more cartoony and frequently breaks the [[fourth wall]]. Nowadays, its reception is more favourable, with it often being cited as one of the best ''Astérix'' films, even reaching the status of a [[cult classic]].<ref name="lambiek.net">{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/g/goscinny.htm|title=René Goscinny|website=lambiek.net}}</ref><ref name="lambiek.net1">{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/u/uderzo.htm|title=Albert Uderzo|website=lambiek.net}}</ref>

It was the only Asterix film (animated or live-action) to be based on an original screenplay rather than on material from any of the [[comic book]] stories until the release of ''[[Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion]]'' in 2018.<ref name="lambiek.net"/><ref name="lambiek.net1"/> It was later adapted into a comic book as well by Albert Uderzo's brother, [[Marcel Uderzo]],<ref name="lambiek.net2">{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/u/uderzo_marcel.htm|title=Marcel Uderzo|website=lambiek.net}}</ref> as an illustrated text story book and a series of twelve books for young readers.

== Plot ==
Following constant defeats by the rebel village in [[Gaul]], the [[Roman Senate]] begins to suggest that the [[Gauls]] might be [[Roman gods|gods]], due to their apparent invincibility. [[Julius Caesar]], openly disdainful of the suggestion, decides to test the village and meets with their chieftain, [[Recurring characters in Asterix#Vitalstatistix|Vitalstatistix]]. Caesar declares that the Gauls must undertake a challenge, inspired by [[Labours of Hercules|the Twelve Labours]] of [[Heracles|Hercules]]: the village's best warriors shall perform a set of twelve new tasks, which only gods could carry out successfully. Completion of all the tasks will see Caesar hand over the [[Roman Empire]] to them, whereas failing just one task will result in the Gauls surrendering to Rome. Agreeing to the terms, the village assigns [[Asterix (character)|Asterix]] and [[Obelix]] to perform the tasks, with Caesar assigning Caius Tiddlus, a Roman man renowned for his honesty, to act as their guide to the tasks and serve as the challenges' referee.

In their first set of challenges, Asterix defeats the Greek Asbestos, champion of the [[ancient Olympic Games]], by beating him in a race, and Cilindric the [[Ancient Germans|German]] in a [[judo]] match, by outsmarting his opponent. Obelix defeats Verses the [[Persians|Persian]], by managing to [[Javelin throw|throw a javelin]] further than him. In their next challenge, the pair find themselves crossing a lake that is home to beautiful [[Siren (mythology)|Siren]]s, who reside in the centre on the "Isle of Pleasure". Although the Gauls nearly succumb to the women, Obelix comes to his senses when he learns that there are no [[wild boar]]s for him to hunt and eat, allowing the pair to accomplish the challenge. After surviving the [[Hypnosis|hypnotic]] gaze of Iris the [[Egyptians|Egyptian]] in the fifth task, with Asterix causing him to hypnotise himself, Obelix attempts the sixth task of finishing meals prepared by the Belgian cook Mannekenpix, consuming all the food (which he believes to be [[hors d'oeuvre]]s).

Following their seventh task of enduring the "Cave of the Beast", the pair attempt the eighth task of getting a permit document from "The Place that Sends you Mad", a multi-storey [[bureaucracy|bureaucratic]] building. After finding it impossible because of the clinically unhelpful people who direct them elsewhere, Asterix beats them at their own game by requesting an imaginary permit. The staff fall victim to their own behaviour, and cause the [[Praefectus|Prefect]] to unwittingly hand over what the Gauls came for. The pair continue to complete further challenges. They cross a [[ravine]] filled with crocodiles by beating them up, rather than using an invisible tightrope. They answer a riddle by the Old Man of the Mountain, conducted in the form of a washing detergent advertisement. They then endure a night on a plain haunted by ghostly legionnaires. The exhausted Asterix's furious complaint scares the ghosts away.

Asterix and Obelix eventually find themselves in [[Rome]], alongside their fellow villagers, for their final task. Brought to the [[Circus Maximus]], the Gauls fight against [[gladiator]]s, whom they beat, and defeat various animals sent against them by turning the arena into a modern-day [[circus]]. Having succeeded in every task, Caesar agrees that they are gods, giving the Gauls control of the Roman Empire, while retiring to live a quiet and peaceful life with [[Cleopatra]]. As a reward for his service, Caius Tiddlus retires to the Isle of Pleasure. As the village celebrates their success, Asterix answers Obelix's question of them really [[Fall of the Western Roman Empire|conquering Rome]] by pointing out that everything that happened to them [[Fourth wall|was a mere cartoon]], in which [[Cartoon physics|anything is possible]]. Obelix takes advantage of this and [[Teleportation|teleports]] himself and his wild boar meat to the Isle of Pleasure by the High Priestess, along with Caius Tiddlus, to enjoy himself.

== Cast ==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Character
!Original Dub
!English Dub<ref name="Credits">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6bd08c94|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509094201/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6bd08c94|archive-date=9 May 2022|access-date=21 November 2024|title=Les DOUZE TRAVAUX D'ASTÉRIX (1975)}}</ref><ref name="Twelve Tasks">{{Cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/The-Twelve-Tasks-of-Asterix/|title=The Twelve Tasks of Asterix|website=Behind The Voice Actors|language=en-US|access-date=2021-03-26}}</ref>
|-
!Asterix
|rowspan="2"|[[Roger Carel]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Seán Barrett (actor)|Sean Barrett]]
|-
!Caius Tiddlius
|-
!Obelix
|[[Jacques Morel (actor)|Jacques Morel]]
| [[Michael Kilgarriff]]<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
|-
!Dogmatix
|colspan="2"|Roger Carel
|}
===Additional Voices===


===Original===
*[[Roger Carel]] (Roman Senator #2, Roman Senator #3)
*Georges Atlas - Cétautomatix, Hermès, Fantôme romain
*[[Claude Bertrand (actor)|Claude Bertrand]] - Brutus, Le centurion #2
*Caroline Cler - Bureaucrate #5
*Claude Dasset - Bureaucrate #2
*[[Micheline Dax]] - Grande Prêtresse, Cléopâtre
*Gisèle Grimm - Voix supplémentaires
*[[Gérard Hernandez]] - Le vénérable du sommet
*[[Jacques Hilling]] - Soldat
*Nicole Jonesco - Voix supplémentaires
*[[Henri Labussière]] - Bureaucrate #1
*[[Odette Laure]] - Bureaucrate #4
*[[Bernard Lavalette]] - Le préfet
*Roger Lumont - Cylindrique le Germain, prof de karaté allemand
*[[Jean Martinelli]] - Jules César, Jupiter
*Mary Mongourdin - Voix supplémentaires
*[[Pascal Mazzotti]] - Sénateur romain #1
*Henri Poirier - Le centurion #1
*Lawrence Riesner - Voix supplémentaires
*Stéphane Steeman - Le Belge
*Jean Stout - Voix supplémentaires
*Monique Thubert - Vénus
*[[Pierre Tornade]] - Abraracourcix, Assurancetourix
*Nicole Vervil - Bonnemine
*[[Henri Virlojeux]] - Panoramix, Iris
;Uncredited
*[[Alice Sapritch]] - Voix supplémentaires
*[[Pierre Tchernia]] - Récitant, Le narrateur

===English===
*Paul Bacon - Vitalstatistix, Centurion #1, Roman Senator #1, Indian Chief, Iris, Bureaucrat #9, Old Man of the Mountains, Ares<ref name="Credits" /><ref name="Twelve Tasks">{{Cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/The-Twelve-Tasks-of-Asterix/|title=The Twelve Tasks of Asterix|website=Behind The Voice Actors|language=en-US|access-date=2021-03-26}}</ref>
*[[George Baker (British actor)|George Baker]] - Bureaucrat #2, Prefect, Hermes, Roman Soldier<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*[[Ysanne Churchman]] - Impedimenta, Bureaucrat #5<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*Christina Greatrex - Chief Priestess of the Isle of Pleasure, Bureaucrat #6, Hera, Mrs. Geriatrix<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*Alexander John - Julius Caesar, Bureaucrat #1, Zeus<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*[[Barbara Mitchell]] - Priestess #3<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*[[Gennie Nevinson]] - Bureaucrat #3, Bureaucrat #8, Cleopatra<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*[[John Ringham]] - Narrator, Soldier, Roman Senator #3, Bureaucrat #7<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*Geoffrey Russell - Getafix, Roman Senator #4, Cacofonix<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*Paddy Turner - Priestess #2, Bureaucrat #4, Aphrodite<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>
*[[Seán Barrett (actor)|Sean Barrett]] - Verses, Cylindric, Mannikinpix, Gladiator Trainer, Jailer, Roman Ghost, Fulliautomatix<ref name="Credits"/><ref name="Twelve Tasks"/>

== Home media ==
In the United Kingdom, it was watched by 400,000 viewers on television during the first half of 2005, making it the fifth most-watched foreign-language film on UK television during that period.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=September 2005 |title=4. Film on UK Television in the First Half of 2005 |url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/18620776/research-and-statistics-bulletin-september-2005-bfi |journal=Research and Statistics Bulletin |publisher=[[British Film Institute]], [[UK Film Council]] |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=20-34 (26-7) |access-date=21 April 2022 |via=[[Yumpu]]}}</ref>

==Notes==

*In the opening scene at Caesar's senate [[Marcus Junius Brutus|Brutus]] is seen around the table playing with a knife of which Caesar says "Brutus, stop playing about with that knife you'll end up hurting somebody",<ref>{{cite web |title=Animated Asterix Films: 'The Twelve Tasks of Asterix' |url=https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A72220664 |website=h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition |date=21 February 2011 |access-date=10 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kuykendall |first1=Jeff |title=The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976) |url=https://www.midnightonly.com/2012/04/27/the-twelve-tasks-of-asterix-1976/ |website=Midnight Only |access-date=10 June 2021}}</ref> while Brutus is off screen you hear an "ouch" in the background with the next shot of Brutus with a bandage around his finger. This is a reference to [[Et tu, Brute?|Brutus being one of the men]] who [[Assassination of Julius Caesar|stabbed and killed Caesar]].
*The scene with the fight in the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] village during the second task features a cameo appearance by [[Oumpah-pah]], a character created by Goscinny and Uderzo for a separate comic series.
*Especially in France, Italy and Germany, "The Place that sends you mad" sequence has achieved a strong [[Cult following|cult status]] as a parody of absurd modern-day bureaucracy. In Germany, "{{lang|de|Passierschein A38}}" ("Curfew pass A38") has become a popular [[Slang|slang term]] for a fictional document to ironically describe absurd bureaucracy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Warum das Coronavirus den "Passierschein A38" wiederauferstehen lässt|url=https://www.t-online.de/-/87577308|access-date=2021-10-20|website=www.t-online.de|date=23 March 2020 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=ZEIT ONLINE {{!}} Lesen Sie zeit.de mit Werbung oder im PUR-Abo. Sie haben die Wahl.|url=https://www.zeit.de/zustimmung?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zeit.de%2Fzuender%2F2006%2F30%2FMusterungsbericht|access-date=2021-10-20|website=www.zeit.de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Apps statt Ablage - Der lange Weg zur digitalen Verwaltung|url=https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/apps-statt-ablage-der-lange-weg-zur-digitalen-verwaltung.976.de.html?dram:article_id=500884|access-date=2021-10-20|website=Deutschlandfunk Kultur| date=27 July 2021 |language=de-DE}}</ref> It was also referenced in the second [[DLC (video gaming)|expansion]] of ''[[The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt]]'', ''[[The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine|Blood and Wine]]''; there, [[Geralt of Rivia|Geralt]] has to retrieve Permit A38 from a Touissant office, and face unhelpful clerks and confusing architecture.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-30 |title=The best bit of The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine is a hilarious, throwaway side quest |url=https://www.vg247.com/witcher-3-blood-wine-paperchase |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=VG247 |language=en}}</ref>

== Comic book and story book adaptations ==
* In 1976, Uderzo's brother Marcel created a comic book adaptation of the film. This rare album has been translated in various languages, but is unavailable in the regular series.<ref name="lambiek.net2"/> The English translation, only published as part of the once off [[Annual publication|comic book annual]] ''[[Asterix Annual 1980]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asterixonline.info/asterix-conquers-rome/|title=Asterix Conquers Rome (1976) - Read Asterix Comics Online|website=asterixonline.info}}</ref> was based on the dialogue of the English version of the film and was titled ''[[Asterix Conquers Rome]]''. 
* There is also an illustrated book of the film (of the same name) containing the story in text. The story book is more regularly published and more widely translated than the very rare comic book.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asterix.openscroll.org/books/the_twelve_tasks_of_asterix.html|title=Chapter 1. The Twelve Tasks of Asterix|website=asterix.openscroll.org}}</ref> 
* In addition, there are also twelve rare illustrated text story books for young readers, one for each of the twelve tasks.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0072901}}

{{Asterix|Twelve Tasks of Asterix, The|type=film}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Twelve Tasks of Asterix, The}}
[[Category:1976 films]]
[[Category:1976 animated films]]
[[Category:1976 children's films]]
[[Category:1970s ghost films]]
[[Category:1970s speculative fiction films]]
[[Category:Animated films based on French comics]]
[[Category:Asterix films]]
[[Category:Belgian animated feature films]]
[[Category:Bureaucracy in fiction]]
[[Category:Films about bureaucracy]]
[[Category:Circus films]]
[[Category:French animated comedy films|Asterix Twelve Tasks]]
[[Category:1970s French-language films]]
[[Category:French alternate history films]]
[[Category:French children's films]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Marcus Junius Brutus]]
[[Category:Depictions of Cleopatra on film]]
[[Category:Depictions of Julius Caesar on film]]
[[Category:Films about gladiatorial combat]]
[[Category:Films about crocodilians]]
[[Category:Films about Heracles]]
[[Category:Films adapted into comics]]
[[Category:Films directed by René Goscinny]]
[[Category:Films directed by Albert Uderzo]]
[[Category:Films about hypnosis]]
[[Category:Films scored by Gérard Calvi]]
[[Category:Animated films set in ancient Rome]]
[[Category:Self-reflexive films]]
[[Category:Surreal comedy films]]
[[Category:Films about teleportation]]
[[Category:1970s children's animated films]]
[[Category:Animated films based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Halas and Batchelor films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by René Goscinny]]
[[Category:Films produced by René Goscinny]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Pierre Tchernia]]
[[Category:1970s French films]]
[[Category:Animated films set in Rome]]
[[Category:1976 in French cinema]]