The Machine
5.4
This deftly made French psychological thriller terrifies with its exploration of an experiment gone horribly wrong. Dr. Marc Lacroix, a psychiatrist specializing in brain functions, is obsessed with the link between mind and spirit. To find his link he studies the criminally insane. He builds a secret machine, known only to his mistress Marianne, in which he hopes to exchange minds between humans. He simultaneously wants to help the mentally ill recover, and he wants to experience their madness. He chooses the psychotic killer, Zyto, a man who stabbed at least three women, for his experiment. The initial experiment is successful and the two exchange minds. But trouble ensues when Zyto refuses to reverse the switch. There is little Marc can do when Zyto takes over Marc's life, and more ominously his wife and child whom are unknowingly in mortal danger. Marc, encased in Zyto's body, is returned to the asylum. Will Marc's wife recognize the danger? Will Zyto kill again?
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Cast
16 people
Gérard Depardieu
Dr. Marc Lacroix
Known for
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
1492: Conquest of Paradise
Aude Thirion
une infirmière
Marc Andreoni
le gardien
Nathalie Baye
Marie Lacroix
Known for
Catch Me If You Can
It's Only the End of the World
Didier Bourdon
Michel Zyto
Known for
The Bet
The Three Brothers: The Return
Natalia Wörner
Marianne
Known for
The Pillars of the Earth
Julie Depardieu
A nurse
Known for
The Count of Monte Cristo
Podium
Claude Berri
Hugues
Known for
The Truth
Happily Ever After
Erwan Baynaud
Léonard Lacroix
Known for
East/West
Marc Andréoni
Le gardien
Known for
3 Days to Kill
Vortex
Alain Azerot
Un infirmier
Known for
Black Earth Rising
Wilfred Benaïche
Le patient
Known for
A Very Secret Service
Chocolat
François Dupeyron Director · René Belletto Author Michel Portal Composer
First release May 28, 1994 · Produced in France, Germany · Production Hachette Première, M6 Films
Production
France 2 Cinéma
Production
Hachette Première
Production
M6 Films
Production
Prima
Production
France · Germany
Produced in
Languages
Original title
La Machine
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · May 28, 1994
Theatrical
No release date listed for United States.
Czechia
November 23, 1995 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.