Asterix and Cleopatra

Asterix and Cleopatra is a 1968 Belgian–French animated comedy film; it is the second Asterix adventure to be made into a feature film. Overseen by Asterix creators Goscinny and Uderzo (who had no involvement in the production of the first film, Asterix the Gaul), the film is noticeably more well-produced than its predecessor, featuring far more detailed animation and a more polished soundtrack. Asterix and Cleopatra is practically a musical, featuring three individual song sequences and a more varied score than the earlier film. Elements of satire and surreal humour (such as Cleopatra's singing lion and the engraving of Santa Claus on the pyramid wall) are prominent throughout. Plot After a heated argument with Julius Caesar over his lack of faith in the Egyptian people, Queen Cleopatra enters into a bet claiming that she can have a magnificent palace constructed for him in Alexandria within three months. She gives this enormous task to her best architect Numerobis (despite his shortcomings), informing him that he will be covered with gold if he succeeds or thrown to the crocodiles if he fails. Daunted and distraught, believing the task to be insurmountable without some sort of magic, Numerobis travels to Gaul to seek help from the famous druid Panoramix. Panoramix agrees to return to Egypt with Numerobis, while Asterix and Obelix insist on accompanying them. Obelix further insists that Idefix be allowed to join the voyage and smuggles him along despite objections from Asterix. En route to Egypt, Numerobis' ship is met by a gang of pirates. Poetic justice rules the day as the pirate ship is boarded by Asterix and Obelix, who scuttle it after a largely one-sided fight. Upon reaching Egypt, it becomes clear that Numerobis is not a particularly gifted architect; in Cleopatra's words his buildings are "the laughing stock of those who don't live in them". His scheming rival Amonbofis proposes that they collaborate in order to build Caesar's palace on time and divide the reward between them; the catch being that Numerobis alone be thrown to the crocodiles should they fail. Numerobis refuses and Amonbofis swears vengeance, angered further by the injuries he sustains while negotiating Numerobis' house (which later collapses altogether).