Firework enthusiast
- No,
I don't want to go!
- Come on Lupin, we said we'd go together!
Preparation of fireworks aren't something you see every day!
Tell him, Belfort!
- Yes, Louis, my master, loves fireworks so much.
Lupin, aren't you curious to know how this magnificent display of color and light is made?
- Not at all, no!
I don't like fireworks.
Booms make you jump, they break your ears, they make smoke that stinks and they clog your nose!
- Well, we're off. Come along Artus.
- Enjoy the party!
But be careful, don't get too close.
Fireworks can be dangerous.
- Don't worry! We know what we're doing.
- Hey Artus, first one there's a sissy. Note: Yes, he says that. It's to show how stupid they are.
- I hope they don't do anything stupid.
- Relax, everything's fine.
Come on, I've got to show you something really cool.
- Are you sure, my dear Lupin?
It's a strange sensation.
Oh! But not unpleasant. - You see?
It's the best tree for scratching your back.
And believe me, I've tried loads of them.
- Ah yes, there it is, right there!
That's Madame Rosa having trouble digesting her peanuts again.
- It looked like a test fire for the fireworks.
- Maybe it was.
Right, ok... My turn now! Oh, it's just right!
There's no denying life's simple pleasures...
I could spend my days doing this! Oh! There's Artus!
- Well, what's he doing?
- And why isn't Marcus with him?
All this tells me nothing worthwhile.
Artus!
Are you all right?
- Where's Marcus?
- Marcus! Marcus!
Sorry, I don't know any Artus or Marcus.
And who are you, anyway? Have we been introduced?
- Uh, well...
My name is Belfort. - And I'm Lupin.
Artus, we're buddies.
- I don't think we are. But it's nice to meet you.
- Come on, Artus!
We spoke 2 minutes ago!
- You must have me confused with someone else.
Goodbye, gentlemen, and have a nice day.
- Has he lost his memory? - Er... Yeah, but what about Marcus?
If he's not with Artus, something must have happened.
Follow me.
- Artus! - I don't know any Artus!
On the other hand, I have the impression I've met you before.
- Yes, here in Versailles. - Versailles?
What is it? Can you eat it?
- My dear Lupin, why don't you go and sniff Artus?
Maybe you'll find a scent in his feathers, a lead, to find Marcus.
- God idea, I'll do that.
- Hey!
What the hell are you doing?
Stop it, that tickles!
- Can you smell something? - I smell something burning, Belfort.
I mean, it smells like burnt, like smoke. - Burnt?
Now that's disturbing!
- Wait, I've got a lead!
- Hey, your friend's not clean.
- You think you have Marcus scent?
- The burnt smell comes from the sky.
But the trail stops here because I can't fly.
- But if the burning smell is coming from the air,
it must be what we heard earlier, the fireworks test shot.
- Yeah! I think you're right.
- I hope nothing serious has happened to Marcus.
- Hey, sparrow birdbrain, you really don't remember anything?
- Me, a sparrow? You're mistaking, I'm a golden eagle!
What ?
- How dare you insult me like that?
By the way, I'm going to accompany you, as you might need my protection.
Nature's a dangerous place for little cute rabbits.
- What are you talking about? We're not rabbits.
I'm a wolf and Belfort is a...
- A wolf, really? That's the best part. Very funny.
You're too nice to be a wolf. You can believe me.
You're little rabbits and that's nothing to be ashamed of.
- Yeah, right...
Apollo's basin, this is where fireworks are usually set off.
- But there's nothing here.
Maybe they've changed the location.
It wouldn't surprise me. Humans love to change things.
- You're right. It's possible.
- Where did Artus go?
No, but you've got to be kidding me...
If you're a golden eagle, then I'm an African elephant.
- Hi Marcel...
and the other Marcel. Have you seen a fireworks display around here?
- Yes, but you're too late.
The show's long over.
- You call that a show? It was too short this year.
- Yes, one lousy rocket, and nothing else!
- It wasn't really the fireworks,
it was just a test shot. A test, if you like.
Do you know where this rocket came from?
It would help us find Marcus.
Yes, we saw it. It came from over there.
- What are you talking about, it came from the north.
- No, it came from the west! Make an appointment for your eyes.
- Oh... Why can't it ever be easy?
- Don't listen to them, because it's well known that our elephant friends have no sense of direction.
In addition, they're afraid of mice.
- Mice... Of course! Let's go see... - Gazette.
He was going to say Gazette. I knew it.
Yippee. Come on, everybody back to the castle.
- If anyone knows about tonight's fireworks,
it's Gazette. All clear. Let's go !
Why do they always wax the floor when I come?
- Poor little rabbit... - You know what the little rabbit says?
- What a beautiful golden eagle I am!
- We must hurry.
You can't be seen here.
- That low-down wolf again! You don't belong here, go away!
- Greetings to you
too, Mr Chevalier.
Don't worry, we won't stay long.
- I've never seen such gorgeous plumage on a hen!
- What do you mean, a hen?
I'm not a hen!
- Come on, I know a hen when I see one!
You're hot.
- Gazette! Gazette!
- Belfort, Lupin, how nice to see you.
- Yeah, same here. - We need your help.
Marcus is missing.
- How awful! Poor Marcus. And poor Artus.
- You have beautiful eyes, you know.
- Artus has gone a bit crazy. He doesn't even remember his best friend.
Just imagine! Belfort, what if it happened to us?
- Don't despair, I'm sure everything will work out.
Gazette, do you know where the test rocket was fired from? The one we heard earlier.
- Please come with me.
Come on!
- Well, you certainly have beautiful colors, but admire how my warbling match my golden eagle plumage.
- Artus!
We're on the move! - Yes, my rabbit. I'm coming.
This hen thinks she's a parakeet, can you believe it?
- This is the office of the scientist in charge of all fireworks at Versailles.
- Artus!
Be careful not to break anything.
- It's very exciting. Have a look!
Fireworks are made from black powder and pigments,
this mixture is put into paper tubes, the wick is lit, then you step back and boom!
- Ah, no, no!
No boom!
Zero boom.
Boom, no!
- Lupin doesn't really like fireworks.
- I don't blame you. They're noisy and can be dangerous.
But if the powders or the fuse get wet, the rocket is unusable.
- That's why we never set off fireworks when it's raining.
Oh! It's Louis' handwriting, my master!
- A message from the king!
- It says: "The fireworks shall be fired from the Apollon fountain.
While the king and court will observe it from the water parterre."
The usual!
- We came from Apollo's basin and saw nothing.
- That's very strange.
Quickly!
Someone's coming, hide!
Artus, what are you doing? You've got to hide, quick!
- Ah, here he is.
How could you forget the fireworks launch plan?
Well, all's well that ends well. Let's get back to the workshop.
- Cuckoo!
Hello there. Aren't you His Majesty's dog?
What are you doing here?
Oh, well... I'd stay and play with you, but we've got work to do.
Let's go.
- You can come out now.
Thanks for your help, Gazette.
- You're welcome, folks.
- Nice to meet you. You're very helpful, for a goat.
- Uh... Long story.
- Let's follow M. Villette, he'll take us to the fireworks.
- And Marcus?
- Let's hope so, my dear Lupin.
- You, be careful with the powder, only put in the dose you need.
Hop hop hop, enough wasted time.
- YES SIR.
- That explains it!
Humans are still making rockets, that's why there's nothing at Apollo Basin.
- It still smells burnt. Like an Artus's feathers.
- It must be the smell of the gunpowder Gazette was talking about.
Lupin, can you smell Marcus around?
- No !
This black powder smells too strong and masks the other smells.
We'd have to get closer, but it's risky, with all those humans around.
- Golden eagle to the rescue, my little rabbit!
Request for reconnaissance flight authorization.
Eagles, we know a thing or two about reconnaissance.
But what does he look like, Marcus?
- He looks just like you.
- I'll find him in no time! We're in business!
Negative! Apart from me, there's not a golden eagle in sight.
- All right, that's it! I'm on it.
Marcus! Marcus!
Marcus.
- Belfort!
What are you doing here? No, no, no, no, no! Animals aren't allowed here.
It's too dangerous. Go away!
- I found Marcus.
I think he's in a rocket, asleep.
- What?
- He's in one of the rockets.
Right there!
- But how did this birdbrain end up in a rocket?
- Again?! That's the 2nd rocket you've wasted by accident!
How will I look in front of the king if his fireworks go up in smoke before the scheduled time?
- Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
- Oh yes, I am!
However, I don't dare believe it. It's just... incredible.
- We're talking about Artus and Marcus here, there's nothing incredible about it.
Trust me, if Marcus is in that rocket, it's because he fell in,
without the humans seeing him.
- If he fell in the rocket,
it's because he had to fall in it from the sky!
- And fell from the sky,
because it must have been hit in mid-air.
- By the 1st rocket
which was fired by accident!
- And that's why Artus lost his memory.
Because of the shock.
- But it's all becoming clear!
- Coming from those two knuckleheads, I wouldn't be surprised.
- We need a plan to get Marcus out of this rocket, and fast!
Before the fireworks start.
- It's getting dark,
come on, it's time.
Meet me at Apollo's fountain to set up the rockets. And fast.
- YES, SIR.
- Don't forget to put the powder away, so it doesn't get wet if it rains.
- YES, SIR.
- I think we'll drop the plans.
Time to improvise. Let's go!
I'll create a diversion, you get the rocket.
- And what do I do, rabbits?
No problem, I'll take care of the dromedary.
- Boo.
A wolf! Help!
- Uh-oh, we're stopping, if you don't mind.
- Hi Lupin. What's up, baby?
- Just fine. Your move, Belfort.
- Hurry, M. Villette could be back any second.
- Marcus! Marcus! Where are you?
- Listen to me, dromedary, don't you dare move!
The golden eagle is watching you and I'm watching you!
- Hurry up!
- Hey rabbits, don't just stand there!
- Marcus. - Hey rabbits!
Have your big ears stopped working?
- We shouldn't hang around here! - I guess you're right.
You go, I'll find Marcus.
- Bye!
- Mr. Villette, that's not a wolf, it's Belfort, Her Majesty's dog.
- Belfort?
What are you doing here?
Come down and stay away from the rockets!
It's dangerous!
We've wasted enough time!
The sun's about to set, let's go!
- Good heavens! Marcus is eluding us again!
- I think we're going to need reinforcements. - Good idea.
You and Artus delay the humans, save time.
I'm off to the menagerie.
- Les Marcel, we need you. It's an emergency.
- Elephants! You hear the rabbit! Let's move it!
- There are lots of swans on the shooting range.
- What's wrong with everyone today?
- Help!
- Go and chase away those damn birds, in the name of the king!
- Get moving!
Some days we'd be better off stay in bed...
- Help!
- Marcus, can you hear me? It's me, Lupin.
Hello? It's dark in there! Artus!
- Marcus, this is Artus, a golden eagle. We haven't met, but I'm here to help you.
- What do you mean, a golden eagle?
- A few swans of misfortune aren't going to stop me from setting off the fireworks!
- Help!
- I don't like the sound of that... It hurts my ears too much.
- It's okay, don't worry, I'm here.
- It's about time!
Stand back gentlemen, I'll light the wicks.
- Artus, is that you?
- OH! - Marcus!
- Guys, this isn't funny!
- Oh no, I don't want to watch!
- Golden eagle to the rescue! Here we go!
- Oh, you beast!
What the...
Belfort! The candle!
- Mrs Rosa... Charge!
- What, now...
You've got to be kidding me! I can't believe it! These animals are driving me crazy!
- Sir, His Majesty is getting impatient.
The fireworks must start now.
- Give me that!
- Oh no, a lantern! How are we going to put it out?
- Can someone please turn on the light?
- He mustn't light them!
- Marcus, open the door!
- Oh, dear!
Well, so much for my decorum, but when you've got to go, you've got to go!
- Monsieur! His Majesty is getting impatient!
Please start the fireworks immediately!
This is Versailles, not a circus!
- Immediately Bontemps, immediately!
Free at last! Artus!
- Marcus!
Wow!
Don't worry Lupin, I'm here with you.
- Fireworks were invented in China, a long time ago,
thanks to the manufacture of an explosive, black powder.
Years later, during the reign of the Sun King, fireworks accompanied
the great events of Versailles, and were the occasion for magnificent shows.
The manufacture of fireworks is a science whose specialists are called artificers.
Among them was François Villette, engineer and expert firework maker at the court of Louis XIV.
At the time, the fireworks were so impressive that many spectators
wrote about them in their letters, which have been preserved.
We know, for example, that in 1674, a large boat with a dragon's head
sailed into the Grand Canal, carrying a gigantic volcano of fire.
Even today, fireworks displays are regularly organized at the castle of Versailles.
to give visitors a glimpse of the Sun King's grandiose festivities.