Cartoon by Roland Topor.
Roland Topor was one of the most surreal and versatile artists of the second half of the 20th century. The French cartoonist gained notoriety in the pages of the subversive magazine Hara-Kiri (later Charlie-Hebdo). While his drawings were not as harsh or political as those of his colleagues, they were certainly disturbing and macabre. They are often surreal juxtapositions of people, animals, plants and objects. Topor seldom used words in his illustrations, leaving all power to the visual. His work is characterized by black, surreal and sometimes scatological comedy. It found its way in many different media. Topor both illustrated and wrote books. His most famous novel, 'Le Locataire Chimérique' ('The Tenant', 1964) has been adapted to film by Roman Polanski. Topor also wrote songs, theatrical plays, film and TV scripts, usually with himself as performer. The creative centipede was co-director and scriptwriter of the animated feature film 'Le Planète Sauvage' ('Fantastic Planet', 1973) and the puppet film 'Marquis' (1989), which both have become cult classics. His popular children's TV series 'Téléchat' (1983-1986) received many awards and also achieved cult status. Roland Topor's versatility has made him one of the most influential cartoonists.
Artwork for Roland Topor's film Marquis' (1989).
Early life and career
Roland Topor was born in 1938 as the son of a Parisian painter and sculptor of Polish-Jewish descent. In 1941, Topor's father was arrested and sent to camp Pithiviers. Two years later, the family moved to Savoy, where they baptized their son to hide his real identity. After the war, Topor studied art at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (Institute of Fine Arts) in Paris. He discovered surrealism, Hieronymus Bosch, The Marx Brothers and the scatological plays of Alfred Jarry, which would influence his work and his attitude to life in general. Later in his career, Topor would also express admiration for the work of Kamagurka and Gal (Gerard Alsteens). In 1958, Topor published his first work in magazines such as Bizarre and later Elle.
Hara Kiri / Charlie Hebdo
In 1960, Topor joined the anarchic group of artists who created the controversial magazine Hara-Kiri (nowadays Charlie-Hebdo). The publication set out to break as many taboos as possible. Topor's work was published alongside talents like Jean-Marc Reiser, Fred, Wolinski, Cabu and Gébé, but he still stood out. Contrary to his colleagues, he didn't draw real comics, nor used speech balloons or much text for that matter. Instead, Topor made one-panel illustrations, mimicking the graphic style of engravings from previous centuries. Despite their old-fashioned look, the imagery in Topor's art is always surreal and disturbing.
Other publications
Topor's cartoons also appeared in Charlie Mensuel, Surprise, Vaillant/Pif, Merci Bernard, L'Écho des Savanes, (Á Suivre), Hop!, Zoo, Mormoil and Psikopat. In the Netherlands, his work ran in God, Nederland en Oranje (1966-1968) and in Italy in Linus. From 1982 on, Topor published in Le Petit Psikopat Illustré (often shortened to Psikopat), an alternative review which also published work by Willem, Kamagurka, Édika and Carali.
Comic strip by Roland Topor.
Theatrical career
In February 1962, Topor, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Olivier O. Olivier, Jacques Sternberg, Christian Zeimert, Abel Ogier and Fernando Arrabal founded the "Mouvement Panique" ("Panic Movement"). This collective focused on creating absurd and bewildering performances to reject the commercialization of surrealism. The founders created many provocative and surreal works throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1973, Jodorowsky dissolved the movement, but Topor continued writing and staging scandalous plays afterwards. In 'Le Bébé de Monsieur Laurent' ('Mr. Laurent's Baby', 1975), the protagonist nails a baby against the door of his house. Passers-by wonder whether they should condemn him or admire his audacity. 'Vinci Avait Raison' ('Vinci Was Right', 1976) is a parody of detective stories. A policeman and his wife invite some friends over to stay at their new house for the weekend. Unfortunately, all the lavatories are blocked, which causes shit to spurt out of every toilet. The inhabitants wonder who is responsible for this mess. Theater audiences in Brussels, Belgium and the Arts Theatre Club in London seemed less keen to see the mystery of 'Vinci Avait Raison' resolved and left home early...
Together with his good friend and playwright Jean-Michel Ribes, Topor additionally wrote the theatrical play 'Batailles' (1983) about people of different social classes stranded on a raft, a satirical allegory of capitalism.
Cartoon by Roland Topor.
Novels and other books
In 1964, Topor published his debut novel 'Le Locataire Chimérique' ('The Tenant', 1964). The story revolves around a man who moves into a strange apartment. None of the other residents like him and started bullying and tormenting the poor man, who grews increasingly paranoid and insane. In 1976, the psychological horror story adapted into film by Roman Polanski. Both Topor's original novel and the film are nowadays cult classics. Topor wrote several other novels and short stories. 'Memoires d'un Vieux Con' ('Memories of an Old Idiot', 1975) features a man who claims to have influenced countless historical characters, including Sigmund Freud, Al Capone and Jean-Paul Sartre. Topor's 1980s pamphlet '100 Bonnes Raisons Pour Me Suicider' ('100 Good Reasons To Commit Suicide') is another example of his taste for black comedy. His story, 'Café Panique' (1982), was adapted to a comic book by Alfred (Lionel Papagelli).
The most unique and unusual book in Topor's oeuvre might be 'Souvenir' (1972). All sentences in this work are scratched out, making it unreadable. Topor was confident nobody would want to publish it, but, much to his surprise, Dutch publisher Jaco Groot greenlighted the idea. The unusual book received some media attention at the time. In a Dutch talk show, novelist Adriaan van Dis invited Topor for an interview. While they talked, van Dis asked him to read a few lines from his strange novel. Topor therefore took the book, holding one hand in front of his mouth and started mumbling. He and his good friend Freddy De Vree made another unusual book, 'Cons De Fées' ('The Fairies' Vulvas', Camomille, 1987). It features a number of erotic poems by De Vree, which Topor livened up with photo collages. The book is notable for its odd triangular shape, which mimicks a female vulva.
Cover by Roland Topor for Bizarre, July 1958.
Musical career
In 1975, Topor recorded an album, 'Panic (The Golden Years)' (1975). It features his Belgian friend Freddy De Vree interviewing him on the Flemish public radio channel BRT 3 (nowadays Klara). In between conversations, the cartoonist recites some nonsensical songs, as well as the Dutch nursery rhyme 'Iene Miene Mutte' and the tongue twister 'De kat krabt de krullen van de trap'. In 2007, the album was re-released on CD. Topor also wrote two songs, 'Je M' Aime' ('I Love Myself') and 'Monte Dans Mon Ambulance' ('Climb In My Ambulance'), set to music by François d'Aime and in 1980 recorded by Japanese singer Megumi Satsu.
Photo comic by Roland Topor (1968-1969). Translation: "Left of me: nothing. Right of me: nothing. Behind me: nothing. In front of me: an idiot!"
Film: poster design, acting career and screenwriting
Topor also had an interest in film. He was interviewed in Benoît Lamy's documentary 'Cartoon Circus' (1972), a Belgian documentary about cartoons and comics, appearing alongside Siné, Picha, Cabu, Jean-Marc Reiser, François Cavanna, Professeur Choron, Gal, Georges Wolinski, Willem, Joke and Jules Feiffer. He designed the posters of movies such as 'L'Ibis Rouge' (1975), 'Ai No Borei' ('The Empire of Passion', 1978) and 'Die Blechtrommel' ('The Tin Drum', 1979). His drawings can also be seen during the opening titles of Fernando Arrabal's experimental film 'Viva La Muerte' (1971) and during the magic lantern sequence in Federico Fellini's 'Il Casanova di Fellini' (1976).
Topor also worked as an actor, appearing in Dusan Makavejev's 'Sweet Movie' (1974) and as Dracula's assistant Renfield in Werner Herzog's horror remake of 'Nosferatu' (1979). The latter film also immortalized his notorious hysterical and chilling laugh. Topor was additionally the (co-)scriptwriter of the comedy films 'Les Malheurs d'Alfred' (1972) by Pierre Richard, 'L'Autoportrait d'un Pornographe' (1972) by Bob Swaim, 'La Fille du Garde-Barrière' (1975) by Jérôme Savary, 'Die Hamburger Krankheit' (1979) by Peter Fleischmann, Gilles Chevalier's 'Le Spectacle' (1984) and Rainer Kaufmann's 'Der schönste Busen der Welt' (1990).
'La Planète Sauvage' (1973).
Film career: 'La Planète Sauvage'
Together with René Laloux, Topor created the animated shorts 'Les Temps Morts' (1964) and 'Les Escargots' ('The Snails', 1965) and the full-length animated feature 'La Planète Sauvage' ('Fantastic Planet', 1973). The latter work was based on Stefan Wul's science fiction novel 'Oms en Série' and takes place on a surreal planet where gigantic blue aliens treat humans as pets. 'La Planète Sauvage' won the Special Jury Prize at the Festival of Cannes and has achieved cult status over the years. Its psychedelic imagery and bizarre soundtrack are still used in music videos and samples by various bands.
Film career: 'La Galette du Roi'
Topor and his friend Jean-Michel Ribes, co-wrote the comedy film 'La Galette du Roi' (1985). Set on the fictional isle Corsalina, the plot revolves around the royal marriage between Princess Maria-Helena and Jérémie, son of Victor Harris, "king of deep-freeze products." The ceremony is interrupted when Prince Utte arrives and declares the wedding canceled for reasons that only become clear later...
Film career: 'Marquis'
In 1989, Topor and Xhonneux joined forces again to create the film 'Marquis', loosely based on the life and work of the notorious Marquis de Sade. Set in 18th-century France, it features De Sade as a prisoner in the Bastille. However, it's no conventional adaptation. All actors perform in animal masks. Cartoonist Willem plays the fish-headed character Willem Van Mandarine (a pun on William of Orange). De Sade's penis is also anthropomorphized, with the glans penis having a face and the ability to talk. In all fields a unique and unprecedented movie, 'Marquis' easily became a cult classic.
Cartoon by Roland Topor.
Radio career
Topor was a frequent guest in the radio game show 'Des Papous Dans la Tête' (1984-2018) at France Culture. The program, broadcast in front of a live audience, featured many humorous items, scripted by the participating guests. Many novelists, poets, journalists, essayists, playwrights, film directors, actors, comedians and cartoonists made contributions over the years.
'Monsieur Brok'.
Television career: Merci Bernard/Palace
Topor additionally wrote scripts for the sketch comedy series 'Merci Bernard' (1982-1984), broadcast on France 3, directed by Jean-Michel Ribes. It featured well-known cartoonists from Charlie Hebdo as co-scriptwriters, including François Cavanna and Gébé, while François Rollin, Jean Bouchaud, Farid Chopel, Pierre Desproges, Jackie Wildau and Jean-Marie Gourio also contributed. The show presented itself as a news broadcast, complete with absurd TV reports. Topor and the rest of the 'Merci Bernard' crew also contributed to a similar show, also directed by Ribes, titled 'Palace' (1988-1989). Broadcast on the pay channel Canal+, all action in 'Palace' is set in a majestic hotel, where the personnel and customers are daft personalities. Each episode focuses on their daily antics, shot in a different location (the kitchen, the elevator, bedrooms, the reception,...).
Television career: Téléchat
In 1983, Topor teamed up with Belgian film director Henri Xhonneux to create the cult children's TV series 'Téléchat' (1983-1986) for the French TV channel Antenne 2. The program was a parody of a news show, with all the characters being anthropomorphic animals or objects. The two hosts are marionets, with Lola being an ostrich and Groucha (named after Groucho Marx) a cat. 'Téléchat' gained a cult following among children and adults, because of its pointed media satire. The program won various awards, including a 1984 award at the Festival of Cannes, for 'Best French-Language Show for Children and Adolescents'.
'Pinocchio Qui Se Fait Marameo'.
Graphic and written contributions
Topor wrote the foreword for Ronald Searle's comic book 'Homage à Henri Toulouse-Lautrec' (1969). In 1966 he illustrated 'Topographie Anécdotée du Hasard' by Swiss assemblage artist Daniel Spoerri. The pamphlet featured a detailed map showing 80 objects lying on Spoerri's table on October 17, 1961 at exactly 3:47 p.m. He numbered each object, wrote a brief description and his memories about them, while Topor sketched the items. In 1969, Topor was also one of many artists to make a graphic contribution to Alan Aldridge's 'The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics' (1969). In 1992, Topor, Giacomo Carioti and Jean-Louis Colas founded the association ROMALIASONPARIS, which favored a collaboration between French and Italian artists. In 1996, Topor made a special drawing, 'Pinocchio Qui Se Fait Marameo', still used as the symbol on the annual Roland Topor Awards.
Recognition
In 1961, Topor won the Grand Prix de l'Humour Noir for his black comedy. His novel 'Joko Fête Son Anniversaire' received the Prix des Deux-Magots (1970), while at the Festival of Cannes, 'La Planète Sauvage' received a Special Award (1973) and the 1974 Prix Saint-Michel. In 1981, Topor was honoured with the Grand Prix National des Arts Graphiques by the French Ministry of Culture, and, nine years later, the Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris (1990).
Final years and death
After the death of his father (1992) and additional tax troubles, Roland Topor succumbed into depression. He died in 1997 at age 59 of a cardio-vascular accident. In 2001, he was posthumously named satrape of the pataphysical college.
Legacy, celebrity fans and influence
By being active in so many different artistic disciplines, Roland Topor is still rediscovered by many modern artists. Among his celebrity fans are/ have been composer György Ligeti, film director Guillermo del Toro, actress Sylvia Kristel (who made the documentary 'Topor et Moi' after his death), and Dutch columnist and novelist Arnon Grunberg (who financed a republication of Topor's work in Dutch). Roland Topor was the main graphic influence on Kamagurka, who was one of his close friends. Other artists influenced by Topor are Gal (Gerard Alsteens), Willem, OPS, Jean-Louis Lejeune, Oscar de Wit, Erik Meynen, Philippe Geluck, Philippe Moins, Kim Duchateau and Brecht Vandenbroucke.
In 2012, the psychological thriller 'L'Orpheline Avec en Plus un Bras en Moins' was released by Jacques Richard, based on a script he co-wrote with Topor in 1996. In Paris, the road Passage Roland-Topor in the tenth arrondissement in the Hôpital-Saint-Louis is named after Topor.
Books about Roland Topor
For those interested in Roland Topor's life and career, Frantz Vaillant's biography 'Roland Topor ou le Rire Étranglé'' (Buchet-Chastel, 2007) is highly recommended.
Famous cartoon by Topor, also used on Amnesty International posters.