The 12 Tasks of Asterix: The Place That Sends You Mad (widescreen) 

The most realistic part is that the boss can instantly bypass all the bullshit the moment it's convenient for him.

I saw this as a child. Did not understand why my dad laughed so much when they said "simple, administrative formality". I sure do now

The most unrealistic thing about this is that they don't have to wait in line for 45 minutes at each stop

The most unrealistic part is when the clerks go searching for circular B-65 themselves instead of sending Asterix & Obelix back to the front desk

As a kid it's funny. As an adult it's painfully cathartic

Aside from the satire on bureaucracy, this scene shows why Asterix is a true hero: faced with a challenge where the magic potion is useless, he uses his wits against the system itself.

Reading the comments, I find solidarity in people from all over the world, because I find one thing that truly unites us as a species: The venomous hatred towards bureaucracy.

This movie taught me one important lesson. You don't have to fight the system. You have to abuse the system against itself

When you get older you start to understand this scene.

This scene was even referenced in one of The Witcher 3's missions, where Geralt has to obtain a permit A38 from a Touissant office, but the workers just keep sending him from one place to another or ask him for additional permits he does not have.

As a child, I remember thinking that this place was clearly a building which was designed for the sole purpose of making people go mad. I know better these days.

Anything involving byrocracy or ''simple formality'' nowadays. As an adult this clip is stressful, I laughed as a kid.

i like how this one actually puts up a challenge for them

At age 8, I think this is hilariously funny. At age 34, it's painfully funny and therapeutic as well.

When I was a kid, I thought it was the most boring part of the movie. Now I find it both hilarious and so very, very true.

For those saying it's been 20 years and nothing changed, this movie came out in 1976 :'(

Asterix pulled a major UNO reverse card on them. _Outstanding move._

Failed my driving license exam twice after getting the witten exam then moved away to an other department in France. Tried to pass it 2 years later. They asked for my file which I had to ask to my previous driving school which never answered email or phone. Took 2 months to figure they threw away my file which they were supposed to keep 5 years. I asked what to do to a driving school I wanted to register at. They told me I needed a number which I could only get in the office department where I pass the first test, which I moved away from. But to ask for the number you need to be resident of the department and show a proof of residency... Took me a month to get make up some papers saying I live there. I send in the papers wait 2 weeks to get the number. Go back to the current driving school to register, and they tell me since I have the written exam the number is useless... Now I need to ask for the driving file the department office which takes 4-6 months to transfer. I pretty much gave up at this point.

I find it interesting that finding the forms drives the people insane, but actually giving the forms drives the administrative heads insane. Why, it's so simple it drives them mad!

I experienced this tonight, except it was online and automated. The fact it happened in the comfort of my own room only made it feel surreal, while still being as frustrating as ever.

LOL! I never noticed that when they get to the fourth floor, Asterix makes the "IV" with his fingers, and Obelix pauses curiously, trying to figure out how he did it with his own hand. That's hilarious. Still favorite part is where Asterix's wings on his helmet fold over in rage.

Beating the Bureaucracy at its own game is a truly worthy feat.

This movie is one of those things from my childhood that I wasn't even sure if it was real or just some kind of fever dream memory my brain created. Amazing to see youtube recommending it to me now

Am a french speaker and saw this movies like 10 times in french -- I'm so impressed at the dubbing ; the voices of Asterix, Obelix are so cloooooose to the french originals.

The saddes thing is that this place still exist, in every city of the world and the madness always get you, there is no escape

All too true. At some point, bueraucracy reaches critical mass and becomes self-sustaining. Then, it just grows, and grows, and grows, and grows until you get a mess like this. The worst part is, miss Anica's probably the only one who stayed sane. Just... standing there, pushing the empty swing whilst everyone else was going bonkers.

For our non-french speaking friends, there is a little difference in the dialogues here : At 3:06 in the original french version, Obélix actualy says IV like eev". He litteraly pronounces the letters. Then Asterix tells him "no, not "eev". Four. We are going to the sixth". Thought it could interrest you. ;) Glad to see so much non-french people enjoying our proud little "gaulois". :p

It’s fun to realize that the thing that came the closest to beat Asterix and Obelix was bureaucracy !

So many years and nothing has changed in beauracracy...

After helping a friend through the danish welfare system, I must sadly say this is very accurate.

This is exactly what happens when you have to make an important phone call and you are in a line having to wait.

The end-state of this is the actual state of most bureaucracy. What I mean is, they still often have to do the same paper chase you yourself are going through to track things down and get things done. This is the difference between now and then. Internally is no better than external: They're as trapped as you are.

Damn Bureaucracy! -Geralt of Rivia

Bureaucracy is the same no matter where you go, in any period of history

Asterix means Christmas to us in French-Canada. It was an almost religious thing: Christmas eve and all the way up to the New Year, "Ciné-Cadeaux" was playing on TV and while the uncles were getting drunk in the kitchen, we kids watched Asterix, Tintin, Mysterious City of Gold and all these iconic cartoons.

Remember that one mission in Witcher III at the bank? This is what it was based off, Asterix and Obelix are childhood of many Poles. My french friends, you can be proud of this great masterpiece created by 2 French men, one son of Polish immigrants (René Goscinny, script) and 2nd one son of Italian immigrants (Albert Uderzo, script and drawings). The greatest works are created when everyone works together.

Even if you don't speak it or hardly understand it, I'm not kidding here people, you've GOT to hear Asterix in french. It's honestly one of the best character/voice matches I've ever heard, and hearing him loose patience is pure gold. xDD

Asterix is one of those characters who can deal with an issue without using his power, just his intelligence.

If this film has taught me anything about the French it's that one They have a wonderfully witty and bizarre sense of humor and two They seem to hate Bureaucracy with a burning passion.

This video should be shown to every person that is about to be employed in corporate/governmental management and to people that become clerks.

40 years later, this scene remains epic, both in french and english dub.

Hands down the best satirical take on bureaucracy there is

As a french person, I am so proud to see people loving what I thought to be known only by french speakers. This comic/cartoon is a part of my childhood and it feels great to see that it could be the case for other people all around the globe. I think it's interesting to note that the french administration was something very special and the epitome of bureaucracy when this comic/cartoon was made. It is due to the fact that France has one of the biggest states of the Western world. It is historically the first modern state and it is actually really effective in comparison with other countries. But we also tend to have a tradition of harsh criticism about it and self-derision. For instance, this sentence of Courteline "Administration is the place where people who arrive late meet those who leave early on the stairs"

I think my favourite part of this is while it is a great sendup of beurocracy gone up its own arse, is how it genuinely adheres to the format of a greek/roman myth. The heroes need a thing. They must go to a place that is out of the ordinary to obtain it. They find themselves stymied by the nature of this place and all their strength and power are of no use. But then they manage to turn the challenges nature on itself in order to triumph, and they leave sucessful, if only inadvertently. Not just satarizing one thing, not just two, but having those two subjects play off each other in order to make it work. Either a greek hero's task being dealing with beurocracy, or beurocracy bneing on the level of a greek hero's task. Fantastic writing.

Just the way he says "I've _been there..!"_ at 5:37 just cracks me up every single time.

The pink form is located at window 12 second floor staircase B corridor J, you will then need to fill out another purple form to obtain a yellow form located at window 7 on the 5th floor staircase K corridor W, you then need to obtain a green form window 14 first floor staircase F corridor T, after that get the maroon form window 56 on the 6th floor staircase P corridor E, the other floors and forms are irrelevant, by that time you can ask the gentleman nicely and be given permit A38 :)

I feel like only an adult can truly understand the humor here, and it's glorious...

Witcher sends his regards.

"So then she bought some material from a Phoenician trader to redecorate her cubiculum." "Put hangings over marble!? How odd!" "Oh well you know her, the kind who's always got to show off! But mind you she can't even afford to keep a slave or servant..." "Eh... miss..." "She sold off her Iberian claiming that she preferred to do her housework herself but I know that her husband's financial situation.." "Excuse me!" "Look can't you see I'm busy!? Where was I?" "Her financial situation." "Oh yes. Poor old Claudius! You know he worked up a nice little business building viaducts. Well dear, the last time..." "Excuse.. ME... MISS!" "By Jupiter! How rude people are these days! What do you want?" "Permit 838." "Have you filled in the blue form?" "The blue form? No." "Then how do you think you're going to get permit 838?" "Where can I get hold of this blue form?" "Window one." "I've been there!" "That's right dear, that viaduct at the first breath wind... crash." "Did it collapse?" "Nothing left but some ruins! Still they look picturesque in the country."

Just seeing Asterix's reaction at 6:02 kills me with laughter, the way it's animated seeing him starting to get angry is so funny hahahahahahahahaah.

I love that the boss losses his mind when he issues the permit they requested.

My favorite part is the lady that doesn't want to work and prefers to gossip with her co-worker. Asterix trying to get her attention and her reaction of being annoyed by the "interruption" is just perfect!

If you think about it this scene is actually quite dark, he’s tricked a crowd of people into doing an impossible and tedious task to the point of insanity, although I do agree that it is just

This is just a slight understatement of the *real* bureaucracy.

When dealing with a clever or more knowledgeable opponent, don't play *their* game. Make them play *_yours._*

I have to wonder whether Douglas Adams was exposed to this, or whether his native bureaucracy was entirely home-grown. In any case, this is a brilliant bit of Asterix and I thank you very much for sharing it. I've been in similar situations and hope never to be again.

I'm french and I was watching this movie over and over as a kid. I can hear the "lalala, lalalala, lalalala, lalalala, lalalala..." of the guy in the bath thub 15 times in a row without stop laughing.

A perfectly accurate representation of bureaucracy and its effects on the human psyche

Aahh, the gold old bureaucracy....today I almost went full crazy, after almost 4 hours of total mental torture! Bulgaria, but it doesn't really matter where, the lunacy is in every country. Next time I'm getting my flip-flops and a funnel, so when I get bat-shit crazy, it will be glorious! AVE ... something!

I love how he made the Roman numerals for 4 instead of holding up four fingers

06:01 - 06:12 - This is my favorite part! Asterix got out of his patience and Obelix shaked his right hear a lot! Hehehe

I love how Asterix gave those people a taste of their own medicine after they sent him and Obelix on a wild goose chase.

Asterix: We should Fight them with their own weapons you watch this. When Asterix says fight them with their own weapons he wasn’t kidding give them a taste of their own medicine.

The depressing part is that this is near 20 years old and it's still extremely accurate to typical burocracy and paperwork.

Thought it was funny as a kid, after trying to get a mortgage at aged 37 this just HURTS ME 😭

The entire building is just bureaucracy! The building was designed to literally drive you insane via bureaucracy.

6:04 the moment Asterix lost his pacience. Its the funniest, but if you look at Obelix, he's got a tic! XD

Best English voices for Asterix & Obelix there has ever been imo

Story of my life at any government office.

This is like one of my favorites animated movies from way back when so it made me grin like an idiot to see a reference to this task in Witcher 3: Blood and Wine

French folk here,it feels unreal to watch an Asterix scene in english and I say that as a good thing

I never knew there was an English dub It's really close to the original, I'm impressed

I get the scene with the boss and the secretary in the swing now.

I like the German dubbing - helps me to refresh my German and adds to the "complete immersion" experience when I am in Germany - and at times it sounds clearer than the original version (for example Breaking Bad).

So much nostalgia.. this sure was one of the best parts of the movie

Worked in a tax office. This is scarily reminiscent of how seemingly impenetrable some of these “administrative formalities” can be. I suppose the most satisfying part tho of being an effective bureaucrat is helping people get everything right, unlike the ones in this video.

this building would make a great SCP story XD

Been there. Done that. All of it. Sent to the wrong building. Sat in front of rooms that got reassigned just days before. Shouted at people just to find out that minutes before they did the same thing to another guy - so they knew their floor plan was complete cra-p before they sent me on the hunt again. The world truly is mad.

08:00 that smug when Asterix knows he just outplayed them 😂

Asterix and Obelix enter the Franz Kafka building.

Why on earth would they put the only convoluted floor plan on the 6th floor? But it sure is funny to watch Asterix and Obelix run down the stairs

I once worked in my local Place That Sends You Mad. It was nice to be on the other side for some time.

RU-vid is effin scary. I THOUGHT about this scene this morning and now the algorithm gives it to me. I am genuinly concerned.

This is how it feels working in mental health. Anything that initially is setup to help us just bogged down in logistics over time

I can see where the DMV got it's inspiration Hermes Conrad would be proud, this movie gets better every time I watch it.

OMG they referenced it in TW3 Blood and Wine

I have watched this movie countless times and only now I noticed Asterix showing the number 4 as IV with his fingers

Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service brought me here

Thank you for sharing this: I live in Belgium so I watch this as therapy every time I come back from a trip to the Communal Administration! ;-)

As a Custom broker in EU I can confirm this

I never got the last bit of this scene as to why the administrator went ape shit. Was it because he was tricked into giving up the form and he was supposed to make it as convoluted as possible and failed?

I like that Obelix checked the wall for a hidden door

A Bad System Will Beat a Good Person Every Time -W. Edwards Deming

Listening to the Prefect in this scene is so delightful for some reason (amongst everything else great about this scene). Props to that voice actor.

During South America's military dictatorships of 1973-1980s, this is exactly how government departments were run. I experienced it as a kid, with mum and dad and later as a teenager when attempting to update my I.D. What made it worse is that a lot of people at the top got their positions from their 'friendly attitudes' towards the fascist states and not due to any form of competence or knowledge. I imagine it would have been the same throughout Asia, Africa, Italy, Spain and Germany, hence why this skit would ring so universal. Forms were usually type-written in triplicate and required stamping by different departments none in the same building or across town, none of which spoke to each other.

This was a very memorable scene. I also saw this when I was young and this was the only scene that really stuck with me. I couldn't tell you about anything else in the movie but I remember this. I still think about it on average once a year - usually around tax time or car title transfers.

This was one of those scenes that was already funny as a kid, and became even more hilarious when you see it as an adult.

This one is kind. At least, all offices are in the same place

As someone who's been through the headaches of the formalities of Egyptian bureaucracy, this entire part is painfully relatable.

Any adults laughing and then realizing with horror a few moments later that you've spent a good part of your career working in such a building?