Director Finally Makes Scents Out Of 'Perfume'

For the last four years, the indelible scent of "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" has lingered with German director Tom Tykwer. Needless to say, the smell of successfully completing the project is sweet, considering it's a project that has eluded film directors for years.

An atmospheric crime drama set in 18th-century Paris, the film is based on the acclaimed Patrick Suskind novel onto which the author held for years before letting it go to become a film. Like many others, the novel dates far back with Tykwer, the director of such independent film hits as "Run Lola Run."

"I read the book 20 years ago because it was such an phenomenal success over here," said Tykwer in a phone call from Berlin. "You couldn't survive having not read it."

The story follows the plight of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw), an orphan born in the gutters of Paris who develops a savant-like superior sense of smell. Enduring the hardships of poverty growing up, Grenouille catches a break by becoming an apprentice to Giuseppe Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), a once-renowned perfumer.

But Grenouille's interest in the world of fragrances soon becomes an obsession, and he turns to murderous lengths in his quest to create the perfect scent -- and the ultimate perfume.

Without question, a distinctly European project that's rooted in the scents of perfume is something that you don't see playing in your average American multiplexes every day. But that didn't stop Dreamworks/Paramount from distributing the independently produced project.

In fact, Dreamworks co-founder Steven Spielberg loved the project so much that he offered a hand to Tykwer in the final phases of the project.

"We did some fixes here and there at the end of the final cut, but what else can you dream of than having Steven Spielberg sitting next to you when you are finishing your film and giving you some ideas? He was lovely," Tykwer said.

Tykwer was also thrilled by the presence of another cinematic icon in Hoffman, who disappears into the pivotal role of Baldini.

"It's so amazing to work with him because he still has maximum enthusiasm about his work," Tykwer said. "He is open and ready for any kind of experiment. You can ask him anything, and he'll try to do it. For him, it's like he's on a playground. He's a dream for a director."

--"Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" opens in limited release Friday nationwide.