Maxime Roussel exhibits his collection of busts, figurines, and collectible movie items at the Pathé Lingostière multiplex until September 30th. Buoyed by the success of this initial project, the film enthusiast hopes to open a permanent museum in Nice.
Jaws, by Steven Spielberg traumatized an entire generation of children; however, it was from watching this film at the age of 7 that Maxime Roussel developed a deep passion for the world of cinema. “Without being a horror shock, it was a visual and narrative shock even though at that age, I didn’t understand everything yet,” recalls Maxime Roussel.
His passion was then confirmed when he discovered Aliens by James Cameron. “That was a second slap in terms of visuals,” he reminisces. Since then, this passion has never left him. For Maxime Roussel, film rightly deserves its title as the 7th art, as he considers many films, like Aliens, to be masterpieces: “They’re like paintings; you watch them multiple times and discover new things with each viewing,” he says.
As he grew older, his passion also became a “refuge.” Today, he aspires to make it his profession, neither in front of nor behind the camera. Maxime Roussel is a great collector; it’s the behind-the-scenes aspect that fascinates him. Having been steeped in it since childhood, he has never stopped appreciating toys.
Nowadays, he doesn’t play with Action Man but with genuine collectible pieces acquired from specialized companies or independent artists. “Four years ago, I bought my first bust of Caesar and the arm of the Terminator. When I had these two products next to my display cases of figurines, it was an electric shock,” he confesses.
A free exhibition at Pathé Lingostière
A fan of all kinds of cinema, his private collection is such that he was able to set up his first exhibition. Last February 19th, while going to the cinema with his daughter, he happened to meet the director of the multiplex, Juliette Maias, to whom he explained his project. Two days later, he was given carte blanche to create an exhibition over 100m2. A resident of Nice since 2005, he worked behind the American bar at the Negresco for fourteen years before trying out several other jobs, all far away from Hollywood.
Since June 3rd, at the Pathé Lingostière multiplex in Nice, the former Starbucks location has been transformed into an entire science fiction universe, signed by MK Studio. A life-like bust of Jack Sparrow welcomes the public. The Pirate of the Caribbean is accompanied by other incredibly realistic replicas such as the majestic Caesar from Planet of the Apes, the inimitable Joker, the iconic Master Yoda, and the legendary Rambo.
These busts are all numbered. Among the rarest pieces is the Resin Slimer from Ghostbusters, of which only fifty exist worldwide, as well as the T-800, aka the Terminator, created in 99 copies.
The iconic sagas are well represented. Back to the Future, Lord of the Rings, Batman, are all brought to light with replicas and various collectible items in this completely redesigned space, repainted, rearranged, and hand-decorated by Maxime Roussel. “I really got into it by starting to create my own stands and LED systems, and then I imagined all the decorations to highlight the collection,” he recalls.
A permanent immersive museum in Nice?
His dream is to live from his passion. To that end, the avid collector has many project ideas. His next goal is: to create a permanent immersive museum in Nice with life-size characters around a shop, allowing visitors to be immersed in movie scenes. He envisions a project that evolves, with scenes added over time. And why not blend it with an escape game.
For that, he is actively looking for venues that could host his future project as well as partners and volunteers.
In the meantime, “MK Studio, the exhibition” can be found in October at the 7th International Fantasy Film Festival of Menton. The exhibition at Pathé Lingostière continues every day, from 1 pm to 8 pm, until September 30th. A symbolic euro is requested at the entrance, and a donation fund is online for those wishing to provide financial support to the project.
