: The rambling monologue by Édouard Baer (as Otis) was entirely improvised and has since become a legendary piece of French cinema. Interesting Trivia

: At the time of its release, it was the most expensive French film ever made , with a budget of roughly $47–$50 million.

: Some of the hieroglyphics in the background translate to: "If you can read this, you are an Egyptologist" .

: The character Otis, who invents an elevator in the palace, is a nod to the real-world Otis Elevator Company.

: The film includes a famous shot of pirates clinging to wreckage that parodies the classic 1818 painting The Raft of the Medusa .