The Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by muchogris

I was checking some haul pictures when i suddenly noticed the spine color from Persona... On one picture its black and in the other one white.





Does this happen with other titles?

The outer slipcase has a black spine, the inside digipak has a white one.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Warner have discontinued A Clockwork Orange and Papillon. A potentially Criterion related news.

Just curious, where does this information come from?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Just curious, where does this information come from?

Warner press site

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by mja345

Is the avatar a symbol of the newfound erudite Ray Jackson?

Looks to me as though Ray has been reborn as the Architect and must inexorably speak with long words now.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Does Criterion still have the rights for And The Ship Sails On?

I wish somebody would release it on blu-ray in the Anglosphere, esp with the original English soundtrack if possible.

The DVD is still listed as in print on their website so I assume so.

[scottpcusa]

Well...even though I found Europe ‘51 to be a fantastic film, but was not as enthusiastic about Stromboli and Journey to Italy (although I plan to give them both another chance and in regards to Journey to Italy I have been fascinated by the complicated relationship between Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius since I took an archaeology class in college), I caved to the pressure and bought 3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingid Bergman.

I also picked up Tokyo Story, which i just saw for the first time recently and was mesmerized the entire time.

[Hellraiserfan]

Not sure how behind I am but I just now saw that Criterion is releasing the original Night of the Living Dead. Hopefully this will the be definitive release.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by Hellraiserfan

Not sure how behind I am but I just now saw that Criterion is releasing the original Night of the Living Dead. Hopefully this will the be definitive release.

It was announced Wednesday, so you aren’t behind!

It’s shapping up to be great, but some people aren’t happy it’s in 1:33.1 and not 1:85.1.

[Ray Jackson]

I was thinking recently about my financial status, vis-à-vis the Criterion Collection, and wondered if my monetary resources might not be better spent in areas more salutary to the conditions of peoples less fortunate than myself.

Then I thought back to my days at university and remembered something one of my economics professors told me. He said that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.

Any individuals' efforts to pursue their own interest may frequently benefit society more than if their actions were directly intending to benefit society. Or what Adam Smith referred to as the "invisible hand" in his seminal 18th century treatise on modern economics, The Wealth of Nations.

Ergo, the purchase of Criterion blu-rays, while ostensibly serving to benefit the individual in his unabated quest for access to the preeminent high-definition arthouse films of the 21st century, can only foster the expansion of philosophical enlightenment on a global scale.

Over the long run, this will lead to a more rewarding phenomenological experience for the common man.

[Show spoiler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyoLa9z1ao

[flyry]

I'm sure it'll drop since it's way early but I noticed all the February have gone cheaper on Amazon except Elevator to the Gallows

[SteelyTom]

This question will demonstrate my relative newbie-ism, but what causes Criterion to remaster a film in 2K as opposed to 4K? And does it matter?

This is prompted by the February release list, in which Elevator to the Gallows is the sole release remastered in 2K.

[The Great Owl]

Jef Costello is a professional hitman whose existence is governed by a meticulous attention to detail, as evidenced by the way that he straightens his hat every time he leaves his modest apartment, the way that he blankly stares into the distance while sorting through his chain of keys as he steals a car, and the way that he slips on a pair of white gloves before killing his targets. During the mostly dialogue-free exposition, as he dresses in his trench coat and hat, takes a stolen car to a garage to have the license plates changed, visits a couple of familiar spots to establish preemptive alibis, and then enters a nightclub to fulfill a murder contract, Costello, as played by the French heartthrob Alain Delon, is the epitome of coolness and poise. He never misses a beat, and the audience believes him when he tells an acquaintance, “I never lose. Not really.”

The opening credits of Jean-Pierre Melville's 1967 masterpiece, Le Samouraï, show Costello lying on his bed smoking a cigarette as a quoted text appears on the screen.

“There is no greater solitude than that of the samurai unless it is that of the tiger in the jungle... Perhaps...”
Bushido (Book of the Samurai)

As the text disappears, the walls of Costello's apartment seem to expand, shrink, and distort in a barely noticeable way. This momentary lapse of structural cohesiveness leads the attentive viewer to wonder if the figurative walls around Costello's psyche are as rigid and secure as his exterior demeanor indicates. There is a look of tranquil emptiness behind this hitman's eyes as he carries out his duties and even as he is subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and questioned by authorities while standing in a suspect lineup. This facade could be the result of an icy fortitude brought about by Costello's line of work or it could betray a sense of doomed resignation. All bets are off, however, when Costello's future is determined by the testimony of a witness, a beautiful jazz pianist played by Cathy Rosier.

Le Samouraï takes its cues from the classic American film noir of the 1940s and 1950s, resulting in a look and an aesthetic that was notably anachronistic at the time of this movie's release, but ultimately timeless in its approach. Decades later, Quentin Tarantino would follow this blueprint by dressing the two lead characters of Pulp Fiction in nondescript black suits. The name, “Jef Costello”, could, in fact, be a take on Robert Mitchum's character, “Jeff Markham”, who dons a trench coat and fedora in the brilliant noir, Out of the Past, which was released two decades before. The stylistic American noir trademarks are balanced with a sleekness that reflects the ennui trend of European cinema at the time.

Classic American film noir had a distinct ”This will not end well.” sensibility to it, and Melville's movie conveys a similar aura with its portrayal of a man embracing coldly methodical routines and rituals as he marches toward certain doom. We only see Delon's Jef Costello convey emotion two times during the story. Midway through the film, we see his whole world seemingly disintegrate into a look of yearning in his eyes as he sits in the nightclub and watches the pianist. Later on, as he is pursued by a massive police manhunt on the streets and subways of Paris that is every bit as conscientious as his own mannerisms, we see a panicked out-of-breath expression from Costello as he attempts escape by searching for the keys to start another stolen vehicle.

When I first saw Le Samouraï just over a decade ago, it quickly became my favorite foreign film of all time, and one of my all-time favorite movies in general, because its air of cool minimalism captivated me in ways that busy effects-laden action films could never hope to match. I am fond of telling friends that this is the coolest movie ever made, and I become more convinced of this assertion with each subsequent viewing. We have an amazing leading man in Alain Delon, who presents a composure and a sharp eye that we all wish that we could have during times of crisis. In one of my favorite scenes, Costello is able to tell that someone has been inside of his apartment just by observing how his pet bird behaves in its cage. We also have several gorgeous women, namely Rosier's nightclub pianist, a lovely blonde hat-check girl at the club, and, most of all, Alain Delon's own wife, Nathalie Delon, who stars as Jane, one of Costello's airtight alibis. A late scene, where Costello says goodbye to Jane, has an added resonance due to the fact that the two were divorcing in real life and that their separation reportedly became final on the day that the scene was filmed. We also have a jazz-infused style that hovers over the story like the tendrils of cigarette smoke hover over Costello during the opening credits scene.

Le Samouraï earns its mastery most of all, however, with a harsh realism that stabs through its ever-present ice cool shield. Unlike the James Bond 007 movies of the era, this film gives us an idea of what it might really be like to kill people for a living. We all want to be as cool as Delon's character, but none of us would ever want to lead his life of forced isolation. Melville's intentionally drab colors and his straightforward cinematic approach serve to define Costello through his routines, mannerisms, and actions instead of spoon-feeding the character to us by way of dialogue. We come to know and love this cold killer by observing his steadfast regimen, we feel an urgent fear for his safety during the police manhunt when his world is closing in, and, finally, we experience a heartfelt catharsis by watching him embrace fate on his own terms in a way that is as perfectly realized as the drum cymbals that close off a nightclub tune.

This Criterion Blu-ray of Le Samouraï improves on its DVD predecessor by providing more detail and depth to the source material. It goes without saying that this high definition presentation soars miles above that of the disastrous French Pathe Blu-ray transfer. Several scenes have an inherent softness to them, but the detail shines throughout, and the close-ups never have a watercolor wax look to them that the French disc showed. I, for one, am immensely pleased with this “sort of like the Criterion DVD, except more detailed” appearance, and I'll go to my grave happy if this Blu-ray ends up being the definitive edition of one of my all-time top five favorite films. The improved sound quality, as per the Blu-ray format, brings out the best of this film's jazzy wonders.

The supplementary features are sparse, and, in fact, the booklet essays, one of which is from director John Woo, are the highlight of the extras. For the most part, this Blu-ray is just as minimal as the movie itself, and that is fine with me. Le Samouraï is a great film that does not need to be marred by over-explanation.

This Criterion Blu-ray is everything that I have been hoping to see.

[blkhrt]

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Jef Costello is a professional hitman whose existence is governed by a meticulous attention to detail, as evidenced by the way that he straightens his hat every time he leaves his modest apartment, the way that he blankly stares into the distance while sorting through his chain of keys as he steals a car, and the way that he slips on a pair of white gloves before killing his targets. During the mostly dialogue-free exposition, as he dresses in his trench coat and hat, takes a stolen car to a garage to have the license plates changed, visits a couple of familiar spots to establish preemptive alibis, and then enters a nightclub to fulfill a murder contract, Costello, as played by the French heartthrob Alain Delon, is the epitome of coolness and poise. He never misses a beat, and the audience believes him when he tells an acquaintance, “I never lose. Not really.”

The opening credits of Jean-Pierre Melville's 1967 masterpiece, Le Samouraï, show Costello lying on his bed smoking a cigarette as a quoted text appears on the screen.

“There is no greater solitude than that of the samurai unless it is that of the tiger in the jungle... Perhaps...”
Bushido (Book of the Samurai)

As the text disappears, the walls of Costello's apartment seem to expand, shrink, and distort in a barely noticeable way. This momentary lapse of structural cohesiveness leads the attentive viewer to wonder if the figurative walls around Costello's psyche are as rigid and secure as his exterior demeanor indicates. There is a look of tranquil emptiness behind this hitman's eyes as he carries out his duties and even as he is subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and questioned by authorities while standing in a suspect lineup. This facade could be the result of an icy fortitude brought about by Costello's line of work or it could betray a sense of doomed resignation. All bets are off, however, when Costello's future is determined by the testimony of a witness, a beautiful jazz pianist played by Cathy Rosier.

Le Samouraï takes its cues from the classic American film noir of the 1940s and 1950s, resulting in a look and an aesthetic that was notably anachronistic at the time of this movie's release, but ultimately timeless in its approach. Decades later, Quentin Tarantino would follow this blueprint by dressing the two lead characters of Pulp Fiction in nondescript black suits. The name, “Jef Costello”, could, in fact, be a take on Robert Mitchum's character, “Jeff Markham”, who dons a trench coat and fedora in the brilliant noir, Out of the Past, which was released two decades before. The stylistic American noir trademarks are balanced with a sleekness that reflects the ennui trend of European cinema at the time.

Classic American film noir had a distinct ”This will not end well.” sensibility to it, and Melville's movie conveys a similar aura with its portrayal of a man embracing coldly methodical routines and rituals as he marches toward certain doom. We only see Delon's Jef Costello convey emotion two times during the story. Midway through the film, we see his whole world seemingly disintegrate into a look of yearning in his eyes as he sits in the nightclub and watches the pianist. Later on, as he is pursued by a massive police manhunt on the streets and subways of Paris that is every bit as conscientious as his own mannerisms, we see a panicked out-of-breath expression from Costello as he attempts escape by searching for the keys to start another stolen vehicle.

When I first saw Le Samouraï just over a decade ago, it quickly became my favorite foreign film of all time, and one of my all-time favorite movies in general, because its air of cool minimalism captivated me in ways that busy effects-laden action films could never hope to match. I am fond of telling friends that this is the coolest movie ever made, and I become more convinced of this assertion with each subsequent viewing. We have an amazing leading man in Alain Delon, who presents a composure and a sharp eye that we all wish that we could have during times of crisis. In one of my favorite scenes, Costello is able to tell that someone has been inside of his apartment just by observing how his pet bird behaves in its cage. We also have several gorgeous women, namely Rosier's nightclub pianist, a lovely blonde hat-check girl at the club, and, most of all, Alain Delon's own wife, Nathalie Delon, who stars as Jane, one of Costello's airtight alibis. A late scene, where Costello says goodbye to Jane, has an added resonance due to the fact that the two were divorcing in real life and that their separation reportedly became final on the day that the scene was filmed. We also have a jazz-infused style that hovers over the story like the tendrils of cigarette smoke hover over Costello during the opening credits scene.

Le Samouraï earns its mastery most of all, however, with a harsh realism that stabs through its ever-present ice cool shield. Unlike the James Bond 007 movies of the era, this film gives us an idea of what it might really be like to kill people for a living. We all want to be as cool as Delon's character, but none of us would ever want to lead his life of forced isolation. Melville's intentionally drab colors and his straightforward cinematic approach serve to define Costello through his routines, mannerisms, and actions instead of spoon-feeding the character to us by way of dialogue. We come to know and love this cold killer by observing his steadfast regimen, we feel an urgent fear for his safety during the police manhunt when his world is closing in, and, finally, we experience a heartfelt catharsis by watching him embrace fate on his own terms in a way that is as perfectly realized as the drum cymbals that close off a nightclub tune.

This Criterion Blu-ray of Le Samouraï improves on its DVD predecessor by providing more detail and depth to the source material. It goes without saying that this high definition presentation soars miles above that of the disastrous French Pathe Blu-ray transfer. Several scenes have an inherent softness to them, but the detail shines throughout, and the close-ups never have a watercolor wax look to them that the French disc showed. I, for one, am immensely pleased with this “sort of like the Criterion DVD, except more detailed” appearance, and I'll go to my grave happy if this Blu-ray ends up being the definitive edition of one of my all-time top five favorite films. The improved sound quality, as per the Blu-ray format, brings out the best of this film's jazzy wonders.

The supplementary features are sparse, and, in fact, the booklet essays, one of which is from director John Woo, are the highlight of the extras. For the most part, this Blu-ray is just as minimal as the movie itself, and that is fine with me. Le Samouraï is a great film that does not need to be marred by over-explanation.

This Criterion Blu-ray is everything that I have been hoping to see.

Thanks for the review. I watched this tonight for the first time, and loved it. However, I did notice one thing. Right around 31:10 into the movie, right after Le Commissaire says "That's everyone's loss" the film skips, as if there are a few frames missing. It is most noticeable because the person in the background suddenly jumps between two positions. Has anyone else noticed this, and it is a problem with all releases or an error with Criterion's release?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

I watched this tonight for the first time, and loved it. However, I did notice one thing. Right around 31:10 into the movie, right after Le Commissaire says "That's everyone's loss" the film skips, as if there are a few frames missing. It is most noticeable because the person in the background suddenly jumps between two positions. Has anyone else noticed this, and it is a problem with all releases or an error with Criterion's release?

I noticed this exact same thing at the exact same moment. It's readily noticeable, but I cannot remember if it happens on the DVD or not. Fortunately, it's only a split-second flaw.

[Mike0284]

Originally Posted by SteelyTom

This question will demonstrate my relative newbie-ism, but what causes Criterion to remaster a film in 2K as opposed to 4K? And does it matter?

This is prompted by the February release list, in which Elevator to the Gallows is the sole release remastered in 2K.

This should help.

https://www.reddit.com/r/criterion/c...lr76/2k_vs_4k/

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

I watched this tonight for the first time, and loved it. However, I did notice one thing. Right around 31:10 into the movie, right after Le Commissaire says "That's everyone's loss" the film skips, as if there are a few frames missing. It is most noticeable because the person in the background suddenly jumps between two positions. Has anyone else noticed this, and it is a problem with all releases or an error with Criterion's release?

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I noticed this exact same thing at the exact same moment. It's readily noticeable, but I cannot remember if it happens on the DVD or not. Fortunately, it's only a split-second flaw.

I just checked the Criterion DVD of Le Samouraï, and the frame jump happens at the exact same moment on the DVD.

No worries. It appears to be an inherent issue, and not one attributable to the Blu-ray transfer.

I am also noticing that the improvement of the Blu-ray over the DVD is like night and day. When I was watching the Blu-ray at first, it seemed like only a negligible improvement, but watching the DVD immediately after like this makes it clear that this is a nice jump in picture quality.

[jw007]

The Great Owl:

Thanks for your in depth review of Le Samouraï.

I just bought it on blu-ray down at Barnes & Noble earlier for 50% off!

Afterwards, I brought it with me to a 56 year old friend's birthday party at a Japanese seafood buffet restaurant (oddly enough).



Not only that but I was wearing a fedora hat (like the main guy in the movie).

I showed the blu-ray to everyone but not a single soul knew anything about 1) this film or 2) this director (Melville).

One guy said it's probably a "modern version of a Samurai film".

I shook my head.

"It's much, much, MUCH more than that!", I replied.

But since I haven't seen it yet (and I cannot wait to), I wasn't exactly sure WHAT to say, so I said nothing further!

Anyway, there's my Le Samouraï story for the night!

Mic drop.

* walks away.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I just checked the Criterion DVD of Le Samouraï, and the frame jump happens at the exact same moment on the DVD.

No worries. It appears to be an inherent issue, and not one attributable to the Blu-ray transfer.

I am also noticing that the improvement of the Blu-ray over the DVD is like night and day. When I was watching the Blu-ray at first, it seemed like only a negligible improvement, but watching the DVD immediately after like this makes it clear that this is a nice jump in picture quality.

Thanks for checking. I'm glad it is not a new issue, but I wish I hadn't noticed it because now it will always jump out at me!

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by mja345

I don't believe Ray will be able to see any of these posts as I'm sure, in keeping with his newfound identity, he is going to be relaying messages to this board in long-form letters sent on parchment, written with a quill pen, that the moderators of this forum will generously bestow upon us. He's likely deep in a paragraph by paragraph analysis of "The Brothers Karamatzov", which will be followed by a delightful reading of Thomas Mann's "Tonio Kroger" for a bit of levity preceding his nightcap of a glass of warm milk.

Indubitably.

[Show spoiler]

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

This Criterion Blu-ray is everything that I have been hoping to see.

Great Owl - thank you for this! Just watched it last night. One of two blind buys during the current sale - this one made very easy not only by the film's reputation but from enthusiasm for it from yourself, Ray Jackson, and others on this forum. And Ray, wow - how many days was I gone? Cool new look.

Le Samouraï is pitch perfection - somehow almost exactly not only what I expected but also what I wanted it to be. The opening scene in Jef's apartment sets a brilliant tone for the film to come. However, I do think that some who have not seen it will need to pay attention to the minimalist descriptions of the film. While it certainly exudes atmosphere, tension and some action, if anyone is expecting this to be a loud & bloody hitman film, they're going to be disappointed. This is a character study. A jazz symphony. A poem.

Having never seen it before, I have no reference on which to base the quality of this Criterion edition. I found it quite sufficient overall but would again caution anyone who expects this to be of any kind of demonstration quality. It simply wasn't made that way. The focus is the film.

For me, this is as good as a blind buy could get and I hope that others find it just as satisfying. I'll be enjoying it for years and years to come.