Jeanpierre melville involves us in the spell of le samourai 1967 before a word is spoken. Le samourai makes the most of its spare aesthetic, using stylish and influential direction, solid performances, and thick atmosphere to weave an absorbing story. May be my favorite melville film with a style that has inspired some, but is hard to match. O capodopera eleganta, eleganta a cool, a regizorului maverick jean. Directed by jeanpierre melville in french with english subtitles. Nathalie delon and francois perier in le samourai 1967 alain delon in le samourai. Under the lens of cultural and historical context, as well as understanding the reflective nature of popular culture, its hard not to read this film as. It has all the best virtues of american film noir but with a european sensibility. The samurai 1967 directed by jeanpierre melville in world cinema. It is a contract arranged by an unseen, unknown client. Shooting of the film le samourai by jeanpierre melville. Jul, 2000 i n france, there are few more admired directors than jean pierre melville. I n france, there are few more admired directors than jeanpierre melville.
Alain delon is jef costello, a lone hired assassin at the top of his craft. After a time the man gets up, fully dressed, and moves to a hat stand near the door. Director jeanpierre melville begins the film by showing us the anatomy of this hit in understated cinematic language. He lights a cigarette, and smoke coils up toward a wisp of light from the window. Jeanpierre melvilles le samourai plays with the perils of the. Jeanpierre melvilles paranoia thriller le samourai 1967 is a fascinating take on crime thrillers and underground mob assassination plots. An elegantly stylized masterpiece of cool by maverick director jean. After carrying out a flawlessly planned hit, jef finds himself caught between a persistent police investigator and a ruthless employer, and not even his armor of fedora and trench coat can protect him. Jeff recoils from the expression of emotion, and it is as if the film follows his lead.
The film follows a professional hitman named jef costello who is seen by. Le samourai is een franse misdaadfilm uit 1967 onder regie van jeanpierre melville. It is difficult to see how this story could be better accomplished. He changed his name from grumbach after he read moby dick and used. Hij diende als voorbeeld voor heel wat regisseurs, zoals jeanluc godard en later quentin tarantino. He changed his name from grumbach after he read moby dick and used to wear a stetson and dark glasses, as if to prove. With alain delon, francois perier, nathalie delon, cathy rosier. Ce mardi 21 aout 2018, tf1 series films rediffuse le samourai, chef d. Le samourai is like the conversation meets the french connection with. Jeanpierre melville took the idea of the lone gunman perhaps more akin to the western genre than the crime genre, and created a film with star alain delon as. Melvilles direction befits a classic noir with his slick and patient style. Le samourai is a 1967 neonoir crime film written and directed by jeanpierre melville.
Melville uses a slow pace almost like a metronome for his characters thoughts, actions, and dialogue. A razorsharp cocktail of 1940s american gangster cinema and 19. Le samourai is like the conversation meets the french connection with a bit of john wick on the side. After professional hitman jef costello is seen by witnesses his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner. Alain delon plays a contract killer with samurai instincts.
Hong kong director john woos 1989 film, the killer, was heavily influenced by le samourais plot, the bars female pianist being replaced by a singer. In a careerdefining performance, alain delon plays jef costello, a contract killer with samurai instincts. Le samourais use of camerawork and editing is economical, even spare. He puts on his fedora, adjusting the brim with delicate precision, and goes out into the street.
Le samourai film van jeanpierre melville fransefilms. Pierre melville, le samourai is a razorsharp cocktail of 1940s american gangster cinema and 1960s french pop culturewith a liberal dose of japanese lonewarrior mythology. Jeanpierre melvilles 1967 masterpiece, le samourai, is an effortlessly stylish and cruelly efficient depiction of morality in an immoral world. The product of a series of international cinematic exchanges, jeanpierre melvilles le samourai is a perfect example of the geographically and temporally confused nature of cinephilia. Ryan goslings protagonist in the similarly named 2011 film drive also shares many key characteristics with the protagonist of le samourai. Zijn films waren onder meer een bron van inspiratie voor filmmakers als quentin tarantino en john woo. Le samourai is a film directed by jeanpierre melville with alain delon, nathalie delon, caty rosier, francois perier, year.
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