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MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
193 .......................... 206
__________________________
June 5th
—— 1967 ——
LE SAMOURAÏ
—— crime ——
Already by the opening minutes of this film
I knew it was going to be a different and yet delicate piece of cinema
There will be spoilers within this review
I just loved how it started out straight in the middle of what would eventually become a biopic of a killer. And it is the presentation of this person that helps ignite the plot of the film, as well as the plot within the film – referring here to the person he is going to murder, after he has finished smoking his cigarette, of course. Until then he is simply waiting in silence. Like a lion in his cave. I love this opening and how it simultaneously shows us the methods of our main character and the mood of our main feature, ‘Le Samouraï’.
This might be one of the most elegant portrayals of murder excellence I have seen in cinema. Following a hitman with what looks to be a timeless timespan, taking his time with every little detail to make sure it suits his careful routine. As an audience, we continue to tail this individual as he goes through his lethal preparation, which eventually leads to the fatal termination of his top target on his current kill list. All the way from beginning to end, this opening ode to classic crime thrillers feels so stylish and professional, as we see ourselves move sophisticatedly from the smoke of a cigarette to the smoke of a gun. To put it simply, that was a contract kill done with compact skill; contemporarily defining the directorial execution and the lethal execution within the scene; or should I say murder scene. Because soon after, the FBI investigators are all over the aftermath of this odd occurrence, which leads directly into the next part of the plot – finding the killer.
In many ways the subsequent story is super straight forward, while the stylish and classy direction is anything but. Melville never fail to impress me during the entire duration if this film, with elegant use of unruffled imagery and rustic sounds, only contributing to the fact of how organized this organized crime thriller really is. It is like each and every scene is set up perfectly, going from the suspect scene to the literal set-up of our main character. My personal pick for a potential favorite, though, is when two people walk into Costello’s apartment to set up wires. This is a prime example of how to deliver visual storytelling. Not one of these important steps done by these two gentlemen is ever rushed, yet the scene never drags. The sublimely supplemented sounds of his little bird chirping away in the cage during this entire scene is so perfect.
While the story of the hunter being hunted keeps evolving, the tension keeps rising as well. It all builds up into this amazing chase sequence in the subways and around the city. Together with my recent watch of ‘The Third Man’ this scene joins the category for best chase scene I have ever seen; though the one in ‘Le Samouraï’ is hardly even a chase if you think of it, which is also one of the main reasons why I love and admire it so much. This scenario chases our hero into a corner, which once again moves the story to new exciting grounds. All this ends with a fantastic climax, which makes the approach of our main character almost appear like that of a lion on a hunt – slowly and silently waiting, virtually hiding in the open, until he finally strikes down on his victim – only this victim, he had no intention of killing. The movie closes with an empty gun, but carrying a full-blooded ending. Jef Costello had no bullets in his gun, but this film hit me directly through the heart even so, because of being such a bloody well-shot film! This was a hit, man, definitely, and it might even be a new favorite of mine.
__________________________
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
193 .......................... 206
__________________________
June 5th
—— 1967 ——
LE SAMOURAÏ
—— crime ——
Already by the opening minutes of this film
I knew it was going to be a different and yet delicate piece of cinema
There will be spoilers within this review
I just loved how it started out straight in the middle of what would eventually become a biopic of a killer. And it is the presentation of this person that helps ignite the plot of the film, as well as the plot within the film – referring here to the person he is going to murder, after he has finished smoking his cigarette, of course. Until then he is simply waiting in silence. Like a lion in his cave. I love this opening and how it simultaneously shows us the methods of our main character and the mood of our main feature, ‘Le Samouraï’.
This might be one of the most elegant portrayals of murder excellence I have seen in cinema. Following a hitman with what looks to be a timeless timespan, taking his time with every little detail to make sure it suits his careful routine. As an audience, we continue to tail this individual as he goes through his lethal preparation, which eventually leads to the fatal termination of his top target on his current kill list. All the way from beginning to end, this opening ode to classic crime thrillers feels so stylish and professional, as we see ourselves move sophisticatedly from the smoke of a cigarette to the smoke of a gun. To put it simply, that was a contract kill done with compact skill; contemporarily defining the directorial execution and the lethal execution within the scene; or should I say murder scene. Because soon after, the FBI investigators are all over the aftermath of this odd occurrence, which leads directly into the next part of the plot – finding the killer.
In many ways the subsequent story is super straight forward, while the stylish and classy direction is anything but. Melville never fail to impress me during the entire duration if this film, with elegant use of unruffled imagery and rustic sounds, only contributing to the fact of how organized this organized crime thriller really is. It is like each and every scene is set up perfectly, going from the suspect scene to the literal set-up of our main character. My personal pick for a potential favorite, though, is when two people walk into Costello’s apartment to set up wires. This is a prime example of how to deliver visual storytelling. Not one of these important steps done by these two gentlemen is ever rushed, yet the scene never drags. The sublimely supplemented sounds of his little bird chirping away in the cage during this entire scene is so perfect.
While the story of the hunter being hunted keeps evolving, the tension keeps rising as well. It all builds up into this amazing chase sequence in the subways and around the city. Together with my recent watch of ‘The Third Man’ this scene joins the category for best chase scene I have ever seen; though the one in ‘Le Samouraï’ is hardly even a chase if you think of it, which is also one of the main reasons why I love and admire it so much. This scenario chases our hero into a corner, which once again moves the story to new exciting grounds. All this ends with a fantastic climax, which makes the approach of our main character almost appear like that of a lion on a hunt – slowly and silently waiting, virtually hiding in the open, until he finally strikes down on his victim – only this victim, he had no intention of killing. The movie closes with an empty gun, but carrying a full-blooded ending. Jef Costello had no bullets in his gun, but this film hit me directly through the heart even so, because of being such a bloody well-shot film! This was a hit, man, definitely, and it might even be a new favorite of mine.
__________________________