| Le Samourai - Criterion Collection | 
| Director: Jean-pierre Melville
Actors: Alain Delon, Nathalie Delon, Francois Perier, Cathy Rosier, Jacques Leroy
Studio: Artists International
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $19.39
You Save: $10.56 (35%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $15.99
Avg. Customer Rating:   (55 reviews)
Sales Rank: 9099
Format: Color, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: French (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 101 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 150
UPC: 037429208526
EAN: 0037429208526
ASIN: B000AQKUG8
Release Date: October 25, 2005
Theatrical Release Date: 1967
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description
In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays blue-eyed Jef Costello, a fedora- and trench-coat-wearing contract killer with samurai instincts
Amazon.com
Alain Delon is the coolest killer to hit the screen, a film noir loner for the modern era, in Jean-Pierre Melville's austere 1967 French crime classic. Delon's impassive hit man, Jef Costello, is the ultimate professional in an alienated world of glass and metal. On his latest contract, however, he lets a witness live--a charming jazz pianist, Valerie (Cathy Rosier), who neglects to identify him in the police lineup. When Costello survives an assassination attempt by his employers, he carefully plots his next moves as cops and criminals close in and he prepares for one last job. Melville meticulously details every move by Costello and the police in fascinating wordless sequences, from Costello's preparations for his first hit to the cops' exhaustive efforts to tail Jef as he lines up his last; and his measured pace creates an otherworldly ambiance, an uneasy calm on the verge of shattering. Costello remains a cipher, a zen killer whose facade begins to crack as the world seems to be collapsing in on him, exposing the wound-up psyche hidden behind his blank face. Melville rethinks film noir in modern terms, as an existential crime drama in soft, somber color and sleek images (courtesy of cinematographer extraordinaire Henri Decae). Le Samourai inspired two pseudo-remakes, Walter Hill's Driver and John Woo's Killer, but neither film comes close to the compelling austerity and meticulous detail of Melville's cult masterpiece. --Sean Axmaker
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| Customer Reviews: Read 50 more reviews...
 Melvillian Ganster Movie June 26, 2008
Fine transfer of one of Melville's ganster movies. Alain Delon draws his gun faster than the eye! Stylish and hilarious and set in an imaginary Paris, this is not at all a realistic movie - but it is simply excellent.
Very stylish; very cool; very worthy of your time... May 29, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
First things first; `Le Samourai' is a very, very cool movie. The vibe is just so fluid and stirring; you can't help but become one with the mood that is set by French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville. The first sequence alone is utter perfection; contract killer Jef Costello sprawled out across his bed, puffs of cigarette smoke rising to the ceiling and a lonely birdcage resting in the center of the room, the only sound being the constant and sporadic chirping of the frantic bird within its bars. The scene just got me so excited; instantly connected and longing for the film to proceed.
And proceed it did.
The film follows Jef Costello as he carries out a murder and then contends with double-crossing as well as an overzealous police detective. Costello promised a problem free hit, but when he leaves a witness alive his employers feel that he breached their contract, so they attempt to take his life. Narrowly escaping death, Costello decides to go after his employer, but this means enlisting the help of the said witness Valerie, a young and beautiful pianist. While he strikes a relationship with her, the Police Detective assigned to the murder begins to press firmly in on Costello, trying to force confessions out of the ones closest to him; most notably his girlfriend Jane.
Melville does an outstanding job of keeping the pace and capturing pure tension, utilizing his surroundings to stir up emotions within the audience. I love films that work with silence, because I feel that feelings in general are felt and not heard. By just watching the facial expressions on a man's (or woman's) face; by watching the way their body moves in relation to what he sees can help instill raw emotion within us. `Le Samourai' does this to the extreme. The opening scene is proof in the pudding, but there are many scenes where dialog is non-existent, the audience being allowed to truly connect to the mind of the characters as apposed to their mouths.
Performance wise this film is very strong. First and foremost one must recognize Alain Delon's masterful performance as Jef. He has such a calm and restrained demeanor that adds layers to his characters development. He allows us to truly understand who he is and why he does what it is that he does. Francois Perier also does an outstanding job as the Police Detective hot on his trail. He captures the zeal and determination behind his characters every move and action. Caty Rosier is stunning and endearing as Valerie. There is an air of mystery surrounding her character that she embellishes perfectly, creating a sense of longing in the viewer as he or she desires to learn more about her. To me though, the knockout performance comes from Nathalie Delon who plays Jef's girlfriend and alibi Jane. There is one scene in particular, when she is confronted in her apartment by Perier's character, that really solidifies my feelings for her. This is the greatest scene of dialog in the film, and the two actors embody their emotions magically; Delon in particular just ravishing the scene.
`Le Samourai' is a magnificent film, part gangster film, part film noir; and if you look close enough it is definitely part Samaria film. The acting is top notch, the direction is top notch and the script is expertly woven to draw in the audience and never let them go.
Greatest Film Noir--Melville's Masterpiece April 15, 2008
Melville's masterpiece on solitude remains perhaps the greatest film noir ever made with the coolly stylish and icily detached cinematography of Henri Decae capturing a series of gray, rainy day tableaux upon which Alain Delon wanders as the quintessential existential loner--a meditative assassin in love with death.
 Melville: Genie de l'ambiance March 9, 2008
Alain Delon fait une de ces meilleures performance. Le James Bonds mauvais garcon francais par excellence. Dans ce film, Alain Delon joue le role d'un tueur a gage, un peu (beaucoup) frimeur qui va jusqu'a mettre des gants blancs lorsqu'il commet un meurtre. Il vit dans l'anonymat, est un veritable chat noir impossible a voir au milieu de la nuit et subtil pendant le jour. L'interet du film, a mon humble avis, n'est vraiment pas l'histoire qui en somme est un film noir typique ou l'histoire est facile a prevoir. Le genie du film c'est l'esthetique, l'ambiance, les jeux de cameras, d'angles et bien sur la facile qu'a Alain Delon de s'accomoder d'un parreil role. La reconstitution du film qui aurait pu etre un film de Gangster americain des annees 30's est vraiment bien reconstitue. L'ambiance jazz, les longues pouffees de cigarettes qui nous rappelle le cote cool de fumer. Les long regard entre Delon et la joueuse de pianos...tous est la pour creer une ambiance sexy et noire.
Un tres bon film a possede dans sa collection
Le Samourai December 20, 2007
There's no doubt-this is one of the coolest movies I've ever seen. Easy to understand John Woo and Quentin Tarantino's fascination. However, if exploding buildings and high-speed carchases is what you're looking for, this isn't it. In Le Samourai it is all about the details, and if you are addicted to more modern, faster-paced Hollywood-trash, you'll probably find it boring. If not, sit back and enjoy Alain Delon/Jef Costello in Melville's best film.
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