462 The Last Metro

[kaujot]

What a dick. Comes off as quite jealous of Truffaut.

[FerdinandGriffon]

What a dick. Comes off as quite jealous of Truffaut.

Only jealous in that he was angry that Truffaut had large budgets at his disposal to make mainstream films while Godard had to scrounge for pennies in order to finance his more experimental works. This anger is quite understandable if you keep in mind the way that funds were allocated to productions by the French studios and government at the time. The French government had a huge amount of power over the finances of the film industry, power it used to further various political and social agendas. Needless to say, Godard's "revolutionary" period films had trouble finding backing. Brody's book goes into more detail on the subject, unfortunately, I don't have it at hand.
Reading the letter again for the first time in a while, I noticed a lot of subtleties that I think are usually overlooked because of Godard's abrasive and confrontational (nothing out of the ordinary for him) tone. His comparison of Truffaut to Renoir is really more of a backhanded compliment than an insult, and I still believe that his criticisms of Day for Night are perfectly valid.

my9dreamkey, though I may be sympathetic with your views on Truffaut, when you call the Truffaut enthusiasts "bastards" you irritate me just as much as you do them.

[Barmy]

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[davebert]

I've been trying to buy all Criterion blu-rays in order to encourage them to keep it up (so that maybe by 2012 I can get Discreet Charm ported over), but having read through the entirety of the thread I think I'll definitely have to switch over to a rental - and rent Adele H, while I'm at it...

[Tom Hagen]

I can certainly understand skepticism about this title, but not skepticism derived on the basis of this thread.

[tojoed]

... but having read through the entirety of the thread I think I'll definitely have to switch over to a rental - and rent Adele H, while I'm at it...

Once you've seen Adele H you'll forget all about The Last Metro. Right up there with the best of Truffaut.

[kekid]

Amazon has The Last Metro and 400 Blows for pre-order. Each is listed twice, but I could not find anything that would help determine which version is Blu Ray. Does anyone know how to tell them apart so we don't order the wrong version? Thanks.

[swo17]

You're right, they could do a better job of labeling, but these should be the Blu-rays: 400 Blows and Last Metro.

[Matt]

Looks like The Last Metro's listing has been updated; I submitted an update for The 400 Blows.

[psufootball07]

You can briefly see what the front and side packaging of this DVD looks like on BN.com. Both DVDs have different sides of the cases, I am guessing that either one is Blu or they just wanted to be able to show both sides. Either way I am really looking forward to purchasing this film after having seen it over the past 6 months on IFC at various times.

[menthymenthy]

I was disappointed when I heard Criterion picked up this film, because while it was one of Truffaut's better films, I would never call it a "good" film. It was an OK one, but a rather unimpressive film that doesn't deal with nothing we've ever seen before, nor is it interesting at all. I found it very empty, though its been a while since I've seen it.

[cinemartin]

It's one of Truffaut's better films but it's not good?

[Rupert Pupkin]

I know that MGM released all DVDs editions of Truffaut's Mississippi Mairmaid (zone 1 is poor, there's even various cuts in the footage; zone 2 is not better- I don't remember which I of the 2 is anamorphic but it even looks work in anamorphic (I have both editions).

I can't understand why MGM never put money to release a proper transfer. It's the worst transfer of all the other Truffaut movies by MGM (they are more or less average, but L'Enfant Sauvage ou Adele H. is "ok"). The sad thing is that La Sirene du Mississippi turned out to be my favorite Truffaut...

Now that Last Metro will be released, I was surprised to not find in the bonus a documentary which would explain the connection with La Sirene du Mississippi. How the 2 movies are connected.

To be honest, when I saw Last Metro announced on BR, I was really pleased but couldn't help to think "if only this could have been Deneuve on Blu-Ray in Mississippi Mermaid!" If one day the MGM release is OOP I really hope that Criterion will try to put is hands on Mississippi Mermaid..

Until yet all the Truffaut on Criterion have a MK2 logo at the beginning (being the Antoine Doinel box set, Shoot The Piano Player, etc... Last Metro is also own by MK2 in France). It's odd to notice (I have both released) that Criterion did better in terms of picture quality than the French MK2 Doinel box set.

Last Metro (so La Peau Douce (which would deserve a Blu-Ray transfer ) were both on the criterion forthcoming list since years... Both are released by MK2 in France. Judging all the MK2 release, perhaps we could hope Les Deux Anglaises et le Continent, Farenheit 451... But some major Truffaut movies are poorly treated by MGM...

Did Jon Mulvaney ever said something about releasing some other Truffaut ?

[menthymenthy]

It's one of Truffaut's better films but it's not good?

I really don't like Truffaut. I've seen about a dozen of his films, and I liked only a hand-full. I'm not too sure why, I just found most of them so very unlikeable.

[arsonfilms]

It's one of Truffaut's better films but it's not good?

I really don't like Truffaut. I've seen about a dozen of his films, and I liked only a hand-full. I'm not too sure why, I just found most of them so very unlikeable.

You don't like them because you find them unlikable?

I actually haven't seen a Truffaut flick yet I haven't enjoyed. I do find them likable, which might perhaps explain why I like them!

[ByMarkClark.com]

MISSISSIPPI MERMAID is the only Truffaut film I dislike.

[cdnchris]

The Last Metro DVD Review

[colinr0380]

DVD Beaver review

[atcolomb]

There is only one Truffaut film i have not seen and that is The Green Room (1978) which is not talked about that often. Only released on VHS tape in the USA and from the reviews not the best of his films. Also i hope Criterion will re-release Two English Girls (1971) which is one of my favorite of his and since Criterion did release it on laserdisc there might be a good chance they can do it on dvd.

[Antoine Doinel]

Armond's essay is online.

[Tom Hagen]

It's actually a pretty good essay; insightful and well-written without any hyperbole, ad hominem attacks, or left-field comparisons to other films/directors.

[tavernier]

For Armond, it's not a bad essay, but it's obvious that the CC people actually edit him, as opposed to the clowns at NY Press, forcing him to keep to the task at hand and omit his usual attacks against other directors and films. Although his final paragraph, where he drags in the Techine film, is typical of his usual work (since he loves Techine, he couldn't not mention him, and bringing in Spielberg would have been a reach).

[swo17]

For Armond, it's not a bad essay, but it's obvious that the CC people actually edit him, as opposed to the clowns at NY Press, forcing him to keep to the task at hand and omit his usual attacks against other directors and films. Although his final paragraph, where he drags in the Techine film, is typical of his usual work (since he loves Techine, he couldn't not mention him, and bringing in Spielberg would have been a reach).

All a bullshit-free essay from Armond means is that there is a switch to turn it on or off, so that he must be perfectly aware that it is left on most of the time. This is much worse than your Richard Roeper variety of general cluelessness.

[Ted Todorov]

MISSISSIPPI MERMAID is the only Truffaut film I dislike.

Like it or not (and I certainly liked it), the best joke in The Last Metro depends on having seen Mississippi Mermaid.

I do want to second the call for Criterion to release The Green Room and Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me. Not having a decent The Green Room DVD out there is a real tragedy.

[tavernier]

There's an acceptable R2 release of The Green Room under the title The Vanishing Fiancée.