218 Le cercle rouge
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218 Le cercle rouge
Le cercle rouge
Alain Delon plays a master thief, fresh out of prison, who crosses paths with a notorious escapee (Gian Maria Volontè) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand). The unlikely trio plot a heist, against impossible odds, until a relentless inspector and their own pasts seal their fates. With its honorable antiheroes, coolly atmospheric cinematography, and breathtaking set pieces, Le cercle rouge is the quintessential film by Jean-Pierre Melville—the master of ambiguous, introspective crime cinema.
SPECIAL FEATURES
• New 4K restoration from STUDIOCANAL of the uncut version of the film, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Segments from a 1971 episode of Cinéastes de notre temps featuring director Jean-Pierre Melville
• Interviews with assistant director Bernard Stora and Rui Nogueira, author of Melville on Melville
• On-set and archival footage, featuring interviews with Melville and actors Alain Delon, Yves Montand, and André Bourvil
• Trailer
• New English subtitle translation
• PLUS: Essays by film critics Michael Sragow and Chris Fujiwara, excerpts from Melville on Melville, a 2000 interview with composer Eric Demarsan, and an appreciation by filmmaker John Woo
Criterionforum.org user rating averages
Feature currently disabled
Alain Delon plays a master thief, fresh out of prison, who crosses paths with a notorious escapee (Gian Maria Volontè) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand). The unlikely trio plot a heist, against impossible odds, until a relentless inspector and their own pasts seal their fates. With its honorable antiheroes, coolly atmospheric cinematography, and breathtaking set pieces, Le cercle rouge is the quintessential film by Jean-Pierre Melville—the master of ambiguous, introspective crime cinema.
SPECIAL FEATURES
• New 4K restoration from STUDIOCANAL of the uncut version of the film, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Segments from a 1971 episode of Cinéastes de notre temps featuring director Jean-Pierre Melville
• Interviews with assistant director Bernard Stora and Rui Nogueira, author of Melville on Melville
• On-set and archival footage, featuring interviews with Melville and actors Alain Delon, Yves Montand, and André Bourvil
• Trailer
• New English subtitle translation
• PLUS: Essays by film critics Michael Sragow and Chris Fujiwara, excerpts from Melville on Melville, a 2000 interview with composer Eric Demarsan, and an appreciation by filmmaker John Woo
Criterionforum.org user rating averages
Feature currently disabled
- Gordon
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:03 am
I'm surprised that there are no messages on this brilliant film. I thought that there were many Melville/Delon fans here, no?
Anyway, I am a HUGE Melville and Delon admirer and this is a wonderful, addictive film. It has been called (as many of Mellville's films are) a "lesson in Cinema", which is, I think, refering to the fact that his films are, most certainly, "pure" Cinema and aren't simply "good" or "great" films, although Melville's films can be appeciated on that and many other levels. The plot is incredibly simple, yet the level of suspense and intrigue generated through the characters alone and not through action (just like Le Samoura�) is masterful.
By this stage in his career, Melville had pretty much perfected a beautiful style of fluid, tight pacing in his films and for this reason alone, I love Le Cercle Rouge, but it offers so much more.
Anyway, I am a HUGE Melville and Delon admirer and this is a wonderful, addictive film. It has been called (as many of Mellville's films are) a "lesson in Cinema", which is, I think, refering to the fact that his films are, most certainly, "pure" Cinema and aren't simply "good" or "great" films, although Melville's films can be appeciated on that and many other levels. The plot is incredibly simple, yet the level of suspense and intrigue generated through the characters alone and not through action (just like Le Samoura�) is masterful.
By this stage in his career, Melville had pretty much perfected a beautiful style of fluid, tight pacing in his films and for this reason alone, I love Le Cercle Rouge, but it offers so much more.
Last edited by Gordon on Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
- godardslave
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:44 pm
- Location: Confusing and open ended = high art.
- Gordon
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:03 am
Le Samourai is one of the reasons I love Cinema. Unfortunately, it indeed seems to be owned by New Yorker (or does it?!) but the OOP French disc can still be ordered cheaply and simply thur Amazon.fr's Marketplace (They won't all ship internationally, but click on them all and just delete any sellers that won't ship to your address)
The high-bitrate, sharp, super-clean transfer is excellent, as are the ENGLISH subtitles. It will more than tide you over until we see a Criterion edition!
In the meantime, get Le Cercle Rouge and Bob le Flambeur. Both are excellent, although I prefer the BFI transfer for the former and Ginette Vincendeau's commentary is excellent.
The high-bitrate, sharp, super-clean transfer is excellent, as are the ENGLISH subtitles. It will more than tide you over until we see a Criterion edition!
In the meantime, get Le Cercle Rouge and Bob le Flambeur. Both are excellent, although I prefer the BFI transfer for the former and Ginette Vincendeau's commentary is excellent.
- solaris72
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:03 pm
- Location: Baltimore, MD
John Woo to Redo French Boo Movies
Dark Horizons wrote:Woo's next pic will be Paramount's remake of another Melville classic, 1970's "The Red Circle."
- jbeall
- Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 9:22 am
- Location: Atlanta-ish
Just watched this film, and I certainly enjoyed it. Alain Delon has a magnetic screen presence, and exudes cool.
I was wondering if there were holdups in filming that necessitated reshoots. Either that or the weather on the road from Marseille to Paris is pretty unpredictable.
I remember back in 1996 when Mission: Impossible came out, and reading a review that marveled at de Palma's decision not to use music when Tom Cruise and Jean Reno break into the CIA (?) headquarters. But I've just discovered that both Rififi and Le Cercle Rouge had done it loooong before.
Anyway, a really good heist movie. I prefer Army of Shadows and Le Samourai, but this wasn't too shabby.
I was wondering if there were holdups in filming that necessitated reshoots. Either that or the weather on the road from Marseille to Paris is pretty unpredictable.
I remember back in 1996 when Mission: Impossible came out, and reading a review that marveled at de Palma's decision not to use music when Tom Cruise and Jean Reno break into the CIA (?) headquarters. But I've just discovered that both Rififi and Le Cercle Rouge had done it loooong before.
Anyway, a really good heist movie. I prefer Army of Shadows and Le Samourai, but this wasn't too shabby.
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- Location: London, UK
European weather can (and often tends to) change drastically from one hour to the next. I've sat through rain, bright sunshine and cloudy skies in the last eight hours.jbeall wrote:I was wondering if there were holdups in filming that necessitated reshoots. Either that or the weather on the road from Marseille to Paris is pretty unpredictable.
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- arsonfilms
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Color timing aside, I love the film, and recommend the DVD highly for the sheer joy of multiple viewings. The silent jewel heist is one of my all time favorite suspense scenes, and one of the peaks in Montand's career. Delon is at his most badass in the film (a feat in and of itself), and I feel its a great starting point for Melville. I assume you're unfamiliar with Melville, because if you weren't, you'd have bought this already because he's AWESOME.
- Matt
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm
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I know Melville, have the Criterion DVDs of Le Samourai and Bob Le Flambeur, and saw Le cercle rouge in a theatre (so know the film), so I guess I am really asking about the color timing and the quality of the extras. Thank you.arsonfilms wrote:Color timing aside, I love the film, and recommend the DVD highly for the sheer joy of multiple viewings. The silent jewel heist is one of my all time favorite suspense scenes, and one of the peaks in Montand's career. Delon is at his most badass in the film (a feat in and of itself), and I feel its a great starting point for Melville. I assume you're unfamiliar with Melville, because if you weren't, you'd have bought this already because he's AWESOME.
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
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- TheGodfather
- Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:39 pm
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Just watched it for the first time this afternoon and really liked it. The slow pacing of the movie, the overall (and especially Delon`s) acting, the cinematography: everything was great about it.
The way the heist itself was shot was magnificent!
I`m not totally sure but I think I liked this one better than Le Samourai. Both excellent films, that`s for sure. Looking forward to the release of Le deuxieme souffle.
The way the heist itself was shot was magnificent!
I`m not totally sure but I think I liked this one better than Le Samourai. Both excellent films, that`s for sure. Looking forward to the release of Le deuxieme souffle.
- psufootball07
- Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:52 pm
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If he was such a devotee of Melville, he would realize the original film is fine just the way it is and does not require a remake.Cde. wrote:While I love this film and would prefer it be left untouched, fortunately the remake is in the safe and assured hands of Johnnie To, a devotee of Melville and great crime director in his own right.
Additionally, I have a difficult time trusting a director who made those absurd casting choices (if IMDb is to be trusted). The whole thing stinks. How much longer before we get Army of Shadows and Le Samourai remade? And if a major US Studio has a hand in the production, which I suspect it will, and if Brett Ratner really is a producer, well that's all the proof you need.
- justeleblanc
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- psufootball07
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- Via_Chicago
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:03 pm
You do know that Le Cercle Rouge is Melville's own version of Rififi, right?psufootball07 wrote:No, but he homaged it in Ghost Dog. They are also remaking one of my favorite classic crime films in Rififi. It's disappointing to think people would want to mess with the classics, whats next re-make of Casablanca and Citizen Kane?
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
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No, just remakes of Seven Samurai, Ikiru, High and Low, Stalker, and a sequel to 8 1/2.psufootball07 wrote:It's disappointing to think people would want to mess with the classics, whats next re-make of Casablanca and Citizen Kane?
Let's give Jim Jarmusch a little credit. Whitaker only starred in the thing.psufootball07 wrote:No, but [Forest Whitaker] homaged it in Ghost Dog.
- Awesome Welles
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- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
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If I remember the interview correctly, Melville had planned on doing Le Cercle Rouge in the mid-late 1950's but Riffifi came out instead and blew his chances of doing it, so he turned to other projects instead.Via_Chicago wrote:You do know that Le Cercle Rouge is Melville's own version of Rififi, right?psufootball07 wrote:No, but he homaged it in Ghost Dog. They are also remaking one of my favorite classic crime films in Rififi. It's disappointing to think people would want to mess with the classics, whats next re-make of Casablanca and Citizen Kane?
And Jim Jarmusch has stated Ghost Dog is a blend of Branded to Kill and Le Samourai, his two favorite hitman movies. But it wasn't a direct remake of either, it wasn't Hollywood produced, and it didn't star Orlando Bloom and Chow Yun-Fat.