tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post326096576041315208..comments2024-03-22T14:34:39.101-04:00Comments on MONDO 70: A Wild World of Cinema: LE DOULOS (1962)Samuel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-14954044544533194402009-07-16T22:49:58.761-04:002009-07-16T22:49:58.761-04:00I'm a little late to this, but I can't avo...I'm a little late to this, but I can't avoid adding how much I love both this film and Melville in general. Over the last few months he has quickly moved up the list of my favorite directors. This is a truly great film, which I would rank behind only Le Samourai and Army of Shadows in terms of my favorite Melvilles.<br /><br />I still am blown away every time I see that opening scene where Reggiani kills the man and steals the jewels. That swinging light, the shadows, the entire atmosphere -- unbelievable stuff!<br /><br />Also an outstanding review, Samuel. Bravo!Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-6207568764449601652009-07-11T23:37:05.011-04:002009-07-11T23:37:05.011-04:00Thanks for posting, Sam; and I've returned the...Thanks for posting, Sam; and I've returned the favor by adding Wonders In The Dark to my own blogroll. I recommend it to any Seventies movie buff as well as movie fans in general.<br /><br />As for Melville, Criterion has gone a long way toward redeeming his pre-Samourai black&white work by releasing Doulos and Deuxieme Souffle. They are equally great in my estimate.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-63061304842719691912009-07-11T15:52:45.914-04:002009-07-11T15:52:45.914-04:00I agree with you that this may well be the most &q...I agree with you that this may well be the most "tragic" of Melville's films; certainly it's a Melville that is most underappreciated, existing in the shadow of it's famed director's most celebrated works: ARMY OF SHADOWS, LE CIRCLE ROUGE and LE SAMOURAI (which I'm sure you will adore when you see it). Good point there with the "classical" interpretation of the tragic underpinning.<br /><br />This is a fabulously comprehensive essay, as you discuss the filmmaking style, the historical advent of the film and the noteworthing performances and themes. There's so much I can site but I'll allude to this:<br /><br />"Le Doulos is vintage Melville, with luminously noirish cinematography by Nicholas Heyer and more fluid camera movement than I'm used to from the director. That attitude of cool fatalism pervades the film, paying off in a finish that might be tragically ironic, if you believed Silien's story, or tragically appropriate, if you didn't, or tragically inevitable, if you recall that these are criminals with the odds always against them."<br /><br />Great stuff Samuel!<br /><br />I am adding your site to my blogroll at WitD, something that should have been done a long time ago.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-57664535212300830712009-07-11T06:52:50.985-04:002009-07-11T06:52:50.985-04:00...Which really works - especially in, 'Le sam......Which really works - especially in, 'Le samouraï (1967)' he uses the tracking shots to great advantage!<br /><br />cheers!Classic Maidenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06452165665779363139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-79298833096399474782009-07-10T23:26:38.009-04:002009-07-10T23:26:38.009-04:00The opening credits tracking shot is pretty neat, ...The opening credits tracking shot is pretty neat, Classic, and as I said, Melville seems to keep the camera moving more than I recall from other films. Thanks for writing.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-33210281609059100592009-07-10T15:53:29.973-04:002009-07-10T15:53:29.973-04:00Truly a great crime movie, with great film noir el...Truly a great crime movie, with great film noir elements. I come to think of the opening shot with Serge Reggianni - a great location chosen, and beautifully shot. <br /><br />This is probably my favorite Noir-influenced film, Melville did!Classic Maidenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06452165665779363139noreply@blogger.com