Jean-Pierre Melville Marathon
And now for something completely different! The A.V. comfort zone is usually big blockbusters, horror and cult classics. However, sometimes we look at movies that not many people know about. Tonight, we’ll be looking at four Criterion collection films from director Jean-Pierre Melville, a French auteur of the crime genre. And there’s no better time than now, when the Criterion collection is half-off at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The lineup is:
Bob le flambeur
Le Deuxieme Souffle
Le Cercle Rouge
Le Samourai
Which of these crime capers has what it takes to win the prize? Brush up on your French, grab your favorite fedora, and let’s talk about movies!
BRAD’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Bob The Junkyard (Planning the heist)
Best Character: Samurai Jef Costello
Best Kill/Death/Defeat: Souffle 3rd act bloodbath
Best Score or Soundtrack: Samurai Francois de Roubaix
Best Screenplay: Souffle Jean-Pierre Melville
Best Special Achievement: Samurai Impact on the hitman-for-hire genre
Best Scene: Rouge 27-minute heist sequence
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Samurai Jef Costello committing seppuku
Best Director: Bob Jean-Pierre Melville
Wildcard: TIE Bob, Samurai & Souffle The Lead Actor Award
WTF: Bob CINEMATIC BLUE BALLS
Worst Picture: Le Cercle Rouge
Best Picture: Le Samourai
Total after deductions:
Bob le flambeur: 3
Le Deuxieme Souffle: 3
Le Cercle Rouge: 0
Le Samourai: 6
NATHAN’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Rouge NEGATIVE RUBBER CHICKEN
Best Character: Souffle Commissioner Blot
Best Kill/Death/Defeat: Samurai Jef Costello committing seppuku
Best Score or Soundtrack: RUBBER CHICKEN (No points given)
Best Screenplay: Souffle Jean-Pierre Melville
Best Special Achievement: Samurai Influence on cinema
Best Scene: TIE Souffle & Rouge Commissioner Blot arrives at the scene of the crime & the jewelry heist
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Bob Bob is the quintessential Melville character
Best Director: Samurai Jean-Pierre Melville
Wildcard: Bob Tonal rollercoaster ending
WTF: Bob Tonal rollercoaster ending
Worst Picture: Le Cercle Rouge
Best Picture: TIE Le Deuxieme Souffle & Le Samourai
Total after deductions:
Bob le flambeur: 2
Le Deuxieme Souffle: 4
Le Cercle Rouge: Negative 1
Le Samourai: 4
MATT’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Souffle Exterior Heist
Best Character: Bob Bob Montagne
Best Kill/Death/Defeat: Samurai Costello’s surprising death
Best Score or Soundtrack: Samurai Francois de Roubaix
Best Screenplay: Souffle Jean-Pierre Melville
Best Special Achievement: Samurai Production Design/Set Decoration
Best Scene: TIE Souffle & Samurai Commissioner Blot arrives at the scene of the crime & the line-up and interrogation
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: TIE Bob & Samurai The twist ending and Alain Delon as Jef Costello
Best Director: Samurai Jean-Pierre Melville
Wildcard: Souffle Best Relationship Award
WTF: Rouge Seeing lizards, rats, etc was a little much
Worst Picture: Le Cercle Rouge
Best Picture: Le Samourai
Total after deductions:
Bob le flambeur: 2
Le Deuxieme Souffle: 4
Le Cercle Rouge: Negative 1
Le Samourai: 7
MARSHALL’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Bob Montmartre
Best Character: Souffle Commissioner Blot
Best Kill/Death/Defeat: Souffle 3rd act bloodbath
Best Score or Soundtrack: RUBBER CHICKEN (No points given)
Best Screenplay: Souffle Jean-Pierre Melville
Best Special Achievement: Rouge Growing as a director
Best Scene: Souffle Heist
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Rouge Lack of sound
Best Director: Souffle Jean-Pierre Melville
Wildcard: Rouge Corey is the dumbest criminal name
WTF: Samurai Le Samourai is based on a book that doesn’t exist?
Worst Picture: Le Cercle Rouge
Best Picture: Le Deuxieme Souffle
Total after deductions:
Bob le flambeur: 1
Le Deuxieme Souffle: 8
Le Cercle Rouge: 2
Le Samourai: 0