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Le samouraï (1967)
Rate:
7
Viewed:
6/08, 2/26
6/08:
A victim of trying too hard to be the coolest and most intelligent movie ever, Le samouraï is a near
masterpiece.
One thing is for sure: the style is impeccable. Alain Delon couldn't be any happier when he was given the
easiest role of his life. He hardly does anything but to look cool. Now, I see where Brain De Palma got the
idea of Frank Nitti's appearance for The Untouchables.
The in/exterior sets are lovely done, and it's nice to see the locales of Paris be taken advantage of for the
neo-noir look. Unfortunately, the pace is slow, causing some scenes to drag out longer than necessary.
Jef Costello is kind of dumb for an assassin. Would he think of this a better idea if he ditched the hat and
the raincoat? Or perhaps he hid himself somewhere else like inside of a closet? It might have avoided all the
problems for him.
I hate the ending, preferring Jef to kill the black girl and not be caught for it. I'm surprised at the amount
of dialogue. In fact, I would be cool with the whole thing had it been done in silence. It'll serve as a
"fuck you" message to the public to show that "talk is overrated."
All in all, Le samouraï is a nice addition to the neo-noir genre, and I look forward to
seeing it again.
2/26:
I'm going to drop my rating from '8' to '7' for Le samouraï.
The movie is too slow and can sometimes be painstakingly thorough. Alain Delon is perfect for the role and knows
how to dress well and be cool. Henri Decaë's cinematography shines through in a neo-noir way while
taking advantage of the Parisian environs. By the way, Nathalie Delon was once married to Alain Delon, hence
the last name.
All in all, Plein soleil and Le samouraï are the top two
films for anyone who wants to see the best of Alain Delon.