Le Samouraï (1967)

4K RESTORATION — Australian Premiere

“The closest to a perfect movie I have ever seen…I felt like I was watching a gangster film made by a gentleman.” - John Woo

“Minimal and breathtaking, Le Samouraï features an icy and smouldering lead performance from Alain Delon, one of the most beautiful human beings to ever grace the big screen.” - Ed Travis

Regarded by many as Jean-Pierre Melville’s gangster masterpiece, there’s a sense of existential dread about this austere and stylish film noir of a lonely Parisian contract killer (Alain Delon) living by the samurai's bushido code. Admired by many film directors, Le Samouraï’s influence can be found in Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, Coppola’s The Conversation, Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, Bertolucci’s The Conformist, Michael Mann’s Heat, Jim Jarmusch’s Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and almost all of Takeshi Kitano’s films. Remakes include John Woo’s The Killer, Anton Corbijn’s The American and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive.

Long difficult to see on a cinema screen, this will be the first Australian screening of the new Ultra High Definition 4K restoration.

Introduced by Bruce Beresford at Ritz Cinemas and Alena Lodkina at Lido Cinemas.

“The 4K is – frankly – perfect.” - David Hare 

“Fedoras and trench coats. Film Noir in cool blues and greens. Le Samouraï is the real deal.” - Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle 

“The impossibility of love, of friendship, of communication, of self-respect, of life itself: all the themes from Melville’s work are gathered up in one tight ball in Le Samourai.” - Tom Milne  

“Melville’s characters, often smoking, pensive, and contemplative, move through dreamy landscapes, somehow ascetic and glossy at once. They’re too cool to live, and most will die.” - Ray Pride, New City Film 

Rating

PG

Duration

105 min

Language

French (English subtitles)

Cast

Alain Delon, Nathalie Delon, Cathy Rosier

Director

Jean-Pierre Melville