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Movie Mindset 10 - Stop Snitching: Jean Pierre Melville's Arch-Criminals

🕑 Added 2023-06-28 11:00:06 +0000 UTC

Comments

Gay Adam

oh but yes

k v

No.

D

The French left laughed at Army of Shadows because it knew the Resistance was the FTP and groups like that, whereas the other elements of the resistance (the ones shown in this movie) either did next to nothing or were handing Jean Moulin over to the Gestapo. In this movie the people helping the resistance are a barber with a Pétain poster on his wall, an aristocrat, two bourgeois brothers - it's absurd. Those were the elements that supported Pétain, generally. The one communist shown is practically a child. That is not to say that Melville was bad at lighting or placing a camera or staging a scene, but the premise is ridiculous.

Michael Polacheck

Movie Mindset request: a comparison review of H.G. Couzot's Wages of Fear and William Friedkin's Sorcerer.

Horse Badorties

If you're into Dassin check out "Uptight"- a remake of "The Informer" set in Black Panther days. It's very good.

NoPrefect

Actually a lot of fantastic Russian filmmakers. Ed: for real fun, look up soviet era animators. You will not regret.

Marcel Szabo

Jansen's wallpaper gave me the DTs

Tristan Stonhill

Can't believe you dropped that godfather spoiler without any warning

Rohmer Simpson

I think, like everyone else in the film (that is, except for the Nazis), he’s being carried along by a number of irresistible forces - one consideration that only recently occurred to me: since he denounces himself and gives a false name, (a) no one can be punished by his colleagues for betraying him and (b) no links can be made between him and his brother.

Kirstwb

Vogel in le cercle rouge looks like handsome Kramer

Poppy Chulo

I just finished the episode. Question answered.

Shauna Seroquel

💕😽💕😽

Poppy Chulo

I finished it for the first time last night. I enjoyed it a lot. However I am puzzled why did Jean Francois turn himself in? Was it because it was the only way he felt that he could help Claude by getting into his cell?

Matthew Krueger

Really enjoyed this series. Like all good criticism it revealed so many things I'd missed while it cemented the movies even deeper into my brain. It's made me a better movie-watcher. The curation might be the most important part of that, but as someone else has already said: I trust the process. I love the idea of Movie Mindset as a sort of postmodern practical mysticism - a cult of our own that we can all be the leader of while still keeping us in (mostly) friendly contact with other cultists. Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to October (cue Silver Shamrock commercial). Thanks again!

Rohmer Simpson

Rewatching ARMY OF SHADOWS - I think it works out sequentially that Cassel's character gave up the baron and his men. (Gerbier explains in v/o that they were arrested and executed without trial. This is just before the hospital/Gestapo HQ break-in.)

Rohmer Simpson

Your brother is from Denmark?

John Berry

How do you guys feel about Russian films? Will said his top 3 countries for filmmaking are US, Japan, and France which I agree with, but feel like Russia could be up there higher.

Sam

with all the crime movies so far a hong kong crime/triad ep seems like a great fit, election 1 and 2 came to mind first for me but there are so many amazing choices

Will

Thinking about potential horror choices, and someone last week or the week before mentioning the dearth of woman directors so far in this series, and thought it would be remiss of me to suggest Antonia Bird's Ravenous, with one of the greatest scores ever recorded, and so bloody it used all the fake blood in Canada.

Rohmer Simpson

Sounds like somebody wasn't counting on THE RUSSO BROTHERS' GHOSTED

Rohmer Simpson

Melville does build suspense into the barbershop scene (specifically in cutting to the Marshal Pétain poster), but - and this might just be my sentimental side talking - when I saw it was Serge Reggiani who emerged from the cellar, I knew Lino Ventura would be alright.

Jonathan G

my brother he is from denmark

Will Hubbert

In light of Will's recent comments on the death of cinema, here's Jean-Pierre Melville in an interview from 1971: "I don’t know what will be left of me fifty years from now. I suspect that all films will have aged terribly and that the cinema probably won’t even exist any more. I estimate the final disappearance of cinemas as taking place around the year 2020, so in fifty years’ time there will be nothing but television." https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1079-melville-on-le-cercle-rouge

Corey Reynolds

Can I request a Madds Mikkleson non American movie series? Have y’all seen “the Hunt” and/or “Another Round”. My boy Madds is making Star Wars and Indy movies while funding his pet projects. Amazing work is being done in the Netherlands.

Tim O'Connor

Both of these movies absolutely fuck, and you should all watch them.

KO

I can't decide if Matt or Kath would be a better commenter for the Gein-based Chainsaw Massacre films. She did grow up nearer Plainfield than Matt

Alexander Fuchs

sad to not hear germany mentioned among the best film countries ... 1919-1933 & late60s-mid80s are incredible runs tbh + all the exiles

Gordon Schmidt

I wasn't too hot on Red Circle or Le Samourai but Army of Shadows is perfect.

Equality State Of Mind

17 minutes in on The Red Circle, there's a shot of an elevator indicator going from the bottom floor to the top. That's when I said, "Fuck this, I'd rather let Hesse and Will tell me what happens."

Equality State Of Mind

French movies have gotten a lot better since they started letting women direct them.

Rohmer Simpson

* mentioned fml

Rohmer Simpson

Near the end, Hesse cites a British director but forgets the name - it’s Alan Clarke, who was easily one of the greatest British filmmakers of the postwar era: almost all of his work, like the first decade or so of Mike Leigh’s career, was for television, but don’t let that fool you. Masterpieces include ROAD, ELEPHANT (yes, Gus Van Sant was referencing that), CHRISTINE, CONTACT, ROAD, BELOVED ENEMY, THE FIRM, and many more. A Melville masterpiece not mentioning is LE SILENCE DE LA MER, coincidentally another WW2 resistance film, but on a much quieter register.

Major Powers

I pine fir yew and balsam, too. I love movie mindset but I’m sycamore trees!

Joey Fazzoli

Matt did a show about The Master on death is just around the corner. If you haven’t heard it yet it’s a good way to scratch the chapo/PTA itch

wailing ken jennings

hesse, wow. thank you for sharing about pulp fiction. instead of tracing the roots i bought and studied the pulp fiction script. wish i had found that article. this series reignited a passion for movies i have not had since watching 8 1/2 in college. long live movie mindset! thank you both!

etienne

if only there was a 3rd member of the show, who could put together a bonus of his own ... alas

Crosley Querin

I was going to write something along the lines of "missing my midweek slop", but I can't bring myself to do it, it was a really good series. As someone who is very much a novice to cinema I've really enjoyed the accessibility of the critique and the selection of movies has been enjoyable. I've broadened my horizons, branching deeper into most of the selections. Looking forward to Spooktober!

Ian H

I believe one of Felix's inexplicable obsessions is Haneke, having him on to talk, say, Benny's Video and The White Ribbon would rule.

Don Tickles

Hesse you're such a movie lover and I love that!

Greg

Great series!

Ricardo Pleasure

thank you hesse and will. i loved movie mindset. in my life i dare to pray for little, but i pray for more mm

Daniel E

this shits so good. would love to see some Chinese and/or Brazilian films make it in some day, but I trust the process. Every choice has been banger after banger.

etienne

this discsussion helped me understand two pieces of deep french lore that flew over my head as a french canadian kid: 1) Gaston Lagaffe's zany experiments with alternative fuels on his piece of shit car being more of a WWII thing than '73 Oil Shock 2) calling dog turds "gendarmes" (cuz they're cops, duh)

J Fitz

Saved the best for last

cashedtrapezoid

It’s ok Will I didn’t realize Bruce Willis was dead in the sixth sense until I watched it a second time

ColdCreekIndustries

Next season James Caan or Michael Mann? Loved the series appreciate all the analysis.

Denise Fillion

Have loved this series! You’ve inspired me to get to the Film Forum next month to watch some Wilder. For next season, you should consider inviting Will Sloan and Justin Decloux from Important Cinema Club on as co-hosts! Would be such a fun mashup.

Kirstwb

I loved this series! Watched so many great movies:) cant wait for season 2

SlowTrickle

Gonna miss the mindset

Poppy Chulo

How about an episode for Paul Thomas Anderson? Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood.

Ryan

Excited to listen this one! Le Samourai is like a top 20 movie ever imo, maybe top ten honestly

T

Thank you, Movie Mindset. 🙏

buttface

THEKILLERWHALE

Watch l'Armée des Ombres on the big screen in two weeks. Saving the second half for that day.

emalco

I ❤️ Mathilde

Rohmer Simpson

Jules Dassin was from Middletown, Connecticut- his parents were Ukrainian Jews. His last name rhymes with “Fasten”. He confirms this during his introduction at a LACMA screening of THE NAKED CITY in 2004. (On YouTube, natch.) EDIT: sorry if that sounded dickish! When Bruce Goldstein (legendary NYC repertory programmer) introduced Dassin, he alluded to the fact that the Francophone pronunciation was/is universally assumed.

FamiCommie

Oh HELL yes.

Tim O'

So glad to hear that the show is coming back 🥰

Here, Try This

This has been really enjoyable. I got to revisit several movies I love and the 80s Eastwoods which I had not previously seen were a revelation…who knew Clint had a horny period? A fact that is sure to continue giving my girlfriend nightmares for months

Marcus Wrightus

The wind that shakes the barley was definitely influenced by Army of Shadows.

Jesse Svetlich

Le samurai is possibly the coolest looking movie of all time. This series is great. Hope you guys do more.

Bloggystyle

Bravo Will and Hesse! You are the internet iteration on Siskel and Ebert: passionate, eloquent, discerning. Although you both pretty much agree with each other most of the time. Perhaps find some films you disagree about; might be an interesting episode. A couple other suggestions: great “bad” movies like one of my faves “The Last Dragon”, another auteur I think would in your wheelhouse Hanake. “The Sixth Continent” in Hesse’s parlance-sick. I grew up in a big movie family. My brother Brian Levant has an IMDB page a yard long, and my mother and I kinda starred in “Finding Vivian Meyer” which was Oscar nominated Love the show…

Adam

Cette Femme Merveilleuse Madame Mathilde

Corey Reynolds

My name is Corey 😕. “Here are some words that rhyme with Corey. Story. Allegory……umm”. Great series.

Rohmer Simpson

recently someone gave me a great definition that encompasses like 99% of film noir: it's the genre that explores the mystery of why the postwar period felt like shit.

Rohmer Simpson

You don't get much more hard-boiled than Higgins.

Rohmer Simpson

I've seen these two movies a couple of times each but within minutes of Will & Hesse pumping them up, fuck it, I gotta throw them on again.

Dillo the Willow

Thanks yall for the series, I spent the whole episode cutting down a dead birch branch, without movie mindset I surely would have perished.

Rohmer Simpson

Blank Check is doing a Park series right now - worth a listen

Mark Schneider

Thanks for this Ep!! Haven't seen a J.P. Melville movie for years, but he is awesome. Currently reading Geo. V. Higgins' c. 1970 "The Friends of Eddie Coyle," it has the same kind of crime insiderism + "men at work"/ code of criminals stuff as you are describing here.

Joshua Foster

Also I fucking loved the series. Thank you guys so much for making it. I can't wait for more episodes.

Joshua Foster

I'm shocked that Korea got no movie mindset love. Everyone loves Oldboy, but the first film in the Vengence Trilogy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, would fit perfectly in the Movie Mindset cannon.

Broadway Joe

There’s a good documentary on Criterion Channel called Code Name: Melville that covers his life and career and it’s pretty clear that the only two things he enjoyed in life was being a soldier in WWII and being a movie director.

Joey Fazzoli

Every time I read the description for one of these episodes I think “that sounds stupid” and by the 30 minute mark I end up stopping to go watch these incredibly sick movies

shoulderbark

Luh-fee 🤔

Kamran Husain

the people need more movie mindset

grant brown

Need this series to be permanent 😩

Thom

god I love le Samourai

HarshMalarkey

Outstanding series. Introduced me to a lot of great films. Well done everyone.

Chris T

Good moment, though he doesn’t back track.

Rohmer Simpson

I’m more of a Judex mf

Mike

Le Cercle Rouge is one of the most taciturn movies I’ve ever seen, but it also has one of the best laughs of all-time: when Vogel backtracks mid-heist to take a good luck grab of a statue’s tit it gets me every single time. Such a hilarious little character touch. He’s a wildcard! Melville and Wilder, the noir goats

Michael S. Judge

shoutout FANTÔMAS

Claire Casey

Going to the lobby for one last treat 😞

Reid Kleinberg

Melville my fav. The content we deserve

Michael S. Judge

My favorite ARMY OF SHADOWS data: the character André Dewavrin, codename "Colonel Passy," was indeed part of the French Resistance, but was also a cryptofascist with connections to the pre-occupation French Christian fascist sect La Cagoule, which attempted a domestic French coup in the 1930s, and he ended up getting drummed out of his prominent position in Charles de Gaulle's inner circle for all that & for embezzling public funds, possibly on behalf of Gladio "anticommunist" groups ... and, in this movie, André Dewavrin is played by the actual André Dewavrin.