Salesman - Albert Maysles, David Maysles

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Albert Maysles, David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin
USA 1969

From the Maysles brothers [The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter (1970), Grey Gardens (1975)], comes this landmark American documentary – a fascinating, non-narrated account of four Boston bible hawkers as they struggle to stay afloat in the cutthroat world of door-to-door sales. Capturing the remarkable detail of a bygone era, the film documents their carefully delivered spiel to bored housewives, widows, immigrants, and distracted blue-collar workers. The salesmen wheedle, connive, and cajole their way toward the Holy Grail, but as the pressure of the job bears down, one of the salesmen begins to crack, exposing the dark and lonely underside of the American Dream.

In a society saturated with reality TV, soundbite analysis, and slickly produced docu-tainment, Salesman stands tall as one of the first non-fiction films to show the lives of ordinary people indepth, without judgment or narration.

***

A landmark American documentary, Salesman captures in vivid detail the bygone era of the door-to-door salesman. While laboring to sell a gold-embossed version of the Good Book, Paul Brennan and his colleagues target the beleaguered masses—then face the demands of quotas and the frustrations of life on the road. Following Brennan on his daily rounds, the Maysles discover a real-life Willy Loman, walking the line from hype to despair.

***

This radically influential portrait of American dreams and disillusionment from Direct Cinema pioneers David Maysles, Albert Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin captures, with indelible humanity, the worlds of four dogged door-to-door Bible salesmen as they travel from Boston to Florida on a seemingly futile quest to sell luxury editions of the Good Book to working-class Catholics. A vivid evocation of midcentury malaise that unfolds against a backdrop of cheap motels, smoky diners, and suburban living rooms, Salesman assumes poignant dimensions as it uncovers the way its subjects’ fast-talking bravado masks frustration, disappointment, and despair.

Revolutionizing the art of nonfiction storytelling with its nonjudgmental, observational style, this landmark documentary is one of the most penetrating films ever made about how deeply embedded consumerism is in America’s sense of its own values.

Posters

Theatrical Release: April 17th, 1969

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Spine # 122 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover
Distribution	Criterion Collection - Spine # 122 - Region 0 - NTSC	Eureka - Masters of Cinema Spine # 42 - Region 0 - NTSC	Criterion - Spine # 122 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:31:12	1:31:00	1:31:19.765
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.30 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.23 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 46,953,968,699 bytes Feature: 27,355,355,136 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.53 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Criterion DVD:
Bitrate Masters of Cinema DVD:
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital mono)	English (Dolby Digital mono)	LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English, None	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by filmmakers Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin • 1968 Jack Kroll television interview with David and Albert Maysles (31:16) • “The Rabbit” on NPR’s Weekend Edition® (2000) • Behind-the-scenes photographs • Theatrical trailer • Filmographies • 6-page liner notes leaflet DVD Release Date: September 4th, 2001 Keep Case Chapters: 22	Release Information: Studio: Eureka - MoC Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • ALBERT MAYSLES ON SALESMAN – An exclusive new interview filmed in 2006 [34 minutes] • KENNIE TURNER & ALBERT MAYSLES Q&A – Filmed in Chicago in 2005 [19 minutes] • Original theatrical trailer • 36-PAGE BOOKLET containing rare vintage photography; a 1969 article by Howard Junker; and a rundown of the Maysles’ equipment DVD Release Date: April 30th, 2007 Keep Case Chapters: 21	Release Information: Studio: Criterion - Spine # 122 1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 46,953,968,699 bytes Feature: 27,355,355,136 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.53 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio commentary from 2001 featuring directors Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin • New appreciation of the film by actor Bill Hader (9:27) • “Globesman,” a 2016 episode of the television series Documentary Now! that parodies the film, starring Hader and Fred Armisen (24:52) • Television interview from 1968 with directors David and Albert Maysles, conducted by critic Jack Kroll (31:20) • Audio excerpt from a 2000 episode of NPR’s Weekend Edition profiling James Baker, one of the salesmen featured in the film (11:30) • Trailer • PLUS: An essay by critic Michael Chaiken Blu-ray Release Date: March 10th, 2020 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 21

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion - Spine # 122 Blu-ray (March 2020): Criterion have transferred Charlotte Zwerin and the Maysles brother's 1969 sobering documentary Salesman to Blu-ray. It is cited as being a "New, restored 4K digital transfer, undertaken by the Academy Film Archive, The Film Foundation, and the George Lucas Family Foundation". Most of the frame-specific damage marks on the DVDs, have been eliminated by the 2017 restoration. Either the DVDs were somewhat horizontally squished or the 1080P is stretched (fatter faces). I suspect more of the latter as proportions don't always seem natural. There is information lost on the right edge of the Blu-ray. The image is fainter with more consistent grain support.

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. There is some music sampling in the film; Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land, Yesterday performed by Percy Faith and If I Were a Rich Man with portions sung by Paul Brennan It suffers from the inconsistencies of the original production but the audio, too, has been restored and is fully clear and audible. Criterion offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray includes the audio commentary from 2001 featuring directors Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin that was present on their original DVD. There is a new 10-minute video piece by actor Bill Hader who shares his appreciation for Salesman and the work of David and Albert Maysles—as well as his experience parodying that work in his television series Documentary Now!, in this interview, recorded for Criterion in 2019. Also included is the 25-minute "Globesman,” television episode. Hader and Fred Armisen star as down-on-their-luck globe sellers in this satirical take on Salesman, which originally aired on the IFC Channel in October 2016 as an episode of the mockumentary series Documentary Now! There is a 1/2 hour television interview from 1968 - Newsweek critic Jack Kroll interviewed David and Albert Maysles on the occasion of the theatrical release of Salesman. The interview aired in 1969 as part of a WCBS-TV series called Camera Three with 8 chapters and topics including Direct Cinema, The Subjects, Borderline Moral Territory, The effect of the camera etc. Included is the 2000 audio excerpt from the episode of NPR’s Weekend Edition profiling James Baker, one of the salesmen featured in the film. It runs almost a dozen minutes. Lastly, is a trailer and the Criterion Blu-ray package has liner notes with an essay by critic Michael Chaiken.

The somber realism of Salesman makes it an unforgettable documentary. The technical 'sales pitch' discussions and dehumanizing of the 'cold call' process can make it a dour, but fascinating, film experience. Criterion have added new extras to their Blu-ray including the very valuable Bill Hader supplements, which, alone give this package strong appeal. Recommended!

Gary Tooze

ON THE DVDs: I suppose I could stare all day but nothing will change - these transfers are as good as identical... and the bitrate graphs support that. Masters of Cinema state that 'New restored transfer licensed from Maysles Films' and I can only assume that this is where Criterion also obtained there print - damage marks are exactly the same. Both DVDs are region 0, progressive, dual-layered and both are in the NTSC standard.

NOTE: Moc have redone the subtitles for the UK, Anglicising words -- like "humor" > "humour", "tire" > "tyre", "recognize" > "recognise", and also altering the Criterion subtitles by removing a few typos, errors, etc. This was also done for their edition of Grey Gardens as well.

Where the packages differ are in the supplements - both are substantial. Criterion offer the interesting Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin commentary with a 1968 interview of the brothers by Jack Kroll. Also included are a 2000 10-minute audio feature "The Rabbit", a theatrical trailer, filmographies and a liner notes pamphlet. Masters of Cinema counter with a 34 minutes exclusive new interview filmed in 2006 "Albert Maysles on Salesman". plus a 19 minute Q+A with Kennie Turner and Albert Maysles from 2005. They also include a theatrical trailer and a beautiful 36-page booklet containing rare vintage photography; a 1969 article by Howard Junker; and a rundown of the Maysles’ equipment.

I enjoyed the extras of both and am hard pressed to point you in one direction over another. They are both about the same price too so perhaps we should suggest you own the DVD that is easiest for you to obtain. It's a film that may stay with you for the rest of your lives.

Gary W. Tooze