Le samouraï 4K UHD - Alain Delon

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

(aka "Le Samurai" or "The Godson" or "The Samurai")

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
France 1967

In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays Jef Costello, a contract killer with samurai instincts. After carrying out a flawlessly planned hit, Jef finds himself caught between a persistent police investigator and a ruthless employer, and not even his armor of fedora and trench coat can protect him. An elegantly stylized masterpiece of cool by maverick director Jean‑Pierre Melville, Le samouraï is a razor-sharp cocktail of 1940s American gangster cinema and 1960s French pop culture —with a liberal dose of Japanese lone-warrior mythology.

***

Long considered a classic of European film noir, this existential gangster drama from French director Jean-Pierre Melville was released in the United States only in a severely truncated, re-edited, and overdubbed version entitled The Godson. Thirty years after its initial public airing, Le Samourai (1967) finally saw a limited American release in its intended form. Alain Delon stars as Jef Costello, a professional Parisian assassin-for-hire who, by nature of his work's solitary demands, has no friends. Although he is loved by Jane Lagrange (Natalie Delon, the star's real-life wife), Costello knows that Jane already has a lover. After he successfully wipes out a nightclub owner at the behest of his boss, Costello discovers that he was seen by the club's pianist, Valerie (Cathy Rosier). Although he survives a police lineup thanks to a lie offered up by the fearless Valerie, Costello's alibi disintegrates rapidly and his shadowy employer takes out a contract on him. As he seeks revenge on his betrayer, Costello must also stay one step ahead of a wily, determined superintendent (Francois Perier). Melville's film influenced several other filmmakers and projects, most notably director John Woo's The Killer (1989).

Posters

Theatrical Release: October 25th, 1967

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Review: Criterion - Region FREE - 4K UHD

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Criterion Spine #306 - Region FREE - 4K UHD
Runtime	1:45:29.031
Video	1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,126,695,047 bytes Feature: 31,470,950,400 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 35.69 Mbps	1.85:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD Disc Size: 80,192,222,134 bytes Feature: 77,022,435,648 bytes Video Bitrate: 90.86 Mbps Codec: HEVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Bitrate 4K Ultra HD:
Audio	LPCM Audio French 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1.85:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD Disc Size: 80,192,222,134 bytes Feature: 77,022,435,648 bytes Video Bitrate: 90.86 Mbps Codec: HEVC Video Edition Details: 4K Ultra HD disc • 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray • Interviews from 2005 with Rui Nogueira (12:58), editor of Melville on Melville, and Ginette Vincendeau (18:42), author of Jean-Pierre Melville: An American in Paris • Archival interviews with Melville and actors Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon, and Cathy Rosier (24:10) • Melville-Delon: D’honneur et de nuit (2011), a short documentary exploring the friendship between the director and the actor and their iconic collaboration on this film (23:04) • Trailer (3:30) • PLUS: An essay by film scholar David Thomson, an appreciation by filmmaker John Woo, and excerpts from Melville on Melville 4K Ultra HD Release Date: July 9th, 2024 Transparent 4K Ultra HD Case Chapters 23

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the respective discs.

ADDITION: Criterion 4K UHD (July 2024): Criterion are releasing Jean-Pierre Melville's "Le samouraï" to 4K UHD. This package has one 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features. The Blu-ray has new files dates (May 2024)

but is essentially a repressing on the 2017 Criterion Blu-ray that we reviewed HERE. 2160P does not appear to be from the same source as the Blu-ray transfers. The 4K UHD shows more information in the frame, is darker, has heavy textures and is two seconds longer (we are investigating why.) NOTE: When the Criterion sources are the same we usually find the running time is exact to 1/1000th of a second.

The 2017 and 2024 Blu-rays have the same file size and bitrate and show the same small damage mark (see example below) that are not present on the new 4K UHD transfer although both start with the Rene Château logo:

The only difference (between 2017 and 2024 BDs) that I can determine is that the 2024 Blu-ray has the same new menu as the 4K UHD. Supplements are the same as the 2017 Blu-ray (and the 2005 Criterion DVD.)

The most dominant feature of the 4K UHD is now that the overall image is much darker. It also has a steely blue leaning. Textures are very thick - notably in darker scenes. This can occasionally appear less pleasing. Much of the better lit scenes are improved via the higher resolution; sharpness, and contrast balance - deeper black levels. I cannot state the theatrical accuracy but this 2160P has some of the darkest sequences that I have seen on a 4K UHD transfer. Does it look good? I would say after accepting this disparity - yes, it does. The darker image does suit the character's stoic milieu. I also appreciated the dramatic visual difference, including more information in the frame, from how I have seen the film in the past - which, for this reviewer, is only on digital. We like 'different' and this is different. Hopefully our captures will give you an idea of the 2160P appearance.

It is likely that the monitor you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display (High Dynamic Range) or Dolby Vision, where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and notably granular range of color and light. Our capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more 4K UHD titles in the future and give you a decent idea of its attributes on your system. So our captures may not support the exact same colors (coolness of skin tones, brighter or darker hues etc.) as the 4K system at your home. But the framing, detail, grain texture support etc. are, generally, not effected by this simulation representation.

NOTE: 42 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages recently\y: Castle of Blood (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (HDR), Fist of Legend (HDR), American Gigolo (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Long Wait (no HDR,) Bound (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Valiant Ones (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mute Witness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Narc (software uniformly simulated HDR), Peeping Tom (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (software uniformly simulated HDR), High Noon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Criterion) (software uniformly simulated HDR), I Am Cuba (no HDR), The Demoniacs (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Nude Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nostalghia (no HDR), Werckmeister Harmonies (no HDR), Goin' South (software uniformly simulated HDR), La Haine (software uniformly simulated HDR,) All Ladies Do It (software uniformly simulated HDR), Old Henry (software uniformly simulated HDR), To Die For (software uniformly simulated HDR), Snapshot (software uniformly simulated HDR), Phase IV (software uniformly simulated HDR), Burial Ground (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dark Water (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fear and Desire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (no HDR), Paths of Glory (software uniformly simulated HDR), Southern Comfort (software uniformly simulated HDR).

On their 4K UHD, Criterion use the same linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original French language - as on both their Blu-rays. There are effects, that come through authentically flat but carry some surprising depth. The, occasionally playful but deliberately-paced, score is by François de Roubaix (Farewell Friend, Daughters of Darkness, La Haine.) It very effectively supports the precise-ness of the atmosphere and I found it evocative of the main theme in Scorsese's After Hours with electronic cues (organ?), plus there are acoustic, and jazzy brass notes. There are optional English subtitles (see sample below) on both the Blu-ray and 4K UHD discs.

There are no extras on the 4K UHD disc.

Supplements duplicate Criterion's 2005 DVD which were duplicated on the 2017 Blu-ray. There are interviews with Rui Nogueira, editor of Melville on Melville, and Ginette Vincendeau, author of Jean-Pierre Melville: An American in Paris as well as the 24-minutes worth of archival interviews with Melville and actors Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon, and Cathy Rosier originally broadcast on French television from 1967-82. New is the 23-minute video piece Melville-Delon: D'honneur et de nuit (2011), a short documentary exploring the friendship between the director and the actor and their iconic collaboration on this film. It is directed by Oliver Bohler and explores their work in Le Samourai and features interviews with Melville's nephews Laurent Grousset and Remy Grumbach, critic Rui Nogueira and filmmaker Volker Schlondorff. There is also a trailer and the duplicate liner notes with the essay by film scholar David Thomson, an appreciation by filmmaker John Woo, and excerpts from Melville on Melville.

With the attraction of The Godfather in cinemas, premiering March 1972, Le Samouraï was subsequently released in an English-dubbed version in the US (July 1972) under the title "The Godson". Le Samouraï is a very special type of neo-noir; - certainly very French - encapsulating desirable 'dark cinema' tropes that harken to a distant homage. A loner, professional and methodical hitman, Jef Costello (Delon,) is seeking one of his 'employers' who was intent on his own contracted assassination. We have a procedural crime element with the Parisian Commissaire (François Périer) playing a cat and mouse game of acquiring evidentiary justification for his capture and arrest. The women in Jef's orbit love him and are willing to sacrifice to assist in his survival. It was the first film for Delon's wife, Nathalie playing part-time gal-pal 'Jane Lagrange'. We also have the appearances of Sade-esque, model and actress, Caty Rosier - pianist eye-candy at the nightclub. They mirror his restrained attitude of composed indifference. There is no romance - only survival. Melville once said "There is no greater solitude than that of the samurai unless it is that of the tiger in the jungle..." Jef is the tiger and he's on the prowl. An indelible character study. Criterion's 4K UHD release of Le Samouraï only offers the new, quite different HD presentation. Fans will see the film on digital as they never have before. That enticement, alone, can be overwhelming. As a must-see film, Le Samouraï has our highest recommendation.