Le Samouraï 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Score: 95
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
Le Samouraï's UHD Blu-ray from Criterion offers impressive 4K visuals and audio, a substantial quality upgrade, and remains a must-have for cult film collectors.
Disc Release Date
True 4K
HDR10
Video: 93
Criterion's 4K UHD Blu-ray of 'Le Samouraï' offers a highly commendable native 4K restoration with HDR10, enhancing detail, color balance, and image stability. The presentation is faithful to its 1967 roots, though some darker scenes are slightly dimmer. Fans will appreciate the depth and richness of this release.
Audio: 97
Le Samouraï's 4K UHD Blu-ray boasts an uncompressed French LPCM 1.0 monaural track, demonstrating superb clarity and dynamic balance. The remastered audio effectively captures the film's minimalistic soundscape, featuring crisp dialogue, subtle ambient noises, and a remarkable score perfectly complementing Melville's visuals.
Extra: 85
Criterion's 4K UHD Blu-ray of 'Le Samouraï' offers a substantial selection of extras focused on archival interviews, a documentary on Melville and Delon's collaboration, and insightful essays, though lacks new commentary on the film's influence.
Movie: 95
Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï receives a stunning 4K UHD Blu-ray from Criterion, showcasing the minimalist plot and iconic style that influenced countless hitman films; Alain Delon's cool, chameleon-like assassin traverses meticulously detailed Parisian locales, blending Western and samurai film elements with unparalleled elegance.
Video: 93
Le Samouraï's video presentation on the 4K UHD Blu-ray offers a significant restoration by Criterion, featuring HDR10 (no Dolby Vision) and encoded using the HEVC (H.265) codec. This edition showcases the film in its original widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and utilizes Wide Color Gamut (WCG) along with High Dynamic Range (HDR), delivering a robust 3840x2160/24p BT.2020 image. The restoration has resulted in an impressive level of detail, especially in daytime sequences where clarity and fine nuances, such as raindrops and intricate background elements, are profoundly enhanced. The video marvelously captures the gritty aesthetic integral to the film’s mood, with deep blacks and shadowy scenes maintaining a cohesive and authentic feel.
Though inherently dark scenes integral to the film's noir atmosphere are preserved, some viewers may notice that certain mid-tone segments, such as police line-ups and office interviews, appear slightly dimmer than anticipated. This minor quibble aside, the visual presentation is a marked improvement over older masters. The use of the original 35mm camera negative combined with internegatives and interpositives for some sections has ensured an organic, filmic render that brings unprecedented vitality to the screen. The color balance is superb, with primary grays, blues, and browns showing richer saturation and enhanced nuances that were previously understated in earlier SDR releases.
The 4K makeover has markedly elevated the overall visual quality, providing excellent image stability and sharpness in both bright and darker visuals. While a few nighttime sequences may seem slightly too dark, this remains a minor issue within an otherwise stellar presentation. The HDR grade is tastefully balanced without overwhelming the feature, enhancing the depth of field effectively in scenes with complex compositions. Overall, the restoration affirms itself as a monumental leap forward, satisfying both critics and fans with its faithful and luxurious rendering of this classic French crime drama.
Audio: 97
The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Le Samouraï" features an uncompressed French LPCM monaural audio track that is both delightful and impressively dynamic. Despite the inherent limitations of a mono track, it delivers a rich and atmospheric soundscape that complements the film's moody thriller ambiance. The thorough remastering process has resulted in a pristine track, free from pops, crackles, or any noticeable damage. Dialogue is consistently clear and well-prioritized, though the film's atmosphere benefits more from the intricate sound design, which includes subtle noises like a bird in a cage, the click of keys, subway screeches, and car engine roars. The score seamlessly blends live jazz elements with muted early electronic riffs, enhancing the visuals ingeniously.
Technical details reveal that the original monaural soundtrack was meticulously remastered from the 35mm magnetic track. This faithful restoration allows the lossless track to shine without any encoding anomalies. Dynamics are handled deftly; the track wisely utilizes silence and small ambient noises over bombastic scores or sound effects. This attention to minute acoustic details ensures the audio is consistently stable and immersive. Optional English subtitles are available for non-French speakers. Although the package does not aim for conventionally showy audio demos, it exemplifies what can be achieved with minimalist but precise audio craftsmanship in a nearly 60-year-old French production.
Extra: 85
Criterion's 4K UHD Blu-ray release of Le Samouraï presents a comprehensive selection of insightful extras, primarily centered around interviews and documentary features on the accompanying Blu-ray disc. While the 4K disc itself lacks bonus content, the extras on the Blu-ray significantly enrich the viewing experience by offering deep dives into Jean-Pierre Melville's directorial style, his relationships with actors, and the historical context of the film. The archival interviews and documentaries present authoritative perspectives, providing valuable context and background for both new viewers and long-time fans. The inclusion of a visually engaging 30-page booklet with essays and appreciations adds further depth to this meticulously curated set.
Extras included in this disc:
- Authors on Melville: Archival interviews with Rui Nogueira and Ginette Vincendeau, exploring Melville's unique qualities and career.
- The Lineup: Clips from archival interviews with cast and crew discussing Melville's style.
- Melville-Delon: d'honneur et de nuit/Of Honor and Of Night: A documentary on the relationship between Melville and Alain Delon.
- Trailer: Original French trailer for Le Samouraï.
- Booklet: Illustrated booklet with essays and excerpts on Melville.
Movie: 95
Jean-Pierre Melville's seminal work, "Le Samouraï," finds its perfect vessel in Alain Delon's portrayal of Jef Costello—a minimalist assassin with an almost mythic persona. The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of this 1967 crime thriller by Criterion impeccably preserves the stylistic flourishes that have influenced scores of films, from "Drive" to "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai." Melville crafts a sparse yet poignant narrative centered around a meticulous hitman who navigates an understated Parisian landscape teeming with atmosphere and tension. Unlike modern assassin films that boast high body counts, "Le Samouraï" focuses on a singular job and its consequences, underscoring every meticulous move through extended sequences rich in detail, such as police interrogations and ambush preparations.
Melville's innovative use of sound and shadow punctuates the movie’s cool, minimalist aesthetic, elevating it beyond a mere genre piece to an iconic masterpiece. The film employs restrained dialog, using Delon's stoic yet captivating presence to full effect. His character’s spartan existence is rendered unforgettable through Henri Decae's evocative cinematography, which captures every facet of Jef Costello’s methodical life. Supporting performances by François Périer, Nathalie Delon, and Jacques Leroy provide substantial depth, though all eyes remain firmly fixed on Delon. The actor's ability to convey complexity through minimal dialogue further cements his image as the epitome of cool, imbuing the film with a timeless elegance.
"Le Samouraï" is completed by its unique interplay of western motifs integrated within an urban European setting—a rarity for gangster films of its era. The film unfolds with deliberate pacing, accentuating its characters' tasks and roles with meticulous detail, ensuring an immersive experience for viewers. The meticulous crafting of each scene allows a graceful but bold rejection of conventional gangster film tropes. This 4K UHD edition is indispensable for aficionados of cinema who seek to experience Melville’s engrossing narrative and unparalleled style in its finest form.
Total: 95
The 4K UHD Blu Ray release of Le Samouraï by Criterion Collection exemplifies state-of-the-art home media preservation, making it a must-have for cinephiles and collectors alike. Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and starring the iconic Alain Delon, this seminal hitman film has been meticulously restored to deliver exceptional visual fidelity and audio clarity. The 4K restoration offers viewers an enhanced, slightly darker look that stays true to the film’s original aesthetic, enriching the viewing experience with improved depth and detail.
Collectors who already possess Criterion's previous Blu-ray release will find the 4K upgrade substantially superior. The video presentation is stunningly faithful to the director's vision, capturing the nuance and meticulous framing that Melville is renowned for. HDR integration further elevates the visual quality, ensuring that contrasts are sharp and colors are more vividly rendered. While the additional features remain consistent with previous releases, they retain their value by offering comprehensive insights into the film's production and legacy.
In conclusion, Le Samouraï on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray is an essential acquisition for aficionados of classic cinema and action genre enthusiasts. Criterion’s diligent restoration and quality packaging make this release a definitive version of the film, underscoring its cultural and cinematic significance. Very highly recommended.
avforums review by Casimir HarlowRead review here
Video: 80
If you're new to the piece, a modicum of forgiveness is certainly needed, and acknowledgement that this is a only, smaller budget French production which struggles for a good few minutes to find decent...
Audio: 100
delightful Cleaned up and devoid of pops and crackles or any damage whatsoever, dialogue remains clearly prioritised throughout, although it's almost the least important element, the mood and atmosphere...
Extras: 70
Le Samouraï's 4K set from Criterion enjoys a solid selection of largely interview-based extra features relegated to the accompanying Blu-ray. solid...
Movie: 90
The supporting cast are also excellent, comedian François Périer superbly cast against-type (think Walter Matthau in The Taking of Pelham 123) as the dogged police officer hunting Delon's assassin, Delon's...
Total: 90
primogenitor Criterion's UK 4K release is excellent, faithfully impressive 4K visuals - once you get used to the slightly darker look - and excellent audio, as well as a nice selection of extras, making...
Blu-ray.com review by Dr. Svet AtanasovRead review here
Video: 100
I think that a few of the nighttime sequences are a tad too dark, but the overall color balance and color temperature of the 4K makeover are very, very good....
Audio: 100
If there is any new, possibly cosmetic work, done on the lossless track that is included on this release, I missed it....
Extras: 80
The Lineup - presented here is a collection of clips from archival interviews in which Jean-Pierre Melville, Alain Delon, Nathalie Delon, Francois Perier, and Catrhy Rosier discuss Le Samourai and its...
Movie: 100
But pay close attention to the manner in which Costello goes about his business, and you will quickly discover plenty of similarities with how various great gunslingers are profiled in the classic American...
Total: 100
After it was properly restored in 4K, Le Samourai looks gorgeous, so it is easy to predict that the 4K Blu-ray will close its cycle on the home video market....
Why So Blu? review by Aaron NeuwirthRead review here
Video: 100
A 4K remaster would likely help Le Samouraï not have this problem, but darker and nighttime scenes show the issue regarding crush and a lack of sharpness in this presentation....
Audio: 100
EnglishDetails: The original monaural soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm magnetic track....
Extras: 80
Ginette Vincendeau (SD, 18:42) – A film historian who discusses Melville’s directorial style and the impact of his work....
Movie: 100
Thanks to Jef’s persona, the look of the film, the use of music, the editing rhythms, and more, Melville has found the perfect balance required for a movie to epitomize such a simple description....
Total: 100
Le Samouraï is an incredible movie that deserves the attention of anyone who has been enjoying slick action flicks about hitmen....
Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Actors: Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon
PlotIn the cool, rain-soaked streets of Paris, a solitary hitman known for his cold precision, Jef Costello, lives governed by a strict personal code akin to that of the Japanese samurai. To maintain his untraceable anonymity, Jef exists in a world marked by isolation and meticulous attention to detail. His only connections seem to be with his pet bird and his girlfriend Jane, who provides a clear alibi for him. Jef is hired for a well-paying job at a nightclub — his task is to execute the owner. With his trademark methodical efficiency, Jef carries out the hit, skillfully avoiding much notice, but his exit does not go unseen. A jazz pianist at the club catches a fleeting glance of him.
The police, led by the diligent and intuitive Inspector Mattei, quickly zero in on Jef as their prime suspect. They orchestrate an extensive lineup, where the witnesses from the nightclub are gathered in hopes of identifying the killer. Jef's alibi holds up under questioning, thwarting the police's attempts to directly link him to the crime. Nevertheless, Mattei is not convinced of Jef's innocence and launches an elaborate cat-and-mouse game to track his every movement. The inspector's relentless surveillance begins to close in, threatening Jef's iron-clad façade of invincibility. With the authorities on his tail and his employers doubting his reliability, Jef is drawn into a tightening web of complications that begin to strip away at his carefully constructed existence.
Writers: Joan McLeod, Jean-Pierre Melville, Georges Pellegrin
Release Date: 25 Oct 1967
Runtime: 101 min
Rating: GP
Country: France, Italy
Language: French