Le Samourai (1967) review - the movie that made Taxi Driver and Drive possible

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neonoir drama

[@christianmungioli9749]

My favorite scene in this movie is when Jef Costello says, "I drive"

[@Ligma.movies]

Litteraly me

[@kathrynj.hernandez8425]

Delon delivers with uber talent in this landmark movie because he fully understood the author. He also knew the movie's mysteries and nuances including that the Samourai's only purpose in life was to die. Delon captured it all with silence and his one-of-a-kind killer profile. He idolized Melville in an interview, was humbled and honored to accept the starring role. Another commenter pointed out that Melville himself made a stealth cameo appearance...the guy wearing the shades who hands Jef the gun. Whether he was the guy in the garage or on the street--or both--I don't know. But on the street in the car Jef looks up at him and says something, was it "Thank you?" Was it Melville's seal of approval?

[@TICSTUDIOSLLC]

Hey i just found your video by searching for reviews on this movie and I really enjoyed it. I've heard of this movie and saw it last night. It definitely has a similar vibe to Drive and somehow it hadn't even occurred to me. Great job keep making videos.

[@Ryan-mn7gm]

Beautiful video, well researched, very enjoyable. Rip Jean Pierre

[@Lanooski]

I like your vibe and can appreciate how read you are in philosophy without getting too wrapped up in those details. I've loved and read about this film for years yet you still found a few elements, namely in the cultural implications of the characters, that I hadn't yet considered. Well done.

[@stylish_rubble314]

I dont know how true it is but some people (Godard and Varda being two, I think) said that Melville took so much pride in being "American" and everything that most French new-wave directors weren't that they kinda underrated him and never thought about his movies too deeply until he passed, and when they re-watched them they noticed how subtle and how smart he was as a filmmaker. It's a shame he's still yet to get the same recognition as people like Demy, Tati, Truffaut or Godard because he's my favorite director of all-time

[@HeavyJ318]

Who ever hasn't seen Ghost Dog Dog go watch it.

[@lkmuks]

Very very fun movie, agree 100%

[@Mitch24magic]

Just saw this movie last night and it was great! Yeah it’s a French film so it’s in French with English subtitles but every now and then that doesn’t matter and the French make a classic and this movie is a classic. It has great cinematography good music score, Paris scenery, cool and deep characters. If you like older movies and can handle foreign films check it out.

[@DarkAngelEU]

I'm always amazed how stubborn Americans can be about watching movies with subtitles, in Europe it's rare to watch a movie without them because we have so many different languages and nowadays movies come from all around the world, not just USA. Bravo for not falling into the xenophobic trap!

[@madekekgra]

@@DarkAngelEU Gringos have a hard time reading. Don't be so mean.

[@lkmuks]

I would be super thankful for any feedback (especially negative). I want to improve my future videos so, please, tell what you DIDN'T like about the video.

[@reinplat]

Just in case nobody has noticed: Jeff's bird is Leon's plant.

[@benjamindeharo314]

Yep ! Few people seems to get the obvious connection between those 2 films

[@tinlunlau1]

You should check out Pang Ho-Cheong's "You Shoot, I Shoot". Bart (the main character played by Eric Kot) is a big fan of Alain Delon and based his life on Jef Costello. The very first scene is basically a word for word remake/parody of an early scene in Le Samouraï. Only, it's said in an exchange of Cantonese and Mandarin. 🤣🤣🤣

[@castelodeossos5042]

"'The Man Asleep' is so fucking existential!" Ha ha, excellent. Your English pronunciation is charming, your thoughts intelligent and your style ironic. Very enjoyable. Wish you had reviewed more films. Thank you anyway.

[@proudtroller8987]

Mr. Satyajit Ray's "Abhijan" was made way before this movie , and its the real source of inspiration behind Mr. Martin Scorsese's " Taxi Driver " .

[@kamuelalee]

Jean-Pierre Melville is the director. "Le Samourai" is certainly influential but Drive is really based on movies of the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly director Walter Hill's film "The Driver" with Ryan O'Neal.

[@radupopescu2370]

The Driver is also inspired by Le Samourai.

[@kamuelalee]

​@@radupopescu2370 Many, many movies were inspired by "Le Samourai." But aesthetically and, more importantly, story wise "Drive" is really an homage to the movies of the late 1970s and early 1980s -- namely, Walter Hill's 'The Driver" and Michael Mann's "Thief."

[@radupopescu2370]

@@kamuelalee and you don't think Melville's masterpiece had some influence in those as well?

[@kamuelalee]

@@radupopescu2370 Sure it did, but not visually speaking or story wise. Also, "Drive" started life as a novella.

[@v-trigger6137]

and The Driver was itself an homage to Le Samourai. technically Le Samourai is the mother of all these types of movies. it singlehandedly gave birth to modern neo noir movies.

[@phimseto]

This review was hilarious and excellent. Love the work you do introducing films like this to newer generations. Cheers!

[@catherinefotic4614]

Another movie probably inspired "Drive": "Ho!" Made in 1968 by the french filmmaker Robert Enrico with the great John-Paul Belmondo (lifelong friend of Alain Delon, they played seven films together as "Borsalino", 1970). In "Ho !", J.P. Belmondo an ex car racer drives thieves and burglars with a car, driving thèm and helping thème to flee not to be caught by the police.. Along with Belmondo, Joanna Shimkus (an actress and top model from Lithuania) Is starring. She mostly had a "french carrier" ("Ho" with Jean-Paul Belmondo, "the Adventurers" with Alain Delon and Lino Ventura (1967).. Joanna Shimkus after lived in the US and married Sydney Pottier! They had several children.. She Is about 80 years old now. François de Roubaix was a very talentuous composer! He composed the Music of "La Scoumoune" (1972) with Jean-Paul Belmondo and the beautiful Claudia Cardinale and also other soundtracks. He unfortunately died at the age of 35 if I'm not mistaken in a tragic car accident in the mid 70's..

[@Johnconno]

The Driver with Ryan O'Neill is the remake. With cars...

[@AFancyHippo]

Look at you with 15k views! And rightly so. Thanks for this review. A great movie that warranted a deeper analysis. Thank you!

[@jamiehackl1231]

Great review. Hope to see more in the future.

[@thedowntownmovielounge]

I watched Drive first. Then maybe two years later I discovered Le Samurai. I was like . . . son of a bitch.

[@harryom3497]

😂

[@andrewbnick123]

This was a nice and thoughtful review/analysis of the splendid film. Keep up the good work! I've only just watched this film tonight and have been hunting for insightful analysis and commentary. Your video is one of the best I've found. After I post this, I'm going to try and find some compelling analysis of the meaning of Jef's bird, which I'm surprised to find most folks haven't focused on overmuch. It seems weighty to me that Jef decides to leave the house without taking the bird, when he has bound up the blonde man mobster and seemingly knows he is heading towards his death. Cheers.

[@SidharthR]

Great video. The part about not analysing details is spot on. I wanted to share my obsession with this film and breathless. I wonder about the idea of story itself. Why is a series of events a story.

[@lkmuks]

Thank you!

[@DarkAngelEU]

Because your brain likes to connect dots?

[@donkamichi]

U have no idea how much this helped with a university study of mine💀 this is an amazing video brother

[@gwizzzy]

brilliant thank you dude

[@everythinghistory9505]

What was the first song used?

[@hinzuzufugen7358]

I watched the movie on Vimeo for freee... It's only known to afficionados. I came across it some time ago after watching The American, also hitman- themed. Isn't there a movie by Wong Karwai....? Thx for video and all imperfections. All the perfection turning up on the YT feed is fearsome.

[@jandron94]

C'est marrant au début j'ai à chaque fois le réflexe d'entendre "apporte de l'argent, si tu PERMETS", heureusement que les sous-titre en anglais sont là pour rectifier ! Comme quoi on a beau être francophone !

[@santiagoguijosa9994]

I love your videos, pls don’t stop !

[@lkmuks]

Can' t stop, won't stop! Thank you for such a nice feedback, you made my day a bit better today!

[@devonhayes2209]

1 year later...

[@lkmuks]

You got me. Thank you for your comments. They give actually gave me an inspiration (aka. the kick in the butt) for the new video. Hope your day is going great !

[@ayyappaswaroop1351]

Thanks for this wonderfull video .. By the way.. does any one know the last music track name... 😊🙏

[@DarkAngelEU]

a more accurate translation of that interview is: *Interviewer* : "What is your opinion on your movies?" *Melville* : "Oh, I disagree." It's way funnier in French than this forced translation, because she uses the verb trouver, which can express an opinion, or as Americans would say "an idea on something", but literally translates as "to find". So the joke, sadly, doesn't work in English.

[@muazseker7741]

Great review...

[@rabbidbabies4094]

I love this movie

[@harryom3497]

Great analysis

[@shaggychungus9421]

Awesome VIDEO

[@sergeblanc799]

Great review ! btw, the first name is Jean-Pierre, not Pierre only. btw2 : Roubaix is pronounced Rubɛ (as in International Phonetic Alphabet, or, put simply roubé) Hope this helps.

[@theloniusmonk1263]

Very good video !

[@theloniusmonk1263]

Yo my man, you should make some more !

[@castelodeossos5042]

Why no more? How about more Melville movies? I think 'L'armée des ombres' is stunning, although all his films are very good. And maybe another one I really like, is the bizarrely un-American American 'The Conversation' with Gene Hackman.

[@namelesswhocares8648]

You guys need to watch borsalino , also with alain delon but also starring tarantino favorite jean-paul belmondo

[@Freddy-Da-Freeloadah]

Hey 'Crazy'!!! Great review!!! I never heard there was a connection btwn Le S. and Taxi D. ... Good analogy. And the other movie's you mention also (haven't seen them...) Interesting! And all the KZbin influence... Existentialism: the idea that Reality Does Not REALLY (exist...) That is my personal definition. Probably not what JBSartre would say... Or Some scandenavian Christian aecetic... (the name of whom I forget...) And of coarse, that stupid movie "The Matrix."... (I hate it... I don't mean to be offensive or anything...) I don't really think Le Samurai is "existential" though. It's just nicely paced, and makes me feel like I am not really as pathetic is I actually am... What ever... Here! Listen to this!! ..as a present, that was not mine to give, but I think it might be related to Le Samurai... Or maybe Godard's "Breathless"? "Gifle Hubert" by Etron Fou Lelublan kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnupqX2OoJqrb6s I am Still not sure if I should pick up the new "Le Samurai" Blu-Ray... I have an old VHS of "The God Son"... It is missing a scene... I like to watch Blu-Ray's and VHS simultaneously, as, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, VHS tapes often have details that are lost in the digital saturation that occurs in DVDs and Blu-Rays... And often the VHS has extra "Open Matte" image on the top and bottom...

[@lkmuks]

Hey, Joe! Thank you I would recommend the blue-ray. If anything the missing scene is probably worth it on itself I originally saw Le Samurai on DVD, and from what i remember DVD (and i would think by extension VHS) has a generally softer look to it - so I think I understand what you are talking about. I cant say for a full HD experience, Because i only have access to 720p screen, I watch 99 % of the movies in that resolution. But as compared to my dvd expirience, in 720p the movie is much sharper and much more pronounced, which admittedly gives a movie a less stylized look. But at the same time 720p has this sharpness to it, which makes the movie look more "realistic". Because of the that stylish elements stick out more and strike you stronger (for example interrogation scene in the police station felt much more tense in 720p). it's up to you whether or not you want to sacrifice style for sharpness. I agree that is not that existential in its core. It's french and from the 1960, therefore there is no way there is no existential influence on creators(even if it is not fully realized by the creators themselves). Song is definitely gives me the 1960 avant garde/new wave vibe. Good stuff

[@ChrisW_Essex]

so where does the film thief fit in here?

[@coach3155]

graet video

[@anoz06]

i liked this video

[@anoz06]

why is plastic love the outro song? 😅

[@The_Camera_Guy]

And The Driver

[@zararustam512]

in a way this film reminds me of Camus' 'The Stranger'

[@zararustam512]

by the way this video was fantastic !

[@castelodeossos5042]

Very good point indeed. Do you know that 'The Stranger' has also been made into a film (one my top ten), directed by none other than Luchino Visconti?

[@SirGrimLockSmithVIII]

I love how this video almost devolved into a rant about Melville using false Eastern philosophy quotes a quarter of the way through.

[@garygilmore2050]

The movie that made Taxi Driver and Drive possible.... and maybe No Country for Old Men

[@timbrechopper]

This isn't the film that made Taxi Driver possible. Bresson's "Pickpocket" did. Paul Schrader's been on record for this many times.

[@Abassi2A]

It is impossible today to make a film like that, Jeff Castello nobody knows, in fact for Jeff the money has no value if we look at the details of the film he laughed at the tickets he is there to die as soon as he saw the pianist not resembling others and he can trust her it was a rare value in Jeff's nihilism world but he chose his way of showing her a human value outside of materialism in society. is to say suicide, like the samurai.

[@nelisezpasce]

Bruh you should maybe put a warning about visual spoilers for other things. I haven't watched his other movies yet and the description is there for things like that!

[@lkmuks]

I actually thought about that, but kinda felt lazy and didn't incorporate it. Thank you for suggestion and ill be sure to put in next time!

[@akibakousei242]

American Movie「The Driver」「Drive」 is 「Le Samourai」

[@kamuelalee]

Not really, very different films. "The Driver" of 1978 was written by Walter Hill and "Drive" of 2011 is based on writer James Sallis' early 2000s novella of the same name. Also, both characters in Drive and The Driver live to see another day by the end of their respective films, while the character in "Le Samourai" does not.

[@togoni]

Que cono estas hablado??

[@b17bomber]

stop with the novelty, couldn't watch after 6 minutes, on a fascinating subject

[@lkmuks]

Thank you for the feedback! When you say novelty you mean the way i lay the information or the information itself ?

[@devonhayes2209]

I though it was great. The humor gives us breaks from the information so we don’t get bored

[@voidsff]

Damn, just insulted his work without explaining yourself and helping his work get better.

[@philippestoffels8150]

Roubaix not Robais ha ha great French musician who died in 1975 in a diving accident at sea

[@pascalmalaurie1830]

Delon star one

[@theletterm1787]

M

[@eduardorivera4343]

I see more of a similarity to THE MATRIX.

[@lkmuks]

There are rather similar elements, yes. Still has more of the connection with taxi driver and drive imo.

[@lucboyce5950]

Like Shinji in Evangelion

[@lkmuks]

Yep. Only Shinji deals with the dread more like a young teen than a 25+ french assassin.

[@lucboyce5950]

Great video, by the way! I'm surprised this only has 700-some views.

[@vova47]

Le Samourai is a masterpiece that overrated "Taxi Driver" and especially Drive cannot be compared with. However, I agree with HeavyJ318 that "Le Samurai" inspired "Ghost Dog" is an excellent (and funny) film in its own right and more fun than two movies mentioned above.

[@michaelbozas]

I can and I will compare it with Taxi Driver. Although it is a very different movie, it is of equal quality. It's not "overrated" in the slightest and I don't get why you would think that.

[@kamuelalee]

Le Samourai has very little to do with either Taxi Driver or Drive. All very different movies and origins of development.

[@cookieface80]

Hipster

[@jolicska]

sorry mate but your video is crap about a great movie.