Martin Scorsese introduces The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

© 2013 The Criterion Collection

[@aeromundos]

The greatness of Martin Scorsese is not only his ability to make outstanding films but his love and respect for what came before him , which in fact lives on in his creations as well.

[@eugenemurray2940]

I would go so far as to say his New York movies are London Films in disguise..

[@nuckygulliver9607]

I would say you are from London and see that.@@eugenemurray2940

[@sophiafakevirus-ro8cc]

I knew and loved Powell and Pressburger when I was a child, decades before Scorsese came along.

[@lw3646]

Yes, I saw he also did commentary for the Searchers 1956.

[@jamesmarshall8836]

Roger Livesey gives the performance of a lifetime. Should have received an Oscar nomination.

[@darrenhoskins8382]

Aaaw he’s marvellous in everything, loved him in a Matter of Life and Death

[@benedictmarco6242]

I guess Im asking the wrong place but does someone know of a trick to log back into an instagram account?? I somehow lost the password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me!

[@samdayton866]

@Benedict Marco instablaster =)

[@LorraineMcFly]

Him and Anton Walbrook should've both been nominated, with Livesey winning.

[@AlonsoRules]

The Academy has been making mistakes for decades

[@marvinc9994]

I could listen to Marty Scorsese talk about film all day.............................

[@Rambam1776]

I think the biggest lesson to draw here is that the permanency of art always outlasts the temporary requirements and narrow interests of government and society.

[@ahothabeth]

I have just finished watch "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" for the umpteenth time and each time is a fresh joy.

[@eguirald]

I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen "Colonel Blimp" for the first time in my life, thanks to this channel (it was unavailable for decades), and immediately after, to watch Scorsese's review. This double bill was a memorable gift.

[@andyoncam1]

I never tire of watching Colonel Blimp. A superb film. Who can fail to be moved by Anton Walbrook's scene at the aliens registration interview?

[@warrenf7760]

12:13 - 13:09 - now that's a real filmmaker - sacrificing the knighthood, the accolades, etc for the movie. And what lives on, at the end? the movie! Bravo Michael Powell!

[@justsayinme2u]

Clearly Martin Scorsese is a great historian of cinema in addition to one of it's very finest directors. We are indeed very fortunate to have him as such an eloquent spokesperson to share his profound insights into the medium we all love.

[@Autostade67]

Livesey's performance is unsurpassable (Oliver's grandness would have overwhelmed the role - he still would have been very good, but Livesey's subtlety walks the fragile line between comedy and pathos); its a pity it is not regarded as one of the great films performance of the 20th century.

[@michaelmakes4883]

"there is the lake,and I haven't changed......"

[@wumpyinc1]

"I really hope you appreciate it" is the most genuine request a great artist can make. It speaks to the humility to be able to create for fellow human beings. Beautiful.

[@JHarder1000]

No one has ever possessed the knowledge and understanding of film that Scorsese has. His analysis bears the stamp of genius.

[@eguirald]

I feel he is like one of those medieval monks who leaves us as a legacy the imperishable chronicles of what another era was, by rescuing from oblivion its artists and their masterpieces.

[@JulianPope]

It is very clear in this introduction that no one understands cinema like Marty.

[@tomhamilton5261]

Agreed.Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest directors.Raging Bull is not just a film.It's a cinematic experience: ticks all the boxes: direction, photography, editing ,sound, music and of course the acting which disappears and you are left with a pure brutal moving reality.

[@hamburgareable]

Agreed. He thinks outside the Hollywood box.

[@fede018]

Tarantino too. But he's not that analytical.

[@jemimallah2591]

he just says a bunch of shit about the film. get a fucking grip

[@prilljazzatlanta5070]

@@fede018 spends more time talking about what he would have changed in a masterpiece or being stuck for years on whether or not There Will Be Blood has a set piece before realizing the oil derrick was a set piece 😩

[@renkessler5476]

From the moment I saw this film for the first time, it was immediately elevated, in my mind, to one of the greatest films ever made. Top 10. Maybe top 5.

[@chrisjohnson8033]

P&P's best film. Love it. My favorite British film ever.

[@AyliCarper]

I saw this when I was ten to twelve, or as I will now say, 'Around the age Scorsese first saw it'. I couldn't work it out at all, but I knew I liked it a lot. Much later I met someone my own age who'd seen it at the same time and neither of us could say why, but we both knew it was one if our absolute favourites. It amuses me that Scorsese worked with Paul Schrader who was slightly obsessed with Yasujiro Ozu who also misses out seemingly vital action scenes like weddings and so on. Except Ozu critics have to say he elides them.

[@123rockfan]

My jaw dropped within the first shot of the 4K restoration. Amazing. The fact that the movie is a masterpiece also helped lol

[@peterh1353]

A film that takes film to the level of the other great arts. Not alone. But one of them.

[@Elitist20]

The cut-down version was also the first version that I saw on TV in the 80s - the 'flashback' structure was dropped and it was in purely chronological order from 1903 to 1943. Not only that, but every 'damn' was covered by a 'click' sound that must have been the 1940s version of the 'bleep'! Imagine my thrill going to the Museum of the Moving Image in London in 1989 and seeing the tapestry that appears behind the opening and closing credits; but the MOMI is now closed - where is that tapestry now??

[@ChubbyChecker182]

Scorcese does such great introductions to movies I didn't think I would be interested in... Going to watch this now, that scene of the pool and "40 years ago" is awesome.

[@edwardjohnson7059]

Decades ago as a child.. I saw this movie somewhere.. and as Mr Scorsese says in the video.. 'it just stuck with me'. I couldn't get it out my head, it has a sort of atmospheric presence about it that just grabs you and you cant shake off. Every character is ultimately likeable even the little skunk Kaunitz. Years later with the advent of video tapes, I often searched for it but I never did find it. Then along came the internet. Sure enough I finally tracked down a grubby low resolution copy that I would infrequently watch. Whenever the subject of favourite movies came up with friends, my answer was always TLADOCB. No one and I mean NO ONE has ever even heard of it much less agreed with me. Until the other day.. I was watching a Casey Neistat video on youtube, not so much watching but it was playing in the background. Someone asked his favourite movie.. and his answer... TLADOCB!!! I couldnt believe it. Convinced I misheard I took it back.. There it was.. someone else with taste!! So today I thought.. maybe there are others out there who appreciate the movie as Mr Neistat and I do.. sure enough.. this video came up. So it appears as the video states around 10:50 .. We're part of a small but exclusive crowd of people with impeccable taste.

[@leopardbasement2915]

I love how the part where Scorsese says he look for it is juxtaposed with the scene where Blimp sees the nurse in WW1 ;)

[@johnrevell6684]

Absolutely love this film, such a heart warming story.

[@christianzafiroglu6705]

LADOCB is a miracle of film. It feels like a gift from a higher power. To think young filmmakers today believe they are being innovative with timelines and drifting away from what would appear to be key scenes is proven laughable when you see this masterwork.

[@Vonneumann747]

Tell me some "young filmmakers" who are guilty of this?

[@Pookiepup1]

I agree with the idea that this film needs to be seen more than once. I first saw it many years ago. (I don't know what version it was, or its length.) I thought it was interesting and entertaining. I saw it again several years later and enjoyed it much more. I thought I had changed more than the film!

[@chel3SEY]

Thanks for posting this. Wonderful.

[@lw3646]

A magical film. I love the nostaglia of the early 20th century Berlin, the friendships that develop in the film in ways you don't expect, there's a lovely arc to it but it's much slower paced so it doesnt feel like its doing a familiar narrative. I just feel though the ending isn't the strongest.

[@nikkis.2066]

Love this man and his passion for films and whst Criterion Collection represents for the art & industry of films.

[@keithplant2860]

Such a wonderful appraisal of a truly great film by someone who can apricate the brilliance of the techniques of the film making, but is also clearly a big fan of the film.

[@joshhoffman1975]

Wow, that was unexpected, I just watch LDCB for the 2nd time in my life, so that was really special, thanks! ❤🎉😊😍

[@Blackpool77]

A wonderful film from the masters of British cinema

[@ArchieAndy27]

Thank God for Scorsese and his Film Foundation for restoring these classics and bringing the magic of Powell and Pressburger back into the public consciousness! ❤ check out his wonderful documentary, "Made In England", about his passion for the Archers films. You won't regret it!!

[@gilbertaitken166]

Two marvellous films ! Congrats

[@amyclarke41]

love old films

[@freedom_rock18]

Adding to my list of classic films on yoube

[@chrisjarvis4449]

i have been a student of film [movies ] all of my life thank god for this one a gem of a story

[@uhlijohn]

Raging Bull is by far Scorcese's greatest film....who else would dare shoot in B&W in 1982 and be able to pull it off? It is a classic and will live forever in cinematic history.

[@toddmaniatoddmania9844]

1980

[@aaarrrggghhhh]

David Lynch, Elephant Man. He also made Erazerhead in black and white in 1977.

[@hejla4524]

Woody Allen's 'Manhatten' - 1979

[@chrisabraham8793]

A great film, never tiered of watching it, as with Red Shoes and all the other great P&P films plus the colours are amazing. Anyone know where you can get a copy of the dance band number "I see you everywhere" played in the scene at the Bull Inn.

[@freedom_rock18]

I just watched the red shoes and I couldn’t agree more it was sooooo beautiful

[@loge10]

They did great in black and white as well - if you haven't seen "I Know Where I'm Going", I strongly recommend it. Amazing B&W photography and a real sense of place. It also has Roger Livesey as well as the wonderful Wendy Hiller.

[@Halbared]

Wonderful film.

[@dalebates9817]

My favourite film

[@BlindEyeJones]

The greatness of Scorsese is how he directs everything to what he has done with the sheer modesty of a saint so that we walk away talking about his films. Yeah, that Blimp thing, well it points to Scorsese films and the greatness there in.... a precursor of what's to come.

[@janberry8031]

the hill b/w no soundtrack just a fine script that did the book justice in so many ways ; watch and learn 🎬

[@kdizzle901]

The life and death of Colonel Blimp The Red Shoes Black Narcissus A Matter of Life and Death I Know Where I’m Going! A Canterbury Tale The Small Black Room The Tales of Hoffmann Not to mention Powells solo Peeping Tom….. Powell and Pressburger could do no wrong

[@dmw1262]

A very special picture.

[@blackbird5634]

I thought I dreamt ''Whale Music'' with Maury Chaykin. Love that movie!

[@johnreddick7650]

I am gratified to learn that my estimation of exactly why Churchill objected to the film was proven correct. He was trying to sell the British war effort as a noble crusade of English gentlemen against the thuggery of German Huns, and here were the Brits openly espousing exactly the same thuggery, instead of leaving it decently veiled in discreet hypocrisy. The sort of films he did favor, such as The Sea Hawk and Lady Hamilton, presents the English (even pirates!) in wartime as properly genteel and high-minded, and would have left no doubt to American audiences of the moral superiority of the English cause.

[@roddyteague6246]

Quite right Sir! Also there is "Went the Day Well?" from 1942. A propaganda film where the British had to be as brutal as the Germans to survive. As for Colonel Blimp I never tire of watching this absolute corker. Roger Livesey played the part perfectly. It showed his acting versatlility when he played the bogus vicar in "League of Gentlemen".

[@aaarrrggghhhh]

British.

[@lw3646]

In which we serve is a very good patriotic WWII film that's also worth seeing. I feel like even Fire over England was made with the Nazi threat in mind.

[@paulcook7986]

So interesting.

[@grayssportsalmanac85]

Might have known the establishment were against it's release. Disgusting.

[@Luka-kh6xo]

What is this an extract from?

[@PabloArriagada]

It's from the introduction to the the film in the Criterion DVD and Blu-Ray

[@Autostade67]

The wartime resistance to the film being made is understandable - but only just - to our sensibilities is comes across as a very rousing film - not propaganda, per se, but of such emotional and ideological complexity one couldn't help but be stirred by Candy's evolution to 'fight on.'

[@lw3646]

Yes. Looking at it now though in the 21st century I appreciate much more the friendships that develop in the film. I know our hero always serves his country to the best of his ability but for me the most moving bit is him realising he loved Miss Hunter and missed the chance of telling her and how that effected the rest of his life.

[@MrKeeft1]

JUST been on today, likely as a filler during lockdown...if we read this a while ago we`d wonder what I was on about...of course there were such a thing..folms considered propaganda...not good for the masses..but perfect logic.

[@franriding6473]

Thankfully he never got the K otherwise we wouldn’t have the film.

[@adrianovasconcelos2739]

This clip tells more about THE RAGING BULL than about BLIMP.

[@robertedwards3654]

It's a film I've tried to watch several times but I just can't seem to do it. After about 20 mins. I've had enough. It's the OTT acting style, the theatrics, the shouting....at least you can hear what they are saying, not like the mumbling today. So I don't know the story or what all the fuss is about. Perhaps one day the moment will come when I settle down and watch the complete film.

[@townsvillian12]

Stick with it - the first twenty minutes are just setting things up, and juxtaposes the brashness of the present (i.e. the 1940s present) with the era that Blimp represents

[@davidbaker8483]

It's about the loss of honour and embrace of industrial and total war.

[@randywhite3947]

Well keep on watching the film and you’ll find out what it’s about.

[@AyliCarper]

You just have to settle down and go with the trip. An old friend of mine saw it at the same time as me, young teenagers, and we couldn't say why we like it, it was about people totally different to us such a long time ago speaking in funny language about weird stuff we couldnt care less about... but as you go on you realise how much it's about those little gaps and misunderstandings and words unsaid and feelings unexpressed. What always kills me is that his surname changes from Candy to Wynne-Candy. What English man took his wife's surname, and put it in front, in 1919? This is a totally feminist film, and yet also about brutal torture by the allies in WW1. What other films do that? Please turn off your phone, turn down the lights, and let it roll.

[@judithwalker9694]

You might need to bring a deep sense of the horror of the Nazis. It's never depicted visually in the movie, but it's always the background until Kretschmar-etc makes it explicit in his great speech toward the end.

[@virtualpilgrim8645]

I bought Colonel Blimp on laser disc decades ago after watching Richard Dreyfuss praising it. Laser discs were expensive, and this was more expensive than most. I found the movie to the boring.

[@rightmarker1]

Those people of today who denigrate the heroic deeds of RAF Bomber Command in WW2 should watch this film and this speech in particular. Germany represented an absolute existential threat to the civilised world. Any and all measures necessary were deployed to crush the heinous actions and ambitions of National Socialism. I thank my father and his peers who fought and died in the achievement of this. National Socialism dressed in the clothes of ‘liberalism’ still lurks around the corner. We should remain ever vigilant.

[@gluetubeserver]

Fascism is the word you're looking for and yes, the likes of the far right have it in droves

[@lw3646]

I think the morality of the strategic bombing campaign v Germany is something we should think about. Did it actually help to end the war? I don't critique the pilots though, only the leadership.

[@fckuyo3918]

It's a treat to hear a master film maker talk about making films.