Fortunately, Bresson’s final film is also one of his greatest.
Like most of Bresson´s films, "L´Argent" accumulates its remarkable power through its puritanical restraint. Yvon remains an opaque figure with a blank, staring face even as he transforms from an innocent into a killer. We could easily imagine the Hollywood version of the same story with a classically-trained method actor raving and gibbering and chewing the scenery, but Bresson does not pursue that route. Nor does he linger on any of the typical gory elements. As he does in the car chase, Bresson simply picks a few objective details and uses them to convey an entire scene. Bresson´s tendency to elide the main action is so pronounced in "L´Argent" that even an attentive viewer might miss altogether the fact that, in one sequence, Yvon murders two hotel owners. The ending is all the more potent and unnerving because of the sense of clinical detachment cultivated by Bresson; we are all invited to consider the proceedings with the dispassionate eye of a coroner rather than as a sympathetic and involved viewer.
We do not quite know why Yvon does what he does or why he selects his victims, though it is obviously related to his unfair treatment by society. Bresson´s cinema is one of surfaces, not psychology. Character is revealed only through behavior, not through exposition or analysis; there are no "character moments" offered as a sop to the audience, and Yvon´s sudden decision to cross the line into violence comes as a shock as we have not been prepared for it as we might expect. Bresson provides the "what"; the viewer, if he must, provides the "why."
"L´Argent" has not generally received as much attention as Bresson´s twin masterpieces "A Man Escaped" (1956) and "Au hasard Balthazar" (1966), but if it is less accomplished than either of those films, it is only by a hair´s breadth. At the age of 82 Bresson remained at the top of his game, and "L´Argent" is one of the most remarkable final films by any director. Precise, meticulous and magnificent, it is a must-see for any student of the cinema.
Video
The film is presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I have the old VHS released by New Yorker and the difference in image quality (even setting aside that the VHS was full screen) is like day to night. On the tape, the desk in the opening scene is dull brown and the curtains are gray; on the DVD, the desk is cherry red and the curtains much brighter. The flesh tones on the DVD really pop out as well. This is an excellent transfer, almost certainly the best version of the film most American viewers have ever seen, a great job by New Yorker.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital. I don´t think any DVD can fully preserve the quality of Bresson´s rich and textured sound tracks but this version does a more than creditable job. The music and dialogue are clearly separated, and the sound effects are well-mixed. Optional English subtitles support the French audio.
Extras
The main attraction is a commentary track by critic Kent Jones who literally wrote the (BFI) book on "L´Argent." Jones´ commentary is enjoyable not just because of his keen insights, but also because of his halting, nervous delivery filled with awkward pauses – it adds a very personal touch. Jones blends an academic approach with his obvious love for the film and delivers one of the more lucid and engaging commentary tracks I have ever heard.
In addition to a very short trailer, the disc also includes three short interviews: two with Bresson (6 min. and 13 min., respectively) from French television in 1983 and one very brief one (1 min, 30 sec.) with director Marguerite Duras who expresses her admiration for the great director.
Closing Thoughts
Any attempt to rank films is both subjective and arbitrary but it is also a lot of fun. For me, Bresson´s best films are, in order: "A Man Escaped," "Au hasard Balthazar," "Lancelot du Lac," "L´Argent" and "Pickpocket" (I have not yet seen "Mouchette). They are all, however, brilliant and I would rank all five among my personal Top 100. It is easy for a die-hard Bressonian to assume an elitist stance and dismiss all "non-believers" as merely unsophisticated viewers, but this would be unfair. Bresson is not suited to everyone´s tastes and his meticulous, austere style can be decidedly off-putting. He is, however, one of the most unusual and, dare I say, thought-provoking filmmakers you will ever encounter. His movies are so unique they almost feel like they are "written" in their own cinematic language, one separate from all other films. It is easy to understand that he can be a polarizing figure: just as some viewers find his films a rough slog, others embrace them passionately. When we think of cult directors, we usually think of people like Sam Raimi or John Waters but I think Bresson fits the bill as well. As for me, I´m happy to be a member of the Bresson cult. If you give his films a chance, you just might feel the same way and if not, hey, Bresson´s films are usually pretty short.
We do not quite know why Yvon does what he does or why he selects his victims, though it is obviously related to his unfair treatment by society. Bresson´s cinema is one of surfaces, not psychology. Character is revealed only through behavior, not through exposition or analysis; there are no "character moments" offered as a sop to the audience, and Yvon´s sudden decision to cross the line into violence comes as a shock as we have not been prepared for it as we might expect. Bresson provides the "what"; the viewer, if he must, provides the "why."
"L´Argent" has not generally received as much attention as Bresson´s twin masterpieces "A Man Escaped" (1956) and "Au hasard Balthazar" (1966), but if it is less accomplished than either of those films, it is only by a hair´s breadth. At the age of 82 Bresson remained at the top of his game, and "L´Argent" is one of the most remarkable final films by any director. Precise, meticulous and magnificent, it is a must-see for any student of the cinema.
Video
The film is presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I have the old VHS released by New Yorker and the difference in image quality (even setting aside that the VHS was full screen) is like day to night. On the tape, the desk in the opening scene is dull brown and the curtains are gray; on the DVD, the desk is cherry red and the curtains much brighter. The flesh tones on the DVD really pop out as well. This is an excellent transfer, almost certainly the best version of the film most American viewers have ever seen, a great job by New Yorker.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital. I don´t think any DVD can fully preserve the quality of Bresson´s rich and textured sound tracks but this version does a more than creditable job. The music and dialogue are clearly separated, and the sound effects are well-mixed. Optional English subtitles support the French audio.
Extras
The main attraction is a commentary track by critic Kent Jones who literally wrote the (BFI) book on "L´Argent." Jones´ commentary is enjoyable not just because of his keen insights, but also because of his halting, nervous delivery filled with awkward pauses – it adds a very personal touch. Jones blends an academic approach with his obvious love for the film and delivers one of the more lucid and engaging commentary tracks I have ever heard.
In addition to a very short trailer, the disc also includes three short interviews: two with Bresson (6 min. and 13 min., respectively) from French television in 1983 and one very brief one (1 min, 30 sec.) with director Marguerite Duras who expresses her admiration for the great director.
Closing Thoughts
Any attempt to rank films is both subjective and arbitrary but it is also a lot of fun. For me, Bresson´s best films are, in order: "A Man Escaped," "Au hasard Balthazar," "Lancelot du Lac," "L´Argent" and "Pickpocket" (I have not yet seen "Mouchette). They are all, however, brilliant and I would rank all five among my personal Top 100. It is easy for a die-hard Bressonian to assume an elitist stance and dismiss all "non-believers" as merely unsophisticated viewers, but this would be unfair. Bresson is not suited to everyone´s tastes and his meticulous, austere style can be decidedly off-putting. He is, however, one of the most unusual and, dare I say, thought-provoking filmmakers you will ever encounter. His movies are so unique they almost feel like they are "written" in their own cinematic language, one separate from all other films. It is easy to understand that he can be a polarizing figure: just as some viewers find his films a rough slog, others embrace them passionately. When we think of cult directors, we usually think of people like Sam Raimi or John Waters but I think Bresson fits the bill as well. As for me, I´m happy to be a member of the Bresson cult. If you give his films a chance, you just might feel the same way and if not, hey, Bresson´s films are usually pretty short.
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[release]16402[/release]