Weekends with LE SAMOURAÏ

LE SAMOURAÏ (1967)

Starring Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon, Cathy Rosier, Jacques Leroy, Jean-Pierre Posier. Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. (105 min)

Essay by D.M. ANDERSON💀

I used to get excited for the weekend because it meant turning loose with friends and staying out until the wee hours of the night. Sure, I paid for such revelry the next day, but hey, recovery is what Sundays were made for. If you did Saturday right, anyway.

Weekends are still awesome, of course. But what excites me about them these days is that’s usually when my wife breaks out the casserole dish, meaning she’s getting ready to throw together something mind blowing. I also look forward to staying in my pajamas the entire day (perhaps only removing them to thank the wife for such awesome comfort food). 

And at my house, weekends are also made for film noir. 

Though I’ve been an avid movie lover my entire life, I’ve only dived into the dark pleasures of film noir over the past 20 years or so. So not only have I been turned on to some of the all-time classics during that time, there are still dozens and dozens I have yet to check out. I have Eddie Muller to thank for a lot of that. He's the host of TCM’s Noir Alley, which airs on Saturday nights. In addition to the iconic films, I've also been introduced to a ton of others I never knew existed. 

One such film was 1967’s Le Samouraï, which was an eye opening reminder that not every great film noir came out of Hollywood. Hailing from France, it was directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, best known for crafting dark, stylish crime thrillers. I suppose this one might more accurately be considered neo-noir, especially with an overall aesthetic more akin to the French New Wave movement (which Melville was part of) than the traditional look and tone typically associated with the genre. Either way, this film is a masterpiece.

The late, great Alain Delon plays Jef Costello, an enigmatic freelance hitman. In a dialogue-free opening sequence that I can’t help but think had an influence on Charles Bronson’s 1972 classic, The Mechanic, Costello meticulously carries out the contract killing of a local nightclub owner while the place is open. Maybe not meticulous enough, though, since several witnesses see him leave. On the other hand, he’s also created an airtight alibi for himself, instructing call girl/girlfriend Jane (Nathalie Delon, Alain’s wife at the time) to claim he was with her at the time of the killing.

""Time to recycle those bottles, Jef."

Costello is rounded up by the police along with dozens of others to stand in a line-up before the witnesses. Though a few think the killer might be Costello, the only one who clearly saw him, club performer Valerie (Cathy Rosier), does not identify him as the man they’re looking for. With a concrete alibi and no solid witness statements, Costello is released, though the Commissaire in charge of the investigation (François Périer), is convinced of his guilt. While repeatedly grilling Jane to come clean with her story, he instructs dozens of officers to tail Costello wherever he goes. 

Meanwhile, the man who hired Costello for the hit in the first place, Olivier Rey (Jean-Pierre Posier), wants to ties up loose ends, but an initial attempt to kill Costello fails. Costello now wonders if Valerie was instructed not to identify him in the line-up so the mob could get to him first. With both sides of the law now hunting for him, Costello looks to settle the score with Rey. He’s also offered another contract, which he accepts, and his new target figures prominently in the climax, leading to a surprising resolution related to the fate of a major character. I'm not gonna spoil that here.

Le Samouraï is a moody, tension-filled film with a compelling story, a few great plot twists and excellent cinematography that nicely captures the atmosphere of urban Paris streets. But what makes the film crackle is its protagonist. Living alone in a seedy apartment with a gaged bird, Jef Costello is an intriguing character…smart, calculating and emotionally aloof. He knows Paris like the back of his hand, relying on stolen cars and the subway to get around, yet almost always staying a step ahead of his pursuers. Aside from his relationship with Jane (which appears to be more of a business arrangement), we know little about him beyond his methods. And since he says very little throughout much of the film, we’re never certain what Costello is thinking or contemplating. Hell, we’re not quite sure we should even be rooting for this guy.

"Stay!"

Yet almost immediately, we’re totally invested in him - a superlative antihero - which is largely due to Delon’s steely performance. For years, the only thing I knew him from was The Concorde: Airport ‘79, the infamous titanic trashbag that ended up being his last ill-fated attempt at Hollywood stardom. But I’ve since discovered he’s starred in some absolute bangers in his home country, such as The Sicilian Clan, Three Men to Kill, Borsalino and Le Cercle Rouge, the last of which was also directed by Jean-Pierre Melville (and also a masterpiece). Based on what I’ve seen of his work so far, Delon may not have been gifted with a ton of range, but like Steve McQueen on this side of the pond, he had gobs of charisma. 

At the time I first saw it, Le Samouraï was sort of a revelation. In addition to the American classics I love, there’s great film noir (and neo-noir) to be found all over the world....such gems as The Third Man, Rififi, Symphony for a Massacre, The Beast Must Die, Cast a Dark Shadow, The Good Die Young and gobs of others. Some are acknowledged classics, others wonderful obscurities, but they were all new to me. Along with the wife's Jedi skills with a casserole dish, they're part of what makes this ol' movie lover's weekends exciting...and hangover free!

Litter Box Treasures: BODY PARTS (1991)

In Litter Box Treasures, we focus on a variety of older films which aren’t necessarily classics, but are well-worth discovering.

BODY PARTS (1991)

Starring Jeff Fahey, Brad Dourif, Kim Delaney, Zakes Mokae, Lindsay Duncan, Paul Ban-Victor. Directed by Eric Red. (88 min).

Essay by D.M. ANDERSON💀

Body Parts was pretty much dismissed by critics and audiences upon its original release. Granted, it ain't exactly groundbreaking, nor does it challenge the intellect, but it's quite good for what it is... a fun, fast-paced slab of blood-soaked junk food. 

Perennial direct-to-video favorite Jeff Fahey plays Bill Chrushank, a criminal psychologist who loses his right arm in a car accident. Dr. Agatha Webb (Lindsay Duncan) is a renowned specialist who performs a new procedure by attaching a new arm from a donor. Within a few months, Bill's new arm is fully functional and he goes back to his daily routine. But it isn't long before he's having horrible nightmares and violent outbursts, much to the chagrin of his family. 

Bill soon discovers that his transplanted arm once belonged to a serial killer. Not only that, the killer's other limbs were given to other recipients. Understandably, he wants the limb removed, but Dr. Webb refuses, more concerned with her scientific achievements than Bill's belief that evil is not of the brain, but of the body. Soon after, the other recipients are violently killed, their donated limbs torn off by an unseen killer who won't surprise anyone.

Brad Dourif...making B-movies better since 1988.

Body Parts is a story that's been done before, but it's a lot of gory fun that doesn't outstay its welcome with a scant 88 minute running time. Director/co-writer Eric Red does a decent job making familiar material seem fresh (the sequence in which two guys in different cars are cuffed together during a chase is pretty suspenseful), although the movie could have used a little more humor, given the outrageous premise. Fahey, sort of an underrated actor, establishes Bill as a likable guy, which makes his violent turns against his family all the more jarring. While the climax can be seen coming from a mile away, it's lively...and plenty bloody.

Certainly no classic, Body Parts is an underrated and underseen horror film that’s largely been kind of forgotten over time. The movie deserves a second look and is highly recommended for fans of gonzo sci-fi horror. And at the very least, you can't completely dismiss any exploitation film that finds room for some prime Brad Dourif scenery chewing.

WARNER ARCHIVE YEAR-END SALE and Free Kittens' HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

WARNER ARCHIVE’S YEAR-END SALE! a major sale on 1700 Warner Bros titles. Nearly all the Warner Archive Blu-rays and 4K's are on sale along. That includes TV series and film titles. There are some DVDs in there as well. Buy 3 and get 30% off. Qualifying orders of $70 or more get free US shipping as well. Add it all up and this is a huge savings. The sale ends on December 21st. Just use WARNER2025 after putting at least 3 of the titles in your cart. No limit to how much you can order. Click here to shop.

🌲Free Kittens’ HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE! 🌲‘Tis the season, and the big day is almost here! But there’s still time to pick up some delicious crunchy kibbles for that special cinephile in your litter (or yourself!). Check out some of the purr-fect presents in our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide. Click HERE to see what’s out there, from classics to boxed sets to blockbusters.

SPLITSVILLE: Dakota Who?

SPLITSVILLE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 104 min

Neon

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😾

You know what? While watching Splitsville, it suddenly occurred to me that I’ve never actually chosen to take-in a movie that starred Dakota Johnson in a lead role. It’s always been out of journalistic obligation. Granted, she's appeared in some good movies. Luca Guadagino’s Suspiria was better than any remake of a horror classic had a right to be, but it certainly wasn’t because of her. 

It isn’t that she can’t act. Maybe it’s just me, but I find her unremarkable and bland, bringing nothing distinctive to any of her roles (of the ones I’ve seen, anyway). Splitsville didn’t change my mind, either. It’s the type of romantic comedy that, a few decades ago, might have starred Julia Roberts, or maybe even Dakota’s mom, Melanie Griffith. I dunno…between this one and Materialists, maybe she’s trying to assume that throne. She’s got a long way to go.

"We never have to wait this long at Applebee's."

More farcical than one might expect, Splitsville is actually something of an ensemble piece featuring two unhappily married couples. Ashley and Carey (Adria Arjona & co-writer Kyle Marvin) are heading towards divorce, while Julie and Paul (Johnson & co-writer/director Michael Angelo Covino) supposedly enjoy an "open marriage,” which is put to the test when Carey ends up sleeping with Julie. Not nearly as provocative as it sounds, the plot veers more into broad comedy territory as these four characters bicker, fight (verbally and physically), sleep around and try to get each other jealous. 

The movie has a few funny moments, though it’s never as uproarious (or sexy) as it’s obviously trying to be. Eventually, the story grows pretty tedious, mainly because I wasn’t invested enough in any of these characters to care whether or not they fixed their marital issues. In fact, a couple of ‘em are kind of obnoxious. Not Dakota Johnson, though. I don’t think she has it in her to make a character obnoxious.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

TRAILERS

THE POOP SCOOP: Christmas and Beyond

🌲Free Kittens’ HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE! 🌲‘Tis the season, and the big day is coming soon! But there’s still time to pick up some delicious crunchy kibbles for that special cinephile in your litter. Check out some of the purr-fect presents in our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide. Click HERE to see what’s out there, from classics to boxed sets to blockbusters.

TRON: ARES on Digital now and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD January 6, 2026 from Disney. Get ready for the electrifying action and adventure of Tron: Ares. When a highly sophisticated Program named Ares is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, it marks humankind’s first encounter with AI beings. Tron: Ares is currently available on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Just in time for winter break viewing, the newest chapter in the Tron saga invites fans to experience a bold new world and a high-velocity spectacle right from home. The edge-of-your-seat action expands in the new year when Tron: Ares powers onto 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and DVD beginning January 6, 2026.

Steven Seagal's only decent movie, UNDER SIEGE, is Coming to 4K and Blu-ray January 6, 2026 from Arrow Video. Arrow Video presents the naval action thriller Under Siege in its worldwide 4K UHD debut. The Oscar-nominated film is the pinnacle of martial arts superstar Steven Segal’s cinematic career. The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative approved by director Andrew Davis, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras. There is also a Blu-ray release. Both versions include a a brand new audio commentary with director Andrew Davis and screenwriter J.F. Lawton; newly filmed interviews with director Andrew Davis, actor Erika Eleniak and others; the theatrical trailer; and a collectors’ booklet.

SNAKES ON A PLANE is Coming to 4K and Blu-ray January 6, 2026 from Arrow Video. This is the movie that broke the internet when actor Samuel L. Jackson delivered the classic line, “I have had it with these mother****ing snakes on this mother****ing plane!” The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration of the film, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras. Special features include a brand new audio commentary; archival cast and crew audio commentary with director David R. Ellis, actor Samuel L. Jackson and others; a brand new mini-documentary exploring the movie tie-in novelization phenomenon; archival featurettes; music video; gag reel; trailers; TV spots; image gallery; Easter eggs; a South Pacific Airlines safety instruction card; and a collectors’ booklet.

BOOGIE NIGHTS on 4K on 12/16 from Warner Bros. The film features an all-star ensemble cast, including Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, Nicole Ari Parker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Written and directed by Anderson, the film is produced by Lloyd Levin, John Lyons, Anderson, and JoAnne Sellar. 

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER on Digital 11/14 and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD 1/20/2026 from Warner Bros. Written, directed and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Academy Award and BAFTA winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, and Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. 

HOWARD’S END on Blu-ray & DVD 11/18 from Cohen Media Group. A gorgeous 4K restoration from the original negative, overseen and approved by director James Ivory and cinematographer Tony Pierce-Roberts. 

THE BLACK PHONE 2 on Digital Now and Blu-ray and 4K December 23 from Universal. Director Scott Derickson (Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) continues the nightmare with darker, deadlier, and more terrifying scenes than ever before as Ethan Hawke (First Reformed) returns to his most disturbing role as deranged serial killer The Grabber..

PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE on 4K & Blu-ray December 16 from Criterion Collection. One of the most eccentric comedies of the 1980s, this is a pop-culture touchstone that helped make a manic oddball named Pee-wee Herman into an icon for outsiders of all ages.

KITTEN KRUSTIES: The Worst Stuff We Reviewed in 2025

While we enjoyed reviewing another big batch of Blu-Rays, DVDs and movies in 2025, they haven’t all been picks of the litter. Time to take a look back at the worst of them. Our list consists strictly of titles which were sent to us for review purposes.

BLEH...THE WORST: As much as we love movies, there are times when reviewing them feels like an actual job. The following titles deserve to be buried in the litter box (in no particular order):

THE SAND (Rising Sun Media) - The Sand might be good for a moment or two of unintentional laughter, especially with such a dead-serious tone. But ultimately, it seldom even rises to the level of endearingly tacky. A cheap flick with awful characters, a stupid ending and cut-rate CGI.

THE DEMONESS (Well Go USA) - This is a Russian production with a Russian cast, yet it's shot in English, its actors obviously dubbed to get rid of those pesky accents. The results are awful and there’s strong evidence that the cast had minimal understanding of their own lines. It also fails as a horror movie - even an erotic one - because the languid pace and an abundance of tired tropes negate its peepshow qualities.

BRIDE HARD (Magenta Light) - Rebel Wilson she plays a secret agent who squares off against a crew of mercenaries at her bestie’s wedding, but at no point is she convincing or funny, nor is anyone else. An interminable attempt to blend action and comedy, this makes Paul Blart: Mall Cop look like Lethal Weapon. Saddest of all, it's directed by Simon West, who once showed promise with such kitchy classics as Con Air.

SMURFS (Paramount) - Do you know anyone who was actually pining for another Smurfs movie? It’s yet another cynically assembled, pop song-laden product with Rihanna and a huge cast of well-known actors lending their voices (and marquee value). While there are a few interesting animated bits, this is one of those movies that you pop into your machine to keep the wee ones amused while you clean the garage.

DADDY (Anchor Bay) - The story takes place in a dystopian future where being a parent is a privilege that must be earned from the government by successfully completing a program. Interminable and irritating to the point of being almost unwatchable, the film wastes its intriguing premise on obnoxious characters, pointless ambiguity and plot threads which hint at something ominous or meaningful, but end up going nowhere.

THE RITUAL (Decal) - This is the most drab, derivative and dull horror movie I’ve seen this year, playing like a checklist of every possession trope we’ve seen in countless movies since 1973. Characterization is minimal, and all that's required from most of the cast is to react in horror. As for the great Al Pacino…while I’m assuming he earned a healthy paycheck, he brings little more than perfunctory professionalism to a role that could’ve been played by anybody.

THE BASEMENT (Uncork’d) - The Basement is essentially torture porn, and like The Passion of the Christ, nearly the entire film consists of extreme torment being inflicted on one guy. While the make-up effects are pretty convincing, the film isn’t scary or suspenseful. It’s relentlessly talky between torture scenes and serves up a dull protagonist. Worst of all, clumsy foreshadowing renders the “shocking” twist ending kinda predictable.

McCARTNEY: NOW AND THEN (Rising Sun Media) - Short, superfluous and offering absolutely nothing any self-respecting fan doesn’t already know, this is a Cliff’s Notes summary of McCartney’s career, and I doubt director Robin Bextor even met his subject before patching this thing together. If you really want to hear from the horse’s mouth, stick with The Beatles Anthology.

CROWN OF SHADOWS (High Fliers Films) - A creatively bankrupt exercise in tedium that makes your typical mockbuster from The Asylum look like Game of Thrones. Worse yet, it runs a deadly 142 minutes. Even worse than that, there’s so much obvious use of AI that I can’t help but question the amount of actual human effort involved in throwing the whole thing together.

4 HALLOWEEN (Darkside Releasing) - If you love a good horror anthology flick, look elsewhere. In addition to being nearly nonsensical, 4 Halloween is amateurish and cheap looking, with godawful performances and, aside from some of the gore, visual effects that look like something cooked up by a public access TV station in the 1990s. Not only is this garbage a complete waste of time, it’s a waste of the disc it’s burned onto.

WATCH THE SKIES (Decal Releasing) - Compared to the other films on this list Watch the Skies isn’t actually terrible. But at the risk of sounding like a crusty old Boomer yelling at clouds, the idea of using AI to make foreign films look and sound more American leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Is this really the direction we want movies to go?