Artistic, beautifully scripted films made for and by the thinking man have become an acquired taste and in the case of "Le Cercle Rouge" or "The Red Circle," by French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville, the taste is more anchovy than caviar.
This French action film, re-released with sub-titles by John Woo and Rialto Pictures, will be opening Aug. 1 at Madstone Theater. Understand that this is a beautiful film with good visual aesthetics, but that is really the only positive element of the film.
Watching it was like watching a silent movie or a movie where the audio kept cutting in and out because of the lack of dialogue and sounds.
Besides the lack of aural stimuli, the fated assumption of the action - things just don't fall into place - and the insanely slow tempo of the film, beg the question: why has this film been so critically acclaimed?
John Woo, a well-known action film director ("Windtalkers," "Mission Impossible 2") is an avid fan of Melville's films and of fellow filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Jim Jarmusch. Woo is the main reason for the re-release of "Le Cercle Rouge."
His love of the film and his influence brought it back to the big screen in the environment that would respect it the most - the indie movie theater. According to a press release, Woo learned how to hold a gun and taught his actors how to do it by watching and mimicking Alan Delon in Melville's films.
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"Le Cercle Rouge" stars Delon, a regular in Melville's films, as Corey, and Gian Maria VolontÇ, as Vogel. They are the criminals who team up to knock over a Paris jewelry showroom.
Along with Yves Montand, who plays a former police officer named Jansen, the three characters execute every move with an assured confidence that ultimately leads to their undoing and the slowest build-up to the most abrupt conclusion of any crime-based movie ever seen.
It is obvious that the visual style of Melville's films influences Woo and many other filmmakers, but it is no longer 1970 and mainstream audiences would hardly welcome the real-time simulation that comes from watching "Le Cercle Rouge."
The tempo of the film drags on beyond mystery into monotony. The jewel heist scene is probably the longest of the film, documenting every - yes every - move the criminals make to stuff the jewels in their large black bags. Coupled with a lack of sound, the kind that makes the inner ear pop like in an airplane, it will easily feel like the longest 140 minutes ever experienced.
Still, being naãve to the great art that is French film, this opinion of "Le Cercle Rouge" may change, given the opportunity to view another of Melville's films and compare. Be forewarned, if you find early in the movie that you are thinking, "Get to the [expletive] point," leave and leave quickly, it will only get worse.
On the other hand, if you find the delicately detailed intricacies of a perfectly and suspiciously infallible plot interesting, you just may want to see this film.
"Le Cercle Rouge" will show at Madstone Theaters at 6311 San Mateo Blvd. For more information go to www.madstonetheaters.com or call 872-4000.
