Review: Cooler Than Cool 'Le Cercle Rouge' a Treat For Cinephiles

What's cooler than cool? A Jean-Pierre Melville crime film. Especially his 1970 work "Le cercle rouge," which has just arrived on Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack. It's a real treat for cinema fans, as Melville's films have struck chords with generations of filmmakers inspired by his French New Wave pioneering, and "Le cercle rouge" is one of the highlights of his career and his penultimate production prior to his 1973 death. It contains a heist sequence, 30 minutes in length, with barely any dialogue, and it is absolutely incredible. Additionally, a smooth antihero performance by Alain Delon and other great characters, performances, and exciting plot beats, make "La cercle rouge" one to remember.

In the original Criterion DVD, Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo penned an essay describing the film's brilliance, and was later credited as a presenter for the film's 2003 theatrical rerelease. This reissue was 102 minutes, and there was even an English-dubbed 99 minute version, but Criterion delivers a new 4K restoration by STUDIOCANAL of the uncut, 140-minute version of the film. The 4K UHD disc is stunning, complementing the overall restoration wonderfully.

This quintessential Melville work has been brought to Criterion 4K UHD with some great supplemental materials, including interviews with assistant director Bernard Stora and Rui Nogueira, author of "Melville on Melville." The best features are the on-set and archival footage elements, which includes interviews with Melville and Delon, as well as actors Yves Montand and André Bourvil. Inside the packaging, you'll find two essays by film critics Michael Sragow and Chris Fujiwara, respectively, as well as that aforementioned appreciation by John Woo.

Fedoras, trench coats, cigarettes, and shifty eyes all make up "Le cercle rouge" and you're surely in for a delight if you love a great crime caper with cool-as-ice execution. Without Melville, there'd be no "Ocean's Eleven" or other heist movies you love; so if you'd like to do your homework, feel free to pick up this latest Criterion release, and you'll surely be rewarded in more ways than one.

"Le cercle rouge" is now available from Criterion Collection on 4K UHD/Blu-ray Combo Pack for the suggested retail price of $39.96