Wages of Fear [2 Discs] [Criterion Collection]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Henri-Georges Clouzot's groundbreaking thriller, in which four men with little to lose sign on to drive trucks loaded with delicate explosives through a mountain range riddled with potholes and dangerous turns, gets an upgraded DVD presentation in this release from The Criterion Collection. Le Salaire de la Peur (aka The Wages of Fear) has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the black-and-white images are rich and beautifully detailed throughout, looking as good as they did the day this picture was released in 1953. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono, and sounds nearly as good as the film looks; the dialogue is mostly in French and English, with optional and easy-to-read English subtitles included. The set's second disc features Henri-Georges Clouzot: The Enlightened Tyrant, a documentary produced for French television which looks at the life and career of the man who made this classic, including a number of exclusive interviews with his actors and collaborators. Also included are new interviews with Michel Romanoff, Clouzot's assistant director on the project, and Marc Godin, author of a biography of the filmmaker, while an excerpt from a 1988 television interview with Yves Montand features the French star talking about how working with Clouzot impacted his career. Finally, a bonus short looks at how the film was cut for its American premiere in 1955 (the original uncut European print appears on this DVD release), and a 24-page booklet includes an essay on The Wages of Fear from author Dennis Lehane as well as thoughts on Clouzot and the film from a number of people who worked with him. Criterion's upgraded edition of The Wages of Fear manages to improve on their excellent original release of the movie (long out of print), and is likely to remain the definitive home-video presentation of this landmark in French cinema. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 2
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
• Screen: Black and White
• Subtitle: English
• Features:
  • New, restored high-definition digital transfer
  • New and improved English subtitle translation
  • New video interviews with assistant director Michel Romanoff and Henri-Georges Clouzot biographer Marc Godin
  • Interview with Yves Montand from 1988
  • "Henri-Georges Clouzot: The Enlightened Tyrant," a 2004 documentary on the director's career
  • "Censored," an analysis of cuts made to the film for the 1955 U.S. release
  • 24-page booklet featuring novelist Dennis Lehane and a compilation of interviews with the cast and crew of the film

AWARDS

• Berlin International Film Festival

•     Won Golden Bear - 1953

• British Academy of Film and Television Arts

•     Won Best Film - Any Source - 1954 (Henri-Georges Clouzot)

• Cannes Film Festival

•     Won Grand Prix - 1953

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Yves Montand - Mario
       Charles Vanel - Jo
       Peter Van Eyck - Bimba
       William Tubbs - Bill O'Brien
       Véra Clouzot - Linda

• Director:

  Henri-Georges Clouzot

• Producer:

  Henri-Georges Clouzot, Louis Wipf

• Book Author:

  Georges Arnaud

• Screenwriter:

  Henri-Georges Clouzot, Jerome Geronimi

• Cinematographer:

  Louis Nee, Armand Thirard

• Composer (Music Score):

  Georges Auric

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Georges Auric

• Editor:

  Madeleine Gug, Etiennette Muse, Henri Rust

• Production Designer:

  René Renoux

REVIEW:

• Le Salaire de la Peur is among the most suspenseful films of the 1950s, notable for slowly building character development and atmosphere before its dramatic climax. In its original 148-minute version, the story lags in spots as director Henri-Georges Clouzot indulges some anti-United States propaganda. Not surprisingly, the film was re-edited for release in the U.S., and many critics preferred the faster pacing and more focused narrative. International acclaim came quickly, including the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. Yves Montand gives one of his best performances, though current-day audiences may find his character's chauvinism and condescension toward women unappealing. The female lead is strikingly played by Véra Clouzot, the director's wife. She had only a brief film career but appeared in two classics, this film and Les Diaboliques, which was also directed by her husband. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide

CUSTOMER REVIEWS: