Warner Home Video has announced yet another 1970s classic for Blu-ray release. In this case, it's Papillon, starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, based on the true story of Henri "Papillon" Charrière. It will come out on May 24 in a Blu-ray book edition, with a 32-page booklet including information, archival photos and an examination of the controversy surrounding the story. Special features include:
Vintage featurette: The Magnificent Rebel
Theatrical trailer
Papillon's a good movie but I think it falls-short of being great. I also find this film difficult to watch, owing to a number of extremely disturbing sequences and the generally depressing pall that hangs about it.
I agree totally, it's a "good" movie but I've never cared for it either, and honestly never wanted to watch it again after my initial viewing (I had a hard enough time making through the first time!). It's well crafted, well acted, and well directed -- but it leaves you with a really sour taste in the mouth when it's over. I agree totally Paul that it's disturbing and also depressing, and that some of the latter aspects are dwelt upon a little too much.
I always thought it felt like of those "'70s movies" where they played around with the "mature" elements and pushed them harder than they previously did, and not all of it was for the better of the movie. Had the film been made 5 years prior or even, perhaps, 5 years later, it may not have had that kind of "edge" to it. It's like a film that's very much of its era.
Superb Goldsmith score, and I'm glad to see another catalog title coming on BD -- but truth be told, it's not a film I want to have in my library.
AndyDursin wrote:Superb Goldsmith score, and I'm glad to see another catalog title coming on BD -- but truth be told, it's not a film I want to have in my library.
I already own the Region 2 DVD, but have actually never watched it -- I only bought it for the isolated music track.
Roman Polanski was originally slated to direct Papillon. I've often wondered how the film would have turned-out had he done so.
