The Wages of Fear - Criterion Collection

Rating:
Summary: buy this DVD
Review: This movie is fantastic: Clouzot gives us the ultimate in existential critique of imperalism...within a saga of four guys, two trucks, a tom of nitroglycerine, and rough rough terrain. And it stars Montand. What's not to like? Rien.

Rating:
Summary: William Friedkin's "Sorcerer" is VASTLY SUPERIOR
Review: This was no doubt a suspenseful nail-biter in its day. But, come on! This film absolutely PALES next to Friedkin's astonishingly intense remake from the '70s. This film certainly stands on its own, but in light of the Friedkin remake it seems flat and and lifeless. The characters lack the desperation, the animal instinct, the tortured recklessness to do whatever it takes to get out of their South American hell. There is none of the violence, the risk-taking, the bravado of these men in Clouzot's original that would make it plausible that they would risk life and limb and drive a truck full of explosives for a measly $2000 bucks! The explosives themselves don't seem so threatening as we are rarely reminded of the extreme danger of this particular cargo. Friedkin's film never lets us forget for an instant how fragile and combustible this precious cargo is. And neither do the characters, are they are hot tempered and sweat gathers on their brows from the very beginning. Clouzot's film certainly broke ground and is a minor classic in the suspense genre, but it is Friedkin's riveting, overpowering and grim remake that is the CLASSIC. A new DVD version of Friedkin's great work (his best film, IMO) is due to be released in early 2005.


Rating:
Summary: Wages of the Road
Review: This is probably one of the most powerful films of all time. It was made during the time of the French new wave and existentialism thus you can only guess at the ending, it probably has a Sartrean twist. So simple a story and yet so metaphorically rich, it weaves together an element that all humans share, mainly living with each other and death.

The direction and story line is flawless and I only wish it was longer to enjoy more the vibrant quality that this film has possessed. It deals with a South American town where people of all nationalities are stuck like flies on a glue paper. Everyone wants to get out but they don't have the means or money to, work is sparse. An oil fire occurs far away at one of the oil pumping stations and the only way to put it out is to ship Nitro to it in trucks. Noticing the danger of the job, many men risk their lives for a chance at destiny.

We have Yves Montand as Mario, a young thug who is cool and keen, he hooks up with Jo (Charles Vanel) as a tough guy old man who looses his bravery once it is put to the test in the desolate jungles and back road mountains. Peter van Eyck as Bimba, a man who is not afraid to die because he has already seen it in a Nazi prison work camp. Folco Lulli is Luigi, a kind hearted and durable proletarian who is dying of rotten lungs. In one memorable scene in the bar, he is given a gun by Jo and says he will not shoot him because, "I am not a murderer". These characters are merely human in all they represent, in their weaknesses, in their flaws. We can't help but endear to all of them.The driving scenes are some of the best ever, there is excitement only because the voyage is still unknown and perhaps there is a foreshadowing that these men might not make it. It is a universal story, something so elementary and wonderful.



Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Adventure
Review: I liked this film, but it is very understandable why some would not find it interesting.

It would be very easy for this film to receive treatment like that seen on MST3K, where the show's hosts make fun of the film while watching it. Not that this film deserves it, but the subtitled translations are a bit odd, mostly because there are phrasings and sayings in French which do not translate well to English.

There are also some exaggerated moments. I mean, okay, it's nitroglycerine, but the amount of fear involved seems arch. The point of the film is fear, of course, but it seems overmuch at times. I also had the sense that some dangers could have been avoided (although the point is that Jo is overly cautious, and Mario isn't).

The ending is classic, though. Not many directors would try and pull that sort of thing off these days, because these days, money is key, and endings like that tend not to make money.

So, why after my criticisms would I give the film four stars of five? Because of its uncompromising portrayal of everyday schmoes in dangerous situations. The very lack of charisma in the stars is extraordinary, and the ordinariness of the plot is extraordinary. For a film to concentrate its focus on such matters is interesting in and of itself. However, I would say this: The film caters to a sophisticated audience. Go and get tired of films, and then see this one.

Rating:
Summary: "Easy to get in. But no exit. If you stay, you croak."
Review: A loose band of foreigners cluster together in a tatty South American town. All of the men drifted to this miserable little town in the middle of nowhere, and with no money, and no jobs, there's little chance they'll ever escape. An uncontrollable fire at an American Oil refinery creates the need for truck drivers to transport nitroglycerine to the fire. The plan is that a nitro explosion will stop the fire. The trip to deliver the nitro is over 300 miles, and each truck driver is paid 2,000 for delivering the explosives. Naturally, most of the drifters want the job--they need the cash, and so the men vie for the job, asking few questions. Four men are selected, and they pair up to drive two trucks to the site of the fire.

Mario (Yves Montand) and Mr. Jo (Charles Vanel) are one pair, and the other pair of drivers are Luigi (Folco Lulli) and Bimba (Peter van Eyck). Mario chooses to stick with Mr. Jo--even though he doesn't know him well, but they're fellow countrymen. Luigi is Mario's roommate, and he's a bit resentful when his friendship is shoved aside for Mr. Jo. The four men set out in their 2 vehicles--loaded with nitroglycerine. The journey is grueling and filled with unexpected hazards.

The beauty of this existentialist-influenced film (with an emphasis on individual choice and responsibility) is the manner in which each man's character develops as the adversities mount. Character and strength crumble before the fear of the explosives they carry, and soon it becomes clear just who is willing to do what it takes to get the nitro to the fire and earn the money, and who would rather just shirk the responsibility and go along for the ride still expecting the money at the end of it. Mr. Jo begins the journey as a seemingly harden character, but he cannot maintain his persona under the incredible pressure encountered on the journey. "The Wages of Fear" is highly suspenseful--but one should also bear in mind that each vehicle often faces the same obstacle, and so some of the tension isn't always from the unexpected--but how the characters will tackle the same problem. "The Wages of Fear" is a black and white film in French with English subtitles--displacedhuman

Rating:
Summary: the perfect suspense film
Review: If you have not see this film - you owe it to yourself to do so. This film was made in the early 50's but it still has the power to make you scared out of your mind - see this and Diabolique....

Rating:
Summary: Good film
Review: This is a good film unless you are one of those who can't take foreign language movies. This is one of the few films I have seen that is in multiple languages. I mean that people from America speak English, the French speak French, the South American's speak Spanish, etc. This aspect gives it a powerful aspect of realism beyond the remake (which was also very good.)

However, the DVD version was too long at over 2 and 1/2 hours. I don't know how long the theatrical release was. The begining characterizations enhanced the feelings toward the cast as they break later in the film but it dragged. Most of these scenes really did not move the plot along. In the remake, the early characterizations were action scenes of their own and showed how the character got where they were going.

Overall, I prefer the remake, but I was a Tangerine Dream fan. However, this is clearly a good view for historical purposes.

Rating:
Summary: a crappy film for the whole family
Review: All the other reviews lied about this film. It is not exciting. It is not nerve-wracking. It was however entertaining because it was the dullest, most boring film I have ever seen. It even has a ten minute scene which is played twice on the DVD. I couldn't wait for my 148 minutes to be over. I would not recommend this film to anyone unless they enjoy Mystery Science Theatre 3000.