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Product Description
For two decades he was the most wanted man on the planet. Now, experience the remarkable rise and fall of revolutionary terrorist-for-hire "Carlos the Jackal" in the acclaimed, action-packed epic critics are calling "one of the best pictures of the year" (David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle). This definitive collector's edition features the full-length, three-part experience in stunning high-definition picture and earth-shattering 5.1 audio, a collection of exclusive extras, and a bonus disc containing the alternate theatrical cut from director Olivier Assayas.
Special Features (Blu-ray only) include:
- The Making of Carlos - Interview with Olivier Assayas - Interview with Édgar Ramírez - Theatrical and French trailers
Please Note: Bonus DVD contains 160 min. theatrical cut. Blu-ray contains full-length, 330 min. cut.
Review
"A hell of a ride. 4 Stars." -- Sukhdev Sandhu, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
"Everything Che wanted to be and much, much more...astonishing!" -- Todd McCarthy, INDIE WIRE
"Excited, exciting, epic...a must-see." -- Manohla Dargis, THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Excited, exciting, epic...a must-see..." -- Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
"One of the best pictures of the year." -- David Lewis, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"One of the best pictures of the year." -- David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle
"Think of The Bourne Identity with more substance, or Munich with more of a pulse." -- Steven Zeitchik, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
"Everything Che wanted to be and much, much more...astonishing!" -- Todd McCarthy, INDIE WIRE
"Excited, exciting, epic...a must-see." -- Manohla Dargis, THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Excited, exciting, epic...a must-see..." -- Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
"One of the best pictures of the year." -- David Lewis, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"One of the best pictures of the year." -- David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle
"Think of The Bourne Identity with more substance, or Munich with more of a pulse." -- Steven Zeitchik, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliantly acted and directed character study of terrorism and politics
Jun 21 2011
By K. Gordon
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Fascinating 5 hour plus, 3 part film about Carlos the Jackal (although
he never actually called himself that) the headline grabbing terrorist
of the 70s and 80s.
With little exposition, we're dropped into a whirlwind of violence,
self-aggrandizement, sexual seduction, and power games, moving at an
almost dizzying speed. The film allows us to slowly figure out Carlos,
instead of explain him in a simple facile way.
While never sympathetic, somehow the amazing Edgar Rameriez allows us
to feel for this id and ego driven creature, powered far more by the
need for attention and adulation (whether from women or the press) than
by true belief. Indeed, one of the most interesting things about the
film is how (intentionally) shallow and hollow Carlos's political
monologues ring.
The last 1/3 is the slowest and hardest to sit through. Carlos's slow
decline into ineffectiveness and unimportance is sometimes patience
trying. But Rob Nelson, in his excellent Village Voice review makes a
strong argument that this is 1) unavoidable after the high paced rush
of the first two parts and 2) part of the point of the film; without
his fixes of women and power there wasn't much to Carlos, and without
them both he and we want it to be over.
This is a film I'd like to see again. While I don't quite agree (yet)
with the many critics who have hailed this as of the best films of last
10 years, I do think it's a challenging, brilliantly acted, wonderfully
made film, that gives context both to modern terrorism and recent world
history. Add to that, an exploration of the blurring fine line between
power and uncontrolled narcissism that seems to dog leaders (especially
male) of all political stripes from Hitler to Bill Clinton to George
Bush to Carlos.
That's a lot to successfully cover, even in 5 hours.
he never actually called himself that) the headline grabbing terrorist
of the 70s and 80s.
With little exposition, we're dropped into a whirlwind of violence,
self-aggrandizement, sexual seduction, and power games, moving at an
almost dizzying speed. The film allows us to slowly figure out Carlos,
instead of explain him in a simple facile way.
While never sympathetic, somehow the amazing Edgar Rameriez allows us
to feel for this id and ego driven creature, powered far more by the
need for attention and adulation (whether from women or the press) than
by true belief. Indeed, one of the most interesting things about the
film is how (intentionally) shallow and hollow Carlos's political
monologues ring.
The last 1/3 is the slowest and hardest to sit through. Carlos's slow
decline into ineffectiveness and unimportance is sometimes patience
trying. But Rob Nelson, in his excellent Village Voice review makes a
strong argument that this is 1) unavoidable after the high paced rush
of the first two parts and 2) part of the point of the film; without
his fixes of women and power there wasn't much to Carlos, and without
them both he and we want it to be over.
This is a film I'd like to see again. While I don't quite agree (yet)
with the many critics who have hailed this as of the best films of last
10 years, I do think it's a challenging, brilliantly acted, wonderfully
made film, that gives context both to modern terrorism and recent world
history. Add to that, an exploration of the blurring fine line between
power and uncontrolled narcissism that seems to dog leaders (especially
male) of all political stripes from Hitler to Bill Clinton to George
Bush to Carlos.
That's a lot to successfully cover, even in 5 hours.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliantly acted and directed character study of terrorism and politics
Jun 21 2011
By K. Gordon
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Blu-ray
Fascinating 5 hour plus, 3 part film about Carlos the Jackal (although
he never actually called himself that) the headline grabbing terrorist
of the 70s and 80s.
With little exposition, we're dropped into a whirlwind of violence,
self-aggrandizement, sexual seduction, and power games, moving at an
almost dizzying speed. The film allows us to slowly figure out Carlos,
instead of explain him in a simple facile way.
While never sympathetic, somehow the amazing Edgar Rameriez allows us
to feel for this id and ego driven creature, powered far more by the
need for attention and adulation (whether from women or the press) than
by true belief. Indeed, one of the most interesting things about the
film is how (intentionally) shallow and hollow Carlos's political
monologues ring.
The last 1/3 is the slowest and hardest to sit through. Carlos's slow
decline into ineffectiveness and unimportance is sometimes patience
trying. But Rob Nelson, in his excellent Village Voice review makes a
strong argument that this is 1) unavoidable after the high paced rush
of the first two parts and 2) part of the point of the film; without
his fixes of women and power there wasn't much to Carlos, and without
them both he and we want it to be over.
This is a film I'd like to see again. While I don't quite agree (yet)
with the many critics who have hailed this as of the best films of last
10 years, I do think it's a challenging, brilliantly acted, wonderfully
made film, that gives context both to modern terrorism and recent world
history. Add to that, an exploration of the blurring fine line between
power and uncontrolled narcissism that seems to dog leaders (especially
male) of all political stripes from Hitler to Bill Clinton to George
Bush to Carlos.
That's a lot to successfully cover, even in 5 hours.
he never actually called himself that) the headline grabbing terrorist
of the 70s and 80s.
With little exposition, we're dropped into a whirlwind of violence,
self-aggrandizement, sexual seduction, and power games, moving at an
almost dizzying speed. The film allows us to slowly figure out Carlos,
instead of explain him in a simple facile way.
While never sympathetic, somehow the amazing Edgar Rameriez allows us
to feel for this id and ego driven creature, powered far more by the
need for attention and adulation (whether from women or the press) than
by true belief. Indeed, one of the most interesting things about the
film is how (intentionally) shallow and hollow Carlos's political
monologues ring.
The last 1/3 is the slowest and hardest to sit through. Carlos's slow
decline into ineffectiveness and unimportance is sometimes patience
trying. But Rob Nelson, in his excellent Village Voice review makes a
strong argument that this is 1) unavoidable after the high paced rush
of the first two parts and 2) part of the point of the film; without
his fixes of women and power there wasn't much to Carlos, and without
them both he and we want it to be over.
This is a film I'd like to see again. While I don't quite agree (yet)
with the many critics who have hailed this as of the best films of last
10 years, I do think it's a challenging, brilliantly acted, wonderfully
made film, that gives context both to modern terrorism and recent world
history. Add to that, an exploration of the blurring fine line between
power and uncontrolled narcissism that seems to dog leaders (especially
male) of all political stripes from Hitler to Bill Clinton to George
Bush to Carlos.
That's a lot to successfully cover, even in 5 hours.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.4 out of 5 stars
19 reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Mini-Series, A Long Form Movie, A Two Part Movie, Or An Abridged Version--Be Careful And Go For The Mini-Series
Jan 3 2011
By K. Harris
- Published on Amazon.com
More than any other film in 2010, Olivier Assayas "Carlos" has made the rounds. This comprehensive biopic about renowned Venezuelan terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez (also known as Carlos) has swept the globe in various editions at various lengths. Shown on the film festival circuit (Cannes, Telluride, New York) largely intact and running over 5 hours, there is also an international film version (or more than one) clocking in at about 3 hours, a U.S. film presentation in two parts, and there is the U.S. television mini-series presentation (by Sundance Channel) that came with three distinct parts and ran about 5 and a half hours. For the purposes of this discussion, I will be referencing the U.S. mini-series presentation because, at least in length, it seems to be the definitive and comprehensive version. However, we in the U.S. still seem to be confused about whether we call this a film or a TV event with Golden Globe and Screen Actor Guild nominations in the TV categories but the Los Angeles and New York film critics distinguishing "Carlos" in the film classification. In the end, however, it's all really semantics--I just wanted to make a big deal as there will be different versions of the film floating on the international DVD market.
Telling the story of Carlos, better known as "The Jackal" (even though the screenplay never acknowledges this nickname), the film has much to say about the rise of terrorism and its evolution into the modern political structure. I really do think "Carlos" is well served by the separation in the three part presentation. Part One chronicles the birth of a legend, so to speak, as Carlos works in London and Paris under the auspices of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Having been raised by a communist father and trained in guerilla warfare tactics, Part One really covers a lot of ground as Carlos tackles many big operations and bombings to make a name for himself. But as authorities get too close, Carlos soon flees Paris after murdering several policemen. Part Two is focused on the daring 1975 OPEC raid that is perhaps the most notorious of Carlos' well-documented exploits. His mercenary life begins as a result of his new found notoriety, and he starts taking assignments on contract. Part Three focuses more on the wind-down of Carlos' career. As the world climate changes, it becomes increasingly unclear whether Carlos will be able to navigate these new challenges.
The centerpiece of "Carlos" is the charismatic Edgar Ramirez. Ramirez turns in a star making performance as the passionate, aloof, tempestuous, and charming Carlos. Through the years of his life, Ramirez expertly captures the change in tone and well as the psychological and physical shifts within Carlos' life. It's a big responsibility, but Ramirez never misses a beat. The mini-series event itself is a bit uneven, for me. Part One has so little exposition about what is happening that if you don't come into the film with some pre-existing knowledge of the world's political climate circa 1970, you may be a bit lost. You go quickly from assignment to assignment without much look at a bigger picture, and this held me at a distance from the goings-on. Part two, however, is an extremely focused look at one event and, as such, is one of the most riveting docu-dramas I've seen this year. With the Part Three wind-down, we're still emotionally connected to Carlos but the fever-pitch momentum of Part Two is missing (by necessity).
Overall, this is a serious and rewarding film especially for those with an interest in the topic. Charting the life of terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez for over twenty years in such detail is an ambitious goal, and Assayas is up to the task. But almost as interesting as Carlos' life is to see the landscape of terrorism evolve through those years. In truth, I didn't love every bit of "Carlos" as an entertainment, for the above stated reasons, but Part Two and the raid of the OPEC offices is easily one of the most memorable films I've seen this year! KGHarris, 12/10.
Telling the story of Carlos, better known as "The Jackal" (even though the screenplay never acknowledges this nickname), the film has much to say about the rise of terrorism and its evolution into the modern political structure. I really do think "Carlos" is well served by the separation in the three part presentation. Part One chronicles the birth of a legend, so to speak, as Carlos works in London and Paris under the auspices of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Having been raised by a communist father and trained in guerilla warfare tactics, Part One really covers a lot of ground as Carlos tackles many big operations and bombings to make a name for himself. But as authorities get too close, Carlos soon flees Paris after murdering several policemen. Part Two is focused on the daring 1975 OPEC raid that is perhaps the most notorious of Carlos' well-documented exploits. His mercenary life begins as a result of his new found notoriety, and he starts taking assignments on contract. Part Three focuses more on the wind-down of Carlos' career. As the world climate changes, it becomes increasingly unclear whether Carlos will be able to navigate these new challenges.
The centerpiece of "Carlos" is the charismatic Edgar Ramirez. Ramirez turns in a star making performance as the passionate, aloof, tempestuous, and charming Carlos. Through the years of his life, Ramirez expertly captures the change in tone and well as the psychological and physical shifts within Carlos' life. It's a big responsibility, but Ramirez never misses a beat. The mini-series event itself is a bit uneven, for me. Part One has so little exposition about what is happening that if you don't come into the film with some pre-existing knowledge of the world's political climate circa 1970, you may be a bit lost. You go quickly from assignment to assignment without much look at a bigger picture, and this held me at a distance from the goings-on. Part two, however, is an extremely focused look at one event and, as such, is one of the most riveting docu-dramas I've seen this year. With the Part Three wind-down, we're still emotionally connected to Carlos but the fever-pitch momentum of Part Two is missing (by necessity).
Overall, this is a serious and rewarding film especially for those with an interest in the topic. Charting the life of terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez for over twenty years in such detail is an ambitious goal, and Assayas is up to the task. But almost as interesting as Carlos' life is to see the landscape of terrorism evolve through those years. In truth, I didn't love every bit of "Carlos" as an entertainment, for the above stated reasons, but Part Two and the raid of the OPEC offices is easily one of the most memorable films I've seen this year! KGHarris, 12/10.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome and epic movie, and awesome DVD set
Dec 11 2010
By Lin707
- Published on Amazon.com
Wow, what an amazing film. France had a very good year in 2010. First they had Mesrine, then cool little movies like "La Horde", and for the finale, this masterpiece. Originally aired on French TV, this has been cropped into numerous releases. This one here I'm reviewing (the 3 disc uncut version in the fold out digipak) is awesome. It is exactly what was shown at Cannes, not the cropped version that premiered at the New York Film Festival. You have to appreciate good drama, and have a bit of interest in history to fully appreciate this film. If you're expecting a fast paced action blockbuster, you'll be disappointed. Most likely this isn't you, however, if you're reading this review than most likely this isn't you. IMO 5 stars to the movie, and 5 stars to this DVD set.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Mini-Series, A Long Form Movie, A Two Part Movie, Or An Abridged Version--Be Careful And Go For The Mini-Series
Jan 3 2011
By K. Harris
- Published on Amazon.com
More than any other film in 2010, Olivier Assayas "Carlos" has made the rounds. This comprehensive biopic about renowned Venezuelan terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez (also known as Carlos) has swept the globe in various editions at various lengths. Shown on the film festival circuit (Cannes, Telluride, New York) largely intact and running over 5 hours, there is also an international film version (or more than one) clocking in at about 3 hours, a U.S. film presentation in two parts, and there is the U.S. television mini-series presentation (by Sundance Channel) that came with three distinct parts and ran about 5 and a half hours. For the purposes of this discussion, I will be referencing the U.S. mini-series presentation because, at least in length, it seems to be the definitive and comprehensive version. However, we in the U.S. still seem to be confused about whether we call this a film or a TV event with Golden Globe and Screen Actor Guild nominations in the TV categories but the Los Angeles and New York film critics distinguishing "Carlos" in the film classification. In the end, however, it's all really semantics--I just wanted to make a big deal as there will be different versions of the film floating on the international DVD market.
Telling the story of Carlos, better known as "The Jackal" (even though the screenplay never acknowledges this nickname), the film has much to say about the rise of terrorism and its evolution into the modern political structure. I really do think "Carlos" is well served by the separation in the three part presentation. Part One chronicles the birth of a legend, so to speak, as Carlos works in London and Paris under the auspices of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Having been raised by a communist father and trained in guerilla warfare tactics, Part One really covers a lot of ground as Carlos tackles many big operations and bombings to make a name for himself. But as authorities get too close, Carlos soon flees Paris after murdering several policemen. Part Two is focused on the daring 1975 OPEC raid that is perhaps the most notorious of Carlos' well-documented exploits. His mercenary life begins as a result of his new found notoriety, and he starts taking assignments on contract. Part Three focuses more on the wind-down of Carlos' career. As the world climate changes, it becomes increasingly unclear whether Carlos will be able to navigate these new challenges.
The centerpiece of "Carlos" is the charismatic Edgar Ramirez. Ramirez turns in a star making performance as the passionate, aloof, tempestuous, and charming Carlos. Through the years of his life, Ramirez expertly captures the change in tone and well as the psychological and physical shifts within Carlos' life. It's a big responsibility, but Ramirez never misses a beat. The mini-series event itself is a bit uneven, for me. Part One has so little exposition about what is happening that if you don't come into the film with some pre-existing knowledge of the world's political climate circa 1970, you may be a bit lost. You go quickly from assignment to assignment without much look at a bigger picture, and this held me at a distance from the goings-on. Part two, however, is an extremely focused look at one event and, as such, is one of the most riveting docu-dramas I've seen this year. With the Part Three wind-down, we're still emotionally connected to Carlos but the fever-pitch momentum of Part Two is missing (by necessity).
Overall, this is a serious and rewarding film especially for those with an interest in the topic. Charting the life of terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez for over twenty years in such detail is an ambitious goal, and Assayas is up to the task. But almost as interesting as Carlos' life is to see the landscape of terrorism evolve through those years. In truth, I didn't love every bit of "Carlos" as an entertainment, for the above stated reasons, but Part Two and the raid of the OPEC offices is easily one of the most memorable films I've seen this year! KGHarris, 12/10.
Telling the story of Carlos, better known as "The Jackal" (even though the screenplay never acknowledges this nickname), the film has much to say about the rise of terrorism and its evolution into the modern political structure. I really do think "Carlos" is well served by the separation in the three part presentation. Part One chronicles the birth of a legend, so to speak, as Carlos works in London and Paris under the auspices of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Having been raised by a communist father and trained in guerilla warfare tactics, Part One really covers a lot of ground as Carlos tackles many big operations and bombings to make a name for himself. But as authorities get too close, Carlos soon flees Paris after murdering several policemen. Part Two is focused on the daring 1975 OPEC raid that is perhaps the most notorious of Carlos' well-documented exploits. His mercenary life begins as a result of his new found notoriety, and he starts taking assignments on contract. Part Three focuses more on the wind-down of Carlos' career. As the world climate changes, it becomes increasingly unclear whether Carlos will be able to navigate these new challenges.
The centerpiece of "Carlos" is the charismatic Edgar Ramirez. Ramirez turns in a star making performance as the passionate, aloof, tempestuous, and charming Carlos. Through the years of his life, Ramirez expertly captures the change in tone and well as the psychological and physical shifts within Carlos' life. It's a big responsibility, but Ramirez never misses a beat. The mini-series event itself is a bit uneven, for me. Part One has so little exposition about what is happening that if you don't come into the film with some pre-existing knowledge of the world's political climate circa 1970, you may be a bit lost. You go quickly from assignment to assignment without much look at a bigger picture, and this held me at a distance from the goings-on. Part two, however, is an extremely focused look at one event and, as such, is one of the most riveting docu-dramas I've seen this year. With the Part Three wind-down, we're still emotionally connected to Carlos but the fever-pitch momentum of Part Two is missing (by necessity).
Overall, this is a serious and rewarding film especially for those with an interest in the topic. Charting the life of terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez for over twenty years in such detail is an ambitious goal, and Assayas is up to the task. But almost as interesting as Carlos' life is to see the landscape of terrorism evolve through those years. In truth, I didn't love every bit of "Carlos" as an entertainment, for the above stated reasons, but Part Two and the raid of the OPEC offices is easily one of the most memorable films I've seen this year! KGHarris, 12/10.
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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