Sweet Smell of Success (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-Ray]

Un grand film de Mackendrick, avec des Curtis et et Lancaster très confrontants qui nous offrent de grandes performances d acteurs dans une cite qui semble ne pas laisser place a a compassion.

The Criterion Collection presents "SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS" (27 June 1957) (96 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Burt Lancaster stars as J. J. Hunsecker, a Walter Winchell-style columnist who wields his power like a club, steamrolling friends and enemies alike --- Tony Curtis co-stars as Sidney Falco, a sycophantic press agent who'd sell his grandmother to get an item into Hunsecker's popular newspaper column --- Hunsecker enlists Falco's aid in ruining the reputation of jazz guitarist Steve Dallas (Martin Milner), who has had the temerity to court Hunsecker's sister Susan (Susan Harrison) --- Falco contrives to plant marijuana on Dallas, then summons corrupt, sadistic NYPD officer Harry Kello (Emile Meyer), who owes Hunsecker several favors, to arrest the innocent singer.
A sharp-edged, penetrating film, Sweet Smell of Success is now regarded as a model of street-smart cinematic cynicism --- The electric performances of the stars are matched by the taut direction of Alex MacKendrick, the driving jazz score of Elmer Bernstein, and the evocative nocturnal camera work of James Wong Howe.

Under the production staff of:
Alexander Mackendrick [Director]
Writers:Clifford Odets [Screenwriter]
Ernest Lehman [Screenwriter]
James Hill [Producer]
Elmer Bernstein [Original Film Score]
James Wong Howe [Cinematographer]
Edward Carrere [Art Director]

BIOS:
1. Alexander Mackendrick [Director]
Date of Birth: 8 September 1912 - Boston, Massachusetts
Date of Death: 22 December 1993 - Los Angeles, California

2. Burt Lancaster
Date of Birth: 2 November 1913 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 20 October 1994 - Century City, California

3. Tony Curtis [aka: Bernard Herschel Schwartz]
Date of Birth: 3 June 1925 - The Bronx, New York
Date of Death: 29 September 2010 - Henderson, Las Vegas, Nevada

the cast includes:
Burt Lancaster ... [J.J. Hunsecker]
Tony Curtis ... [Sidney Falco]
Susan Harrison ... [Susan Hunsecker
Martin Milner ... [Steve Dallas]
Jeff Donnell ... [Sally]
Sam Levene ... [Frank D' Angelo]
Joe Frisco ... [Herbie Temple]
Barbara Nichols ... [Rita]
Emile Meyer ... [Lt. Harry Kello]
Edith Atwater ... [Mary]
The Chico Hamilton Quintet ... [Themselves]

SPECIAL FEATURES [BONUS]:
1. Exclusive new digital restoration from the original 35 mm camera negative (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
2. New audio commentary featuring film scholar James Naremore
3. Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked Away, a 1986 documentary featuring interviews with director Alexander Mackendrick, actor Burt Lancaster, producer James Hill, and others
4. James Wong Howe: Cinematographer, a 1973 documentary about the Oscar-winning director of photography, featuring lighting tutorials with Howe
5. New video interview with film critic and historian Neal Gabler (Winchell: Gossip, Power and the Culture of Celebrity) about legendary columnist Walter Winchell, inspiration for the character J. J. Hunsecker
6. New video interview with filmmaker James Mangold about Mackendrick, his instructor and mentor
7.. Original theatrical trailer
8. PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins, notes about the film and two short stories introducing its characters by screenwriter Ernest Lehman, and an excerpt about Clifford Odets from Mackendrick's book On Film-making, introduced by the book's editor, Paul Cronin

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 96 min on DVD ~ Criterion ~ (02/22/2011)

Sweet Smell of Success is one of my personal favorites, and in my opinion, this is one of the best Blu-Rays I have purchased. For a great review of the film himself, I would direct prospective buyers to Roger Ebert's review, on his Chicago Sun-Times website.

This Blu-Ray features the film itself with a beautiful high-def transfer, cleaned audio, a wealth of extras, and a hefty 56-page booklet. The cardboard packaging is very nice as well. This release upholds the Criterion Collection's very high standards admirably.

Highly recommended.