Review – Paths Of Glory (1957, Masters Of Cinema)
One of Stanley Kubrick‘s least-known is also one of his best. A fantastic story and superb cast come together in a brilliant picture.
Based on Humphrey Cobb‘s novel of the same name, the story of Paths of Glory is set in France during the First World War and concerns Colonel Dax; a commanding officer of French soldiers, who goes against the orders of his superiors & refuses to continue marching his troops towards what’s clearly a suicide mission, only to later defend them when they’re charged with cowardice in a court-martial.
The entire picture is steadily narrated, properly introduces its fascinating characters & presents a remarkable level of craftsmanship in its technical aspects. Set pieces are state-of-the-art stuff, Cinematography is notable for its fluid tracking shots, the brutality of war is unflinchingly portrayed, Editing is steadily carried out & its score provides a militarised feel to the whole narrative.
I’ve been doing a bit a bit of research and I’ve learned that the disc has the same master that criterion put on their release a few years ago. No, I’m not a videophile, I don’t exactly know the technical ins and outs of Blu-ray but to my eyes, it looks good enough, if nothing spectacular. It’s very grainy, dark but looks probably the best it can look, considering the age of the film.
Extras include the original theatrical trailer, an exclusive commentary where film scholar Adrian Martin discusses the production history of Paths of Glory (and specifically why it was quite difficult to sell in certain territories), the main conflicts and themes in the film, the casting choices and the reception of the film. A set of interviews, first with Richard Ayoade (yes, THAT Richard Ayoade) where he discusses the unique qualities and cinematic style of Paths of Glory and Richard Combs who talks about the visual style and editing of Paths of Glory (the use of light, noirish qualities, etc.), the camera movement, the evolution of Stanley Kubrick’s work, etc. So a good selection of extras which give huge insight to the making of the film.
War, Drama | USA, 1957 | PG | Eureka Entertainment | 19th September 2016 (UK) | Dir. Stanley Kubrick | Kirk Douglas, Adolphe Menjou, Wayne Morris, George Macready, Ralph Meeker |Buy:(Blu-ray) (Masters of Cinema)
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