Pickpocket (1959) English Subtitle "by Robert Bresson" / NEW DVD - NTSC, All Region only STARVISION

Bresson is definitely an uneasy director, but only if you have conventional, common expectations and a positive, carefree vision of life.But sorry, no: he is an existentialist director, a spirit struggling between christianity and atheism. And in his stories you feel the dramatic emptiness of mankind not seeing any sense in life and finding a redemption only once they've been through their dramas and realized how incomplete and limited they are.Here it comes for a fascinating yet solitary and enigmatic thief, who is also an artisti and a bohemian, and this particular subject shows Bresson greatness and complexity: a cold and essential cinema that is yet so extraordinary spiritual, with a solemn and ellyptical style and narration that is also free and unpredictable (see the famous and incredible scene of the pickpocketing, who inspired many crime films so apparently distant from this one).In Bresson you can never tell in advance if a shot will last a second or half a minute, because he does not stick to a style (although he is always referred to as a slow and still director): all it matters to him and his decision if sticking on a scene of cutting away is to show and convey us a situation, a invisible state of mind, something going on underneath action.He is like the protagonist of this film: he guides our eyes to apparently meaningless details while he is working secretely to prepare us to the right moment to reveal the sense of what is going on.THe blu ray is stunning in his black and white

This is not essentially a review of the film, which others have done fairly comprehensively.It's about the Korean release that I bought new from an 'auction-style' site, direct from Korea. Amazon have no separate listing for this (they sometimes do) and wanted to bring attention to it as it's about half the price of this release here.I would, believe me, pay the full price if I could but I'm human, am skint and am addicted to film, so...The Korean release features the brown and ochre-yellow cover with the crossed fingers, with the title and director on the front, in English. Go to the back and it's all Korean except for the very basic technical specs, which are in English.The menus are in English but you have to go to 'subtitles', remove the Korean ones by selecting 'English' (not French!) and then resume. I think you can remove all subtitles completely, if your French is up to it - many complain that many releases have English titles embedded and are unremovable.I've got, or had, a few Korean releases and they can be patchy but this one is good, without the judder during action that I have had had (OK, Pickpocket is hardly an action flick!). I guess - and presume - that the fairly low contrast is of the original, it doesn't detract or look faulty. The sound is good. The subtitles themselves seem to be spelled correctly and make sense, which always helps! and are a clear yellow, which stands out well above the greys of the film (unlike the usual white).So, as far as I can see - and tell, it's the same movie for half the cost and instead of wealthier collectors moaning about such imports, they should think that twice the number of new French cinema viewers will be able to enjoy a genre that is often in danger of being an elitist one, which it definitely isn't and shouldn't ever be.

When i first saw his films Mouchette, A Hasard Balthazar & A Man Escaped i immediately came to the conclusion that Bresson is unique so there is no one else in the French cinema or to the best of my knowledge world cinema ( correct me if i am wrong please and do not just click not helpful but leave your full comment ) who we can compare to. Pickpocket is a blast. A rush. Again Bresson works with non professional actors but the result is stunning. The pickpocketeer leads a lonesome life, neglects his mother and also the only woman who has interest in him. He has nearly no friends and the police is suspecting him of being a pickpocket however each time he gets away with it. When the soil gets too hot under his feet he starts travelling throughout Europe but he ends up in Paris after all. Inspired apparantly by Crime & Punishment by Dostojevski Pickpocket is an essential must have in a Bresson collection. The 2nd disc contains lots of extra's like a rare and beautiful interview with Bresson & also interviews with 3 actors. Highest possible recommendation.

Enjoyed every minute.

"Pickpocket" (1959), directed by Robert Bresson, is inspired in a novel written by Dostoievsky, "Crime and punishment". This film tells us the story of Michel (Martin LaSalle), a young and very self-absorbed man that becomes a thief not out of need, but rather seduced by the possibility of being one.Bresson follows Michel's path, and allows us to be privy to his thoughts, as he tries to decide what to do with his life, and how to avoid being captured by the police. Michel has an opportunity of redemption, but will he take it?In my opinion, watching "Pickpocket" is worth your time, because it is a film that convincingly depicts how a young man justifies his criminal leanings, and the ever-present possibility of change, if we care enough to take it.Belen Alcat

Perfect.

Great film, gripping, worth every penny.

The protagonist in this strange film, an alienated young man in post-war Paris, reminded me of the protagonist in Camu's The Outsider (L'etranger). It will not interest anyone looking for action or excitement. It's a study in character and obsession, and a simple portrait of a time and place. It begs for at least a second viewing, which is usually an indication that it's a great movie. Recommended to those interested in this kind of motion picture.

Robert Bresson hat in seiner langen Karriere beim Film zwar nur 13 Spielfilme gedreht, dennoch gehört er zu den einflussreichsten Regisseuren Frankreichs und seine Filme werden auf der ganzen Welt sehr geschätzt und geliebt.Hierzulande gibt es allerdings nur die wenigsten seiner Filme auf DVD, viele seine Meisterwerke wie "Zum Beispiel Bathasar", "Ein zum Tode Verurteilter ist entflohen" oder "Tagebuch eines Landpfarrers" sucht man vergebens.Einer seiner bekanntesten Filme ist sicherlich der 1959 gedrehte "Pickpocket" - die Geschichte eines Taschendiebs, wie immer holte er sich nichtprofessionelle Gesichter für die Verkörperung der Figuren. Ein echter Taschendieb-Profi war auch im Team: Kassagi, ein Pariser Meister des Diebstahls, der den Akteuren die Bewegungen und Tricks seiner Zunft beibrachte und den genialen Raubzug in der Gare de Lyon cheoreografierte. Bresson ist wie der Russe Tarkowski ein sehr religiöser und christlicher Filmemacher. Sein Stil ist minimalistisch und aksetisch. In allen seinen Filmen geht es um die Selbstverwirklichung des Menschen aus dem Glauben und um die Bewahrung bzw. Gewinnung seiner Freiheit. Seine Filmbilder sind streng durchkalkuliert, aber nüchtern - so wirkt die Geschichte vor allem durch die Bezüge von Bildern. Er wählt diese Einfachheit, um jegliche Manipulation des Zuschauers zu vermeiden. Der muss sich selbst bemühen zu deuten."Pickpocket" erzählt die Geschichte des jungen Intellektuellen Michel (Martin Lasalle), der keiner geregelten Arbeit nachgeht, obwohl sich sein bester Freund Jacques (Pierre Leymarie) immer wieder bemüht, dass er einen Job bekommt. Doch das Nichtstun ist ihm lieber, da er die Freiheit schätzt und die These vertrtt, dass bestimmte Menschen das Recht haben sich über die Gesetze hinwegzusetzen. Dies bringt ihn auch auf die Idee sein Glück als Taschendieb zu versuchen. Seine bettlägerige Mutter (Dolly Scal) besucht er auch seit längerer Zeit nicht mehr. Bei einem Pferderennen stiehlt er einem Zuschauer etwas Geld. Als er die Rennstrecke verlässt, wird er von einem Kriminalkommissar (Jean Pelegri) verhaftet. Doch er wird wieder frei gelassen, da die Beweise gegen ihn nicht ausreichend sind. Mit dem gestohlenen Geld will er zu seiner Mutter, um ihr einen Teil davon zu geben. Doch im Treppenhaus lernt er Jeanne (Marika Green), die neue Nachbarin der Mutter kennen. Diese bittet ihn darum, dass er doch öfters die Mutter besuchen soll - doch er scheut sich nun die Mutter sehen zu wollen und gibt Jeanne das Geld mit der Bitte den Betrag der Mutter zu übergeben.Immerhin verabredet er sich in der Folgezeit mit Jeanne, auch sein Freund Jacques ist dabei. Dieser verliebt sich in Jeanne. Michel lernt auf seinen Beutezügen einen anderen Taschendieb (Kassagi) kennen, bald arbeitet er mit einem weiteren Komplizen (Pierre Etaix) im Trio. Dabei wird die Bande immer versierter und aus dem Zweck für den Lebensunterhalt zu sorgen wird eine echte Besessenheit. Doch der Kommissar taucht immer mal wieder auf....Regisseur Paul Schrader bekannte "Bresson zeigte mir, dass man einen Film machen kann, wo die Hauptfiguren ein Mann und sein Zimmer sind" - tatsächlich lebt der hochmütige Michel trotz erfolgreicher Diebestouren in einem Loch von Zimmer. Seine Beute hat er im Zimmer versteckt, er benutzt nicht viel zum Ausgeben. Keine Statussymbole, noch will er das Mädchen Jeanne damit beeindrucken. Das Diebstahl-Handwerk inszenierte Bresson immer wieder als ein Ballet geschmeidiger Finger. Der Dieb hat für einen Moment das Gefühl einer Besitzergreifung des Anderen, ohne das dieser etwas von der Macht bemerkt. Dabei ist die Hauptfigur immer auf der Suche nach der Freiheit - aber interessanterweise findet er diese dann erst am Ende als Gefangener in einer Gefängniszelle. Von großer Suggestivkraft ist die Handlung des Taschendiebs, er wandelt durch die Straßen von Paris wie ein Somnambuler, der sich in einem tiefen Schlaf befindet. Am Ende steht die Liebe und der Satz aus dem Off "Was für einen merkwürdigen Weg musste ich gehen, um zu dir zu kommen".

Le film de Robert Bresson est l'un de ses meilleurs et la copie est très bonne.La chute est une des plus belles paroles du cinéma.

Robert Bresson's genius rests in his awareness that actions often reflect on reality, as the action is something that physically affects its surroundings. By stripping the scenes from emotions and only displaying the actions with complete strangers, the audience gets a sense of genuine presence through the character's actions. To further the meaning of the action, Bresson displays a minimal amount of reactions to the acts taken by the characters such as facial expression or body language. It leaves the viewer with the cold atmosphere where the interactions bring out a true sense of what is taking place on the screen with a clear impression without misunderstandings. Thus, the deeds committed within the film tell the truth without the combination of acting and pointless gibberish of words that often blurs the situation through truths, half-truths, and lies.Interestingly, Bresson opens the film with a shot of a hand writing down the beginning of self-confessional statement, which belongs to the main character. The initial statement remains enigmatic, as the film lyrically transitions the film into progression where the audience will learn what the main character has to confess. Through superimposing, the first scene with a pair of gloved rich female hands and a wad of money it allows the viewer to learn the truth of the confession. The gloved hands transfer the money to suited man who enters a line for on-site racetrack betting. Throughout the sequence, the hands are fiddling with the cash between the fingers, as the protagonist and antihero Michel's (Martin LaSalle) ogles the wealth switching hands while being within his reach. Bresson triggers a similar reaction that Pavol's dogs experienced when they salivated to the stimuli of the bell, as the fingers are fondling the money. It helps the audience to identify with Michel on various levels such as thinking about what the money could help provide. In this opening the audience learns the hands significance, as hands are what nurtures the protagonist's actions, which will inevitably lead to trouble.At first, it seems that the internal desire is driven by greed, but shortly after Michel's first pick pocketing the emotional high of the possibility of apprehension due to the illegal act seems to be one of the motivating factors. Michel's voice-over statement strengthens this notion when he states, "I was walking on air, with the world at my feet." Clearly, he senses an emotional high, which also displays emotional arrogance nourished by his recent success. However, to Michel's dismay, he goes down in flames, as the police arrest him fleeing the scene, but they are forced to release him due to lack of evidence. In addition, his home seems to support the idea that wealth does not have a significant meaning to him, as he leaves all his doors unlocked for anyone to enter at any time.Some of the motivating forces within Michel appear to be shame, guilt, and paranoia. These emotions seem to emerge through the Oedipus complex that he possesses in relation to his internal desire to pick pockets. He knows it is wrong, yet the desire overcomes his awareness of its immorality, which feeds his feelings of guilt, shame, and paranoia. At the same time, the exhilarating stimuli of succeeding, as he puts it "I was walking on air, with the world at my feet" is worth the risk of shame. These feelings remain throughout the film, but as Michel becomes a student of a master pickpocket he also begins to defeat his feelings with confidence. Nonetheless, the police remain in a not too far distance to remind him of his illegal activities, which allows for shame, guilt, and paranoia to linger throughout the film.Pickpocket provides a fascinating tale of a man and his vocation, as it allows for the audience to drift into a deeply personal perspective on the motivations that drive a man to do what he does. With the help of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment Bresson brings out the psychological and moral aspects of the story. However, he is far subtler, as he does not deal with the axing of a human. Together with the music and the scene framing the acts of the characters deliver several absorbing ideas in regards to how and why Michel acts in the way he does. The minimalism that Bresson is known for also helps highlight many of these vital aspects of the film, as it does draws attention to what truly is important - the acts of human beings.

Uno dei film più belli di Bresson. Le scene con la descrizione del borseggio sono da manuale. In questa edizione i dialoghi sono originali in francese (con eventuali sottotitoli italiani).