#650: BRESSON, Robert: A Man Escaped (1956)

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BRESSON, Robert (France)
A Man Escaped [1956]
Spine #650
Blu-ray


With the simplest of concepts and sparest of techniques, Robert Bresson made one of the most suspenseful jailbreak films of all time in A Man Escaped. Based on the account of an imprisoned French Resistance leader, this unbelievably taut and methodical marvel follows the fictional Fontaine's single-minded pursuit of freedom, detailing the planning and execution of his escape with gripping precision. But Bresson's film is not merely about process — it's also a work of intense spirituality and humanity.

101 minutes
Black & White
Monaural
in French
1:33:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2013
Director/Writer


Robert Bresson was 55 when he wrote and directed A Man Escaped.

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Twenty-page booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Tony Pipolo.

Commentary

None.

Bresson: Without a Trace

A 1965 episode of the television program Cinéastes de notre temps in which the director gives his first on-camera interview.

The Road to Bresson

A 1984 documentary featuring interviews with filmmakers Louis Malle, Paul Schrader, and Andrei Tarkovsky.

The Essence of Forms

A documentary from 2010 in which collaborators and admirers of Bresson’s, including actor Leterrier and director Bruno Dumont, share their thoughts about the director and his work.

Functions of Film Sound

A new visual essay on the use of sound in A Man Escaped, with text by film scholars David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson.

Trailer

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

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