Papillon (DVD, 2005)

This is one of Steve McQueens best movies. I had to purchase it because someone stold mine from my McQueen boxset. The seller was great as is the movie.

During the Steve McQueen phase of my young life, PAPILLON and THE GREAT ESCAPE were among the films that I’ve enjoyed watching numerous times.

The similarity between the two is they are based partly on true events featuring larger-than-life personalities and the daring adventures that lie ahead. While the 1963 John Sturges classic had colorful characters and witty dialogue, Franklin J. Schaffner’s prison tale is the polar opposite of the latter film’s breezy style.

McQueen brings his signature “King of Cool” persona into Henri Charriere, the wrongfully convicted safecracker who will never give up his personal freedom without a fight. Dustin Hoffman gives another winning performance as Louis Dega, a currency forger with an unlimited amount of cash hidden inside his intestines. Starring together for the first and final time, the two men have a particular goal of escaping the hellish, tropical South American penal colony known as Devil’s Island.

Having seen the original PLANET OF THE APES, Schaffner has a distinctive visual flair which makes him truly underrated as a director. While watching the opening scene in PAPILLON, one must feel the desperation that the prisoners are going through. Stripped of their belongings and nationality, the march around the streets of Paris (or in this case Madrid) is melancholy but at the same time mesmerizing. The film’s combination of Old Hollywood epic storytelling with gritty New Hollywood filmmaking is nothing short of remarkable cinema.

Despite seeing PAPILLON in all of its widescreen glory on DVD, the picture quality is inferior but the 5.1 sound re-mix of Jerry Goldsmith’s score is outstanding. Maybe if I get a Blu-ray player one day, the media book will be the first purchase.

To quote the last line of the film, “Hey you bastards, I’m still here.”

A classic Steve McQueen movie.
Hoffman plays a good part in this movie.
Saw it years ago and luved it.
Can't wait to see it again.
Good prison movie.

A classic movie, two great actors. This movie will pull you into the film. Do not let the title past you by. The movie Midnight Express comes to mind when i first viewed this film.

Papillon, bases on a true story. He never gave up, and in the end won! His best friend Daga, stayed behind. An ultimate worrier... but still guilty of plausibly life's worse crime... get the movie, you'll find out what the crime was, however, it's non-punishable in our society... or any I know of... he even admitted he was guilty... turned and walked away....