Of Mice and Mausers

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96% of Kirk Douglas's activities in Paths of Glory involve standing around and talking. Every now and then he strolls or sits or walks up stairs, but mostly he stands and talks. Strategy, protocol, orders, arguments for the accused. He spends 4% of the film leading the charge against the German "Ant Hill"and getting dirt and dust on his face. I nonetheless accept Criterion's decision to exploit this 4% to sell their upcoming DVD/Bluray of Stanley Kubrick's 1957 film.

"I apologize for not being entirely honest with you. I apologize for not revealing my true feelings. I apologize, sir, for not telling you sooner that you're a degenerate, sadistic old man. And you can go to hell before I apologize to you now or ever again!"

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 23, 2010 at 2:57 PM

comment #1

djiggs says ...

How this movie was not recognized for any major honors (critics & the Oscars) in 1957 still boggles my mind.

Posted by djiggs at July 23, 2010 3:21 PM

comment #2

bridgeman says ...

My favourite film. I have the editing montage at the 1992 Oscars to thank for introducing me to it. It annoys me that nobody I know has seen it.

Posted by bridgeman at July 23, 2010 3:24 PM

comment #3

matt cousens says ...

Terrible font. Kinda lazy work, this time around.

Posted by matt cousens at July 23, 2010 3:24 PM

comment #4

lazarus says ...

Perhaps he's not literally in the trenches for most of the film, but I think the anguish on his face (and the dirt) does a very good job getting the feeling of this film across, and the tight moral spot that Douglas finds himself in.

Posted by lazarus at July 23, 2010 3:48 PM

comment #5

Markj74 says ...

How is it a terrible font? It's Kubrickian, if anything.

Posted by Markj74 at July 23, 2010 4:02 PM

comment #6

crazynine says ...

Terrible font? At least it's not Papyrus.

What *is* it, though? Looks art deco...

Posted by crazynine at July 23, 2010 4:05 PM

comment #7

reverent and free says ...

The iconic image of Douglas in the film for me is when he's silently marching through the trench and eyeing his men in position while the barrage rages ahead of them. Both of the Douglases, father and son, are underrated in their ability to let their eyes do the talking.

Posted by reverent and free at July 23, 2010 4:20 PM

comment #8

rick blaine says ...

Terrific movie. Favorite lump-in-the-throat scene is set right at the end in the tavern where the young German girl (played by Susanne Christian, the soon to be Mrs. Kubrick) sings that haunting folk song for the departing troops. Corny but it gets me every time.

Posted by rick blaine at July 23, 2010 5:41 PM

comment #9

KRF says ...

One of the most tightly constructed films ever. It feels like not a moment is wasted. A masterpiece.

Posted by KRF at July 24, 2010 5:08 AM

comment #10

Doug Pratt says ...

Give Criterion's history of really terrible jacket art, I'd have to say that this one is much better than average.

Posted by Doug Pratt at July 24, 2010 5:26 AM

comment #11

Hip Hop Homey says ...

If it isn't a picture of a girl forced to eat shit, i think it's AOK in my book. Already got this on pre-order. An instant masterpiece and I love the cover art, too.

Posted by Hip Hop Homey at July 24, 2010 6:11 AM

comment #12

Jack South P.I. says ...

Doug Pratt says: Give (sic) Criterion's history of really terrible jacket art, I'd have to say that this one is much better than average.

I disagree with this sentiment with every fiber of my being.

Posted by Jack South P.I. at July 24, 2010 8:45 AM

comment #13

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Just how many people who buy Criterion discs have never seen the film or are already aware of the plot from all the cineaste books and articles they've run across over the years?

This isn't exactly a title likely found in the checkout lane for Costco begging for an impulse buy.

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at July 24, 2010 9:36 AM

comment #14

DukeSavoy says ...

Maybe the best anti-war, anti-bureaucracy movie ever. Bullshit rules and smug leaders were never more neatly skewered than in Kubrick's "Paths."

Posted by DukeSavoy at July 24, 2010 12:30 PM

comment #15

party animals says ...

criterion is a gift from the gods but their jackets are often horrible pretentious and way too in love with the idea that they're improving on the often original iconic poser art.

Posted by party animals at July 24, 2010 1:12 PM

comment #16

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

party animals - I think Criterion is smart to design their own to separate them from studio releases of the same films.

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at July 24, 2010 4:33 PM

comment #17

party animals says ...

most of the original posters are artwork in their own right and no need to jettison

Posted by party animals at July 24, 2010 4:43 PM

comment #18

Jack South P.I. says ...

At their best, Criterion makes you look at a moive you know in a new and/or different way. To just lift the original keyart is to sacrifice this idea.

I love their graphic design for this very reason. It forces me to rethink.

(Plus, they are not locked into always showing giant heads of the lead actors like every movie made with any kind of budget today. They see the movie as the thing, not who is in it. It's the ultimate anti-Eloi thing on the market right now.)

Posted by Jack South P.I. at July 24, 2010 8:25 PM

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