The American Friend (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

My introduction to this movie was the New Yorker Home Video VHS tape of it. The movie was fantastic and it is obviously much better seeing it with this recommended Blu ray.The movie is a blend of Patricia Highsmith's Novels with the main focus being Ripley's Game. Elements of other novels are included like the painter played here by Nicholas Ray, a strange kind of reunion for Ray and Dennis Hopper who go back to Rebel Without A Cause.Dennis Hopper plays Tom Ripley as only he could play that role. Alain Delon, John Malkovich, Matt Damon all were closer to the novels because the films were more set in the time established in the novels. The movie is set in the mid 70s and he is every bit the Ripley established in the novel. A shady, manipulative character barely hidden beneath a venner of offbeat politeness. Bruno Ganz is brilliant in this as Jonathan, a picture framer and art restorer who believes he is dying from a blood disease. He is offered the opportunity to make a massive amount of money in a short time to give his wife and son financial security after his death; but to earn the money he has to carry out a mob.The movie is fun strange ways. Wim Wenders is good that way like all the bad guys are played by noted film directors. 6 of them! The extras offers some more tidbits like the behind the scenes dynamic between the two male leads and Hopper's health after just finishing his work on Coppola's Apocalypse Now in Thailand and suffering from jungle rot on his feet.Loved this movie and it never looked better than with this bluray. It looks like you are watching a print on a film projector. I know Blu ray is supposed to do that but watch some of those New Yorker Home Video tapes some time. Those are like carbon copies of books compared to the first editions.

I've been on a Wim Wenders kick lately. I was unaware of this film until recently. Bruno Ganz and Dennis Hopper are great. Wenders seems to intentionally bury the dialog. Kind of annoying. I recommend this film.

An extremely fine movie. This is from the era when movie makers were still experimenting with making art. Dennis Hopper calls Wim Wenders one of the few movie makers whose films are high art. This is Bruno Ganz's first real movie. This is the movie that gave Wenders the opportunity to break out in American movies. It also foreshadows some of Dennis Hopper's later roles, like in Blue Velvet a little bit (although Hopper does not mention that in the commentary). This version has a lot of extras including interviews with Ganz, from fairly recently, and a commentary track with Wenders and Hopper. This is an inexpensive DVD by Criterion standards. It is 2 disks. The movie does not follow the novel, exactly. Also, the scenes play out a little bit like diorama vignettes. This is not an action movie. But, there are some active scenes. The novel has an even more suspenseful conclusion. The acting is excellent, and the characters are very distinct. It would have been nice to also have a commentary from the actress Lisa Kreuzer who is excellent in this movie. Her character is very fleshed out and realistic. There are also extra scenes that flesh it out even more. I watch this movie over and over. Sometimes, I watch it without the sound in the background as I work. There are many beautiful scenes to look at.

I loved this movie when it first came out back in the days of my misspent youth, and it has not paled over the years. It's still a great movie, with excellent performances all around, especially by Bruno Ganz, several decades before Downfall brought him back to the attention of US moviegoers. If this product was just about the movie, I would give it 5 stars without any hesitation.Sadly, it's not just about the movie :( it's about this DVD version, and unfortunately, that is where it all falls down. The product information will tell you that this movie has subtitles. Unfortunately, this is extremely misleading. People speak many languages in this movie, and yes, the german and the french are indeed subtitled (even when they are perfectly clear even to this very indifferent speaker of french). However, the spoken english is NOT subtitled, despite the fact that the DVD menu actually identifies the subtitles as "english." Dennis Hopper is an awesome actor, but ahem, sometimes, he mumbles, and I found whole sections of the english dialogue practically incomprehensible for lack of subtitles :( If you are like me and prefer to watch any movie with subtitles, please be aware that the english dialogue in this version is absolutely devoid of subtitles, despite being advertised as subtitled.

C est un film très bien

昔VHSで見たっきり。まだ届いてないが楽しみにしている。

The American Friend (Der Amerikanische Freund) is a 1977 movie based loosely on Patricia Highsmith’s third ‘Ripley’ novel “Ripley’s Game” and also contains elements from Highsmith’s second novel in the series “Ripley Under Ground”. Though not an exact re-telling of the book, for that you will need to seek out 2002’s “Ripley’s Game” directed by Liliana Cavani. The film is directed by Wim Wenders and for me stands out as his crowning achievement. This “Neo-Noir” picture holds the viewer with gripping suspense, masterful cinematography and a powerhouse performance from Bruno Ganz as Jonathan Zimmerman.The film is a Franco/German/US production and captures the bleakness and general despondency of the 1970’s. It stars Dennis Hopper (as Tom Ripley) who after feeling slighted by Zimmerman (Ganz) starts rumours about Zimmerman’s rare blood disease being worse than it is in order to coerce him into committing ‘One or maybe two’ murders for Raoul Minot (Gerard Blain).The film is a pacy thriller that makes the most of the locations and uses incredible suspense to make the viewer feel Jonathan’s dilemna and the reasons behind his motivations for getting involved. There are many gripping action sequences, no less than the 2 murders, the first a lengthy chase on the Paris Metro and the second on board a train. It has lots of human qualities and focuses on the relationships between the characters, especially Zimmerman and his wife and Zimmerman and Ripley.While taking from the source novel, the film is positively Wenders’ and stands as his crowning glory. Offering beautifully shot landmarks, gripping ‘noir’ tension and even light relief with some humour. With brilliant performances from Ganz, Lisa Kreuzer and cameo’s from Wenders’ director friends Gerard Blain, Nicholas Ray and Samuel Fuller. The only real sticking point for me is the choice of Hopper as Ripley. While Hopper’s acting ability is not in question. He doesn’t fit as ‘Ripley’ from the novel and fans of the books maybe disappointed by the casting. Playing Ripley as a ‘Wild West’ cowboy complete with Stetson and Boots. While he is far removed from the Ripley character from the books, he does play the suspense very well and is finely captured as a tortured soul who rambles incessantly into a tape-recorder trying to capture the person whom he used to be. Hopper’s mischevious playing of the role captures this soul searching perfectly.As a foreign language film of the 1970’s, with brilliant performances from the cast, a fresh and pacy script that pays homage to the ‘noir’ films of the past. With essential elements taken from the novel. A great score by Jurgen Knieper and fine use of quotes from Dylan songs and The Kinks. As well as ambitious cinematography. This is a must have for fans of tight thrillers, neo-noir, Highsmith fans and fans of Wenders. Fans of World Cinema or anyone who enjoys a good well paced movie should be thrilled.Those of you coming to it for the first time won’t be disappointed and it is a fine starting point for viewers wishing to see more of Wenders’ work

I absolutely adore the books of Patricia Highsmith and have read her Ripley stories over and over again. Whenever I do it is a vision of Dennis Hopper I see continuely as I read.'American Friend' is a colossus of a film-Wim Wenders, the Director's wondrous shining achievement. Of course he went on to create in other movies more moments of film wise brilliance but 'American Friend' was certaily a very bright spot in his career.Dennis Hopper is superb as Ripley- the silences in his performance are shattering moments that convey in the face of the man his every Ripley thought.Bruno Ganz too excels. He is also a fine actor who went to greater heights, especially his compelling study of Hitler in his last days in 'Downfall'. Nicholas Ray, the Director of Hopper's first film 'Rebel without a Cause' is excellent too, cast as the mysterious painter/forger Derwatt.A very eerie aspect of the film is the shadow of the Twin Towers used at the beginning and end of the film.It's Dennis Hopper's film all the way, but, there is no slouching from the other members of the cast.Final opinion is that the film is a towering achievement in the world of cinema and a lasting tribute to Patricia Highsmith, Bruno Ganz, Wim Wenders but above all, the lovely much missed man for all seasons-Dennis Hopper.

How does Wim do it - I have yet to be disappointed by any of his road movies.This is such a sad story, but also captivating - a king of german City of God wherethe innocent are kind of tricked or seduced by society into becoming criminals...at first for good reasons....then the lead character descends into self destruction.....betrayed by rotten luck and a strange distant homo erotic seeming affair.....But once more its the colour and sound and sheer beauty of the photography whichis just stunning and spell binding. I was entranced from beginning to end, and found myselfrewinding and pausing some amazing shots full of saturated back street, sunrise, sunset,glooming beauty.After falling in love with Wims work through the likes of Alice in Cities, Wings of Desire, Paris Texas,Kings of the Road,Buena Vista Social Club.......The American Friend more than holds its own as a work of art.Brilliant and memorable and seductive.