Watch The Assassin For Free

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

A different way of telling a story

The acting in this movie is really good.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I've praised the release of foreign films in the past, glad that many were now finally able to be seen by movie fans around the world. Movies that were made long ago and seen only by a handful of fans in the states fortunate enough to live close to a theater willing to book them are now available for all. In many cases the end result is seeing something that is classic, that stands the test of time and language. That doesn't quite happen with THE ASSASSIN.The movie tells the story of Alfredo Martelli (Marcello Mastroianni), an antiques dealer who is awakened one morning by the police and asked to come down to the station. No reason is provided but he complies only to find himself waiting an inordinate amount of time to find out what is going on. Eventually Inspector Palumbo (Salvo Randone) takes him to another room and apologizes for the delay.What appears to be a game of cat and mouse follows with Martelli eventually being told he is a suspect in the murder of Adalgisa De Matteis (Micheline Presle), a wealthy woman and Martelli's onetime partner. She also happened to be his mistress.The movie advances forward using two methods from here. One is in flashback sequences where we get to know the past history of the characters involved in Martelli's life, his relationships and methods of behaving in certain circumstances. The other is the shifting of locations as the Inspector takes Martelli to the crime scene and eventually places him in a jail cell while the investigation continues.Don't worry, no major spoiler here about his guilt or innocence. But the movie is more intent of looking at the lifestyle of the character of Martelli than being a whodunit, more focused on him and his actions past and present. Martelli is a user, a man who wants to elevate his status from his past and will do almost anything to make that happen. He's a cad when it comes to women, getting what he wants and moving on to another.Perhaps it's just the way movies were at that time in Italy, perhaps it is that something is definitely lost in translation or perhaps it's just that this type of movie just isn't meant for me. In the end while the film provided a look at a movie from Italy from that time period (1961) I found it fairly boring. The story never drew me in, I found no character to sympathize with and by the final credits found nothing of interest that would make me want to recommend this movie. Perhaps the only thing that would do so is to offer it as a good film for fans of this type of cinema, for fans of any and all things in the Italian film area or for fans of Mastroianni.Arrow Video does a wonderful job as always with their presentation here, no fault lies there. The print itself is a 2K digital restoration from the Cineteca di Bologna. Extras include LIO PETRI AND L'ASSASSINO an introduction by Italian cinema expert Pasquale Iannone (Petri was the films director), TONINO GUERRA: A POET IN THE MOVIES - Nicola Tranquillino's documentary about the great Italian screenwriter, the theatrical trailer, a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw and in the first pressing only a booklet featuring writing on the film by Petri expert Camilla Zamboni, Petri's own critical analysis of the 1950s Italian cinema plus a selection of contemporary reviews.

Alfredo Martelli (Marcello Mastroianni) is picked up by the police in his apartment without justification. In the precinct, he slowly discovers what is the investigation about as we find out details about his life.Director Elio Petri made a large handful of classic films. His best known, "Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion" (1970), was about the police force. "The Working Class Goes to Heaven" (1971) focused on the worker's condition. And "Property Is No Longer a Theft" (1973) emphasized the role of money in our society and how power destroys the individual. But "The Assassin" (1961) was his first feature film, and for that fact alone deserves to be looked at more closely.Petri was able to land star Marcello Mastroianni at the perfect point in his career. Although he was already an award-winning actor, this pint had him just finishing up "La Dolce Vita" and about to start "8 1/2", quite possibly the two biggest Italian films of that era, and ones that would make him an international star.This film's legacy includes the story of cinematographer Carlo DiPalma, who went on to make some notable Italian films (including "Blowup"), and perhaps more interestingly, a dozen movies with Woody Allen in the 1980s. This was also an early film for composer Piero Piccioni and his jazzy piano, which really moves the film forward at every turn. He would eventually contribute to over 300 soundtracks at least up through 1990.Both the crisp black-and-white photography and the catchy, memorable score are key pieces of what make this film worthy of further inspection. But there is also the unusual narrative structure. Perhaps due to poor dubbing, some viewers have mistakenly wondered why the lead character seems to be living two lives. In fact, the answer is quite clear: much of the film is a flashback. While probably not unique, this structure does allow the audience to better understand the current predicament of our hero in little pieces... and then decide for themselves. This method also suggests that a second (or third) viewing might further elucidate the plot.The Arrow Blu-ray features a 2K digital restoration from the Cineteca di Bologna, and it looks stunning. We also get an introduction by Italian cinema expert Pasquale Iannone and a nearly hour-long documentary, "Tonino Guerra: A Poet in the Movies" by Nicola Tranquillino. While supplies last, each disc comes with a booklet featuring writing on the film by Petri expert Camilla Zamboni, Petri's own critical analysis of 1950s Italian cinema, plus a selection of contemporary reviews.

The antiquarian Alfredo Martelli (Marcello Mastroianni) is brought to the precinct without any explanation to be interviewed by the Police Inspector Palumbo (Salvo Randone). During the questioning, Martelli learns that his wealthy mistress Adalgisa De Matteis (Micheline Presle), who is older than he, was stabbed to death and he is the prime suspect of the police officers. While in jail, Martelli recalls moments of his life with Adalgisa and his love affair with the young Nicoletta Nogaro (Micheline Presle). Meanwhile the police proceed with the investigation."L'assassino" is a dated thriller by Elio Petri in his debut as director. The storyline slightly recalls Franz Kafka's "The Trial" where a man is arrested for an unspecified motive. Alfredo Martelli is a cynical man and the lack of communication between the characters keeps the atmosphere dark and gloomy. The black and white cinematography on the restored DVD is magnificent. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "O Assassino" ("The Assassin")

A slow moving although artistic triumph in most aspects, the cinematography is excellent and the background music is not only appropriate but also essential in establishing the mood and atmosphere of the film. In terms of plot, it is rather interesting as a story of feelings of guilt and police interrogation, yet in seems a little short in plot substance, as at times the material really drags. The melding of flashbacks could also be improved on, as it is hard to distinguish between thoughts, memories and reality. However, the overall experience is excellent and the factors I've mention do not severely affect it, but it is not nearly perfect as a film.