Listen to me, baby, that's all you gotta do

My stupid back's better today. Okay, there was some grunting and grumbling while I tried to get out of chairs, but nothing too serious. And after sitting for a long period of time, I tend to walk like an old man (shuffling along with the grumbling) for about three minutes. I continued the pills and heat. I'll be fine by Monday, I'm sure. If not, then the dread Doctor.

Ever been really anxious to do something or see something, that when the chance finally came, you weren't sure you wanted to? I've being waiting over 10 years to see this film



It's a French gangster film called Le Samourai (1967) It's directed by Jean-Pierre Meville and stars Alain Delon as hitman with a rigourous code of ethics who is betrayed by his employers. John Woo cites it as the major influence on his masterpiece The Killer (1989) - imdb.com goes so far as to call The Killer a remake. Back in university I discovered John Woo (along with about a thousand other directors); I love The Killer, and I had always heard about how incredible and influential Le Samourai is. I knew I'd love Le Samourai too.

So I tried to track it down. And I failed. It wasn't the typical "Blockbuster fare." I did come across a tape of it in a store in Winnipeg, but didn't have time to rent it. When I returned, it was out and it remained out for weeks. I didn't want to get so crappy 3rd generation copy from a tape trader or a version taped off a French channel (CBC did air it once, but my French is limited to "Good morning" and "I like hamburgers"), I wanted as pristine a print as possible with proper subtitles.

This year, with some birthday money, I ordered the new Criterion edition of Le Samourai . It arrived Tuesday. I carefully unwrapped the plastic and removed the stickers. I opened the case and read the 48-page booklet. I put the disc into the DVD player... and couldn't bring myself to watch it. This has been a 10 year journey, a 10 year journey that will end the moment I press "play" on the remote control. Is the greatest joy in the wanting, the expectation?