Arrow Video
4K UHD Release: Jun 18th, 2024
Video: 1.85:1/2160p/Color
Audio: English LPCM 1.0 Mono, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
Run Time: 116:35
Director: Paul Schrader
At a glance, Julian Kay (Richard Gere) has the life that many men would probably claim they wanted to live: he is a well-paid gigolo for upper-class older women, living out of a hotel without a care in the world. He has no deeper emotional ties to the women he sleeps with, coming and going as he pleases -- most likely into another beautiful woman's bed. However, Julian's life is about to be thrown into disarray, by two wildly divergent events. Julian's old pimp, Leon (Bill Duke) asks him to fill in on a gig involving a rich couple in Palm Springs, which turns out to be a "rough trick," when the man's demands get violent. At the same time, Julian finds himself in an actual relationship with Michelle (Lauren Hutton), the lonely wife of a politician.
Few films are as suited for rediscovery in the "vibes" era of the 2020s than American Gigolo. They say time is a flat circle, and while the present day is arguably as much the result of the social and political environment of the1980s as it is a reflection of or return to it (well, unless you're a member of the 1%), there's a Venn diagram overlap between then and now that grows out of a certain "live for the moment" nihilism. It's easy to imagine doom-and-gloom young people understanding the emotionless, detached way that Julian approaches his work and life. For Julian, this stems from self-image and how he uses his lifestyle and his skill at attracting women to define himself, but beneath that, there is a lack of self-confidence in his ability to form a deeper, more meaningful connection that audiences today, coming to the table with a pessimistic outlook of the future, can potentially relate to. (No wonder Paramount tried, unsuccessfully, to reboot it as a TV show for Showtime in 2022.)
First and foremost, American Gigolo is a study in atmosphere. Right from the opening minutes, as the synth-rock chords of Blondie and Giorgio Moroder's iconic collaboration "Call Me" kick in during the opening credits, over footage of Julian speeding along the sunny California coastlines in his Mercedes, decked out in Armani suits, visiting his clientele, Schrader captures the energy of a man living his life on the razor's edge (even if Julian doesn't fully recognize or acknowledge it). Julian looks cool and carefree, and yet there is already faint tense undertone, like the feeling of having a breath caught in the throat. Even before Julian finds himself in the "rough trick" set up by Leon, it's obvious that Julian cannot sustain his lifestyle forever, whether that's due to the way he treats his former mentor and clientele hook-up Anne (Nina van Pallandt), the flimsiness of the rules he's built for himself as a form of protection, or his obvious hope that he will eventually smooth talk his way into the upper-crust world that he operates in.
Enter Michelle, who he hones in on in a bar after one of his usual hook-ups. At first, Julian resists, knowing there's a danger in fooling around with a politician's wife, but where other women are easy for Julian to understand and manipulate, Michelle not only pushes back against his usual set of moves, she also clearly yearns for something more significant than a one-night stand. Despite his concerns, Julian begins to see her for his own reasons rather than viewing her as a client, a decision that makes him vulnerable. In one of the movie's most well-remembered scenes, Julian describes helping a lonely housewife have her first orgasm in years, telling Michelle that he felt like he'd actually accomplished something by doing so. Is Julian trying to convince himself of his worth in a disposable, materialistic world? Does he actually believe it, or might it even be true? Schrader is less concerned with the answers than he is with the questions, as is often is when it comes to men who define themselves by their specific and unique talents. The scene also reveals how little pleasure Julian takes for himself, something that threatens to drive a wedge between him and Michelle. "I love to be with you. I love it when you kiss me, and when you touch me," she tells him, "but when you make love, you go to work." Hutton is outstanding in the role, conveying a complex mix of desire and playfulness with an emotional fragility and loneliness built up over years of marriage, and her scenes with Gere humanize Julian, coaxing a man who is all about image out of his shell. American Gigolo was notable upon its release in 1980 for showing Gere fully nude, but it is a natural extension of Schrader's thematic ideas.
Throughout Julian and Michelle's courtship, Julian continues to work, but the walls begin to close in after the woman from his "rough trick" turns up dead, and a Detective Sunday (Hector Elizondo) starts poking around Julian, looking for more answers about what went on during Julian's visit. Before long, it becomes clear that someone is trying to frame Julian for the murder, and the limits of Julian's conditional entry into the world of the rich and powerful become clear when his client (K Callan) declines to provide him with an alibi for the night in question. Leon agrees to provide one, but wants Julian to come back and work for him and take on male clientele. Throughout, Schrader never lets that atmosphere established at the beginning of the film wane, only spiral from an exhilarating high into a dizzying, sweaty low. Many may miss it, thanks to Schrader's canny inversion of the femme fatale and the backgrounding of the murder mystery (especially because it's less important who committed the crime and more important who put Julian in the frame for it), but American Gigolo is a neo-noir, and Julian's desperation brings those genre trappings into sharp relief -- and underlines that uncertainty about the future that makes the film as relevant to audiences today as it was in 1980.
Video
According to Arrow's website, American Gigolo arrives on 4K UHD armed with a brand-new remaster from the negative completed by the label themselves. A glance at the screencaps suggests Paramount's 2016 Blu-ray offered a fairly organic-looking transfer, but it is also evident that this new 4K version blows it out of the water in terms of the additional fine detail and clarity offered by the new scan. Grain is also richly evident throughout, contrast is perfect, and colors are perfect, showing no signs of modern revisionism in the blues and skin tones -- across the board, this is a reference-quality video presentation, and one of the best-looking 4K UHD releases I've seen so far in 2024.
Audio
Three different audio options are on tap. The film's original theatrical mono mix is up first, which sounds fine, if a little muted. In any case, it is always appreciated to have the original theatrical mix for purist's sake. I am unclear on the source of the 2.0 stereo track, as IMDb does not list anything other than the mono track as a theatrical mix, but of the three options, this is the one I spent most of the film listening to, as it has a boldness and clarity that helps the movie envelop the viewer into the movie's atmosphere, without feeling too overdone. The last track, a 5.1 remix, is presumably the same one that was included on Paramount/Warner Bros.'s 2016 release.
Extras
Eight years after that previous release offered zero extras, Arrow has splurged on a seven brand-new interviews, conducted in 2023 and 2024, plus a commentary track, for fans to enjoy.
Audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin - Martin discusses the differences between his initial impressions of the film back when it was released and now, Schrader's influences, including Robert Bresson and Jean-Pierre Melville (as well as connecting a somewhat obvious dot to William Friedkin's Cruising), how the film fits in the noir genre, Schrader's technique, the themes of the film, what was going on in the industry at the time, and lots of insight into how the filmmaking services Julian's character arc. He segues in and out of general facts and observations as well as direct commentary on what's happening on screen. A very scholarly and perhaps somewhat dry commentary, but quite informative.
"Below the Surface" Interview with writer/director Paul Schrader (19:37)Â - Schrader speaks about the concept of the script, from the actual inspiration in a film class to the surface-focused approach and inspirations like The Conformist and Pickpocket, and the way the film arrived at a perfect moment in the 1980s to capitalize on several trends and styles that were in vogue to become his first commercial success. He also talks about the actual making of the film, including the replacement of John Travolta with Richard Gere (a story that seems a bit more timely, a day or so after Joaquin Phoenix bailed on director Todd Haynes' newest movie), full frontal male nudity, how the aspiration to make Los Angeles feel European influenced the film's landmark style in both look and sound, his thoughts on the ending of the movie (as well as how this relates to the ending of Schrader's Light Sleeper), and the commercial nature of sex/nudity in the movies. Lastly, he talks a bit about his upcoming film Oh, Canada, which reunites him with Gere.
"Six Ways to Sunday" Interview with actor Hector Elizondo (10:46) - Elizondo, who is lively and to-the-point, starts out by talking about his path into the business and some of his early work, before segueing into his involvement with American Gigolo. Diving into the film itself, Elizondo goes through his memories of Schrader, Gere, and cinematographer John Bailey, then digs into his character and how he fits into the film, both as a story and in terms of the look and style of the picture, and what he thought of the character as written by Schrader, as well as his own interpretation of Sunday. He wraps up with his own assessment of the film.
"The Business of Pleasure" Interview with actor Bill Duke (15:26) - Like Elizondo, Duke talks about his introduction to acting before diving into American Gigolo. He speaks at length about the real-life experiences and people he thought of when he read the script, and then drew on when crafting the character, as well as his view of what makes the character tick. He also talks at length about the pleasures of working with Gere (as well as his observations about Gere's level of fame, and his own experiences with having his roles or work remembered) and Schrader. He also discusses working on and shooting his memorable final scene in the film.
"Montages and Monologues" Interview with editor Richard Halsey (7:15) - Halsey chats about his respect for Schrader as an artist going into the project, some of the small ways he contributed to the picture through discussions with Schrader about coverage and work on the titles, as well as his one big regret. He concludes with a nice story about meeting Lauren Hutton sometime after the movie was completed.
"The Non-Conformist" Interview with camera operator King Baggot (25:05) - The longest new piece on the disc by almost ten minutes, Baggot goes into great detail about the design and conceptualization of the look and feel of American Gigolo. He speaks at length about his father's work in the film industry and how he became a news cameraman before making the jump into movies through the assistance of an old friend. He tells a handful of good anecdotes about successes and one failure on the set of the film and what it was like to work with Schrader, and ends with a story about him getting into the guild, the end of which is quite moving.
"Man Machine" Interview with music supervisor & KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox (15:03) - Although Wilcox is credited as a music supervisor, he is a music supervisor in a general sense, and did not work on American Gigolo, making this more of a "general expertise" piece on the impact of the soundtrack, both on Blondie and Moroder, but also on the genre through to today.
"American Icon" Interview with professor Jennifer Clark on the film and the fashion landscape of the 1980s (18:54) - Another "general expertise" piece, this is a great look at the way fashion was used in the film and in the marketing of the film, including the iconic Armani look and how Gere fit into that, as well as how some of the costuming for Lauren Hutton drew on her own past as a model in clever ways that supported the script and its themes.
Image Galleries - Three separate galleries containing a total of 45 images. They are split up into "Stills," "Posters and Press," and "Lobby Cards."
Theatrical Trailer
For the purposes of review, Genre Grinder was sent check discs, but those who purchase this release in Limited Edition form should also receive a hardbox with new artwork by Tommy Pocket (or, if ordered directly from Arrow, the original theatrical poster artwork), a reversible sleeve offering the same two cover options, six postcard-sized cardboard photos, and a collector's booklet featuring new writing by Neal Sinyard, an archival article by Bill Nichols, and original press kit materials.
Conclusion
Although there is a case to be made that Schrader's later film Light Sleeper is a better exploration of the ideas and themes he taps into for American Gigolo, there's no question that this is a remarkable piece of filmmaking, one that brings the viewer into its world and completely envelops them for two hours. Lauren Hutton gives an incredible performance, with breakout star Richard Gere not far behind her, and the movie's overall blend of soundtrack, costuming, and cinematography all congeal into a powerful, indelible atmosphere. Now, thanks to Arrow, viewers can experience the film via a reference-quality 4K UHD presentation, supplemented by a whole raft of very well-done special features. A must-own release that will no doubt turn up in "best of the year" conversations in a few months.
The images on this page are taken from the Blu-ray edition of the same release and sized for the page. Larger versions can be viewed by clicking the images.
Comments