Based on the novel by Henri "Papillon" Charrière - a petty thief wrongly imprisoned for murder at a French penitentiary on Devil's Island, makes numerous attempts to escape. If you know the story, you know he makes it out, but how Papillon deals with prison life mentally, as well as his relations with fellow inmates, makes it that much more intriguing to watch. I also loved the attention to detail - specifically close-ups on bugs & animals - clever cinematography that kept it fresh and didn't make you think "Uhh I am watching a 2 & 1/2 hour prison/escape flick." Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen both were fantastic, Hoffman's character adding comic relief tastefully, with Steve McQueen showing everyone what a man he is too. If this is not your genre, watch it at least for the drop-dead gorgeousness of McQueen and that famous cliff-jumping scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment