Directed
by Costa-Gavras, Z was a landmark
thriller from 1969, a political film that pointed to the kinds of pictures
Oliver Stone would make two decades later. It was the first film to be
nominated for both Best Picture and Best Foreign Film the same year (it won the
Oscar for the latter, as well as for its innovative, dynamic editing). The
mostly French production was filmed in Algeria, doubling as Greece—which at the
time would never have allowed the crew to film there.
Based
on true events that occurred in Greece in the early 60s, the story concerns the
government-backed assassination of a pacifist political candidate (played by
Yves Montand) and the subsequent investigation (led by charismatic Jean-Louis
Trintignant) that eventually brought down the chief of police, head of
security, and other government officials. The location is never named in the
film and it really doesn’t matter. Z is
about the corruption of a military regime in any country, and the film was yet another call for peace, justice,
and the end to wars. The movie struck a chord, was a box-office hit, and a
critical darling. It didn’t hurt that it was a nail-biter—a truly suspenseful
and riveting investigative-procedural drama—superbly directed and photographed
on a remarkably low budget.
The
folks at Criterion do their usual excellent job with this release—the
remastered transfer is especially clear and gorgeous, and the sound mix is
perfect. Extras include an enlightening contemporary interview with
Costa-Gavras about the background and making of the film, and vintage
documentaries about the true crime and the movie’s production. Kudos all
around.
