Blu-ray
The story of a three day pass
Call Number
- BLU-RAY DRAMA (CEN)
Edition
Blu-ray special edition.
Languages
In English or French, with optional English subtitles; English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Performers
Harry Baird, Nicole Berger, Christian Marin, Pierre Doris.
Publication Information
[Irvington, NY] : Criterion Collection, [2021]
Physical Description
1 videodisc (86 minutes) : sound, black and white ; 4 3/4 in.
Audience
Not rated.
Summary
"Melvin Van Peebles's edgy, angsty, romantic first feature could never have been made in America. Unable to break into segregated Hollywood, Van Peebles decamped to Paris, taught himself French, and wrote a number of books in the language, one of which, La permission, grew out of the story for his stylistically innovative The Story of a Three Day Pass. Turner, an African American soldier stationed in France, is granted a promotion and a three-day leave from base by his casually racist commanding officer and heads to Paris, where he finds whirlwind romance with a white woman--but what happens to their love when his furlough is over? Channeling the brash exuberance of the French New Wave, Van Peebles creates an exploration of the psychology of an interracial relationship as well as a commentary on France's contradictory attitudes about race that is playful, sarcastic, and stingingly subversive by turns, and that laid the foundation for the scorched-earth cinematic revolution he would let loose just a few years later"--Container.
Notes
Based on the novel La permission by Melvin Van Peebles.
Originally released as a motion picture in 1967.
Disc originally released as part of the 5-disc set Melvin Van Peebles essential films.
Special features: 4K digital restoration, approved by filmmaker Mario Van Peebles in collaboration with IndieCollect, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack ; introduction by Melvin Van Peebles from 1997 ; new conversation between producer and Black Filmmaker Foundation founder Warrington Hudlin and filmmaker and music historian Nelson George ; interview from 1968 with Van Peebles from the television program Black Journal ; episode of the French television show Pour le plaisir from 1968, featuring on-set interviews with Van Peeples and actors Harry Baird and Nicole Berger ; three short films by Van Peebles: Sunlight (1957), Three pickup men for Herrick (1957), and Les cinq cent balles (1961) ; trailer ; new English subtitle translation.