Buy The Third Man!

I'm way behind on...everything...apartment searching has pretty much become everything.

BUT...I noticed this and had to make a note of it. The Criterion Collection has, apparently, lost the rights to Carol Reed's The Third Man, one of the finest, most perfect films ever made. On the commentary track on the DVD and Blu-Ray, Steven Soderbergh pointed out that you could learn everything you need to know about making a movie by studying this film. Tony Gilroy pointed out that there are many films that aren't as good as people say they are; The Third Man is better than people say it is.

I really can't say enough good things about it. It's never boring, always entertaining, beautiful to look at, expertly written, brilliantly performed, features some of the finest direction you're likely to see...I'm telling you, it is a perfect film.

Chances are this will reach no one, but if it gets at least one person, then so be it. Rent it if you must; buy it if you can. The disc is well worth the purchase - aside from the Soderbergh/Gilroy commentary, there's a great scholarly commentary by Dana Polan, an introduction by Peter Bogdonavich, and a shitload of other special features I haven't even gotten to yet. The Blu-Ray is one of the reasons I own a Blu-Ray player, but I'm sure the DVD is a fine piece of work itself.

Just do whatever you have to in order to see it.


More details on the discs.

To buy.