Out 1

Jacques Rivette's 1971 epic Out 1 was a radical experiment in filmmaking and collaborative storytelling, a film completely improvised by the cast from an outline developed by Rivette and Suzanne Schiffman, which was inspired by the History of the Thirteen novels by Honoré de Balzac. The film revels in doubles and reflections: two rival theater groups are each rehearsing a different play by Aeschylus (Prometheus Bound and Seven Against Thebes), two theater group leaders were once lovers, and two street hustlers (Jean-Pierre Léaud and Juliet Berto) stumble into a conspiracy that turns out to be a contemporary cabal (inspired by Balzac)—which includes some of the characters in the film. Even for the French New Wave, this is an unconventional narrative: storylines don't follow any familiar paths and various endeavors fall apart as outside forces and personal anxieties pull at the characters. Yet Rivette's engagement with the actors is palpable, creating energy even in simple conversational scenes, and they act as co-conspirators in his hide-and-seek narratives, where characters circle around conspiracies and play blind man's bluff through mysteries that may have no solution. Out 1, which was produced in the wake of the May 1968 protests in France, is a staggering 13 hours long in its complete form, and was only sporadically screened at festivals and special showings until Carlotta Films restored the complete version in 2015. This deluxe set features the complete original cut plus the shorter four-and-a-half hour version Out 1: Spectre, as well a new retrospective documentary and a booklet. A truly unique film that is also a landmark of French cinema, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)