You are not alone amigo.
Its very stylish, but besides that the film is not spectacular in any way.
I do like the film, I just don’t think its as good as many people think.
I agree with Mortimer, the first part of Le cercle rouge is much better than the second, and you’re right, a remake is in process, and is to be directed by Johnnie To.
The Melville film I’m going to get a chance to see is The Red Circle. I’ve heard good things about it, so I am looking foreward to viewing the movie.
Having watched all 14 films of Melville, I would rank them like this:
- “L’Armée des ombres” - 6/6
- “Le Doulos” - 6/6
- “Le Deuxième Souffle” - 6/6
- “Le Silence de la mer” - 6/6
- “Le Cercle rouge” - 5/6
- “Le Samouraï” - 5/6
- “Léon Morin, prêtre” - 5/6 (I’ve to rewatch this)
- “Un flic” - 5/6
- “Bob le flambeur” - 4/6
- “Deux Hommes dans Manhattan” - 4/6 (I’ve to rewatch this)
- “Les Enfants terribles” - 4/6 (I’ve to rewatch this)
- “Quand tu liras cette lettre” - 3/6 (I’ve to rewatch this)
- “L’Aîné des Ferchaux” - 3/6
- “Vingt-quatre heures de la vie d’un clown” - 3/6
The ranking will definitely change in time, but the fact is that Melville hasn’t made a single bad film. 4-5 of his films are among my all-time favorites, and I consider them as being cinematic masterpieces.
No love for Bob?
My absolute favorites of modern Asian cinema are Edward Yang, Hong Sang-soo and Tsai Ming-liang! Anyone who agree?
I’m quite divided there, and it’ll probably also need a rewatch, but a 4/6 rating also represents a good film in my book.
The ending is one of my favorite Melville endings though! 
I absolutely agree with you on that!
By Edward Yang, I have only seen YI YI and A BRIGHT SUMMER DAY.
Of Hong Sang-Soo’s works I have seen WOMAN IS THE FUTURE OF MAN, WOMAN ON THE BEACH, and NIGHT AND DAY.
And by Tsai Ming-Liang I have seen GOOD-BYE, DRAGON INN, WHAT TIME IS IT OVER THERE? and THE RIVER.
Of the three directors I have to say that I like Tsai Ming-Liang the best. But, frankly speaking, I would not call myself a fan of any of the three. They are wonderful artists and more than competent filmmakers—but, I don’t find the stories they chose to tell all that interesting.
I can certainly see why and how someone would rank these fine directors among their favorites.
But, they just aren’t to my taste.
Old list…
[quote=“John Welles, post:52, topic:2038”]1. Orson Welles
2. John Huston
3. Sergio Leone
4. Alfred Hitchcock
5. Stanley Kubrick
6. David Lean
7. Fritz Lang
8. Sidney Lumet
9. Howard Hawks/Ingmar Bergman
10. George Lucas/Carol Reed (because of “The Third Man”/Billy Wilder[/quote]
New list…
- Orson Welles (Best film: “Citizen Kane”)
- Sergio Leone (Best film: “Once Upon a Time in the West”/Once Upon a Time in America")
- Ingmar Bergman (Best film: “Wild Strawberries”)
- Alfred Hitchcock (Best film: “Vertigo”)
- Fritz Lang (Best film: “M”)
- Sam Peckinpah (Best film: “The Wild Bunch”)
- David Lean (Best film: “Lawrence of Arabia”)
- John Huston (Best film: “The Maltese Falcon”)
- Stanley Kubrick (Best film: “2001: A Space Odyssey”)
- Sergei Eisenstein (Best film: “October”)
My first list was created on the spur of the moment, while the new one has been thought about for quite a while. It’s a shame that I wasn’t able to include George Lucas or Powell and Pressburger, but I’m happy with this new list. Also, I only included directors that I had seen three or more films by, so as to have a fairly good idea what their career was like, hence no Tarkovsky or Wyler.
I personally find it hard to enjoy Wild Strawberries after seeing Bergman’s more fucked up films
Top 5 Bergman:
- Persona
- The Virgin Spring
- The Seventh Seal
- The Silence
- Cries and Whispers
[quote=“The Gringo, post:170, topic:2038”]I personally find it hard to enjoy Wild Strawberries after seeing Bergman’s more fucked up films
Top 5 Bergman:
- Persona
- The Virgin Spring
- The Seventh Seal
- The Silence
- Cries and Whispers[/quote]
Well, to be honest, I’ve only seen “early” Bergman, so my favorite is either Wild Strawberries or The Seventh Seal. I gave Wild Strawberries the edge simply because it effected me more.
[quote=“John Welles, post:169, topic:2038”]Old list…New list…
- Orson Welles (Best film: “Citizen Kane”)
- Sergio Leone (Best film: “Once Upon a Time in the West”/Once Upon a Time in America")
- Ingmar Bergman (Best film: “Wild Strawberries”)
- Alfred Hitchcock (Best film: “Vertigo”)
- Fritz Lang (Best film: “M”)
- Sam Peckinpah (Best film: “The Wild Bunch”)
- David Lean (Best film: “Lawrence of Arabia”)
- John Huston (Best film: “The Maltese Falcon”)
- Stanley Kubrick (Best film: “2001: A Space Odyssey”)
- Sergei Eisenstein (Best film: “October”)[/quote]
I prefer your new list to your old one. (don’t like Lang very much)
Best Bergman films are imo The Hour of the Wolf and Persona.
Actually, if you look at my old list, Lang was at No. 7, where he’s at No. 5 now! 
Well, Stanton is knows for his odd preferences …
What’s odd on not liking Fritz Lang very much?
Scherp, aren’t you the one who does not like Hitchcock very much?
And Hitch is a titan compared to old Fritz. 
[quote=“Stanton, post:175, topic:2038”]What’s odd on not liking Fritz Lang very much?
Scherp, aren’t you the one who does not like Hitchcock very much?
And Hitch is a titan compared to old Fritz. ;)[/quote]
I know, but that was not what I was referring to
I referred to the non sequitur between the two posts: you saying you liked the second list better, while Lang - the one you don’t like - was actually higher on it; (if I’m not mistaken, John referred to this non sequitur too).
Don’t like Lang very much either.
New list for me as well. Hadn’t given much thought to it the first time around. And now, I have a better eye for directorial skill I think.
Sergio Leone - Has the ability to direct scenes very well in general. But he is sort of reminiscent of Hannibal Barca (Carthaginian general) who knew how to win the battle but not the war. and sometimes, Leone’s endings are a little too drawn out when a sudden end may (or may not) have done better to his films. But on a whole, he is a very skilled director.
Joel and Ethan Coen - They have a wonderful ability to tell stories. Strange, grotesque, violent stories. Yet Somehow, finding humor in some of the most horrible of things. Such as in A Serious Man where a minor character suffers a stroke. Yet in this film, it is a funny scene. They are also wonderful with suspense and sudden violence.
Quentin Tarantino - Like Leone, he has the great ability to direct scenes. But unlike Leone, his focus is much more on dialogue. Which is another one of his skills. Funny, cheesy, dialogue. And his strong sense of style is a breath of fresh air in a modern movie industry where most of the directors seem to have a stick up their asses.
Clint Eastwood - A wonderful and powerful director who’s films always seem to have a strong emotional connection with the audience. Telling the story well and getting wonderful performances from the actors. And apparently, a very economical director usually delivering films ahead of schedule and under budget.
Mel Gibson - Controversial yet undeniably brilliant as his films are so different than the ordinary Hollywood actioner or Rom Com. Telling unique and interesting stories with an unmerciful eye and remarkable skill for capturing the time period.
Orson Welles - One of films most important directors, Welles has an unmistakable eye for great visuals and interesting stories. All well told with great performances.
That’s all…for now
Non sequitur was a word I had to check.
That wasn’t unclear. But if it had been unclear it wouldn’t had been an “odd preference”. More an error in reasoning or a stupidity.
I only wanted to say that Lang is the least favourite of the new list (while I like the other 9 more or less), or let’s say the only one I don’t care for, even if I like many of his films to a certain degree. Somehow all of Lang’s films are less interesting than their reputation might suggest, and so I haven’t a single one of his movies on VHS or DVD. And M is next to Treasure of the Sierra Madre the film which at first springs to my mind if I’m talking about overrated Classics.
I haven’t seen ‘M’ in years, but it’ll always be one of those films that scared the hell out of me when I was young
Peter Lorre haunted me for days
The rest of Mr. Lang’s oeuvre doesn’t really interest me, I’ve seen several of his movies, some were okay, but not very special
Some major changes in my list (in the last couple of months) have already been made… 
Andrej Tarkovskij (1932-1986)
Béla Tarr (1955-)
Carl Th. Dreyer (1889-1968)
Hong Sang-soo (1960-)
Marcel L’Herbier (1888-1979)
Peter Greenaway (1942-)
Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945-1982)
Robert Bresson (1901-1999)
Satyajit Ray (1921-1992)
Šarūnas Bartas (1964-)