Amazon.com: The 400 Blows: Jean-Pierre L�aud, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy, Guy Decomble: Amazon Instant Video

Product Details

Synopsis: Fran�ois Truffaut's first feature, The 400 Blows (Les quatre cents coups), is also his most personal. Told through the eyes of Truffaut's life-long cinematic counterpart, Antoine Doinel, The 400 Blows sensitively re-creates the trials of Truffaut's own difficult childhood, unsentimentally portraying aloof parents, oppressive teachers, petty crime, and a friendship that would last a lifetime.

Starring: Jean-Pierre L�aud, Claire Maurier

Supporting actors: Albert Remy, Guy Decomble, Georges Flamant

Directed by: François Truffaut

Genre: Crime, Drama

Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes

Release year: 1959

Studio: The Criterion Collection

ASIN: B002QWDG4W (Rental) and B004BQQMEW (Purchase)

Rights & Requirements

Rental rights: 3 day viewing period Details

Purchase rights: Stream instantly and download to 2 locations. Details

Compatible with: Mac and Windows PC online viewing, compatible instant streaming devices, TiVo DVRs. System requirements

Format: Amazon Instant Video (streaming online video and digital download)

Also available on DVD

The 400 Blows (The Criterion Collection) DVD ~ Jean-Pierre L�aud

4.5 out of 5 stars (110) $18.23

Theatrical Release Information

US Theatrical Release Date: November 16, 1959
Production Company: Les Films du Carrosse, Sédif Productions
Filming Locations: Avenue Frochot, Paris 9, Paris, France | Honfleur, Calvados, France | Montmartre, Paris 18, Paris, France | Palais de Chaillot, Paris 16, Paris, France | Paris, France | Pigalle, Paris 9, Paris, France | Rue Fontaine, Paris, France | Sacré Coeur, Paris 18, Paris, France | Tour Eiffel, Champ de Mars, Paris 7, Paris, France

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Customer Reviews

110 Reviews

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (110 customer reviews)

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84 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 400 Blows, May 11, 2004

By

Steven Hellerstedt "SH" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The 400 Blows (DVD)

I've spent decades avoiding THE 400 BLOWS, afraid it was either dark and brooding, or a documentation of child abuse (physical and/or emotional), or an angry and vindictive assault on the authors' of Francois Truffaut's traumatic childhood.
I shouldn't have worried. THE 400 BLOWS is a gentle and compassionate movie. It isn't overwhelmed by its anger, although a few characters, particularly the coming-of-age hero's mother and his school teacher, aren't terribly sympathetic. Being new to THE 400 BLOWS, I found the commentary by Premiere magazine film critic Glen Kenny especially helpful in understanding French New Wave cinema in general and Truffaut in particular. By the way, according to Kenny "400 blows" refers to a French colloquialism similar to the American "paint the town red." It means to give oneself over to every type of excess, and raise a little heck in the process.

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32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True-to-the-Bones-and-Heart Modern Day Dickensian Fable, February 12, 2000

By

Philip B "Fab Four Fan" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 400 Blows (DVD)

The most heart-felt movie I've ever seen is a powerful mix of sharp-eye, hardhitting autobiographical remembrance of a nearly bruised childhood and a celebration of the wide-open, spontaneous and lyrical qualities of cinema to capture pointed truths of family, school and street lives as seen through the curiously haunted eyes of one Antoine Doinel, a modern-day Dickensian hero in a decidedly unglamours Paris, searching, often wrongheadly, for love and acceptance while, almost against himself, challenging the authorial rules imposed on children growing up in conformist post-WWII France. The film's tone is one of anguished bittersweetness and quiet defiance, counterpointed by bursts of joyful freedom and naughty prank playings as shared by many in their pre-adolescenthood. Doniel's friendship with the well-off but neglected Rene is also among the most moving portraits of childhood friendship ever. An unforgettable portrait, a cutting social study, a New Wave classic and Truffaut's best, but most importantly a timeless and univsersal "true" story. And yes, the last freeze, when it comes, is a stunner. Gosh, I just love it! (P.S., this relatively small and quiet masterpiece also happens to be the all-time favorite film of John Woo, imagine!)

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33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Get this one only if you are not interested in all the Doinel films., May 18, 2006

By

Doctor Trance (MA, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)

This review is from: The 400 Blows (The Criterion Collection) (DVD)

However, if you are a fan of this entire film series by Truffaut, then you should spring for the Adventures of Antoine Doinel boxed set. It comes with all the extras found on this disc, plus a bonus disc which features excerpts from a 1961 documentary on Truffaut, which touches on this film, and a promotional art gallery for this film. Neither of these bonus features are found on this disc, nor is the bonus short film, Antoine and Colette, which is on the 400 Blows' disc in the boxed set. Great if you only want this movie, but I'd pay the extra dough as it's well worth it to have the entire Criterion boxed set, which is loaded with extras covering all the other films.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Earth Shattering Film full of Emotion.
The 400 Blows has always been on my "list of movies to see" for at least the past year. Finally, I bought it around the holiday season, but didn't have much time to watch it... Read more

Published 12 days ago by John

5.0 out of 5 stars modern cinema
What Truffaut accomplishes in 400 Blows has never been re-created by him or any other filmmaker that I am aware. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Peter Andronas

3.0 out of 5 stars This is it??
THE 400 BLOWS (originally LES QUATRE CENTS COUPS, 1959) is always hailed as a tour-de-force by Francois Truffaut. Read more