On Wed, 13 Apr 1994, Alan Sondheim wrote:

 

> Recently I saw the first film by Louis Malle with an English title

> something like "The Elevator and the Gallows" - I was astounded! &

> felt almost an entire course could be based around it; it had an edge

> in terms of playing with/creating stereotypes - reminded me of "Alpha-

> ville" in some ways. The complexity of the plot appeared to be

> produced by a chance/machine; film noir was turned inside-out, etc. I

> highly recommend it.

 

Alan, the american names (there are more than one) of the films are

ESCALATOR TO THE GALLOWS or ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS (both have been used

as translations of the original French title, which was ASCENSEUR POUR

L'ECHAFAUD) and FRANTIC. While it has been available on video for some

years in poor PD tapes that look duped from beat-up 16mm prints, New

Yorker video recently re-released it (at quite a price hike) in a decent

tape under the name ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS.

 

                                        Yours in Cinema,

                                        Sean the Ax