Paul Schrader, hot off writing the scripts for Martin Scorsese’s immortal classics Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, stepped into the director’s chair for the third time with 1980’s American Gigolo, a gripping tale of intrigue and deception set against the backdrop of sultry late-70s Los Angeles and starring Richard Gere in a breakthrough performance.
In a world of wealth and desire, high-end male escort Julian Kay (Gere) offers his love and attention to women in need. But when a client, the wife of a sadistic finance magnate, is found dead, all eyes turn to Julian as the prime suspect. Realizing he’s being framed, Julian races to prove his innocence, determined to unravel the mystery behind the setup. As he digs deeper into the case, he embarks on a journey that forces him to confront his own identity.
What We Thought:
American Gigolo is a film I’ve always assumed I had seen. I wouldn’t have been old enough to watch it when it first came out, but as one of the defining films of Richard Gere’s career, I thought I had seen it. After watching this new 4K remastered edition (available in 4K or Blu-ray) I clearly had not.
With a name like American Gigolo one would expect the movie to be about a gigolo or sex work. It is, Gere does play a man for hire, but it’s also a crime drama about a murder that Gere gets framed for. There are politicians and rich people involved and it is very much what you expect from a late 1970s/early 1980s era drama.
That era’s aesthetics is what makes the movie for me. Gere is in peak shape wearing clothing by Armani as he is hired to please an older clientele expecting the best of the best. He drives the right car. He’s seen at the right restaurants. He listens to the right music. Unlike American Psycho which took place in the 1980s, but was filmed in the 1990s, American Gigolo was shot and released in the era it portrays capturing that time period flawlessly.
Being a crime drama completely caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting a hooker with a heart of gold rom-com ala Pretty Woman, but I certainly wasn’t expecting murder in Hollywood. I like that there’s more to it than just a good looking dude going to bed with upper class women though. I think that would have grown tiresome especially watching it by today’s standards. In reality it’s actually a timeless film in that the rich elite are weirdos who will easily frame a nobody because they can. Gere’s character is a gigolo, he has no family, no real friends, it’s easy to pin a crime on him and the cops will turn a blind eye towards the elites who are really the criminals. It could easily be the 1980s or 1990s or any time in the 2000s.
American Gigolo is still a respected film 40+ years later and I can see why. I didn’t love the exact ending and I’m sure it’s been divisive since its release, but for a film I clearly thought was going to be much different, it’s a solid drama. Gere is great in the role and it helped kick open more doors for him. If you like that era of excessiveness and haven’t caught this I recommend it. If you are a fan, the 4K and Blu-ray remasters are jam packed with bonus features like interviews, commentary and more.
American Gigolo is a feast for the senses thanks to cinematography by John Bailey and costume design by Giorgio Armani, not to mention a soundtrack courtesy of “Father of Disco” Giorgio Moroder including the Grammy-nominated anthem “Call Me” by Blondie. Co-starring Lauren Hutton, Héctor Elizondo and Bill Duke, American Gigolo is presented here in a brand new 4K remaster and packed with bonus features.
Bonus Features:
- Brand new 4K remaster from the original negative by Arrow Films
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Original mono, stereo and 5.1 audio options
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary with film critic Adrian Martin
- Brand new interview with writer/director Paul Schrader
- Six Ways to Sunday, a brand new interview with actor Héctor Elizondo on detecting his character
- The Business of PLEASURE, a brand new interview with actor Bill Duke on Leon’s profession
- Montages and Monologues, a brand new interview with editor Richard Halsey on putting American Gigolo together
- The Non-Conformist, a brand new interview with camera operator King Baggot on American Gigolo
- Man Machine, a brand new interview with music supervisor & KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox on the music of Giorgio Moroder
- American Icon, a brand new interview with Professor Jennifer Clark on American Gigolo and the fashion landscape of the 80s
- Original trailer
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket
- Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket
- Six postcard-sized reproduction artcards
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Neil Sinyard, an archival article by Bill Nichols, and original pressbook materials
The Nerds Templar 