#11. Carlos the Jackal
Director: Olivier Assayas
Writer(s): Dan Franck and Assayas
Producers: Daniel Leconte and Jens Meurer
Distributor: IFC Films
The Gist: Carlos the Jackal traces the life of Carlos (currently serving a life sentence in a French prison) from 1973-1994. Full of violence and secret-service manipulation, the story includes the 1974 bomb attack on the Publicis Drugstore in Paris, the 1975 hostage-taking of 11 OPEC ministers in Vienna and several planned assassinations. All this unfolds against a geopolitical backdrop encompassing the PLO, Japanese Red Army, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, the USSR, East German Stasi, Hungary, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and, finally, Sudan where Carlos was arrested.….(more)
Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Farid Elouardi, Alexander Beyer and Anna Thalbach
Why is it on the list?: No one from Hollywood has managed to get the elusive Carlos jus right, I think might get him right. I’m glad this is going to Assayas — whose picture-perfect and poignant Summer Hours has officially converted me into a fan of his once again (I had issues with a trio of his films).
Release Date/Status?: The three-part TV movie (for French audiences) then turned into a 2 hour theatrical film. Not sure what the plans are for IFC – they have something pegged for March.
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