Films like The American Soldier.

The American Soldier (1970) reads as Sombre, measured, measured crime / drama, grounded in texture. Nihilistic, intimate, cold. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

Pale Flower (1964) poster
1. Pale Flower1964

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Padatik (1973) poster
2. Padatik1973

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Killing ofa ChineseBookie — repeat guard1976
3. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie — repeat guard1976

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Gods of the Plague (1970) poster
4. Gods of the Plague1970

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Shooting (1966) poster
5. The Shooting1966

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Knife in the Water (1962) poster
6. Knife in the Water1962

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) poster
7. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie1976

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the unmistakable directorial hand; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

The AmericanFriend —repeat guard1977
8. The American Friend — repeat guard1977

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Tristana (1970) (1970) poster
9. Tristana1970

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Le Boucher (1970) poster
10. Le Boucher1970

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the patient, unhurried pace — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

La Noire de... (Black Girl) (1966) poster
11. La Noire de... (Black Girl)1966

Keeps the patient, unhurried pace and the unmistakable directorial hand; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

Une Femme Douce (1969) poster
12. Une Femme Douce1969

Keeps the unmistakable directorial hand and the bone-dry seriousness; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

These are The American Soldier’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

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