"A completely different kind of samurai film. Actually, it’s a French gangster movie. It’s clear that director Jean-Pierre Melville digs old American gangster movies and filters that affection into creating his own unique genre. This is my favorite of his films. I first saw this baby when it was rereleased in theaters a few years ago, and was completely entranced."

"In his top ten, Jean-Pierre Gorin tells you about John Ford’s praise of Jean Renoir. I’ll try to top his story: One day, Mizoguchi was asked who his favorite filmmaker was. “Ozu,” he answered without hesitation. And the journalist asked him why. “Because what he does is much more difficult than what I do.” (Needless to say that those six Mizoguchis in the Criterion Collection are priceless and were among Ozu’s favorite films.)"

"I first heard 'Frank Sinatra' when Erasure where recording the album Erasure in 1994 at the Strongroom in Shoreditch East London, which has now become metrosexual electro Grand Central. I love her completely nonchalant don't give a fuck attitude on Hollywood Star, it kind of reminds me of my pre-Erasure work with Pierre Cope - very minimal. On 'Frank Sinatra' she sounds like a Russian Mafia gangster that would kill you stone dead. They're also brilliant live."

"No list would be complete without shouting out some of the UKHC bands that made up the scene I got into in the late 90s. Knuckledust and Imbalance were the kings of the scene, for me (honorable mentions for Canvas and Stampin' Ground too). Pierre and I had our differences at times (ha!) but Knuckledust still fucking slay when they're at their best, as they were on this record. Yeah yeah, it's an EP, fuck off."

"I’d read Scorsese, Tarantino, and Jarmusch raving about Jean-Pierre Melville for years. Then I read how Paul Thomas Anderson’s brilliant first movie, Hard Eight, was an homage to Melville’s Bob le flambeur. I had to see one of his movies but couldn’t track them down at my local Tulsa video store. My first night in L.A., I walked down to the newly opened Cinephile video store and rented all of them! Le doulos is my favorite. It’s one tough-guy movie. Great ending!"