Trevor Berrett

Trevor Berrett is the editor of The Mookse and the Gripes

Jules Dassin: Night and the City

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In the late 1940s, Hollywood director Jules Dassin made a string of fine films noir. However, he was blacklisted and, as quickly as he could, travelled to London to continue his film career before it was put to death. There he directed 1950’s Night and the City. Today, The Criterion Collection has upgraded their old DVD release of the film, and you can pick it up in a lovely new edition. Trevor reviews the film and the new Criterion Blu-ray. Read the full post.

Anton Chekhov: The Prank

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This week NYRB Classics published Anton Chekhov’s The Prank, the first book Chekhov put together and tried to publish when he was only twenty-two years old. But he failed, thanks to the censors, and the book was never published: until now, in English, the first time in any language. Translated from the Russian by Maria Bloshteyn and accompanied by illustrations by Chekhov’s brother Nikolai, The Prank is not only an important book but also an absolute delight on its own, outside of its historical magnitude and the magnitude of its author. This is no mere curiosity. Read the full post.