This isn't a movie that wastes any time, it's filled to the brim with immediacy and action from the opening credit to the traumatic finale. Political parties are torn apart by secrecy and conspiracy as a tightly controlled population begins to violently demand their freedom. All at once strange, and yet as vaguely familiar as last night's dream, Z is the 1969 handiwork of director Constantin Costa-Gavras. This 1970 Academy Award Best Foreign Film winner is a simultaneous declaration against tyranny and a call to arms; the fast-paced film angrily announces within the first few moments that any resemblance to real events is not accidental, it is deliberate.

Z is French in form and tone, though the subject matter is decidedly Greek, a thinly veiled confrontation of the 1963 assassination of Greek political figure Gregoris Lambrakis. The government's attempts to quietly dispose of the movement, and then cover up the assassination of this leader (Yves Montand) are investigated by a sharp-eyed journalist (Jacques Perrin) as well as a magistrate (Jean-Louis Trintignant) determined to uncover the truth. The ending of the film is chilling, as even though information surfaces proving the truth of the murder, the strength of the military dictatorship is stronger, reinforcing the existing fear of the oppressed that institution might always prevail against individuals.

Born from the kind of oppression that is foreign to the American mind, a fear of government and the inability to trust anyone around you, Z is terrifying and unfamiliar territory. Costa-Gavras builds tension through sheer turmoil and massive amounts of people, the fear of the unknown, and the terror of conspiracy. His anger at the events that took place in his homeland of Greece is palpable and comes across in every stark word and deed. Eloquently capturing the chaotic and violent nature of the political unrest prevalent in the early '60s, it simultaneously recalls the shock of America's own political assassinations. Any film that is based on real events is limited -- limited by the collective yet distant memory of reality, and limited by any attempts to maintain this familiar tie to reality. Though the particulars of the situation of Z are unfamiliar to us, the notion of a political party thrown into confusion by the elimination of their leader is not. The title is particularly intriguing to me: not only is it a rallying cry, but the letter itself brings to mind finality, a definite end.

The film-to-digital transfer is beautiful, overseen by the cinematographer himself, and the cleaned up image is treated to newly improved subtitles. Included on the DVD is an interview with director Costa-Gavras documenting his process in bringing together the different elements of the film, a window into his decision-making and the development of Z. The quick and vibrant cinematography is deconstructed in a separate interview with Raoul Coutard. This particular release is interview heavy, with old and new interviews from the stars, the producers, the actors, and the author of the original book that inspired it all, also titled Z. Armond White pens the essay, and though usually the highlight of any Criterion release, this particular one falls flat. Hard to read, more like a textbook entry than an informative intriguing essay, I found myself struggling to pay attention as the entire endeavor became increasingly like a complicated school project. The essay does offer up a few important facts, including the origin of the title ("from the ancient Greek verb zei, meaning "he lives," had become a rallying cry for Lambrakis's supporters"). The art direction of the pamphlet and DVD case underlines a clear objective, dedicated to not detracting from the finished work.

Criterion is well advised to undertake these projects of preservation while the subjects involved are still alive and well. Z is interesting because of the differences in the archival interviews and those done in 2009. Costa-Gavras is capable of commenting on the film with more understanding and wisdom than perhaps his 1969 self was capable of conveying. This preservation and documentation of the past become more important in our fast-paced digital age, and once again, Criterion leads the way.

Z is available now from the Criterion Collection.

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