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I guess if @Murdock found it watchable even with missing audio, then it's not much missing plot wise – hopefully not any silly jokes either! Looking forward to watch the film.
Well I was going to watch Walter Hills 'Johnny Handsome', but opted for this instead.
A remake of 'A Fistful of Dollar's', which of course was a remake of Kurosawas 'Yojimbo'!
Originally titled 'Welcome to Jericho', this has Bruce Willis in the lead as the stranger entering a town and playing two rival gangs off one another for profit! Stylishly staged with some explosive gunfights, and character support from Christopher Walken and Bruce Dern! Also has Hills regular music man Ry Cooder on duty, with a punchy main theme, this is enjoyable action flick, though not up there with Hills greats, it's still solid viewing!
Effective, well-directed horror with great creature antagonists and great performances, especially from the younger cast. Doesn't outstay its welcome, has a good heart, and while there are jump scares they are well placed.
One thing I will say is that I found the film's use of music took away from the atmosphere a bit. Krasinski did a good job of establishing mood without it, and it felt far too intrusive at times. And I say that as a fan of Marco Beltrami.
It's been years since I watched this one the last time, and it's just as good as I remembered it - if not even better. Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider are terrific as the two NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau trying to catch Alain Charnier - the narcotics smuggler played by Fernando Rey. It's a thrilling ride, set in a gritty, dirty (very dirty) early 70's NYC. Also, you can't write about this film without mentioning the brilliant car chase sequence. Just incredible!
I've actually never seen this film fully, although I've caught bits on tv over the years. Its reputation precedes it of course, so I'm going to try and get my hands on a decent copy and do a double bill with Ronin sometime. Gene's always great.
Gene Hackman is really at his best in this one. No wonder he won the Academy Award for "Best Actor" for his portrayal of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle.
The film also won the awards for "Best Picture", "Best Director", "Best Adapted Screenplay" and "Best Film Editing" (along with several nominations). Something the Oscars got right.
I agree @Fire_and_Ice_Returns. I recall him getting some positive comments for his performance and I was quite surprised about that when I saw the film. Glad I'm not alone in thinking he was useless.
Thanks @MajorDSmythe. I'll pick that one up too.
An incredible documentary in the form of a film essay about the nature of the artistic production, made by Orson Welles. From a man who directed, written and starred in the leading role in the most important film of all time, CITIZEN KANE, when he was 25 YEARS OLD you couldn't expected anything less than a breakthrough masterpiece of a documentary. Still, not for every tastes.
Well, yes is certainly a strange and cryptic feature, speaking about filmaking style. But it's a kind of free-form sort of film essay so charming and so inventive that basically leaves you with the idea that you never saw something like this before.
Great film, @Torgeirtrap but I do prefer the sequel, French Connection 2 where Doyle is a stranger in a strange land as he tracks Charnier to Marseilles. With brutal action and Doyle turned into a junkie this is a cracking thriller with a heart racing climax.
Oh absolutely, it's very, very unique in that sense. I could probably use another viewing of it eventually.
If you are interested, November 2 will come out the highly anticipated restored version of his most famous unfinished project, 48 years in the making, The Other Side of the Wind. Which is basically a kind of Fellini's 8 and ½ meant as a cinematic adieu by Welles. Is a story about a director who's unable to finish a movie meant to be his come back to Hollywood, basically Welles life, which also contains a film within a film directed in the style of Antonioni's Zabriskie Point. John Juston stars in the leading role, an old director macho figure - like Welles meets Hemingway - who's struggling to find a way to be still relevant in the days of the rising New Hollywood.
The reviews at the Venice film festival spoke about an extreme and unique vision decades ahead of his time (the movie wrapped principal photography in 1976). With this film Welles basically invented the notion of a movie made by "found footage", plus a lot of other things. If you want to check some reviews: https://metacritic.com/movie/the-other-side-of-the-wind
Here's the trailer.
A dazzling film that playfully blurs the border between fiction and non-fiction. I was relieved to hear it took Welles a year to edit. Even geniuses sometimes need to take their time--a great comfort for us lesser mortals and plodders!
Never seen The Seven Ups before, but hoping to do so quite soon. Read the car chase in this one is good too.
I don't see The French Connection as a typical Oscar type film, so it's interesting that it won several Oscars back in 1971. Definitely agree that Hackman is a special actor, in that I too haven't seen him give a bad performance. That's in contrast to many other great actors of the same era. I mean, even Pacino and De Niro have delivered performances where they've more or less been caricatures of themselves.
Watched the sequel years ago, around the same time I watched The French Connection the last time. I remember liking it, but I only remember parts of it. I have the DVD of the sequel right in front of me right now, and I'm planning watching it in a few days!
I flip flop between both as to which is better! French Connection 2 is a very different film, helmed by John Frankenheimar, a more gruelling affair compared to Friedkins documentary style of the first! I recently got blu ray box set of both!
To think that Hackman was way down the list to be cast as Doyle!! He is quite brilliant in both movies!
The car chase from the first has yet to be beaten for visceral thrills (maybe Bullitt?)
But Frankenheimar stages a pulse racing foot pursuit for his ending of 2!
Classics, both of them!
A good sequel is a rare thing, and I think Hackman is the main reason why! Reading about the film, it's quite surprising to think of the names considered:
- Paul Newman and Steve Mcqueen (too expensive - and Mcqueen didn't want to do another cop film after Bullitt)
- Jackie Gleason
- Peter Boyle
- Jimmy Breslin (a New York columnist)
- Charles Bronson
- Rod Taylor (could have done well in the role, I think)
Rod Taylor would have been interesting..I think Jackie Gleason would have struggled with the climax of the sequel!!
Yeah, definitely couldn't see Jackie Gleason as "Popeye" Doyle!
It's in the same style as The French Connection. There's a good chance that if you liked The French Connection, you'll also like The Seven-Ups.