Manufacturing the West: Some Interesting Revisionist Westerns

Monument Valley, where many John Ford westerns were filmed

The western was once a popular genre, and reached its apotheosis at a time when the United States could claim to be the most powerful country in the world. For Americans, the western personified what they themselves claimed to be, a country of heroic and rugged individuals who  had successfully conquered the wilderness by using the virtues of European civilisation they believed their ancestors had left long behind. This is supposedly what made the settlers of the frontier so unique.  The importance of the frontier in the American mind is attributable to the work of Frederick Jackson Turner, a nineteenth century historian. Enlightenment thinking was fused with a restless psychological reading of American character that emphasised the  Victorian virtues of hard work, economic prosperity and the rigid outlinings of class and gender.  In the guise of entertainment, Hollywood presented to the  world a genre which purported to celebrate the rise of America  and her economic domination of the world stage, especially in the decades leading up to 1939. 

Historian Frederick Jackson Turner

 By August 1945 however, the war seemed to be a hollow victory, and the prospect of another breaking out a distinct possibility.  American confidence took a turn for the worse, and the western became more of an elegy to past glories, rather than an acclamation of what was current, or possible.

Political correctness assisted in the decline of the western as an instrument of, if not propaganda, then at least a respectable way for Hollywood to make a profit. The sparse scenery of the west was populated only by white males; Indians were the enemy and women kept house whilst they waited for their cowboy husbands to return home from the range. In post-Vietnam America for example, audiences were disturbed by images of heroism that seemed to be no longer heroic. Instead, they seemed bullying, misogynistic and a blatant attack on the rights of other people. 

There is that moment for every viewer in “The Searchers”, when it dawns that what John Wayne wants to do when he finds his lost niece, is not to rescue her from her Indian captives, but instead to kill her as  punishment for betraying her race. Our hearts sink. We become concerned, but finally resigned and then relieved, as  Wayne relents, and decides to spare her. It’s a moment that transmogrifies the entire genre and sends it off into another direction. Manifest destiny is only achieved at the expense of others not defined as ‘us.’ The frontier is no longer boundless when there are others who were there first, and define themselves as part of that land, and how that land belongs to ‘them’ and not to ‘us’. The  notion of purity of race, most prevalent in nineteenth century European thought, begins to smack of repressed Freudian sexuality as  the white man attempts to tame nature by pre-supposing that other races and peoples are too weak to  stand in his way.

The most famous western star of them all, John  Wayne

Ironically, the ethos of the western frontier embraces certain beliefs that  political correctness professes to denounce: a deeply embedded embrace of conformity, alongside the hope that a certain belief system will hopefully make people treat each other with something vaguely labelled as ‘respect’. This is actually a brand of fatalistic populism which shuns difference, and encourages outsiderism toward those not included in a narrow-minded definition of who exactly is meant to be part of the status quo. A deep distrust and intolerance of others who do not appear to share the beliefs of the majority. A so-called tolerance of rogue opinion and unconventional behaviour so long as it is demonised, and labelled as anything from merely anti-social and unhelpful,  to bordering on pathological or psychotic. The purpose is to encourage hostility  towards enlightenment, or deliberate attempts at intellectual life or thought within the confines of an untutored empathy with order. (1)

The “wild” west, as it was known was filled with iconic characters and outlaws who thumbed their noses at authority, like Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickock and Buffalo Bill. Alongside this championing of the underdog there is also a parallel sub-text of the urge for revenge,  and the forcible retention of civil order by the acceptance of violence as a mandatory form of justice. How close this may be  to historical reality is open to question, and in the words of director John Ford, “when there’s a choice between reality and legend,  always print the legend”.  Despite its decline in popularity in recent times, the western in popular imagination still retains its power to nostalgically (and mistakenly) bring to mind a time when there was no indecisiveness.  That is, how the period of the rise of the American frontier was a simpler era, when moral imperatives and calls to action were easier to implement than they seem to be in the every-day  present of modern ideas of civilised negotiation and compromise.

Alan Ladd was the idol of kids in the fifties as Shane

Another irony seems to be how the western in its decline as a cultural imperative, actually increased in power when it turned in on itself and questioned the nature and purpose of the American frontier. How in the complex character studies within the work of Sam Peckinpah for instance, the idealism of the west as a unifying idea becomes corrupted by its dependence upon opportunism and an unrelenting oppression, leading to irrational outbreaks of violence. But Peckinpah comes after the four films I would like to discuss, which act unifyingly as a transitional instance of the western beginning to lost confidence in itself as either a narrative of relevance or device of truth-telling.

Gary Cooper man of the west

In Man of the West, Gary Cooper stars as an ex-gun-slinger forced to confront his past.  He is travelling on a train that is robbed. He gets left behind in the wilderness with two other passengers, but is actually in familiar territory, and falls back in with the leader of his former gang, killer Doc Tobin, played by Lee J Cobb. Tobin is a Lear-like patriarch who has seen better days. He attempts to reinstate Cooper back into the gang, but Cooper will not abide by his rules any longer and after five years of living an upright life, secretly despises Tobin, but has to consider the situation of the other two people who have accompanied him.  Cooper’s innate goodness is used to perfection as he is  cast as almost an innocent man who refuses to succumb to the evil of his previous existence. His reticence to commit any kind of violence is contrasted to the cut-throat Tobin and his gang who systematically kill anything and anyone who stand in their way, which they rationalise as purely a matter of survival. In this film, the use of violence as a means of justice in the old west is scrutinised and found wanting. As in High Noon, Cooper is the hero precisely because he hardly appears to be the gun-slinging type. The film appears to be brutal, but it’s not so much what the viewer sees, as to what he is put through by director Anthony Mann. The violence is not shattering but only feels that way because of the tension that the director creates between the characters. Mann seems to be critical of the notion that violence should be seen an acceptable fact of the wild west, especially when it is primarily directed at the weak who are unable to stand up for themselves.

In The Unforgiven Burt Lancaster, Audrey Hepburn and Lillian Gish star as a family living in the west, eking out a living as farmers. Gish, as their mother knows the secret of her daughter’s race, since she adopted her as a baby. When Lancaster leaves the homestead on business, Hepburn comes across an itinerant crazy man on a horse who seems to know who she is and where she came from.  Indian raids are common and the family’s neighbours fear the Indians and show them no mercy.  When it’s revealed that Hepburn is not in fact Gish’s natural-born daughter, the family is reviled by their neighbours and left to defend themselves against a deadly Kiowa raid.  As directed by John Huston, The Unforgiven attempts to make a statement against racial prejudice as it must have been practised by the ‘folks’ of the new frontier. The family’s fellow homesteaders are transformed from loveable yokels into dangerous, hate-spewing racists when Hepburn’s true identity is revealed.  The fact that it’s been kept a secret for so long further exacerbates problems between family members as Hepburn and Lancaster heave a sigh of relief they are no longer related. This is not one of Huston’s better known films,  and apparently it was not one he was at all satisfied with, citing interference from the producers. But like Man of the West it attempts to redress certain issues like rogue justice and racial intolerance that the idealisation of the frontier left open to question.

Burt Lancaster again stars in Vera Cruz, a western directed by Robert Aldrich, which also stars Gary Cooper in another of his reluctant hero roles.  Both ride to Mexico as the Mexicans are attempting to rid themselves of the Habsburg emperor Maximilian, who hires both men to take a cache of gold to the port of Vera Cruz. This is a gun-toting action adventure that could collapse if put under too much scrutiny. However, it is interesting in that it takes on the issue, if obliquely, of European imperialism in the Americas. The American heroes, whilst not exactly idealistic freedom-fighters come to sympathise with the plight of the Mexicans and by the conclusion of the film, are somewhat less myopic about American exceptionalism and the myth of the new frontier.

Whilst The Magnificent Seven may not immediately come to mind when discussing revisionist westerns, I think that it is a good example. It presents itself as a straightforward action adventure, which I guess it is. But in its portrayal of the hopelessness of the Mexican villagers who desperately need the Seven to defend them, director John Sturges is definitely wearing his heart on his sleeve, whatever the colour of his heart may be. The heroism and idealism The Magnificent Seven portrays does not come from some rote recitation of the virtues of the new frontier. Rather it seems very heartfelt, that Americans can come riding to assistance over the border when it is most needed. In that respect whilst not overly critical of anything in particular, the film seems to have an honest regard for its Mexican characters and is not patronising toward them. Whilst the notion of America coming to the rescue seems almost child-like today, this does not detract from the entertainment value of the film, nor its efforts to maybe put to rest the more morally unsettling notions about American imperialism, and settler mentality. The Seven can leave with a clear conscience: their mission is accomplished and their honour is untarnished by anything resembling compromise. Whilst hardly intellectually challenging, the film is an honest and heartfelt testament to the pure idea of the virtues of the American frontier, frozen in time before it turned ugly, and had to be revised in the first place.  

(1) See David Thomson's essay on  cracker barrel philosopher Will Rogers, who helped define what the West meant to Americans in the Great Depression, Biographical Dictionary of Film, London, 2002, p. 751.

The Power of the Commentary: Some Excellent DVD Audio Commentaries

As the title suggests, this is a list of my favourite audio commentaries. It's the quality of the DVD package that I'm refering to, rather than the overall quality of the film concerned and whether I like it or not. If you're interested in criticism, or just a casual observer, the special features that DVDs provide are invaluable. You can listen to a commentary as often as you want, or only  just once and never again if  you've got a good memory. It's there on the disc for the asking, and whilst the films themselves are certainly good, the commentaries were terribly important to my understanding and enjoyment of them.  Of course this is all highly subjective.

 I should add with a certain amount of frustration, that a number of titles available in Region 4 are released without their special features, but  I don't know why this is so. Instead of opining about what I've missed, the purpose of this post is to alert people to an almost endless stream of high-quality commentaries that are out there. Sadly, it's impossible to say how much longer this will last, with the upheaval caused by digital technology and the film industry's struggle to keep a hold on Hollywood's preponderance, which appears to be precarious at best. But that's  just my humble opinion. Anyway, here's the list with my favourite title The Magnificent Seven,  coming in at last position:

There's always a catch

10. Catch-22 (1970), directed by Mike Nichols; audio commentary by Mike Nichols and Steven Soderbergh, Paramount.  This isn't one of my favourite movies, but what I understand of it is mainly due to the informative commentary by director Nichols with assistance from Steven Soderbergh. Being in the minority for not having read Joseph Heller's book, I thought it would be convenient for me to watch the film. I was 20 minutes into the film on first sitting,  but honestly, did not have a clue what it was about. So, I started to watch the DVD over again with the commentary track turned on. It can be a schizoid experience dividing your concentration between the commentary and the movie but I was determined to know what was happening. Nichols is known for his erudition and he takes the viewer on an informative and entertaining ride explaining the difficulties of film making and casting (with some good vignettes about Orson Welles), and how difficult in today's Hollywood it would be to make a film of this kind.   For viewers either familiar with the book or not, the commentary is a superior and informative experience, but I leave it up to you if you are as silly as me, and  you need to listen to the commentary before you see the film.

9. Ryan's Daughter (1970) directed by David Lean; audio commentary by Lady Sandra Lean, Petrine Day Mitchum, Sarah Miles, Michael Stevens, Roy Stevens and a number of others; Warner Home Video. This is one of those films that's been re-appraised down the years. It was badly treated by the critics who attacked David Lean to the extent that he only  made one other, "A Passage to India" which was sadly his last. Some commentaries that are cobbled together with a lot of participants can be confusing when it seems they have no idea what the person before or after them is going to say, but this is seamless. All the participants worked on "Ryan's Daughter" and they are quick to point out its virtues, and the technicians who worked  behind the camera are touching in their obvious affection for David Lean.  Sarah Miles is funny, and loyal to her late husband Robert Bolt, Lean's long-time collaborator and has some good stories about working with Robert Mitchum in a role in which he seemed to be miscast. Leans' widow Lady Sandra Lean is respectful and informative throughout. This commentary is a real pleasure and enhances the movie greatly. I think it's really a beautiful film, and the commentary assists no end in convincing me of that opinion.

8.Blackboard Jungle (1955) directed by Richard Brooks; audio commentary by Peter Ford, Paul Mazursky, Jamie Farr and Joel Freeman; Warner Home Video. I discovered this recently, the movie itself which I had briefly seen years ago on television. The commentary is neat, informal and very entertaining. Peter Ford is the son of Glenn Ford who had a successful career in Hollywood playing parts like this, a teacher in a deprived neighbourhood trying to make a difference to the lives of his students. The film is frank for the period in its depiction of juvenile delinquency and it seems that racial issues were as much of a problem then as they ever have been. Peter Ford speaks with affection about his father, and Mazursky who became a reasonably famous director has some anecdotes about his  friends and acquaintances from New York and their efforts to break into the movies. Jamie Farr had an on-going role in the MASH TV series and seems grateful for "Blackboard Jungle" and how it helped his career. Also note Peter Ford's modest attribution concerning "Rock Around the Clock"  the film's signature tune, as well as numerous other insights into the careers of other cast members and director Richard Brooks.

"those glorious people out there in the dark..."

7. Sunset Boulevarde (1950) directed by Billy Wilder; audio commentary by Ed Sikov; Paramount. This is probably my favourite film on the list, and I'm glad the commentary chores were given to Ed Sikov, the  author of a brilliant book on the career of Billy Wilder, called, appropriately enough, On Sunset Boulevarde. Mr Sikov turns out to be a brilliant  raconteur as well as analyst, as he discusses the making of the film, the genesis of the script (as Wilder was a stickler for the written word) and the tone of the film itself, which one could only describe as ironic and bizarre. Most of the iconic stories about the film are for the taking on this wonderful commentary, as well as some others you may not be familiar with, including the (original) bizarre opening sequence that flopped with  preview audiences. Suffice to say, the replacement sequence, with William Holden face down in a swimming pool was a hit, as Wilder skillfully manipulates us into a world of Hollywood shysters and has-beens. The commentary is almost as essential as the movie.

Baby! Baby!

6. The Hills Have Eyes (1977) directed by Wes Craven; audio commentary by West Craven and Peter Locke. Umbrella Entertainment. Better known today for his 'Scream' franchise, director Wes Craven is responsible for some touchstone horror films that have become vastly popular on DVD. This is one of those, which I first found on ex-rental video. Waiting for a DVD release was worth it, and the special features are awesome including a chatty and informative commentary by Craven and producer Peter Locke, as well as an enteraining look-back documentary with many members of the cast. As the film was shot on location in the desert, there are many funny and interesting stories about the gruelling conditions the cast and crew had to endure in their efforts to make it big in Hollywood, as most were young and unknown. Craven's other films including 'Scream' and 'Nightmare on Elm Street' also have excellent commentaries, but this package stands out as being the last word on the subject, packed as it is, the advertising states, 'with a bounty of bloody extras.' No truer words were never spoken.

5. Days of Wine and Roses (1962) directed by Blake Edwards; audio commentary by Blake Edwards. Warner Video. This is one of the most off-the-cuff commentaries you are likely to hear, but this only enhances Edwards' sincerity and lack of affectation. Based on a successful television play, Days of Wine and Roses is a harrowing portrayal of a married couple trapped in a loving but dysfunctional relationship that unfortunately includes alcohol as a third party. Edwards candidly discusses his own problems, and what you get is a riveting dialogue about Hollywood and its possible dangers. As well, Edwards has stories about stars Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick and what it was like to make movies in a  Hollywood that no longer exists. The beautiful title song written by long-time collaborator Henry Mancini also gets a nod. I have to say this is a terribly sad, but ultimately touching commentary that should not be missed. There's nothing self-aggrandising about it, Edwards just talks, and you have to listen. But it is great talk, and gives you an enormous amount of appreciation for the film you may not have had before.

watch Harper like girls

4. Harper (1966) directed by Jack Smight; audio commentary by William Goldman; Warner Home Video. William Goldman is a legendary Hollywood screenwriter and 'Harper' was one of his early writing successes. Based upon the Ross McDonald novel 'The Moving Target', the script caught the attention of Paul Newman as he was riding a wave of success in the mid-sixties, when it seemed he could do no wrong in the eyes of the audience. Goldman's audio commentary is fascinating as he alerts the audience to any number of difficulties that had to be overcome to getting Harper onto the screen, as cheaply and in as little time as possible, which apparently was the way they did things in Hollywood in the sixties. I also like William Goldman's audio commentary for 'Misery', directed by Rob Reiner in which he possesses the same amused irony of an ordinary bloke who wouldn't  dare dream of being accepted into Hollywood's inner sanctum. Goldman doesn't have a bad word to say about anyone, but he still seems baffled by the process of making a film and this is what makes this audio commentary so insightful and amusing for any attentive listener.

3. The Conversation (1974) directed by Francis Ford Coppola; audio commentary by Francis Ford Coppola; Universal Studios. This is the film Coppola made between the two Godfather movies, and it's indicative of the director's desire to make more personal films without pressure from any studio to make it their way. The Conversation is one of a kind, and the audio commentary brings this home to the listener. Shot on location  in San Francisco, The Conversation is a frightening look at a paranoid wire-tapper who overhears (and tapes), a  benign conversation between two people. The fact that the conversation has been overheard has tragic ramifications, despite the wire-tappers efforts to withdraw himself from the consequences of his actions. Like a lot of great films when you attempt to encapsulate the plot, this hardly seems riveting, but it is. And the commentary is obviously the product of a talented filmmaker who knows exactly what he wants and how to achieve it. A lot of exciting extrapolation of plot and character, Coppola sounds like a born writer, and his stories of some grappling with the studio in order to make this film to the best of his ability, make for great listening. This is a fantastic film, and Coppola has done himself proud by contributing a fantastic commentary.

She's alive!

2. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) directed by James Whale; audio commentary by Scott MacQueen. Universal Studios. The work put into making the Classic Monster Collection is awesome  (and still is), and it was difficult to decide which title deserved to be on my list. I was a hold-out of the Bride, despite its reputation as the best Universal horror film. But after several watches and listening to the audio commentary, I was finally convinced. Scott MacQueen's commentary is thorough and exhaustive, especially relating to the censorship problems the film had in 1935. The means in which film makers got round the prohibitive censorship laws make for some informative commentary, and MacQueen explains with great clarity and interest how James Whale thumbed his nose at the censors by being outrageous in ways that were undetectable, and irreversible once the film had been released. I should also note the excellent documentary with  contributions from notables who regularly pop up in the special features of other titles in the Classic Monster Collection such as Greg Mank and Rudy Behlmer.

The 7 in action

1. The Magnificent Seven (1960) directed by John Sturges; audio commentary by James Coburn, Eli Wallach, Walter Mirisch and Robert Reylea. MGM DVD. I first saw this film on television and was taken in  by its confidence in its ability to entertain an audience, as deliberately naive as that may sound today.  Gun-slingers from north of the border defend a small Mexican town from a corrupt bandit and his bloodthirsty gang. A rousing adventure, the audio commentary of The Magnificent Seven reflects the film's sense of fun and adventure. James Coburn explains how the actors were cast, and basically how much fun they all had. There was a famous feud between Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen which involved the entire set whilst they were shooting in Mexico. Director John Sturges championed a young unknown German actor that nobody liked, but he stood his ground and made a mark for himself. There's a swag of information in this commentary with a lot of laughter and good times thrown in, explaining what The Magnificent Seven meant to those who made it, as well as to those who are its fans, with an excellent documentary thrown in for good measure. Enjoy!

Body Count of "Prometheus" Not High Enough? Try "Alien" Instead

I was  pleased yesterday to get the chance to see Prometheus, the Ridley Scott film that has been much anticipated as the prequel to Alien. There was a lot of hype involved on the net concerning its development and eventual production, and with good reason. If "Alien" is not Scott's best known film, then at least it's the one that is thought of as some kind of a benchmark of his collected work to date. "Alien" was a monster hit when it was released in 1978-79, and I'm not trying to be funny; its's just a fact. (Also, I confess to becoming vague about release dates. So I will include both years, to bow to such things as confusion over when it was exactly released in Australia, when I actually saw it myself, and any possible time lag between when it was released in other parts of the world. That is if there was one. Which I don't remember).

In space no one can hear you scream. But not so the audience.

 Audiences were enthralled by the story of a alien life-form running rampant and killing off members of the crew of a space ship.  It possessed a primordial desire to survive, alongside an evolutionary resistance to all  man-made efforts to have it destroyed. Audiences and critics alike praised what seemed to be Scott's originality, and his unique approach to the material which was less interested in the metaphysics of space travel as was the case of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and more interested in scaring the viewer out of his comfort zone, as well as his seat. Not that I knew much about Hitchcock back then, but this kind of approach may very well  have been used by Hitchcock if he had ever gotten around to making a science fiction film, which we all know sadly that he never did.

Veronica Cartwright, John Hurt, and Tom Skerritt in "Alien".

Scott's collaborators on the project included artists and designers such as H.R. Geiger, Moebius as well as many others who contributed to the interpretation of a straight-forward story of  a horror in deep space too dreadful to contemplate. Horror was piled upon horror as every member of the crew was harrassed by the alien, hunted down, and then slaughtered in all manner of horrific and terrifying ways. Three crew members are eventually left, but only one survives, the heroine Ellen Ripley.  Sigourney Weaver made this part her own, and it's her best known role. The story goes she initially turned the part down when it was offered to her, because she thought that being in a science fiction movie was a tad beneath her abilties as a serious performer.

Detail of interior of spaceship with Veronica Cartwright and John  Hurt

Thanks to these talents involved, "Alien" had a distinctive look, a unique kind of production design (if you like), that nobody had really seen before. The compelling interior of the space-ship Nostromo, an oil refinery ship in which the travellers were trapped and seemed to have no way of escaping; a mysterious and uninhabitable planet enshrouded in perpetual fog, that wakes the travelers out of their sleep in order to investigate a possible SOS; an alien spaceship that somehow exists for the precise reason of sealing the traveller's doom, and a dripping-acid monster that once seen, is never forgotten and was the stuff that nightmares are made of. "Alien" was an instant triumph for director Ridley Scott, who had previously worked in advertising and had only made one other movie, The Duellists which had only received a limited release in the United States.  Despite some rumblings about the lack of a plot, a controversy concerning the soundtrack, and a group of actors taking part in an ensemble cast who were not widely known, "Alien" became immediately iconic and I think it's fair to say will always have its pride of place in the pantheon of great science fiction movies.

Publicity shot of the cast of "Alien". The gang's all here

Now we cut to the chase, 34 years down the track. (My God, has it been that long?)  When the original was released, there was no such thing as the internet; video tapes began to be marketed domestically; there were no such things as CDs. As I said, it was a long time ago -- the world has changed, and, I must admit, so have I.

 There have been a number of sequels to "Alien", but I have only seen one of them, Alien Resurrection. Frankly, the other two were of no interest to me, which doesn't mean they didn't make money. By 1982, I had discovered The Thing, John Carpenter's own interpretation of an unfriendly alien. "The Thing"'s box office was indifferent when first released, but I loved it almost as much, if not more, than "Alien".  Fans howled about more sequels, and Hollywood provided the necessary finance and a number of directors to keep a profitable franchise going. About twelve months ago it was announced that there was a 'prequel' underway -- that is a 'backstory' which would be an illumination of the original, as well as a narrative that would stand on its own. I had no idea how it would turn out, but knew that I would go see it which I did.

I was taken to see this when I was 12 years old.

I have to say, that I liked "Prometheus", and quite a bit at that. It is entertaining in a totally undemanding way, and that's not a bad thing. Nor I am attempting to be patronising. This is not to report I didn't notice its shortcomings, only that I was prepared to forgive them. With the fullness of time between my loyalty to the original and the release of its prequel, I was not prepared to have my expectations rise to such an extent that I would suffer disappointment. I had too many fond memories of the original to expect that "Prometheus" would exceed them, and in hindsight I am glad to have attained such sage wisdom at least in my movie-going habits. For example,  I wouldn't say that "Prometheus" is dreary -- it is instead "workmanlike"; I wouldn't call it visionary -- it is "conventional"; nor would I call it thrilling because it is "philosophical",  or at least tries to be. It doesn't hit the mark of something like Soderbergh's "Solaris", but it isn't for lack of trying and this should be acknowledged out of respect for the original which was about as unphilosophical as you can get. And since we were all grateful enough not to have noticed, we didn't care.

 What is saddest about "Prometheus" and what makes it pale in my estimation in comparison to the original, is what I would call the "bad faith" inherent in its conception. Everything about it seems to point to Scott's insecurities about the original, how he may have made it differently, and the things he would have changed if he'd been given the chance.  I find this a puzzling undertaking for an esteemed director (in his middle years), who has piled success upon success with most if not all of his ventures, an  artist who has the respect of the public and his peers for his flair, and the tackling of material that may be off-beat, but is always entertaining. I am refering to my (other) favourite Ridley Scott movies, namely Thelma and Louise, Blade Runner, Someone To Watch Over Me and "The Duellists".

Scene from "Prometheus" with Charlize Theron

The most glaring shortcomings of "Prometheus", at least to me, are the following:

*We are introduced to another crew. Fair enough, but they seem to bicker with each other for no particular reason and do the silliest things. Like not co-operate when they're supposed to be running a space-ship. Nobody much stands out, unlike the crew in the original "Alien", who seemed to be authentic human beings, where the ensemble cast works superbly.  Nobody emerges as a leader, and they all run backwards and forwards from the mother ship to the alien's site and back again in an effort to keep audience interest because there is no alien per se, and therefore the danger has to be coming from some other source.

*Any kind of suspense appears to be disposed of, and is replaced instead with a large amount of philosophical rumination about the nature of mans' origins. Unfortunately it compares unfavourably with something like Steven Soderbergh's Solaris, which is a re-make of Andrei Tarkovsky's  Russian film of the same name. If you've read  Dostoyevsky, you would know that the Russians are big on religious philosophy and probably do it better than anyone else.  This is juxtaposed with  lots of pointless action, presumably in order to satisfy the audience demographic of 18-25 years old males who go to the movies on Friday and Saturday nights and who Scott and the producers hope will turn their movie into blockbuster fodder.  (Something, that in any director's early hunger days would send him into fits of fury concerning his artistic integrity and purity of vision. Not to say disbelief)
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*Some have praised the production design. I found it haphazard and unimaginative.

*The opening sequence seemed tacked on, and does nothing much to explain the subsequent events in the movie, but I admit the ending instead, does a lot to explain what has been going on, and is designed I am sure for further sequels, which depending on your opinion of "Prometheus" may be either a good, or not so good thing.

*There are a couple of thrill set-pieces, in so-called homage to the original, but these come off as a bit tepid and unconvincing. What could ever live up to the 'chest burster scene'? Or the death of Ash the android? Or the other memorable scenes from the original? To me the chest burster scene is better than the shower scene in Psycho.  Sadly nothing comes close to this, but if it did, this would be an entirely different movie, in other words, something  that Scott would be making in good faith and not in an attempt to re-think the first movie for a new audience who hadn't been born yet when it was originally released.

*The character of the  'Old Man' seems to have been stolen directly from the last section of 2001: A Space Odyssey. But here, he's being taken along for the ride, rather than being tacked onto the end of the movie. And his make-up reminded me of Andy Garcia's shrivelled facial features as a dying man who refuses to give up smoking in Dead Again (1990), a homage to Hollywood film noir directed by Kenneth Branagh,   but other than this has no obvious connection to either "Prometheus" or "Alien".

*And finally, there isn't any ship's cat, especially one as adorable as Jonesy who has a lot to do in "Alien" as an extra character in the original film. Jonesy is a fellow traveller, who helplessly watches as his friends are picked off one by one. But he is wise and doesn't say anything, going about his own business instead. But  I suppose this point is nitpicking, and goes too far in exhibiting my one-sided and perhaps unfair preference for "Alien".

Despite these reservations, and after all is said and done, I still found "Prometheus" to be a perfectly acceptable entertainment. What raises it above a certain pedestrian quality is the ending, which no doubt is meant to spawn a sequel or two. There's nothing wrong with that -- George Lucas had great success with his prequels to "Star Wars:" -- which I usually refer to 'star bores'. But enough of my humour at the expense of the great unwashed. He's entitled to his glory, and the movie business is just that, a business. Comparing one thing, to something else that you have always loved is probably a silly activity in any case. It's like asking a man whether he loves his girlfriend, or the woman he's been married to for the past fifty years. What could he possibly say, without at least having a good word for them both? This is exactly how I feel. I have no right to feel disappointed, as I can always go back to the original.

I have my memories.

The 40th anniversary of the Watergate scandal

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Television Made Them: Iconic Performers of A Bygone Era

This is a post devoted to my favourite performers who became known for their roles in successful television series of the 60s and 70s. Even today, though they may have been working steadily for years after their shows were cancelled, the roles in these particular shows are still what they may be best known for. (But this is not always the case.)  Some were so  famous, it was difficult to avoid typecasting,  they may have wondered if fame was a double-edged sword for their careers. But. we loved them, and sat riveted in our living rooms, as if this one-sided love affair would never end. 

The ratings wars were treacherous and if  shows didn't make money for their American advertisers they faced the axe and our favourites would have to look for employment elsewhere. As far as I'm concerned, even after all this time, John Travolta is still Vinnie Barbarino; and Farrah Fawcett will always be one of the Angels. They had their ups and downs but will always be remembered for the shows that gave them, if not a start, then at least their requisite ten minutes of fame in the spotlight. 

MARY TYLER MOORE in THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW

Mary Tyler Moore  played Laura Petrie in the comedy series that originally aired  from 1961-1966. I was just a slip of a girl, but was enchanted by the graceful Mary and her more er, angular partner Dick Van Dyke as they manouvered their way around their new suburban house, and the post-war opportunities offered them by a booming American economy. Like the Beatles, it was a class act that made everybody happy. A running gag I've never forgotten is how in the opening sequence in the first series, Dick opens the front door, walks into the couple's living room and promptly trips over a foot couch that he doesn't see and falls over. The self-referential gag in later series is that Dick walks through the door and sees the foot couch. He laughs, and promptly walks around it without tripping. It's really very funny. When I saw Mary Tyler Moore playing a dramatic part in 'Ordinary People', I was lost. She played a woman who was cold, ungiving and thoughtless, and she did it perfectly. But to me, she'll always be Laura.

BARBARA FELDON in GET SMART

Barbara Feldon played the part of '99' --  partner of bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) in the comedy series "Get Smart" which was first aired 1965-1970. After being cancelled, the show had numerous re-runs and I remember it best when it was shown in Sydney in an afternoon time slot, so I could see it between coming home from school and having my dinner where I had to be at the table and not in front of a television set. Agent 99 is level headed, attractive and competent at her job, while Max is a failure and entirely out of his depth as a secret agent. Everyone is in on the joke, but 99 protects Max from the consequences of his own silliness in a way that is supportive and obviously the cause of 99 being in love with Max. Max, however, fails to notice 99, at least for the first couple of series. 99 plays it straight but Max mugs a lot. They work perfectly together, and looking back on it, I didn't realise that the Cold War was as funny as this.

 

ROY THINNES in THE INVADERS

This show is the dark horse of the group. "The Invaders" was beaten in the ratings by "Mission Impossible" and only lasted two seasons before being cancelled by its network. It never received a subsequent re-screening in the United States, but has achieved cult status in many other countries such as France, where it was shown on cable television for many years. I first came across "The Invaders" as an inquisitive little girl but was not allowed to watch much of it because of a scheduling difficulty with the elders of my household who wanted to watch something else. I got to see all of the first series and the second series is just waiting for me, so I guess all is forgiven. 

This show is so intelligently written and its concept was so original at the time, that after retirement, writer/producer Alan Armer was awarded a university post in English at a southern California university for his trouble. I don't really know if the show had anything to do with it. But the  concept of an alien invasion  is adhered to in one episode after another, and  it builds audience interest as the concept becomes the cornerstone of the show itself. Roy Thinnes is wonderful, as a man on the run with forbidden information only he possesses. A virtual swag of well-know guest stars are in the offing, as David Vincent attempts to alert the world that aliens have arrived in secret and are making their plans to take us over. If only we will believe him! I did. Long before X-Files. I did. 

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Does anybody believe me? Paranoia, as David Vincent sees no way of escaping "The Invaders".

And now....it's sock-it-to-me time! But Goldie didn't say that...

GOLDIE HAWN in LAUGH IN

While our parents were getting a nightly dose of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam war on the six o'clock news, we were watching this hilarious TV show that was scheduled after the news, and that mirrored the anarchy and liberalism of the sixties counter-culture which those events spawned. Rowan and Martin's Laugh In was phenomenally popular for no particular reason, other than it was funny. Goldie Hawn got her start on this show and became an overnight sensation. She fluffed her lines all the time and made everyone laugh, but somehow we also detected a brain that was only trying to fool us into thinking she was silly. Not long after, Goldie won an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress in "Cactus Flower' but no one remembers that much. Goldie Hawn will always be remembered instead, for "Laugh In".

LEONARD NIMOY in STAR TREK

"I find that highly illogical, Captain". So sayeth Mr Spock, in the original 'Star Trek' that captured our imaginations as the Starship Enterprise made its way across the universe. With his pointy ears and inscrutable demeanour, Mr Spock was always a good foil for other members of the Enterprise crew, if they became too fanciful in their celestial imaginings. Spock was the voice of reason, as the Enterprise was venturing where no man had gone before and therefore celestial imaginings became a necessity if they were to understand the different beings and planets that crossed  their path. The subsequent big-screen movies lost my interest, as well as the later series. I missed the original members of the crew like Scotty and Mr Sulu, and didn't fancy following them into old age. Leonard Nimoy remained active after Mr Spock, but I've never seen him in anything else, which may not sound like I'm the greatest fan, but I wouldn't want it any other way. 

FARRAH FAWCETT in CHARLIE'S ANGELS

It's a terrible thing to have to admit, but girls do notice other girls' hair-dos. And when I was growing up, my friends and I wanted to have a hair flip just like Farrah Fawcett in 'Charlie's Angels'.. Charlie's Angels made Farrah famous, the kind of 'famous' where we thought we knew her personally, by nature of the fact that we were watching her in our living rooms. After a few lacklustre movies like 'Sunburn' and 'Saturn 3',  Farrah eventually won the respect of her peers with parts in excellent television movies like 'The Burning Bed' and 'Small Sacrifices.'  She recently passed on, but will always be remembered.

PETER FALK in COLUMBO

I recently had a neighbour who shared my interest in 'Columbo' and she generously lent me some discs to watch of later series which I hadn't been aware of. They were surprisingly good, and when she moved I was kind of ashamed to admit that I was sad because now I wouldn't have her available if I wanted to re-watch the episodes. The loveable guy in the trenchcoat who, incidentally, has a mind like a steel trap, made us all think twice about venturing into a life of crime. With marvellous writing, and many interesting guest stars, 'Columbo' still keeps me on the edge of my seat no matter how many times I watch it. 


Actually my favourite episode is 'A Stitch in Crime' which features Leonard Nimoy in a prominent guest role as a very crafty doctor who has committed a crime. But his even tempered demeanour  infuriates Columbo because he knows that the doctor is too smart to slip up and be discovered. It says everything about Peter Falk's expert characterisation which made him a household name in the seventies, after acting on the stage in New York and adding some films to his list of credits. Columbo is unfailingly courteous, a bit of a slob, but has a mind that doesn't miss a thing in his quest to catch a criminal. There's also a very strong class element in the show, with most of the perpetrators being rich, cunning and deserving of punishment. Which is probably why so many people liked it. 

JOHN TRAVOLTA in WELCOME BACK KOTTER

'Welcome Back Kotter' was our introduction to John Travolta in the mid seventies. A series about an idealistic teacher (Gabriel Kaplan) who returns to his native borough in New York, attempting to educate a foursome of misfits and keep his marriage together, this was a reasonably droll comedy that catapulted Travolta to fame, as well as his three friends played by Robert Hegyes, Laurence-Hilton Jacobs and Ron Palillo. The show captured a working class New York milieu, and whilst the humour was not that easily  translatable, Travolta was a magnetic presence who held the show together and made it the success that it was, of course with help from the supporting players and the writing. He had an initial splash on the big screen with 'Grease' and 'Saturday Night Fever' but fell into a decline until he was rediscovered by Tarantino for 'Pulp Fiction' and has been going strong ever since. I guess you just can't hold a good talent down. 

Wake Me Up I'm Dreaming! Some Good Parallel Universe Movies

It could be argued that parallel universes are the ones we aren’t supposed to be living in ourselves, because to some, reality is merely what we think it is -- but such a premise is not very scientific. If anything the possibility of universes existing beside our own sustains fiction more than it does provable fact, which is not to denigrate the possibility. Merely to suggest that reality is sometimes what Hollywood says it is. And THAT is very disturbing, when you think about it.  This is a list of some movies that I like, because they focus on the possibility that our reality is not the only reality that may exist.  Unfortunately it seems to be only mentally ill people who suffer the most from this delusion, that is, if it is a delusion. H.P. Lovecraft didn’t think so. But then again, he was crazy.

 The Forgotten (2004) When Roger Ebert gives a movie the thumbs down, I usually take notice, but with ‘The Forgotten’ his bad review unintentionally tweaked my interest. Normally wary (as well as weary) of the ‘You must believe me I’m not mad’ or the ‘You must believe me I’m not guilty’ [cue Hitchcock] genre of misunderstood heroes, ‘The Forgotten’  convinced me to suspend my disbelief in its first half hour. I can’t speak for anyone else really. I guess I’m just gullible. I believe what  Julieanne Moore says, and what she’s going through. I also enjoyed putting the boot into all of the [male] characters, who are either deliberately contradicting her, or trying to put her away. I’m not making a case for it as the best movie ever made, but director Joseph Ruben, writer Gerald DiPego and the entire cast put their heart and soul into making the story as believable as possible. Ruben previously directed ‘The Stepfather’. It was pretty good and I think that ‘The Forgotten’ has that same dogged intention to make the audience  consider the possibility that what they  are watching could maybe happen.  What ‘The Forgotten’ lacks in veracity, it makes up for in courage and panache, and to me that can’t be a higher recommendation.

The Others (2001)  This is the scariest ghost movie since ‘the Innocents’, and has a lot going for it. It’s written with a great deal of imagination.  Its leisurely paced (but in a good way),  good to look at and in a nutshell, turns the scary ghost movie on its head. The plot twists do not become stale with further viewing – they still surprise me when I’ve actually seen them before which  encourages me  to watch the movie  again with the same sense of anticipation. The viewer is for the most part as lost as Grace Stewart, played by Nicole Kidman, who is living in a large  house on the island of Jersey in the closing years of the second world war. She is expecting her soldier husband  to return home, while she is left alone with her children, and a strange trio of servants whom we are left to wonder what they in fact,  are doing in the movie. To say any more would be spoiling this bizarre foray into a parallel universe that confounds the viewer as much as the characters. But that’s just part of ‘The Others’ eerie charm and its pervading sense of mystery that has the viewer caught off-guard till the denouement which is as tragic as it is  convincing.  Directed by Alejandro Amenabar.

Johnny Depp's dressing gown is wonderful

Secret Window (2004). There’s an excellent set-up by writer/director David Koepp in the first hour, which loses  momentum by the end, as  it tries to tie up its  loose ends  a bit too neatly. At least for my liking.  Koepp’s affection for ‘Psycho’ and ‘Repulsion’ is apparent. Comparisons to  Polanski’s acclaimed fable of mental illness would be unfair but ‘Secret Window’ is reasonably smart and scary, as it attempts to portray its main character’s descent into a parallel universe, which I think would question the nature of madness itself if it wasn’t for the film’s predictable descent into slice-and-dice by the conclusion.  Johnny Depp is believable and surprisingly subdued as Mort Rainey, a writer of mystery stories who is being stalked by a demonic kind of fan who doesn’t like him very much. The other supporting players are a little off kilter themselves, which makes the audience uneasy about the veracity of anything that seems to be going on in the strange town of Tashmore Lake, where things are not  as they appear. [Cue for raised eyebrows and creepy organ music].

Carnival of Souls (1962) I voted for this when I first went on-line, as the best independent horror movie ever made, and I see no reason to think differently now. Director Herk Harvey appears in his own film as an apparition stalking our heroine Mary Henry, played by Candace Hilligoss,  a church organist who emerges unscathed from a car which drives off a bridge in which she was  passenger. The ‘passenger’ metaphor is continued, as Mary’s dilemma consists of being aware that life and the living of it does not last forever.  There is definitely something strange going on, as she drifts in and out of what we would like to call ‘conventional reality’. ‘Carnival of Souls’ weaves its spell on the most jaded viewer as it draws us into its vortex of uncertainty and impending panic.  The audience is offered little explanation until the end, but  frankly I wasn’t the least bit surprised. I unabashedly love ‘Carnival of  Souls’, even the budget Region 0 version that I own without  special features, and I wouldn’t trade it in for a hundred Matrixes, Minority Reports or Inceptions

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My what a big hypodermic you have. The doctor from hell.

Jacob’s Ladder (1990).  The brainchild of writer Bruce Joel Rubin. ‘Jacob’s Ladder’  spent years in development hell, but I think the wait was worth it. Taken with a grain of salt on first release, the film  rises in  estimation with repeated viewings. In other words, ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ is the kind of film that digital technology was made for, and I think it’s  as perfect as a movie can be, about the possibility of an alternative or parallel reality which exists outside our own dimension.  Jacob Singer as played by Tim Robbins  returns home from Vietnam and works as a postman. His  existence is not as mundane as it seems, as Jacob begins to have hallucinations. What really happened to him in Vietnam?  The hallucinations get worse as director Adrian Lynne pulls out all the stops with amazing visuals that are so real we can understand  what Jacob is feeling, and it is certainly alarming.   Elizabeth Pena plays girlfriend Jezzie without giving  the story away, and Danny Aiello is an osteopath without a halo, telling Jacob he must give up his memories in order to  journey on up the ladder.  I found, and still find ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ a riveting experience, sympathetically played, beautifully presented, and a satisfying example of Hollywood commerciality at its noblest and most artistic.

 

NOTE: Roger Ebert’s review of ‘The Forgotten’ may be online.  I haven’t checked because it’s included in one of his yearbooks: Roger Ebert’s Movie Year Book 2007, Kansas, pp. 241-242. I haven’t quoted or even paraphrased, but used it as a jumping-off point for my own ideas. It certainly makes for a good read even if like me, you kind of enjoy the film unlike Roger. 

Shoot first, ask questions later: Some great rogue cop movies

A random rogue cop: Emile Meyer in Sweet Smell of Success at right.
'Come here Sidney - I want to chastise you.'

I sometimes think that rogue cops are the most interesting characters in movies. Often they are vile, usually corrupt, but always compelling. In their moral...er,  abstruseness, they give the audience a sense of  existing vicariously on the edge without the bruises, the stress, the heart condition and the alcoholism to prove it. 

Let's face it, blanket approval of the rule of authority can get a bit tedious to watch. Rogue cop films fill the vacuum between movies which expect us to go hurrah when some poor sucker gets nabbed, and those that make us angry when an obvious injustice has occurred because of a corrupt system.  Court-room films for example can bristle with their sense of injustice, but somehow getting a big guy to do your dirty work for you can be far more effective than presenting a case in a courtroom where you could possibly lose. 

Made to look in from the outside because of their sheer imperviousness to rules and regulations, and because of their psychotic devotion to a sense of law and order all their very own, rogue cop justice is  dished out without fear or favour to suspects whether they happen to be guilty of a crime or not. The rogue cop is a law unto himself, and sometimes a creature that we are meant to show a certain amount of sympathy for. After all, isn't he just performing a civic responsibility which we lack the nerve to perform ourselves? I sometimes feel a distinct sense of moral twilight coming over me when  asked to sympathise with a violent, incorrigible overage delinquent who roughs up suspects, indulges in bribery, plants evidence, and thinks that he can get away with it. But hey, that's just me.

The occupational hazards of police corruption. Was Sterling Hayden a
rogue in 'The Godfather?' You be the judge.

  If the viewer leaves his/her politically correct values at the door, he/she can indulge in a nostalgic sense of  longing for a time when the  police arrived on your doorstep immediately you called them. When crime was a simple case of personal assault or theft. When, in a nutshell, the police were the good guys and the criminals were the bad guys, and all remained well with the world for this particular demarcation. 


The following films will leave no room for doubt that rogue cops have an underlying appeal to audiences who respond to their viscerality  when the rest of us, in their place, would be considering the implications of our actions, and the conundrum which arises. Should we blame the cop for his moral weakness, or the system for its inability to stay pure in the face of ultimate compromise?  That is the burning question for most films that feature rogue cops as their main protaganist.

     Notes on some boundaries of this list. 


 *Russell Crowe gives a great performance in L.A. Confidential but  is redeemed by the love of a good woman by the end of the film so he doesn’t count.

Clint may be cool, but Dirty Harry isn't included.
You could however, check out 'Tightrope'.

* Gary Oldman gives a good performance as a rogue cop  in Romeo Is Bleeding, but it’s a crummy film I wouldn’t recommend to anybody that I liked.


* He makes so many movies that I could be wrong, but I don’t think Christopher Walken has ever played a policeman. But it's been a long career filled with a generous share of low lifes. He makes a great drill sergeant in ‘Biloxi Blues’. So you could check that out. 


*You may question my omission of Harvey Keitel in ‘Bad Lieutenant’, but he’s a bit too much of a rogue if you get my meaning. The film  is strictly for adults only and is something I shouldn't admit to even seeing because it could get me into trouble.
  
*Clint Eastwood works so hard to make his ‘dirty harry’ persona appear to be a cog within the system, that I  never envisioned the character as an outsider, so I also haven’t included the initial film, ‘Magnum Force’ (which I actually prefer over the original), or the other sequels to the series,  whose names have, down the years,  totally escaped me.

*Sterling Hayden deserves an honourable mention for his performance as the corrupt policeman in 'The Godfather' but his screen time is minimal -- unfortunately, as I would have liked to see an entire back story devoted to his character. But that was not to be, and we are left  with a portrait of depraved authority. Hayden tells the made men how to run their business, resulting in his demise at the hands of an emerging godfather far more ruthless and brutal than the one he has been used to dealing with. So say goodbye, Sterling.

On Dangerous Ground (1952) Detective Jim Wilson played by Robert Ryan. Directed by Nicholas Ray

Robert Ryan stars as a rogue cop on the edge of sanity, working the city streets where he roughs up suspects in order to get an arrest with no qualms about how unethical his behaviour may be. His superior, wary at the prospect of being responsible should his 'unconventional' methods be revealed, banishes Ryan to a mountain locale where the hunt is on for a suspected killer. Unbenownst to Ryan, the killer is being protected by somebody closest to him. Ryan is humanised by his relationship with a blind woman (Ida Lupino) and attempts to distance himself from the depraved life he's led in the city.


 Charitably described by David Shipman as a "disillusioned, fist-happy cop", Detective Jim Wilson is portrayed by Ryan as alternately psychotic and sympathetic, with nothing much in between. The VHS  which I was privileged to see a number of years ago looked like a transfer of an old television print, but after conducting some research online, I  discovered that this is the way the film was originally photographed. To me, it seemed almost soft-focused, unlike many noir titles with their expressionistic lighting and attention-getting contrasts.  


An appealing mixture of downright dirty police procedural and poetic realism, 'On Dangerous Ground' does a plot about-turn at its half-way mark, but remains a unique introduction to the rogue cop (sub) genre and is as  good a way as any to tune into the many other film noir titles of the 1950's. An interesting review of 'On Dangerous Ground' is available here.

Touch of Evil (1958) Detective Hank Quinlan played by Orson Welles. Directed by Orson Welles

'If you're mean enough to steal from the blind, help yourself'. Charlton Heston
plays a Mexican drug enforcement officer in 'Touch of Evil'.

A noir with the unmistakeable Welles brain propelling it into action, 'Touch of Evil's critical  reputation has increased with the years and rightly so. Orson Welles directs himself as a sociopath whose venality knows no bounds, but is nonetheless human in his monstrousness.

Since expecting some kind of social commentary to magically emerge in '50s movies would be unfair, I think  that our modern, more moralistic expectations of a corrupt system being exposed is not entirely satisfied by this film. Instead we are led down a labyrinth of personal evil on the part of Quinlan, whose corruption began to decay him as a human being long before the story began. That's not to say that the repressive social structure which Quinlan represents is not always present. Quinlan is a lackey of American imperialism, reluctantly sharing his border with a less economically prosperous and much needier partner which, as an American, he has no choice but to resent.

The calm before the storm. Janet Leigh's denouement comes
later.

 Hank Quinlan is nobody's idea of a cultural ambassador or positive role model in law enoforcement.  What he seems to represent to Welles, who never portrayed the wheels of justice in a positive light, (see 'Lady from Shanghai'),  is the unredeemed individual who can blame nobody but himself for his corruption and his inability to any longer protect himself from accusations of  bribery, dishonesty and murder. Honest individuals are needed for the system to function, and this is the only way for corruption to be stamped out. Welles gives a towering performance filled to the brim with menace and regret, and  receives excellent support from Charlton Heston, Akim Tamiroff, Janet Leigh, Marlene Dietrich and Mercedes McCambridge. For Charlton Heston's stories on the making of 'Touch of Evil', you can click right here.here

The French Connection (1971) Detective Popeye Doyle played by Gene Hackman. Directed by William Friedkin

Popeye waves goodbye to his bust, an ironic commentary that only the
connection will understand

A  documentary with a noir sensibility made in colour, 'The French Connection' is a hard-hitting suspense thriller concerning a policeman's pursuit of  the greatest drug bust in history. Gene Hackman's portrayal of Popeye Doyle is based upon the exploits of a real-life police partnership between Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso (Buddy Russo in the film as played by Roy Scheider). 

Popeye Doyle hates drug pushers -- he sees himself on the side of the angels, but he does unfortunately use somewhat questionable tactics.  On a hunch, the partners begin to tail a small-time hoodlum and his wife living in Brooklyn, where they uncover a million dollar drug deal dependent on the approval of payment to the French connection of the title.

Set personnel rugged up for one of New York's worst
winters in living memory.

 Doyle is a bit of a duffer in his funny hat -- he fancies himself as a ladies man, but doesn't have many social graces. What he knows how to do is his job which is to catch criminals, unrelenting in his purpose.  The hunch turns out to have credence, but questions throughout the film arise as to the methods the partners are using and an audience perception that Doyle is merely a thug out to convict a man because of his cultural difference.

 Aside from these existential meanderings, the film has a number of spectacular set pieces including an attempted shooting  at a housing estate, and a car chase involving a train that is one of the most exciting ever committed to film. I find 'The French Connection' to be neutral-free in the way it portrays every-day police work and its portrayal of Doyle leaves little room for questions of guilt or conscience. The man is what he is, and in the pre-Miranda era, he's a guy that you'd like to have on your side.  The fact that he's a thug is not glossed over, so much as left to audience expectation as to whether it makes much of a difference to the conclusion of the story. Which I suppose, makes it glossed over after all. 

The Offence (1973) Detective Sergeant Johnson played by Sean Connery. Directed by Sidney Lumet

Made as part of a deal with United Artists in return for Sean Connery consenting to make his last James Bond film after an absence of five years, 'The Offence' (aka 'Something Like the Truth') has languished as a film made by an important star and a prominent director which never received a proper release in the United States. This shabby treatment of 'The Offence' begs a lot of questions regarding the rise of digital technology which I won't go into right now. But this does not detract from that fact that it's an awesomely fine movie which will eventually find its audience after many years of  being neglected. 

Living in interrogation hell. Det. Johnson goes through the
motions

 Detective Johnson is a riveting character with all the necessary criteria to be classed as one of the  great rogue cops of modern cinema. A demon to work with and a home life which exists but is not the least bit bearable, Johnson is a man obviously at the end of his tether. Working on a child molestation case, he cracks and kills the suspect, a nerdy and unconventional man who goads him into looking at himself before condemning anyone else to a life of punishment and mortification in prison. The guilt or innocence of the suspect (played by Ian Bannen) becomes irrelevant, as Johnson himself is put on trial by his conscience and his almost disturbing self-awareness that his past has most surely caught up with him. 

Sean Connery seems energised by the exceedingly well-written material and Trevor Howard and Vivien Merchant give able support to a majestic performance of dessication, loneliness and despair as interpreted by Connery. The criminal justice system is itself put under the microscope and left severely wanting, and the audience is left with a bereft feeling of being cheated of justice because of the shortcomings of the practitioners. This is a must-see movie which will one day take its place as an exemplary example of film-making, with its astounding central performance and its  insights into the meaning of justice and the human condition.

Q&A (1990) Detective Lieutenant Mike Brennan played by Nick Nolte. Directed by Sidney Lumet

This is another Sidney Lumet entry, with Nick Nolte receiving the acting honours as Mike Brennan, a decorated New York cop with an impeccable reputation, who the audience sees within the opening minutes of the film shooting a man  outside a nightclub. The suspense arises from his colleagues discovering that he is not the honourable cowboy they have been always led to believe, mainly from his record of convictions and his forthright demeanour. After the body is discovered, a conventional investigation is called by the DA's office, but this is only meant to clear Brennan from any wrong doing and close the case. Brennan becomes increasingly jittery as circumstances arise where not only his judgment, but his character is questioned over the incident. 


Cop turned assistant DA Al Reilly (Timothy Hutton), in the manner of most cops, is reluctant to railroad his former colleague, but  evidence of wrong-doing remains. The New York police force is struggling with racism within its own ranks, and Brennan appears to be a dinosaur from another era, who shoots first, roughs up suspects at the faintest provocation and is gun-happy to boot. He has become an embarrassment.  Colleagues Valentin, a Latino (Luis Guzman), and Chapman, an African-American (Charles Dutton), have their loyalty to Brennan exploited by the system and by Brennan himself until it becomes obvious they can no longer stand by him. 


Nick Nolte gives a great performance, recalling Hank Quinlan as a man of little scruple and monstrous in his venality. A good-old-boy chewing the fat with his colleagues as he waits to be interviewed by the investigation, Brennan appears to not be the least bit concerned about the Q&A. That is, until its too late for his soul. 


An annoying sub-plot concerning Reilly's love life is only necessary in that it brings into the plot Bobby Texador, (Armand Assante) married to Reilly's ex-girlfriend and not at all happy that he's been included in the proceedings. All performers mentioned are excellent, but are somewhat overshadowed by this dark, enigmatic and menacing figure that is Mike Brennan. Perhaps not as deep as it would like to be, Q&A is an entertaining police procedural  with a performance from Nick Nolte that is great to watch and highly recommended.


Training Day (2001) Detective Alonzo Harris played by Denzel Washington. Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Alonzo sizing up Jake. It's not complimentary.

'Training Day' is exactly what it's name suggests -- a day in the life of a rookie LAPD cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), who wants to join the narcotics unit of Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington). You could call it a pretty long day, because Alonzo makes no bones about showing the newcomer what he's in for, and what life is like on the mean streets of East L.A. Summing up Jake on their first meeting in a restaurant where Alonzo is miffed at being interrupted from reading his newspaper, we can clearly see that Jake could well be out of his depth with this  street-savvy narcotics officer who seems to have seen it all, and done it all. Our sympathy goes out to Jake. 


What follows is a series of tacky events mainly involving drugs, money, and murder in which Alonzo tests Jake to see what kind of mettle this white boy is  made of. The fact is, Alonzo has been messing with the wrong people and his superiors are not  happy with him. Jake does not realise this until its's too late for Alonzo, but not too late for Jake.

Who's the boss. Detective Alonzo Harris, that's who.

 'Training Day' is a really terrific film that takes the viewer on a roller-coaster ride of emotions --  mainly anger, fear, sadness, exhilaration and finally resignation.  A dire sense of fatalism is somehow balanced out by the marvellous character study of Alonzo.  Denzel Washington's portrayal of a cop, a rogue on the outside for the very reason he is a walking time-bomb, is sensational. Washington deserved his 2001 Best Actor Oscar with bells on, he is so good you just have to see the nefarious dealings this character gets up to, and it's a great ride. 


There aren't a lot of other characters with speaking parts, mainly the suspects whom Alonzo either shakes down, or beats up. Scott Glenn is superb in a small but very important role and he makes his mark. Macy Gray makes her debut in movies and I was also impressed by the realism of her performance.  Tom Berenger, Raymond J. Barry and Harris Yulin play the Troika who seem to hold sway over Alonzo, and are suitably sinister puppet-masters, but shown only long enough to make their presence felt in a very effective way.

'Training Day' has a lot of things going for it, and as a study in rogue police behaviour, it may be a template for the next century or so. I really loved it.

Dark Blue (2003) Detective Eldon Perry played by Kurt Russell. Directed by Ron Shelton

I was taken aback by 'Dark Blue' when I first saw it. It had been hyped a bit, and often I take that to mean that because something's not very good, the powers that be have to make a noise about it. But with 'Dark Blue' the hype was justified.

'Dark Blue' is an excellent police procedural and uses as its backdrop events leading up to the Los Angeles riots of 1992. I like this sly combination of fact and fiction, and it actually has a point to it, which is to heighten the drama and make what's going on look far more factually correct than it may have been otherwise. Saying that something has a 'documentary feel' to it is such a cliche, but if it's done subtly the viewer hardly notices, which is, I think, the best way to go about things.

As played by Kurt Russell, Eldon Perry does not have a lot to complain about. He has a good job, and a wife waiting for him at home in the suburbs. Unfortunately, he has a demanding boss in the form of Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson), who treats Perry as his personal attack dog. Anything arriving at Van Meter's desk that's gross, he only has to call on Perry to do it, and it's done. Perry and his younger partner are called in to investigate a combination murder/robbery at a convenience store. Van Meter nominates a couple of suspects. Perry first goes along with this, until he realises that Van Meter is lying, and what follows is a messy descent into double-cross and ultimately murder.

The riot's already started, and I haven't collected my badge yet! Shucks...

Naturally, all is not what it seems with Perry's personal and professional life. He is not married happily, and like Hank Quinlan,  is beyond redemption because the corruption of his spirit has been going on for an eternity. (Or at least before the film started). But what happens is surprising. Perry attends a promotions ceremony and at the podium in front of a big crowd, implicates Van Meter for his corrupt behaviour. The character's sarcasm, and self-loathing are brought to bear in an amazing speech that thankfully rises above self-pity.  Perry's dislikeability is  made bearable by his decision to to take a certain amount of responsibility for the years of racism and neglect that have turned Los Angeles into a riot zone.

 Kurt Russell is wonderful in a part that he just eats up, and 'Dark Blue' is definitely his show. A lot of supporting characters are around but they don't make a big impact and their sub-plots are not as interesting to watch as Perry's character arc. Scott Speedman as Bobby, Perry's partner, seems a bit overwhelmed  as the moral centre of the film, and Ving Rhames doesn't have much to do as the black officer who hates Van Meter and everything he stands for.

Despite these reservations, 'Dark Blue' is very good in almost every other department, and Kurt Russell has a well-deserved place in the rogue's gallery of out-of-control policemen. Congratulations, Kurt!