Bob Gale – People Talking

Classic Treble – ‘Shakedown’ 🚓 ‘Bringing Out the Dead’ 🚑 ‘Trespass’ 🚒 – DON’T Call 911

Full disclosure: I have not seen these three movies in theaters recently, but, per my own review principles, I have seen them theatrically at some point in the past few years (and all on 35mm film to boot). Anyway, since I’m basically still in corona-lockdown and theatrical viewings are at a premium, and since I’m back writing again, I thought it would be fun to do a “seafood stew” and put together a sort of First Responder triple pack (with more than a little wink as I say that). Enjoy.

Written and Directed by James Glickenhaus
Cast: Peter Weller, Sam Elliott, Patricia Charbonneau, Jude Ciccolella, Blanche Baker, Antonio Fargas, Richard Brooks, John C. McGinley, Henry Judd Baker, Larry Joshua, Vondie Curtis-Hall, William Prince, Anthony Crivello, Thomas G. Waites, Paul Bartel, Holt McCallany, Walter Flanagan
Soundtrack: Jonathan Elias

Of the numerous films I’ve been introduced to at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers over the years (I pray it re-opens at some point, any point), Shakedown by far left me with the biggest smile on my face.

Now, I know movies involving police are a tough sell right now, but hear me out, because this one actually cares about true justice.

I suppose Shakedown would qualify as a buddy cop film, it’s a somewhat debatable point, but it’s not one with two cops together (e.g. Lethal Weapon, Running Scared, etc.); it’s one of those with an odder pairing (e.g. 48 Hrs., Die Hard with a Vengeance, etc.). In fact, the protagonist of this story is actually a legal aid attorney, which bears out my notion that the heart of the movie is real justice. Sure, there’s some reel justice, too, as expected, but that’s a parallel strength of the movie (I’ll just say: Coney Island, whoa).

The only genuine weaknesses I’d say the movie has are, for one, a slight failing of budget at the very end, and there’s one scene in particular that just seems out of step with the rest of the film (it might’ve been okay as a dream sequence or something like that), but make no mistake, this is James Glickenhaus’s magnum opus. Earlier works like The Exterminator and The Soldier certainly have their entertainment value, but as far as I know nothing else he’s made is as tightly written as Shakedown, and the more times I watch it the more the quality becomes evident.

Anyway, I don’t know if Shakedown is the very last action film to shut down 42nd Street for major stunt sequences, but if it is, what a way to go out. Even more than “The Deuce” though, the movie is a treasure trove of a time capsule for pre-Giuliani New York, including the condemned West Side Elevated Highway (before it was finally torn down, obviously). Certainly a far cry from the Disneyfied city we see today.

Of course, what is a buddy cop movie without its buddies, and boy are these two a pair. Sam Elliot is just as you’d expect him, in the best way possible, but it’s still Peter Weller’s universe. In fact, I’ll go as far to say that Shakedown is PEAK Peter Weller; beyond RoboCop, and even beyond, dare I say, Buckaroo Banzai (much as I do love both those films). However, it would be unfair to not mention Patricia Charbonneau, as she turns in a strong supporting performance.

In the end though, what makes me love Shakedown is that it’s not just another buddy cop film, because it makes you think a little bit in addition to the thrills and chills. It may not be the best but it’s got a ton of personality and unique quirks, and with a budget somewhere under $10 million it punches far above its weight class. It’s under-seen and underrated and it deserves much more notoriety, especially compared to some other 80s “classics”.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by Paul Schrader, based on the novel by Joe Connelly
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore, Marc Anthony, Mary Beth Hurt, Cliff Curtis, Nestor Serrano, Aida Turturro, Sonja Sohn, Afemo Omilami, Judy Reyes, Cullen O. Johnson, Arthur J. Nascarella, Larry Fessenden, Michael Kenneth Williams, Queen Latifah
Soundtrack: Elmer Bernstein

Now, I know what you’re thinking.

“A New York City film written by Paul Schrader, directed by Martin Scorsese, and it’s not Taxi Driver?”

Correct.

Unfortunately for poor Marty, Bringing Out the Dead was a box office bomb, which is probably why it’s never gotten a proper, loving home format release, even though it’s a film begging for a 4K Blu-ray restoration (though apparently this and Sleepy Hollow were the last films released on LaserDisc, so, that’s interesting). Frankly, it’s a shame that this movie is relegated to “hidden gem” status, because I think it’s among Scorsese’s better films; certainly better than most things he’s directed since (yeah, I’m looking at you, The Irishman).

The plot, is, well… I’d describe the whole movie as something of a fever dream. Nic Cage plays a paramedic who’s in a bad way. He’s insomnious to the point of hallucination, he’s on a cold streak of saving people, and it’s a bit of a Russian Roulette situation with who he’s paired up with on a given night. In the midst of this seemingly comes a ray of hope, when he appears to have saved a man’s life, and maybe strikes up a bit of a thing with his daughter, played by Patricia Arquette.

Though the movie was made in the late Nineties, it’s set in the drug-addled days of pre-Giuliani NYC, and the film is not afraid to comment on a number of serious issues.

What really makes it for me though is the cast and the music. Though it’s heavy at times, just about everybody seems to be reveling in their performances, and that comes through the screen; and the soundtrack (both the wonderful Elmer Bernstein score and the licensed songs) just amplifies it all.

Off the beaten path, but well worth it.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Original Release Date: December 25, 1992

Directed by Walter Hill
Written by Bob Gale & Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Bill Paxton, Ice-T, William Sadler, Ice Cube, Art Evans, De’voreaux White, Bruce A. Young, Glenn Plummer, Stoney Jackson, T.E. Russell, Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, John Toles-Bey, Byron Minns, Tico Wells, Hal Landon Jr., James Pickens Jr., L. Warren Young
Soundtrack: Ry Cooder

Oh, you thought were we done with the heavy hitters?

Think again.

That’s right, from the creators of Back to the Future and the director of 48 Hrs. comes a tale of treasure sought, and all the pitfalls that come with it.

Now, admittedly, Trespass is the most tenuously connected film in my First Responder trilogy here, as our nominal protagonists are indeed fire fighters, but outside of one introductory scene there’s no real firefighting to be found; but, hey, this is my seafood stew.

Trespass is one of those movies that’s limited in scope, scale, and cast, but manages to be just as captivating as many a bigger film.

While fighting a fire in Fort Smith, Arkansas, our two nominal protagonists (played by Paxton and Sadler) are gifted a map to treasure in a now abandoned factory in East Saint Louis, Illinois. Unfortunately for them, the day they go to investigate happens to be the same day that a local gang (led by Ice-T and Ice Cube) happens to be executing someone on the same grounds.

You can imagine where it goes from there. Lots of tension, intrigue, criss-crosses; in fact, now that I think about it, it kind of reminds me of Green Room, except Trespass takes place in the daylight, which makes it feel more hopeless at times, though I wouldn’t say Trespass borders on horror territory like Green Room does.

In the end, it’s a nice, tight, entertaining little thriller. Not the best, but unique and different.

Rating: ★★★½ (out of five)

Classic Movie Quinella – ‘RussellMania’: The Kurt Russell Marathon – Land of the Free

Another Super Bowl Saturday, another actor marathon at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers: Caged, Stallone Zone, Van Dammage, Burt Day, ‘HEY, ARNOLD!‘, and now, RussellMania 2018.

I had sky high hopes for this one, but for the first time in attending these events, I actually left fairly disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I love Kurt Russell, I love my new hat, and I got to see four movies I had never seen before (which I do place a certain value on), but overall it just wasn’t quite the same enjoyable ride I’ve become accustomed to over the past five years.

The man himself needs no introduction though, so let’s get into these movies.

Movie #1: Tango & Cash (1989)

Right off the bat, I was wrong.

Seeing as how this film lead off Stallone Zone (click the link to read the Tango & Cash review), I figured there was no way we’d see it again here, but, as I said, I was wrong.

I will say, it was interesting watching it again as a Kurt Russell movie rather than a Stallone movie, but I don’t really have anything more to say now than I did in 2014.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Movie #2: Breakdown (1997)

I remember my cousin putting this on once at my aunt and uncle’s house, probably around the time it first hit DVD (which was technology beyond my imagination at the time), only I don’t think I watched past the first half hour or so, so I never realized until seeing it on the big screen that Breakdown turns into an action movie by the end (spoilers?).

Before that though, the movie feels extremely Hitchcockian, so much so that you could believe it’s a remake of something Hitch actually made (though to my knowledge it is not and I’ll happily give full credit to writer/director Jonathan Mostow). The story’s simple enough (I’d actually make a gentle comparison to The Belko Experiment, just in terms of imagining yourself in the same situation), and it doesn’t fall into the trap of becoming too twisty, which I appreciated.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal taste as to whether or not the third act works for you. I’m okay with it, but I understand others feeling somewhat betrayed by it.

Either way though, I’d still say it’s solid.

Rating: ★★★½

Movie #3: Used Cars (1980)

Before Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale made one of the greatest movies of all time (review here), they had a string of less successful endeavors (I Wanna Hold Your Hand, 1941), culminating with 1980’s Used Cars (although they did write one of my favorite episodes of Kolchak: The Night Stalker).

Used Cars isn’t great, and its definitely a touch bloated, but it’s not without its charms. For one thing, it’s Kurt’s first R-rated performance, which is interesting to see at odds with his still-lingering Disney good guy persona, and it’s got Jack Warden doing some classic one-actor-playing-twin-brothers schtick, and a good amount of the satirical humor still holds up today.

It also hearkens back to a time when comedy wasn’t strictly a bargain basement genre and studios weren’t afraid to throw in a little more production value when necessary, even for an non-family friendly comedy.

Not everybody will fully enjoy Used Cars because it’s such a product of its time, but for me, that’s why I found it interesting and why I’d give it another watch someday.

Rating: ★★★½

Movie #4: Executive Decision (1996)

Speaking of the kinds of movies that don’t get made anymore, let’s talk Executive Decision (which is one I was hoping for, for better or worse).

Stuff like this just has a certain je ne sais quoi that feels missing from Hollywood of the present (the fact that it was made pre-9/11 definitely has something to do with that). It’s not like we have a dearth of action movies these days, but Executive Decision takes itself seriously in both story and tone where a movie today would have a wink and a nod (it’s no surprise that the last similar example I can think of, Behind Enemy Lines, was also a story by Jim and John Thomas).

I think it’s fair to say that Kurt plays against type here, at least relative to the “action man” roles he was known for at the time, but, even in a lame tuxedo and nerdy spectacles, he’s still cooler than we could ever dream of being.

“All-star cast” may be a stretch (it’s no Airport ’77), but, at the time, Executive Decision certainly had a mix of experienced pros and hot up-and-comers (most notably Halle Berry). Given that it’s a 90s action movie, I’ll say everyone does a fine job.

That said, let’s call it what it is, “Die Hard on a plane.”

Still worth a watch though, just get comfortable.

Rating: ★★★½

Movie #5: Escape from L.A. (1996)

This is not how I wanted the day to end.

I don’t want to merely compare this movie to Escape from New York, but I don’t think it leaves you with much of a choice.

Honestly, Escape from L.A. is depressingly bad in comparison to its predecessor. New York was a low-budget underdog that managed to find an audience and punch a bit above its weight class. It stands on its reputation more so than its actual quality, but at the same time it was a fairly progressive movie in terms of film-making, what with the use of the Panaglide (an early “cousin” of the Steadicam) and new techniques that allowed Dean Cundey to shoot many city blocks deep using only streetlamps for lighting; not to mention how the film allowed Kurt Russell to truly pivot away from his Disney comedy roots.

On the other hand, L.A. is essentially The Asylum version of New York, with a copy-and-paste script, horrendous CGI effects, and terribly cheesy performances. In fact, the only element you can point to as being better than the original is the fact that they shot a scene at the real L.A. Coliseum, but the movie is still so terrible that it doesn’t even matter.

Escape from L.A. is awful, it was rightfully a box office bomb, and if you truly love Escape from New York, you should never ever watch it.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

So, there you have it. Not the best day, but definitely not all bad. Just kind of middling, and therefore not what I expected given Kurt’s body of work.

I guess they can’t all be winners.

This hat though, this hat is a winner.

Quick Thoughts – Autumn Round-Up, Part 1

As usual, I’m horribly behind in my writing about what I’ve been seeing.

Let’s get right to it.

Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (2003)

I have a very special relationship with this movie.

When I was in high school, I went with a bunch of friends to see it, the only problem was that everybody was 17 except for my best friend and I who were still 16 (and the theater we went to was not one you could sneak into); so, we waited and waited until finally a nice South Asian couple came by and vouched for us so we could get in. It’s been more than 12 years and I’m still waiting to pay that favor forward, but kids today just don’t have the same taste.

Anyway, Kill Bill, like every Tarantino film, is a tribute to many movies of the past. This fact was a bit over my head as a 16-year-old, I have a bit more of an appreciation of it now, but that doesn’t really matter, because the movie is great on its own and still holds up today. The Monty Python-esque over-the-top violence, the witty dialogue, Sonny f’n Chiba, and the core story of a woman essentially back from the dead and out for revenge, it’s just cool. And, it’s got one of the best ending cliffhangers ever. What more can I say?

Rating: ★★★★½

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

For a very long time, I thought this was the best BTTF movie, probably because I was young and couldn’t yet fully appreciate the original (believe me, I learned to love it), plus, they actually go to the future!

Let’s get it straight right now. Back to the Future is one of the most perfect films ever made, and is the best of the trilogy. But, as sequels go, it’s hard to ask for more than what Part II gives us.

For one thing, it provided a comedic vision of the future date of October 21, 2015 (on which I got to see the movie theatrically, because awesome), which turned out to be somewhat prescient but mostly just hilarious. Secondly, there’s some serious movie magic involved with taking us back to certain events from the original while adding another layer on top of them. And, the movie isn’t afraid of some gravitas, as the alternate 1985 “Hell Valley” is stunningly bleak.

Add it all up, and you’ve got a tremendously fun and well-executed sequel (that still works just fine on its own).

Rating: ★★★★☆

Hot Fuzz (2007)

This is another movie I have a very special relationship with.

Back in the late Spring of 2007, my best good friend and I went to see Spider-Man 3 in IMAX on a Friday night. Needless to say, we hated it. In fact, had we not paid extra to see it on the giant screen, I think we’d have walked out. Come Saturday, we needed to cleanse our theatrical palate, and the perfect prescription was Hot Fuzz.

In addition to that fond memory, it was a part of my first ever experience at the Alamo Drafthouse [Yonkers], when I went to see the “Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy” on the premier night of The World’s End.

I love this movie so much that I made my own trailer for it (which I’d show you, but, copyright laws).

A lethally hilarious combination of buddy cop action, Agatha Christie mystery, and the English countryside, Hot Fuzz is the second feature from creative duo Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg (along with Nick Frost and a cast of British greats). Like Shaun of the Dead before it, Hot Fuzz is not a parody, but rather a comedic love letter, embracing all the tropes that come with the movies it pays tribute to, in turn become a great example of the genre itself (I put it next to Lethal Weapon and Rush Hour as the three seminal Buddy Cop movies of the past 30 years); not to mention that you can watch any Edgar Wright movie 20 times and still not pick up on all the on-screen gags.

It’s fun, it’s bloody, and it’s over-the-top in all the right ways. Check it out if you’ve not already done so.

Rating: ★★★★½

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

I’ve only very recently been getting familiar with the film catalogue of one Mr. Brian De Palma, but I’ve come to one conclusion, and that is he is drawn to stories that start out very much grounded in reality, but by the end have gone almost completely off the rails. Carrie, Scarface, and Mission: Impossible all follow this pattern, and you better believe Phantom of the Paradise, which he wrote himself, does as well (arguably to the largest degree).

A musical at its core (songs by Paul Williams), Phantom pays homage to many classic stories, including Phantom of the Opera (duh), Faust, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, while mixing in 70s glam rock aesthetics and plenty of music business satire (which is horrifyingly brilliant).

The result is something of a wild and beautiful mess, but it’s an enjoyable enough ride that I’d recommend it to a lot of people. If nothing else, the twists and turns will keep you engaged.

Rating: ★★★½

After the screening, there was a Q&A with Gerrit Graham (on the right), who played “Beef” in Phantom, hosted by Michael Gingold of Fangoria magazine (on the left):

Quick Thoughts – Summer Round-Up, Part 3

Continued from Part 2…

‘Over the Top’ (1987)

Schlock producer extraordinaire Menahem Golan didn’t direct too many movies in the Eighties, but he did direct this one, and it may be responsible for changing the structure of Hollywood, for better or worse. You see, Golan really, REALLY wanted Stallone for this, but Stallone wasn’t interested, so Golan just kept offering him more and more money until Stallone finally said yes. You can bet the eyes of many movie stars and agents went wide after that coup.

Anyway, what do we have here? Quite simply, it’s Sylvester Stallone having to arm wrestle his way to getting custody of his annoying son. Oh, and he’s a truck driver; and you’ll definitely want to go buy some Brut afterwards.

It’s not my favorite film of Sly’s by a long shot, but it’s entertaining enough to get your Stallone (or Kenny Loggins) fix, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ (1954)

I never expected my first thought after leaving the theater to be, “I can’t believe how smart that movie was.”

Yes, sure, the science probably doesn’t hold up well by 2015 standards, but I think they earnestly tried to be serious about it, which is the mark of good science fiction; and there’s some interesting subtext in the ideological conflict between two of the scientists (One of them’s like, “I just want to science,” and the the other one’s like, “We can science a whole lot more if we can get more money.”).

The creature still looks great, the underwater photography is still captivating, and the story is much more than dumb B-movie monster trash.

Perfectly entertaining Halloween fare.

Rating: ★★★★☆

‘Back to the Future’ (1985)

When I was a kid, I always thought I liked ‘Part II’ better, because of all the future stuff, but now that I’m older (and have seen it theatrically), I realize just how incredible this movie is.

Like so many ideas “The Two Bobs” (Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale) came up with, this is one that really should have never worked, or gotten off the ground in the first place.

Thank God they had an advocate in Steven Spielberg to help bring it to fruition, and the rest is history: two sequels and an untold amount of cultural influence (“You like ‘Huey Lewis and the News‘?).

Much like ‘Ghostbusters’ (another 5-star movie), ‘Back to the Future’ is a blend of two genres, in this case comedy and sci-fi, that works well in both areas. You could say it’s as if somebody wrote a really lighthearted and funny episode of “The Twilight Zone”. Also, like Ghostbusters, the casting is pitch perfect from top to bottom, and everybody gets a chance to put a stamp on their performance.

If you’ve somehow never seen it, get on that. October 21st is right around the corner…

Rating: ★★★★★

‘Mako: The Jaws of Death’ (1976)

Believe it or not, this is not a ‘Jaws’ ripoff.

Other than the presence of sharks, and the word ‘Jaws’ in the title, there’s pretty much nothing to link this film to Steven Spielberg’s epic.

‘Mako’, rather, is another one in the line of “Man with psychic connection to animals exacts revenge and/or murder on people” movies, that I guess started with ‘Willard’ (1971) and ended with ‘Willard’ (2003).

This is not what I’d call a legitimately good movie, but it at least manages to keep your interest for ninety minutes with some entertaining sequences (like Harold “Odd Job” Sakata getting towed into port by a runaway boat), and some general funny-bad moments; and, like ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ and ‘Thunderball’, the underwater shots still look great.

For a mid-70s Cannon release, this is perfectly acceptable.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

‘The Hustler’ (1961)

I went into this thinking it would just be a cool movie about a pool shark hustling people, but it turned out to be so much more than that. I realize how pretentious this will sound, but ‘The Hustler’ is among the most existential films I’ve ever seen. because while it is a story about “Fast Eddie” the pool hall hustler, it’s really about Eddie Felson learning to be truly human, experience love and loss and all that comes with it; and also there are amazing scenes of pool playing.

My main criticism is that it’s a bit long, and certain things are dragged out more than necessary, but it’s not enough to quench all of the great performances.

Paul Newman is as you’d expect, Piper Laurie is amazingly vulnerable, George C. Scott is deliciously nefarious, and Jackie Gleason is cooler than you could have ever imagined him to be (and, I believe, does all of his pool shots himself); and Murray Hamilton shows up to do Murray Hamilton things.

It’ll unfortunately probably bore much of today’s audience, but, for me, it’s easy to see why this one is considered such a classic.

Rating: ★★★★☆