| Author | Message | ||
     Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.43.119.113 |
I finally got to see this film last night - never seen it before...It didn't used to get shown much until recently because of the controversial nature of the violence & rape scenes in it. I'm glad I watched it. I found it in equal parts tense, annoying, well acted, challenging. Dustin Hoffman was superb, I thought Susan George was good in a part which suited her acting capabilities well (that's not a pisstake). The British actors did well with the somewhat cliched, hooting, whistling, greasy Cornish moron parts (TP McKenna & the ever excellent Peter Vaughn rose above the temptation to gurn and overact). The raised a lot of interesting questions about violence and rape, some of it was clumsy, the violence started to reach almost Tom & Jerry daftness towards the end, but this was a brave & interesting film, It was interesting to try and understand Hoffman's reasoning for not allowing the intruders into his house...His Castle?, To protect Niles? To protect his Wife? or, as I see it simplty for revenge against those who had mocked him (And he didn't even know about the rape!) Ultimately, Hoffman was probably more of a Psychopath than the the pissed up local yokels trying to break into his house! I also liked the ambiguity of the fact that Niles could be seen as hardly worth saving anyway. A flawed film, but raising so many questions on difficult subjects I recommend it to anyone, like me that had let it pass previously. gcw | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.242.126 |
Good review, GCW - sums up a lot of my own feelings regarding the film. I'm a huge fan of this one, but appreciate it is flawed. I actually find it rather creepy: the sense of being an unwanted outsider, the weird English neo-gothic feel, the tension and barely repressed sexuality. Great stuff. | ||
| Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.43.119.113 |
It's so sweaty isn't it? gcw | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.3.65.135 |
>>>I actually find it rather creepy Yes, it's almost got a typical British horror movie feel to it. Like Wicker Man. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 79.187.206.46 |
Too true, Prof. Spot on. You used to know nowt..you've come a long way son. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.3.65.135 |
Are you Frank...Butcher? | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 79.187.206.46 |
Riccckkky! | ||
| Simon_b (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.165.182 |
I love Straw Dogs. Flawed, as stated above, but magnificent. There's no compass, no 'kit' to make sense of it all and point the moral- it's just this strange harrowing tale that gets inside your head and leaves you to try and process it yourself. Btw, anyone know why David Warner's performance doesn't appear to be credited on the film? Peckinpah was an extraordinary filmmaker. Cross Of Iron's another masterpiece... a very underrated film. With that classic exchange: 'Do you believe in God, Sergeant?' 'I believe that God is a sadist... but probably doesn't even know it.' | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.242.126 |
Count me as a fan of Cross of Iron. Only this week I ordered it, along with Straw Dogs (our window cleaner has nicked my copy!) and Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia from Play.com. All 3 for around 15 quid... | ||
| Simon_b (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.165.182 |
Alfredo Garcia is another belter, Gary. Late-period Peckinpah, when he was starting to lose the plot (mind you, Cross of Iron is later still, but he managed to pull himself back together for most of that) but by god, it's still a dark, brilliant tale. Another great line: Warren Oates (after shooting someone) 'Why? Because it feels so god-damned good.' | ||
| Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.43.119.113 |
Alfredo Garcia? Blimey, it's years since I saw that bugger... I remember the sweaty face & greasy hair... gcw | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 79.187.206.46 |
I've never been able to get into Alfredo Garcia. |