Category: Chase

Charley Varrick: Walter Matthau excels as the titular antihero in Don Siegel’s solid Crime Thriller

Charley Varrick (1973), starring Walter Matthau, Andy Robinson, John Vernon and Joe Don Baker, is a thrilling Crime\gangster drama directed by genre veteran Don Siegel. Siegel made this film immediately after his iconic cop thriller, "Dirty Harry," and in many ways this film is the definitive Don Siegel film. Director, Don Siegel, is most famous … Continue reading Charley Varrick: Walter Matthau excels as the titular antihero in Don Siegel’s solid Crime Thriller →

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Mr. Majestyk: Elmore Leonard mixed colorful characters, quirky dialogue and explosive action in creating one of the best ’70s Charles Bronson Actioners

Mr. Majestyk (1974) is an action thriller written by Elmore Leonard and directed by Richard Fleischer. The film stars Charles Bronson as a Colorado Watermelon farmer who comes into conflict with gangsters lead by Al Lettieri. So, after 'breaking his back' for more than two decades - starting out with bit parts, progressing to villainous … Continue reading Mr. Majestyk: Elmore Leonard mixed colorful characters, quirky dialogue and explosive action in creating one of the best ’70s Charles Bronson Actioners →

Death Hunt: Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin reunited after ‘The Dirty Dozen’ for Peter Hunt’s thrilling Western Actioner

Death Hunt (1981), starring Charles Bronson and lee Marvin in lead roles, and directed by Peter Hunt, is a thrilling action-packed Western set in Canada. Golden Harvest presentsAn Albert S. Ruddy ProductionA Peter Hunt filmCharles BronsonLee MarvinDeath Hunt This is how the titles of the 1981 film, "Death Hunt" unfolds. The titles are very interesting … Continue reading Death Hunt: Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin reunited after ‘The Dirty Dozen’ for Peter Hunt’s thrilling Western Actioner →

Seraphim Falls: Liam Neeson obsessively pursues Pierce Brosnan in this austere & atmospheric post-civil war Western

Seraphim Falls(2006), directed by David Von Ancken, is a gritty Western set in the desolate, post-civil war American landscape where an Ex-confederate officer, played by Liam Neeson, driven by vengeance is hunting for a Union soldier played by Pierce Brosnan. Before his Action-film-star making performance in 2008's Taken: where he played Bryan Mills, a former CIA operative … Continue reading Seraphim Falls: Liam Neeson obsessively pursues Pierce Brosnan in this austere & atmospheric post-civil war Western →

In the Line of Fire: Clint Eastwood is determined to save the American President from John Malkovich’s assassin in this terrific political-action thriller

In the Line of Fire(1993), directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich, is a terrific political action thriller inspired from 'The Day of the Jackal'. Eastwood plays the U.S. Secret Service agent who tries to stop Malkovich's killer from assassinating the U.S. president. "I thought Eastwood was terrific. . . . … Continue reading In the Line of Fire: Clint Eastwood is determined to save the American President from John Malkovich’s assassin in this terrific political-action thriller →

The Enforcer: The very entertaining third ‘Dirty Harry’ film has lots of humor, exciting action sequences and a female partner for Clint Eastwood’s supercop

The Enforcer(1976), the third film in the 'Dirty Harry' series, is directed by James Fargo. The film pairs Clint Eastwood with Tyne Daly, and it contains a lot more humor along with all the elements that made the first two films great entertainment. After incurring the wrath of his superiors for the nth time - … Continue reading The Enforcer: The very entertaining third ‘Dirty Harry’ film has lots of humor, exciting action sequences and a female partner for Clint Eastwood’s supercop →

Firefox: Clint Eastwood attempted something different as an actor and director with this ‘James Bond’ meets ‘Star Wars’ hybrid of Sci-fi & Cold-war espionage thriller

Firefox (1982) is a cold-war techno thriller directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the film. The film is adapted from a novel by Craig Thomas, and it's one of the costliest films Eastwood has ever attempted in his career. Long before it was an open-source browser developed by the Mozilla Corporation, "Firefox" was … Continue reading Firefox: Clint Eastwood attempted something different as an actor and director with this ‘James Bond’ meets ‘Star Wars’ hybrid of Sci-fi & Cold-war espionage thriller →

French Connection II: Gene Hackman brilliantly reprises ‘Popeye’ Doyle in this terrific sequel that takes the iconic character in an interesting direction

French Connection II(1975) has Gene Hackman reprising the role of Popeye Doyle from the Oscar winning 1971 prequel, The French Connection. This film, directed by the great action film maestro, John Frankenheimer, is a more polished and melodramatic film which is not as viscerally powerful as the original, but expands on that film in interesting … Continue reading French Connection II: Gene Hackman brilliantly reprises ‘Popeye’ Doyle in this terrific sequel that takes the iconic character in an interesting direction →

The Untouchables: Kevin Costner and Sean Connery battles Robert De Niro’s ‘Al Capone’ for the soul of Chicago in Brian De Palma’s bravura gangland Opus

The Untouchables(1987), written by David Mamet and Directed by Brian De Palma, is the big screen adaptation of the eponymous T.V. Series, with Kevin Costner playing Elliot Ness and Robert De Niro as Al Capone. "It's like a John Ford western. A good guy is on a mission and gets help. At the end he … Continue reading The Untouchables: Kevin Costner and Sean Connery battles Robert De Niro’s ‘Al Capone’ for the soul of Chicago in Brian De Palma’s bravura gangland Opus →

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford created an endearing pop culture icon and the definitive modern blockbuster

Raiders of the lost Ark(1981) was conceived by George Lucas as a tribute to the adventure serials of the 1940s. The film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford as the Professor-archeologist, Indiana Jones, created its own legend by becoming a trendsetting box office blockbuster that ushered in a new kind of action hero … Continue reading Raiders of the Lost Ark: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford created an endearing pop culture icon and the definitive modern blockbuster →

The French Connection: Gene Hackman’s dynamic, star-making performance powers William Friedkin’s avant-garde Policier

The French Connection(1971), starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider and Fernando Rey, and directed by William Friedkin from Robin Moore's book, is a brilliant cop thriller set in New York city, which pushed the boundaries of mainstream filmmaking. In the 1960s, two New York cops, Eddie Eagan and Sonny Grosso, busted a cocaine shipment worth $32 … Continue reading The French Connection: Gene Hackman’s dynamic, star-making performance powers William Friedkin’s avant-garde Policier →

The Bravados: A taut, brooding Revenge-Western that puts a dark spin on Gregory Peck’s heroic persona

The Bravados(1958), starring Gregory Peck and Directed by Henry King, is an intense, brooding Western that finds Peck taking revenge against the outlaws who killed his wife. When one thinks of the great actor-director combos from the golden age of Hollywood, the names that come immediately to mind would be John Wayne and John Ford, … Continue reading The Bravados: A taut, brooding Revenge-Western that puts a dark spin on Gregory Peck’s heroic persona →

To Catch a Thief: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly epitomizes the glamor and sizzle of golden age Hollywood in Hitchcock’s witty, elegant, extravaganza

To Catch a Thief(1955), Hitchcock's glossy, lighthearted, caper film offers frothy, romantic entertainment, and Grant and Kelly's combustive star power sets off significant fireworks. Sex on the screen should be suspenseful, I feel. If sex is too blatant or obvious, there’s no suspense. You know why I favor sophisticated blondes in my films? We’re after … Continue reading To Catch a Thief: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly epitomizes the glamor and sizzle of golden age Hollywood in Hitchcock’s witty, elegant, extravaganza →

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid: Paul Newman and Robert Redford gives timeless portrayals of the legendary outlaw duo in this quirky, delightful Western Classic

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid(1969), starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford and, Directed by George Roy Hill, is one of the most popular Westerns ever made. The film made a star out of Redford and revitalized the Western genre,but, it is writer William Goldman who leaves the strongest imprint on the film, with his … Continue reading Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid: Paul Newman and Robert Redford gives timeless portrayals of the legendary outlaw duo in this quirky, delightful Western Classic →

The Getaway: Steve McQueen’s cool charisma powers this highly entertaining action-romance from Sam Peckinpah & Walter Hill

The Getaway(1972) starring Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw, was the most commercially successful film that revered director Sam Peckinpah ever made. Though not as personal as his other works, the film still bears his stamp, both visually and thematically. The Getaway is Sam Peckinpah's least personal work and, his biggest commercial success; he made it … Continue reading The Getaway: Steve McQueen’s cool charisma powers this highly entertaining action-romance from Sam Peckinpah & Walter Hill →

McQ & Brannigan: Taking a break from Westerns, John Wayne maneuvers the urban frontiers of the 1970s

McQ(1974) and Brannigan(1975) are not great films and may not figure in a Best of John Wayne List.  But watching them today, they both come across as well crafted pieces of mainstream entertainment in which John 'Duke' Wayne is seen attempting to connect with a contemporary audience by featuring in modern-day urban crime dramas. Throughout … Continue reading McQ & Brannigan: Taking a break from Westerns, John Wayne maneuvers the urban frontiers of the 1970s →

The Driver: Director Walter Hill’s minimalist Neo-noir thriller is an exhilarating exercise in pure genre cinema

Director Walter Hill's 1978 film, The Driver, starring Ryan O'Neal and Bruce Dern, is the ultimate exercise in pure, minimalist cinema that just keeps getting better with age. "Boy you got it down real tight. So tight that there's no room for anything else." This is what 'The Detective' played By Bruce Dern tells Ryan … Continue reading The Driver: Director Walter Hill’s minimalist Neo-noir thriller is an exhilarating exercise in pure genre cinema →

Bullitt: Peter Yates’ gritty, seminal cop thriller gave Steve McQueen his most iconic role

Bullitt(1968) finds Steve McQueen at the peak of his powers. As a film it isn't much, but It's a perfect example of what we call a 'Star Vehicle': A very generic film with a very convoluted plot and very little characterization that's elevated to another level by the charisma and Screen presence of its iconic star. Steve McQueen … Continue reading Bullitt: Peter Yates’ gritty, seminal cop thriller gave Steve McQueen his most iconic role →