Hello all, hope you enjoy this!
Desperate to escape the thronging crowds of Londoners here for the increasingly out-of-control Edinburgh Festival, I went to see a movie with a couple of friends. Also as part of the festival, one of the smaller movie houses is replaying some old movies. We stayed for a couple of them, and I want to talk about them today. The place was busy, and so we grabbed tickets to what we could. The two movies were:
1. Born to fight:
A Thai movie, produced by the same people who made the Ong-Bak movies. This, absolutely ludicrous plot, has some terrorists taking over a village to use as hostages to get a war criminal general out of jail. THe village, however, has some of the Thai national Sports Stars visiting (for some reason), as well as the surviving policeman who just happened to arrest the general in the first place. So far, so action movie. However, it takes forever to get going, they spend literally a third of the movie on the ground, surrounded by gun toting militia, and only reluctantly start fighting at the end. The athletes all use their skills (high jump, for example) to overcome the terrorists, but their specific skills are only alluded to until then. It's utterly bizarre. When they're not being held hostage, the villagers are either being 'funny,' and sentimental together, or mercilessly killed in slow motion. For example, you know from the loving look between young daughter and father will end with his execution right in front of her. It's the worst mix of tones ever. There are some interesting stunts, but it's overlong even at an hour and 20 minutes, and doesn't develop into the cult classic guilty pleasure that it should. It's pretty much the definition of a wasted b-movie premise. Pretty unimpressive.
Finishing this, a little flat, we went to the next movie, one none of us had seen, the renowned cult buddy cop movie, 48hrs. I admit, a little, socially lubricated (drunk, in case you were wondering).
2. 48 HRs:
The only thing I knew about this was that it started the craze of 'buddy cop' movies, and that it was directed by the same guy who made 'The Warriors' and 'Southern comfort.' Those are two solid action movies, the latter in particular, and there is an overlap of characters and themes with those movies, and probably others of his oeuvre* too. For example, all three of those movies involve: gritty male characters, initially in opposition but gaining friendship over time; and racing against time to achieve a goal and reach safety. The plot here involves a grizzled cop getting a petty criminal a 48 hour day trip out of jail so that he can help him solve some crimes related to him. The cop is white (Nick Nolte, so grizzled you can smell him) and the criminal is black (Eddie Murphy and his tiny teeth). Often, 48hrs is held as a forgotten classic. I think it's the perfect example of 80s action movies, beliefs, and a perfect showcase for all the trappings of a generic cop movie.
That's not to say that it's a bad movie. It's entertaining, often funny, and well made: it's a tight action movie. However, some of the views on show are terrible, and a lot of the action and plotting has been done to death in subsequent movies. It's a little like 'The Graduate' or 'Die Hard' in which you may as well have seen it before in every other movie of its genre, or in the simpsons episodes. Originality breeds unoriginal followers.
Anyway, some of the views on show, in a rough, 1980s San Fransisco, include but are not limited to: a lot of use of the N-bomb, spear-chucker and other terms to describe Eddie Murphy. It's good evidence that those cretins who complain that political correctness has gone mad, are indeed cretins. Also involved is an American Indian, who is one of the guys in the Predator crew). Views on women aren't very enlightened either, at several points Nolte threatens to strangle women, while prostitutes are treated roughly (this despite their obligatory 'hearts of gold'). Eddie Murphy, as a prisoner on day-release, also says some of the worst things about, and to, various women. It's the kind of shit that would make Jim Davidson blush. Aside from some unpleasant desciptions (describing a vagina as 'trim' isn't fun in this day and age), he also dances with the obligatory 'curly-headed-sassy-80s-black-girl,' and before saying hello says "if I'm not in some flesh in five minutes I'll kill someone" (that's not a misquote, we all remembred it). She is, rightly appalled, but then is shown to have slept with him later, even promising to wait for him till he gets out of jail.
Other than Morally, the movie is a showcase for 80s movies cliches. The only real ones I can't think of are, perhaps, an endangered baby, and the hero running and jumping away from an explosion. Let's have a look at some scenes:
Also of note is the fashion, and music. So many of the genre tropes are there and present, this seems like the kind of thing which would be the buddy cop to end all buddy cop movies. It's interesting, not only because the action scenes include every 80s cliche ever, but also offer a good glimpse into views whch people who decry the rise of political correctness would have us still spouting. A flawed classic, probably.
Pictures up here soon, hope you're all just super.
*That's right assholes, dropped an o-bomb.
Desperate to escape the thronging crowds of Londoners here for the increasingly out-of-control Edinburgh Festival, I went to see a movie with a couple of friends. Also as part of the festival, one of the smaller movie houses is replaying some old movies. We stayed for a couple of them, and I want to talk about them today. The place was busy, and so we grabbed tickets to what we could. The two movies were:
1. Born to fight:
A Thai movie, produced by the same people who made the Ong-Bak movies. This, absolutely ludicrous plot, has some terrorists taking over a village to use as hostages to get a war criminal general out of jail. THe village, however, has some of the Thai national Sports Stars visiting (for some reason), as well as the surviving policeman who just happened to arrest the general in the first place. So far, so action movie. However, it takes forever to get going, they spend literally a third of the movie on the ground, surrounded by gun toting militia, and only reluctantly start fighting at the end. The athletes all use their skills (high jump, for example) to overcome the terrorists, but their specific skills are only alluded to until then. It's utterly bizarre. When they're not being held hostage, the villagers are either being 'funny,' and sentimental together, or mercilessly killed in slow motion. For example, you know from the loving look between young daughter and father will end with his execution right in front of her. It's the worst mix of tones ever. There are some interesting stunts, but it's overlong even at an hour and 20 minutes, and doesn't develop into the cult classic guilty pleasure that it should. It's pretty much the definition of a wasted b-movie premise. Pretty unimpressive.
Finishing this, a little flat, we went to the next movie, one none of us had seen, the renowned cult buddy cop movie, 48hrs. I admit, a little, socially lubricated (drunk, in case you were wondering).
2. 48 HRs:
The only thing I knew about this was that it started the craze of 'buddy cop' movies, and that it was directed by the same guy who made 'The Warriors' and 'Southern comfort.' Those are two solid action movies, the latter in particular, and there is an overlap of characters and themes with those movies, and probably others of his oeuvre* too. For example, all three of those movies involve: gritty male characters, initially in opposition but gaining friendship over time; and racing against time to achieve a goal and reach safety. The plot here involves a grizzled cop getting a petty criminal a 48 hour day trip out of jail so that he can help him solve some crimes related to him. The cop is white (Nick Nolte, so grizzled you can smell him) and the criminal is black (Eddie Murphy and his tiny teeth). Often, 48hrs is held as a forgotten classic. I think it's the perfect example of 80s action movies, beliefs, and a perfect showcase for all the trappings of a generic cop movie.
That's not to say that it's a bad movie. It's entertaining, often funny, and well made: it's a tight action movie. However, some of the views on show are terrible, and a lot of the action and plotting has been done to death in subsequent movies. It's a little like 'The Graduate' or 'Die Hard' in which you may as well have seen it before in every other movie of its genre, or in the simpsons episodes. Originality breeds unoriginal followers.
Anyway, some of the views on show, in a rough, 1980s San Fransisco, include but are not limited to: a lot of use of the N-bomb, spear-chucker and other terms to describe Eddie Murphy. It's good evidence that those cretins who complain that political correctness has gone mad, are indeed cretins. Also involved is an American Indian, who is one of the guys in the Predator crew). Views on women aren't very enlightened either, at several points Nolte threatens to strangle women, while prostitutes are treated roughly (this despite their obligatory 'hearts of gold'). Eddie Murphy, as a prisoner on day-release, also says some of the worst things about, and to, various women. It's the kind of shit that would make Jim Davidson blush. Aside from some unpleasant desciptions (describing a vagina as 'trim' isn't fun in this day and age), he also dances with the obligatory 'curly-headed-sassy-80s-black-girl,' and before saying hello says "if I'm not in some flesh in five minutes I'll kill someone" (that's not a misquote, we all remembred it). She is, rightly appalled, but then is shown to have slept with him later, even promising to wait for him till he gets out of jail.
Other than Morally, the movie is a showcase for 80s movies cliches. The only real ones I can't think of are, perhaps, an endangered baby, and the hero running and jumping away from an explosion. Let's have a look at some scenes:
- The cop drinks, fights dirty, and has women problems, but he gets the job DONE!
- The 'good' guys, in a car, are involved in a gunfight with the badguys, who are in a bus.
- This scene above is only possible because of the immense good fortune in finding their bus, despite not suspecting a bus, nor seeing them driving it. He just appears next to it.
- Various car chases make civilian cars swerve out of the way
- One chase ends with a car smashed through a store window
- Despite racially abusing each other throughout the movie, the two leads are friends by the end of the movie, for no real reason other than mutual respect.
- There is an angry, black D.A. who suspends Nick Nolte ("you're off the case!" he shouts)
- The two are stumped about what to do, but the location of the two badguys is found because of a sarcastic remark by Eddie Murphy.
- The final battle takes place in a steam-filled, darkened alleyway.
- Nolte nearly has the bad guys, but is wrongly stopped by police before any shooting can take place.
- The main badguy, previously a shoot-first type of guy, talks to Eddie Murphy, and then takes him hostage instead of keeping with his persona and just shooting him.
- Dozens of shots are fired at point blank range and miss.
- Dozens of shots are fired and no gun is ever reloaded.
Also of note is the fashion, and music. So many of the genre tropes are there and present, this seems like the kind of thing which would be the buddy cop to end all buddy cop movies. It's interesting, not only because the action scenes include every 80s cliche ever, but also offer a good glimpse into views whch people who decry the rise of political correctness would have us still spouting. A flawed classic, probably.
Pictures up here soon, hope you're all just super.
*That's right assholes, dropped an o-bomb.
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