#312: THIEF

1981

Directed by Michael Mann
Neo-Noir, Crime

Thief is the second film by US director Michael Mann, released in 1981. It stars James Caan in one of his finest roles as a hardass diamond thief. One of the many talking points about this film is how exquisitely beautiful the framing of the camera is. Michael Mann really established his signature visual style here, and you can tell he has painstakingly assembled every frame of the film. He uses lots of night time shots, capturing the city lights and rain drenched roads, making them look so vibrant. It adds a real chilling atmosphere to the film. His use of silhouette and light and shadow is just phenomenal also. A shot at the beginning of the film where James Caan talks to a fisherman looks absolutely stunning. This film has been given the loving HD treatment by Arrow Video, so picking up this Blu-Ray disc is a must!

Of course it is one thing to make a visually striking film, but Thief works on just about all fronts. In particular the score by German synthesiser pioneers Tangerine Dream works superbly well. It was quite a bold move to use this band, as their music is often associated with outer space, making them more suited to a Sci-Fi film, but somehow it works wonders in Thief. The score is used sparingly, but the opening scene where James Caan is cracking open a safe (using real tools) in particular is given that little something extra because of the fantastic score. 

But the thing that impresses most about Thief is what truly matters, a phenomenal central performance by James Caan and a well told story. I would consider Thief to be a sophisticated crime drama. Similarly to films such as Scarface and Taxi Driver, it follows the journey of a ruthless anti-hero, but presents him as a three dimensional character with hopes and dreams, highs and lows. James Caan completely nails the role and carries the film easily so there isn't a dull moment to be found. Thief is not a film that relishes in gunfights or car chases, it is a very character and dialogue driven film, paired with fantastic visual shots that enhance the mood the story.

Thief is one those all around packages that works at every angle you could care to analyse it at. A film that can easily stand up to the likes of Scorsese or Copolla, yet it's not a film I often hear being talked about. 8/10.

#306: THE KILLERS

1964

Directed by Don Siegel

Neo-Noir, Crime, Thriller

The Killers is the second major film adaptation of Ernest Hemmingway's short story, following the critically acclaimed 1946 version which was a major player in the Film Noir movement. Whilst the former black and white film lurked in the smoke and the shadows, this adaptation is in full colour and is actually quite a vibrant looking film. It looks especially stunning in the Arrow Academy Blu-Ray edition that I watched it in, with a loving and warm restoration. It looked so sharp on my TV that I was convinced the beads of sweat on Lee Marvin's forehead were actually drips of water on my TV screen! The Killers has the acclaim of being the first made for TV movie ever made, though it was soon released in cinemas too because it was deemed too violent for TV broadcasting at the time.

Like the Film Noir adaptation before it, The Killers is built on groundbreaking use of flashbacks and scenes told out of chronological order. Something that eventually became Quentin Tarantino's signature style. Instead of revolving around a boxer like in the original film, the protagonist Johnny North is a racing driver in this one. The loose premise is roughly the same, but Don Siegel (director of Dirty Harry and Invasion of the Body Snatchers) had the freedom to change the details and make it his own. I felt that the 1946 version of The Killers started very well, but ended up losing me by the end. It relies too heavily on the flashbacks and got a little muddled along the way. I felt like this version of the Killers was not only more coherent, but better paced too. Aside from a few hit and miss romantic scenes, and dated driving scenes with a car in front of a projector screen, The Killers flows incredibly well and is held together by brilliant dialogue, great performances and interesting subplots. As long as you pay attention to who is telling each flashback and where in the timeline each one takes place, the film won't lose you.

The Killers has a stellar cast that plays like a greatest hits collection of the 60s, with Lee Marvin, John Cassavetes, Angie Dickinson and future president Ronald Reagan in his last screen role, the only time he played a villain. But to me the absolute standouts were John Cassavetes as the rebellious and relentless racer Johnny North, and Claude Atkins, his manager and mechanic trying to keep him grounded, putting in an emotionally heavy performance. Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager play the ice cool killers who go around interrogating many of the characters in order to find the money. They dazzle on screen, dressed in suits and sunglasses. Not only was the whole structure of the story a huge inspiration on Tarantino, but the two killers in this film could have been kindred fathers of any of the Reservoir Dogs. Both this and the 1946 Killers adaptation are both very much a snapshot of the time they were made and both hold great merit. Which one you prefer is down to personal preference, but for me I think this version of The Killers wins because of a cooler cast, more coherent plot and it's a pretty badass film all around! 8/10.

#290: SPLATTER UNIVERSITY

1984
Directed by Richard W Haines
Horror, Slasher.

I feel like I have now reached the point in time where I have seen so many low budget 80s Slasher flicks that I can't even tell them apart! I put the 88Films Blu-Ray disc in and 5 minutes in I was convinced I had already seen this film, yet I hadn't. Which goes to show how generic it is. Although it was released by the mighty Troma team, this one doesn't quite share the same blueprints as say Toxic Avenger. That is to say it isn't as wildly imaginative or as funny or crazy. It has your typical stock synthesiser score and 25 year olds playing 16 year olds who can't act or speak a word of dialogue to save their lives. I think the reason I found this so familiar is that Troma already released a very similar Slasher film called Graduation Day (also on the 88Films label).

Splatter University (though its set in a college) begins in a brutal fashion with two stabbings that lead to buckets of fake blood. In fact in the second kill the poor woman has her tit cut in half! But after an exhilarating start, the film swiftly goes downhill from there by being too lopsided. The killer isn't seen frequently enough, and inbetween his kills you have to tolerate badly written and acted teen drama, focusing too strongly on a teacher who cannot control her students, and a student who has fallen pregnant and doesn't know how to tell her boyfriend. It gets a bit too Saved By the Bell or Beverly Hills 90210 for a Horror film! I wish this one had more of Troma's crazy sense of humour and disgusting over the top effects. At 78 minutes, this film is tolerable, but not especially worth seeking out in the first place. 5/10.