DIRTY HARRY (1971) in The Psycho Ward Forum

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DIRTY HARRY (1971)

Author	Comment
Rapfred		#41	[-]
Nov 22 07 2:39 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	In accord with Monsterpal. It's an exciting, shrewdly crafted film, but the decks are clearly stacked to turn Harry into an idealized version of Popeye Doyle. Re: the torture of Scorpio, if Siegel's intention was to turn our sympathies inside out, it was lost on the audience I saw it with. The way they cheered Harry on struck me as a lot more chilling than the on-screen doings. For my dough, the best Dirty Harry film is the Chuck Norris vehicle CODE OF SILENCE, which was originally written by THE GAUNTLET scribes Mike Butler & Dennis Shryack as a Harry Callahan series entry. Among the film's sundry pleasures is the ingenious casting of Harry's crime fighting partner du jour, an ill-fated gig in previous DH pics. This time around, he's allied with a police robot tank, who if memory serves makes it to the end in one piece. For a change. Last Edited By: Rapfred Nov 22 07 3:00 PM. Edited 2 times.
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Mark Hodgson		#42	[-]
Nov 22 07 3:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	["Re: the torture of Scorpio, if Siegel's intention was to turn our sympathies inside out, it was lost on the audience I saw it with."] I think that's my problem with these films. The film-makers offer one viewpoint in the guise of another, and in the end entertain a crowd who think torture is a great idea and fun to watch. But what do I know, I enjoy zombie movies where people get eaten! Black Hole DVD Reviews
Monsterpal		#43	[-]
Nov 22 07 10:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Me, too, Mark. In fact, I enjoy zombie movies a lot more than movies about serial killers, even though there aren't nearly as many good ones. I'd watch Zombies of Mora Tau before I'd watch Dirty Harry nine times out of ten. Go figure. For me, it's just a lot more fun.
MikeTheMook		#44	[-]
Nov 23 07 7:32 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Boy, George Romero should see this thread, particlarly the last few posts. He could take his DEAD films into a whole new territory (they do need a bit of refreshing). He could combine genres, a cop/zombie movie. He could call it ROTTEN HARRY.
Mark Hodgson		#45	[-]
Nov 23 07 10:02 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	MANIAC COP anyone? Black Hole DVD Reviews
Monsterpal		#46	[-]
Nov 23 07 11:33 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm a charter member of the Bob Z'Dar fan club.
John T Chance		#47	[-]
Dec 1 07 8:38 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Rapfred wrote: In accord with Monsterpal. It's an exciting, shrewdly crafted film, but the decks are clearly stacked to turn Harry into an idealized version of Popeye Doyle. Re: the torture of Scorpio, if Siegel's intention was to turn our sympathies inside out, it was lost on the audience I saw it with. The way they cheered Harry on struck me as a lot more chilling than the on-screen doings. Call me a fascist, but I was never bothered by Harry's torture of the odious mass murderer Scorpio as part of his desperate attempt to save the life of a innocent little girl. That scene is nothing compared to the truly heinous murder of the prostitute by her pimp in MAGNUM FORCE. What a repellent scene that is.
Monsterpal		#48	[-]
Dec 3 07 2:11 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	John T Chance wrote: Call me a fascist If you insist, John. You're a fascist. Just kidding.
JessieLilley		#49	[-]
Dec 3 07 10:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	John is a fascist. John is a fascist. Nyah, nyah, nyah. nyah. nyah. Yes. Well. So go to the discworld website and ya'll can learn all about zombies in the local constabulary. Werewolves, vampires, strippers and dwarves get together and go out for a howl... drink... or ten. Quite the interesting little world. When Dirty Harry came out I wanted to go see it. My parents said no way. I was too young. I'd have nightmares. I would die a horrible and young death... ad nauseam. So naturally my grandmother took me to see it that weekend. It scared the hell out of me. It also brought to my attention the idea that there are some rather unsavory fellows walking around and that I should maybe listen to my folks when they said, "Always go with a friend. Don't walk home from school alone." And such. My grandma was no dope. She took me to see al the movies Mama and Daddy did NOT want me to see. The Godfather, The French Connection, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot... you get the picture. So, years later when Alma (that was the lady's name) was diagnosed with breast cancer and looking at the last roundup, she wanted to go see Terms of Endearment and of course, no one would go with her. So I drove down from Massachusetts and took her to the flickers. One last time. She was some kinda lady.
Mark Hodgson	CINEMA RETRO issue 9	#50	[-]
Dec 4 07 6:18 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	That's a sweet story, Jessie. Do you still revisit these films now? BTW there's a great article on DIRTY HARRY with plenty of colour pictures, and some interesting facts on who turned the role down... all in CINEMA RETRO issue 9 Black Hole DVD Reviews Last Edited By: Mark Hodgson Dec 4 07 6:33 AM. Edited 1 times.
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John T Chance		#51	[-]
Dec 4 07 7:05 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Nice story, Jessie, thanks for sharing. What a cool grandma!
JessieLilley		#52	[-]
Dec 4 07 11:09 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	She was a very cool lady. I miss her. As to revisiting the movies? Lord, yes! When Ron and I did Worldly Remains, we were celebrating films like that from the 70s and late 60s. Brad and I try to include such items in Mondo Cult as well. I still watch them whenever I get to it and am usually delighted to hit the so-called art houses to see retrospectives. I love Clint Eastwood, and still howl over the idiots who didn't get the joke of THE GAUNTLET. I'm with Clint. Didn't they look at the poster? Sheesh! But Harry Callahan is my kinda hero. The kind that has more than a few faults but tries to stay on the right side of the law. You know, like most people. Though Harry has been known to go a little far now and again, he's very effective. I liked the DEAD POOL too.
Butcher Benton	The Revenge Trip	#53	[-]
Dec 4 07 2:35 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The way they cheered Harry on struck me as a lot more chilling than the on-screen doings. I think people lived vicariously through the Dirty Harry movies (and countless other flicks) and there was a clear sense of righteous satisfaction in observing an amoral psychopath finally experiencing some of the brutal treatment that he dished out to the innocents. Thematically, this was what the Dirty Harry franchise was about and it resonated big time: Clint taking the law into his own hands after justice becomes throroughly stymied by bureaucracy, political correctness, "rights" that are perceived to protect the guilty, etc. Hardly admirable, but basely human nonetheless. I dug the hell out of these films at the time... and still do. Revenge was certainly part of it. Many civilized people shy away from the nature of revenge as unlawful and even barbaric, but it is an emotion easily identified with on screen. I remember a line from a terrific film about the moral tripwires of warfare, Breaker Morant. Edward Woodward's best friend is treacherously murdered and mutilated during the Boer War. Woodward becomes fanatical in indulging the need to revenge his comrade, responding to one of his soldier's entreaties that his behavior will not bring the dead back to life: "Maybe not,", he clips off, "But it's the next best thing."
Monsterpal		#54	[-]
Dec 4 07 5:06 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Doesn't Breaker end up in front of a firing squad?
Butcher Benton	Breaker's Finis	#55	[-]
Dec 4 07 5:36 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	He sure does.... seated in a chair.
MikeTheMook		#56	[-]
Dec 4 07 9:15 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I like Clint's line in MAGNUM FORCE; "There's nothing wrong with shooting, as long as the right people get shot."
Monsterpal		#57	[-]
Dec 4 07 9:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks, Butcher. I saw the ending of the film once, and had no idea what he was being shot for. I was intrigued, and it was one I always intended to see from the beginning, but never got around to somehow. I have to agree with you, revenge is one of the most venerable of all plot premises. Odysseus, for example.
JessieLilley		#58	[-]
Dec 5 07 1:24 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	BREAKER MORANT was a terrific film. I'm crazy about Edward Woodward. By the way, does anyone here realize that he was the lead in the Broadway show HIGH SPIRITS? It was the musical based on BLITHE SPIRIT and Woodward has a lovely singing voice! Who knew? Breaker Morant's final words? "Shoot straight you bastards and don't make a mess of it!"
riotengine		#59	[-]
Dec 5 07 1:34 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	JessieLilley wrote: She took me to see al the movies Mama and Daddy did NOT want me to see. The Godfather, The French Connection, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot... you get the picture. So, years later when Alma (that was the lady's name) was diagnosed with breast cancer and looking at the last roundup, she wanted to go see Terms of Endearment and of course, no one would go with her. So I drove down from Massachusetts and took her to the flickers. One last time. She was some kinda lady. Jessie, you had one COOL granny! GREG ESPINOZA I made it possible for you to come here! I welcomed you to this Earth, you made it a charnel house! http://www.comicspace.com/gregespinoza/
riotengine		#60	[-]
Dec 5 07 1:35 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	MikeTheMook wrote: I like Clint's line in MAGNUM FORCE; "There's nothing wrong with shooting, as long as the right people get shot." One of my faves, as well. "You're a good man, Lt. A good man always knows his limitations." GREG ESPINOZA I made it possible for you to come here! I welcomed you to this Earth, you made it a charnel house! http://www.comicspace.com/gregespinoza/ Last Edited By: riotengine Dec 6 07 4:47 AM. Edited 1 times.
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DIRTY HARRY (1971)