#Richard bright

[scriblrscrib]

Would be interesting if the film followed the book description of Al Neri where he was physically large (but not as imposing as Luca Brasi)

[cinemajunkie70]

[panic-in-needle-park]

This movie 😥

Despite how sad and deep it is, it's one of my go to comfort movies.

[letterboxd-loggd]

The Ref (1994) Ted Demme

December 1st 2021

[batterknowsbetter]

[melis-writes]

me when people ask me about my fic writing:

[the-godfather-1972]

Oh my God how am I just now realizing that the same actor who played Hank in The Panic in Needle Park also played Albert Neri in The Godfather

Oh my God

[mrs-jake-blues]

Me with Michael and Neri

[bigeloo]

Reposting because it didn't show up in the tags

[brokehorrorfan]

4K Ultra HD Review: Vigilante

1974's Death Wish is often criticized for glorifying fascism and advocating martial law - not to mention inspiring a spat of imitators espousing similar ideals - but taken at face value, it's an effective vigilante thriller that raises complex socio-political questions. It wasn't until Death Wish's sequels, which kicked off in 1982, that the messaging was muddled as they leaned into exploitation with blunt provocation and over-the-top violence. 1982's Vigilante can be viewed as a bridge between those two approaches to the revenge genre; it's grounded in reality but features the same grit that director William Lustig imbued in his debut, Maniac.

Written by Richard Vetere (The Third Miracle), Vigilante begins with a rousing rally cry for street justice delivered by exploitation favorite Fred Williamson (From Dusk Till Dawn). He plays Nick, a construction worker who leads a militia in an attempt to take back the gang-infested, crime-ridden streets of New York city by force. He tries to get his coworker, Eddie Marino (Robert Forster, Jackie Brown), to join the cause, but Eddie opts to put his faith in the law.

When the corrupt justice system fails to punish the man who murders his son in cold blood - one of the most shocking child death scenes since Assault on Precinct 13 - Eddie reconsiders the offer. The pacing of the film is askew, as Eddie spends 30 days in jail while Nick and his gang does all the legwork. Upon Eddie's release, the other characters take a backseat for him to handle the big bad. The fight scenes are occasionally stiff, but other action sequences - like a reckless, The French Connection-esque car chase scene in the finale - make up for it with a palpable danger.

Forster brings the humanity necessary to make the role work, most notably in his courtroom outburst upon learning that his son's death will go unpunished. (Quentin Tarantino cites Vigilante as one of the films that encouraged him to write the lead role of Jackie Brown for Forster.) Williamson also delivers a strong performance; it's not a far cry from the cigar-chomping badass he personifies both on screen and off, but there's more depth to him. Many of the ancillary characters are undeveloped, but the supporting cast includes Richard Bright (The Godfather) as one of the construction workers-turned-vigilantes, Rutanya Alda (The Dark Half) as Eddie's wife, Carol Lynley (The Poseidon Adventure) as the Assistant District Attorney, and Joe Spinell (Maniac) as a seedy lawyer.

Vigilante has been newly restored in 4K from the original 35mm camera negative with Dolby Vision HDR as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio for Blue Underground's new 4K Ultra HD release, which also includes a Blu-ray. The presentation offers a crystal-clear picture while retaining the inherent film grain. The limited edition version includes a lenticular slipcover (featuring artwork by Enzo Sciotti), reversible cover art, and a booklet with a thorough essay by horror journalist Michael Gingold.

Three audio commentaries are included. The first features Lustig and producer Andrew Garroni from the 2010 Blu-ray edition. Like an 89-minute film school lecture on guerilla filmmaking, they share anecdotes about filming before securing the budget, Tony Musante originally getting cast in the lead role, and Spinell's mother yelling at him in front of the cast and crew. The second finds Lustig joined by Forster, Williamson, and actor Frank Pesce. It was recorded for the Laserdisc release in the '90s, so the audio quality isn't as good and is a couple seconds out of sync, but it's an enthusiastic listen. Lustig discusses being influenced by Italian crime thrillers and Spaghetti westerns as well as how one scene was inspired by Halloween. The third is a new track by film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. There's not much left to learn after listening to the other two commentaries, but they provide valuable context.

"Blue Collar Death Wish" is a new, 25-minute featurette with input from Lustig, Forster, Pesce, Vetere, Alda, and first assistant director/actor Randy Jurgensen that explores the film's production and why it still resonates. A separate new interview with composer Jay Chattaway (Maniac, Silver Bullet) traces his origin from the US Navy band to Maniac before getting into the specifics of Vigalante, citing Westerns and Ennio Morricone as influences. Other extras include seven trailers (U.S., international, two British, German, Italian, and French), four TV spots, a radio spot, the original two-minute promotional reel to solicit pre-sales, and two galleries of posters and stills.

Vigilante is available now on 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray via Blue Underground.

[mrfahrenheit92]

[erstwhile-punk-guerito]

[mariocki]

Crimewave (The XYZ Murders, 1985)

"I'd call you a heel!"

"So, I'm a heel. So, what of it? Who are you?"

"Maybe I'm just a guy who hates heels."

"Maybe I'm a heel who hates guys who hate heels."

[panic-in-needle-park]

Hank, Bobby & Helen

The Panic In Needle Park, 1971 - dir. Jerry Schatzberg

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 1973

[thegangsterwayoflife]