The French Connection finds Gene Hackman’s snarling Doberman of a cop ripping apart New York City in his pursuit of a new shipment of heroin, but director William Friedkin never, never once, suggests that there is anything noble or heroic in Hackman’s actions. ( police procedural stripped of all extraneous material and all morality. Still, even with the celebrated car/train chase, the film is not as suspenseful as expected, and it left me cold (watching it in a frigid theatre didn’t help things either). Even as we’ve learned this about his character, the twist at the end is slightly surprising. This guy will get his man by any means necessary, whether by stakeout, foot-chase, phone tapping… and he’s not afraid of coming off as despicable while doing it. The cruelty of Hackman’s determined cop character Doyle, however, is unfortunately timeless. Not exactly an accurate depiction of its time. ![]() Women are shown primarily as quiet decoration or sidepieces (unless singing on stage) and the majority of black people in the film are stuck playing junkies. But as a first-time viewer in 2015, it’s challenging not to cringe at the treatment of women and people of color in the film. I guess I can understand the canonical importance of The French Connection given the intense car/train chase sequence and editing/stunts/effects involved therein. Would you like to be a guest in next week’s Two Cents column? Simply watch and send your under-200-word review to twocents(at)! Now streaming on Netflix Instant, T he Killer is one of the most influential films on all of modern cinema. Next Week’s Pick: If The French Connection is the peak of the gritty crime film, then John Woo’s seminal The Killer is the pinnacle of the blood-soaked operatic persuasion. Is the film as hard-hitting and engrossing today as it was when it first smashed onto cinema screens? Or does having a racist piece of garbage cop for a protagonist seem too dated a concept for today’s audiences? Does this film contain the greatest car chase ever committed to film? Does hearing the word “Popeye” over and over again make everyone hungry for chicken?Īll these question and more (we can’t actually guarantee there’s more, but just go with it) will be answered with this week’s Two Cents!ĭid you get a chance to watch along with us this week? Want to recommend a great (or not so great) film for the whole gang to cover? Comment below or post on our Facebook or hit us up on Twitter! With Drafthouse Films, those purveyors of the kookiest and koolest films, releasing The Connection, it seemed only fitting to go back to the film that serves as a benchmark for all crime procedurals of the past forty-plus years: The French Connection. ![]() ![]() The PickĪll right, Two Cent’s here! Get your hands on your heads, get off the bar, and get on the wall! Join us as we share our two cents on films we love, films we are curious about, and films we believe merit some discussion. Guest writers and fan comments are encouraged, as are suggestions for future entries to the column. The Cinapse team will program films and contribute our best, most insightful, or most creative thoughts on each film using a maximum of 200 words each. Two Cents is an original column akin to a book club for films.
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