Monday, March 26, 2012

Day 341 - The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) directed by Joseph Sargent




Why are remakes always worse than the original? Well, that's not entirely true. The new Italian Job is much better than the original one but it seems like most remakes just suck. If they are following the same premise, why can't they produce the same results? For example, compare this 1974 thriller with the 2009 Tony Scott mess that not even Denzel Washington and John Travolta could save. One is smart and tense, the other is just loud and stupid. The difference is day and night.

This is a heist film where a gang of men hijack a subway train and hold its passengers hostage for one million dollars. Logistically speaking it doesn't seem like you'd be able to get away with it. You're stuck in a small train car underground surrounded on all sides with nowhere to go, but its exactly this reason why it makes for such a compelling thriller. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the train and the tunnel adds to the tension and the sense of danger. As the time deadline approaches we can feel the tunnel getting smaller until something must explode. Never mind that this isn't the most ingenious scheme. As long as there is tension you have a thriller.

This film is also smartly written with a touch of humor and strong characters. The bad guys are led by Robert Shaw who plays Mr. Blue. He is a cold and calculating mercenary. He is teamed up with Mr. Green, an ex-motorman, Mr. Brown, a professional, and Mr. Grey, a hot head ex-mafia. I'm sure Quentin Tarantino drew inspiration from this film when writing Reservoir Dogs. On the cop side there is Lieutenant Garber played by Walter Matthau. You wouldn't expect Walter Matthau to play a cop but he brings a much needed sense of humor to the film that works. But best of all is the colorful array of side characters from the cops to the hostages which show off the diversity (and urban tension) of a big city.

The main difference between this 1974 film and the 2009 Tony Scott film is in its direction. Sargent directs the film with a calm and steady camera, letting the story breathe and progress naturally. Tony Scott edits his films do death. Sometimes it works, sometimes it is a chaotic mess that resembles a music video montage more than a film. The original is also simple and to the point while the latter film adds in unnecessary complications.

Grade: B+

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