martin davis

Sin City (2005) Retrospect Film on Facebook. Based on Frank Millers graphic novels of the same name and co-directed by Miller and Robert Rodriguez, ‘Sin City’ is one of modern American cinemas most visually stylish and unique films. Shot almost entirely in black and white but with occasional flashes of brilliant colour, the film tells the four interlinked stories of several different characters, all caught up in the corruption and violence of Basin City, the ‘Sin City’ of the title. On the eve of his retirement, Police Detective John Hartigan (Bruce Willis) rescues a young girl, Nancy Callahan (Makenzie Vega), from a sadistic killer named Junior (Nick Stahl). Junior, it transpires, is the son of the powerful and corrupt Senator Roark (Powers Boothe) and with Nancy denied the right to testify, Hartigan is subsequently framed and then imprisoned for Juniors crimes. Having refused to plead guilty and lessen his sentence, Hartigans’ only solace comes from the letters he receives from Nancy. When the letters stop arriving and Hartigan learns that, the now adult, Nancy (Jessica Alba) is once again in danger from Junior he confesses his guilt in order to gain early release and once again come to her rescue. Meanwhile elsewhere in town, Marv (Mickey Rourke) wakes up next to the dead body of his beloved Goldie (Jaime King) and, like Hartigan, finds himself framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Marv is a violent brute of a man but he has a strong moral code and is determined to seek out the truth and avenge Goldies murder, a mission that will ultimately lead him to Cardinal Patrick Henry Roark (Rutger Hauer), the senators brother. Next we meet Dwight McCarthy (Clive Owen) and his new love Shellie (Brittany Murphy) who is under threat from her violent ex-boyfriend Jackie Boy (Benicio Del Toro) and his thugs. In protecting Shellie, Dwight finds himself embroiled in a bitter war being engaged between Jackie Boys’ gang and the girls of Old Town, who have an uneasy truce with the City Police Department. The film opens and closes with the tale of an unnamed stranger (Josh Hartnett) and the fatal love affair with his mysterious but also anonymous lover (Marley Shelton). A long awaited sequel, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, arrived in 2014 and although matching the first film in style it inevitably lacked much of what made the original so unique. With its stunning cinematography, excellent cast and gripping storylines ‘Sin City’ is terrific entertainment. Retrospect Film on Facebook.

Dredd (2012) Reviewed by Martin Davis. Retrospect Film on Facebook. When it was announced in 2008 that production would begin on a new Judge Dredd film, fans of the archetypal law enforcer of the future, from the pages of the 2000AD comic, could be forgiven for being less than enthusiastic. After the high expectations for the 1995 ‘Judge Dredd’ version starring Sylvester Stallone, the pressure was on to get it right this time. To put it kindly the Stallone film had been disappointing. The reboot would be scripted and produced by English author Alex Garland, who had written the acclaimed novel ‘The Beach’ as well as screenplays for the Danny Boyle films ’28 Days Later’ and ‘Sunshine’ and directed by fellow Brit Pete Travis. ‘Dredd’ arrived in 2012 and the fans finally got the Judge Dredd film they’d been waiting for. Whilst many felt the previous film was not much more than an action vehicle for its Hollywood superstar, with little regard for the source material, any such misgivings about ‘Dredd’ were soon laid to rest. No comedy sidekick this time. No love interest and perhaps most significantly this Judge Dredd would remain concealed beneath the famous Judge helmet. Crucial to the films success would be the casting of the title role and in New Zealander Karl Urban they got an actor who seized the challenges of playing the iconic lawman. With his menacing, gravelly voice and scowling grimace, Urban brings a gritty credibility to the part, no mean feat playing a character whose face is largely obscured for the films duration. 22nd Century North America is an irradiated wasteland, having been ravaged by nuclear conflict. Out of the radioactive deserts known as ‘The Cursed Earth’ have grown the Megacities. The biggest of these is Megacity One, a huge sprawling metropolis stretching the length of the East Coast. With a population of over 800 million, crime has spiralled out of control with 17,000 offences reported daily. There is only one thing fighting for order in the chaos, the men and women of the Hall of Justice, the Judges, given the authority to act as Judge, Jury and, if required, executioner. On a routine day on the job Judge Dredd is assigned to evaluate a rookie cop, Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) who possesses powerful psychic powers caused by a genetic mutation. A gangland slaying sees Dredd and his protégé sent to the notorious ‘Peach Trees’ block, a 200 storey vertical slum controlled by the ruthless drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headley) and her violent clan. Megacity One is in the grip of drug epidemic and it soon transpires that the drug in question, ‘Slo-Mo,’ is being manufactured and distributed by the Ma-Ma clan from their base on the 200th floor. ‘Peach Trees’ is put into lockdown by Ma-Ma and with Dredd and Anderson trapped inside and sentenced to death by her, a desperate and bloody attempt to reach the top floor begins. With a theatrical release in 3D that made stunning use of the technology, particularly in the ‘Sl-Mo’ and shootout scenes ‘Dredd’ was not a box office hit but has since gone on to gain a huge cult following with its home release. Made on a budget of $45 million, relatively modest in comparison to most modern Hollywood blockbusters and with exterior scenes filmed in Johannesburg and some ‘Peach Trees’ interior scenes filmed in a disused shopping centre in North West London! ‘Dredd’ is a brilliant and skilfully made action film that stands up to repeated viewings. Over the past few years there has been a growing campaign for a sequel or perhaps a TV series. With a wealth of material from the writers of 2000AD and with Karl Urban publicly stating he would be prepared to reprise the role, ‘Dredd’ fans can live in hope. Brutal, beautiful and ridiculously entertaining, ‘Dredd’ is a fantastic film. Martin Davis. Retrospect Film on Facebook.

Heat (1995) Reviewed by Martin Davis Retrospect Film on Facebook Midway through Michael Manns’ superb crime thriller, career criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) shares a coffee in an LA diner with Robbery-homicide detective Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and tells him “I do what I do best, take scores. You do what you do best, try to stop guys like me”. The scene is of course notable for the first on-screen appearance of the two Hollywood heavyweights together but significant also for the exchange of dialogue that gives us a deeper insight into the ruthless determination of the two antagonists. ‘Heat’ is beautifully filmed and heavy on style but scratch the surface and there is much more here than expertly choreographed bank heists and shoot outs in downtown Los Angeles. The characters, their relationships and the lives they lead give Mann’s film a far greater emotional impact and substance than you would expect in most crime dramas. Hannas third marriage is collapsing, his attention barely focused on anything other than police work. McCauley has a personal life that is virtually non-existent, his code being “Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner”, a philosophy that is later tested when he meets and falls in love with Eady (Amy Brenneman). Hanna and his LAPD team have McCauley and his crew under constant surveillance after an armoured car robbery ends in some unplanned fatalities. McCauley knows this and the inevitable game of cat and mouse develops with both sides trying to outdo the other and second guess their next move. McCauleys next move is, it turns out, one last major bank heist before he retires. The robbery itself and the subsequent gun battle on the LA streets are brilliantly staged. Mann’s meticulous approach included bringing in British ex SAS sergeant Andy McNab to give the actors weapons training. ‘Heat’ was a game changer in how to make a modern crime film. With the two main leads at the top of their game and an excellent supporting cast including Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd and Diane Venora, this is a near flawless piece of filmmaking. Perhaps the most telling evidence of how Mann crafted a modern classic is best told in his own words: "This is based on observations. This is based on people I have met, people I've known, people I've sat with and talked to. Thieves, cops, killers. It's not derived from other cinema, it's based on research”. Essential viewing. Martin Davis. Retrospect Film on Facebook.

Crimson Tide (1995) Reviewed by Martin Davis Retrospect Film on Facebook Tony Scott’s gripping action thriller stars Gene Hackman as Captain Frank Ramsey, commanding officer of nuclear submarine the USS Alabama, and Denzel Washington as his newly appointed executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter. When rebel Russian troops seize control of nuclear missile launch sites and threaten to attack the United States and Japan, the Alabama is dispatched to patrol the coast of eastern Russia in readiness to launch a pre-emptive strike should the situation escalate. Ramsey is a veteran of the Cold War with combat experience, Hunter is Harvard educated in military history and tactics but has never engaged in armed conflict. The tension between the two officers is clear from the start. Hunter tells Ramsey “In my humble opinion, in the nuclear world the true enemy is war itself”, a sentiment not shared by his captain, whose philosophy is “We’re here to preserve democracy, not too practice it”. A radio message is received ordering a missile launch against the Russians based on intelligence they are fuelled for attack, followed by a second message which may be a retraction of the first order but cannot be decoded due to damage to the Alabama’s radio electronics caused by a Russian submarine attack. The more cautious Hunter refuses to concur with Ramsey’s decision to launch an attack based on the last confirmed order, leading to a battle of wills, a divided crew and charges of mutiny. Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were inspired to make the film after watching the four-part documentary ‘Submarines: Sharks of Steel’ but initial cooperation from the U.S. navy including allowing a production crew aboard a Trident submarine was subsequently withdrawn when the original script concerning a crew trying to stop their computer launching a missile attack was changed to a story of disharmony between naval officers. Tony Scott did manage to get footage of the real USS Alabama though after checking it was not illegal to film naval vessels. Micheal Schiffer’s screenplay is sprinkled with pop culture references by the crew to submarine films, Star Trek and the Silver Surfer by an uncredited Quentin Tarantino who had scripted ‘True Romance’ for Scott two years earlier. Hackman and Washington are both on top form here as are the fine supporting cast including Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolfini, George Dzundza and Matt Craven. A tense, thought-provoking film with powerhouse performances from the two lead actors. Martin Davis Retrospect Film on Facebook

Rollerball (1975) Reviewed by Martin Davis. Retrospect Film on Facebook. In the summer of ’75, with the release of ‘Rollerball’, cinema audiences were offered a unique take on the science fiction ‘dystopian future’ subgenre that had already proved popular throughout the first half of the decade with films such as ‘A Clockwork Orange’, ‘Soylent Green’ and ‘Westworld’. Director Norman Jewison, having had consecutive box office hits with the musicals ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, took a complete change of direction after reading the short story ‘Roller Ball Murder’ published in ‘Esquire’ magazine in September 1973. Jewison optioned the film rights and contacted its author William Harrison. One telephone call later and the pair had agreed to Harrison writing the screenplay. Set in an unspecified time in the near future (although the films promotional material stated 2018) in a world where countries no longer exist and governments have been replaced by a handful of giant global corporations, war, famine and poverty have been eradicated. To quell unrest and maintain order, the violent sport of Rollerball is televised to billions worldwide. The first major challenge for the filmmakers was the game itself. In order to be successfully transferred to the screen, the game as described in Harrison’s story required greater clarity. This effectively meant inventing a new sport with its own format and set of rules, which would then be further developed once filming began. In short, two teams of ten players consisting of seven skaters and three motorcyclists battle to gain possession of a steel ball which is fired at high velocity around a track and hurl it into the opponents goal. The next test was designing a suitable venue. In keeping with the gladiatorial nature of the game, production designer John Box took inspiration from the Roman colosseums and the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle basketball stadium, used for the 1972 Munich Olympics, was ideal to be transformed into a Rollerball arena. Munichs iconic BMW building also doubled as the imposing ‘Energy Corporation HQ’. James Caan plays Huston star player and veteran of 10 years, Jonathan E. In a society that actively discourages individual achievement, Jonathan has reached a level of popularity unacceptable to the corporation. “Corporate society takes care of everything”, Energy Corporation Chairman, Mr Bartholomew (John Houseman) tells him, offering a generous severance package and the opportunity to announce his retirement on a ‘Multivision’ TV special. Jonathan’s reluctance to stand down though leads to the use of more malevolent methods to have him eliminated. Rules are changed to make the game even more dangerous, culminating in a brutal championship final against New York with no penalties, no substitutions and no time limit. Caan gives a fine understated performance and was cast partly on the strength of the athletic prowess he showed playing a football quarterback in the TV movie ‘Brian’s Song’ a few years earlier. Houseman too is impressive as the icily sinister Mr Bartholomew. The game sequences are superbly executed and for the first time ever on a major motion picture, the stuntmen received a film credit. Many years later, Jewison said of his film “I thought that violence for the entertainment of the masses was an obscene idea. That’s what I saw coming and that’s why I made the film”. Harrison commented “When I look at the film now, I feel like a prophet”. In 2019, when multinational corporations hold ever increasing control over our lives, the prescience of ‘Rollerball’ is more relevant than ever. A seminal piece of 1970’s science fiction cinema. Martin Davis. Retrospect Film on Facebook.

Cape Fear (1991) Reviewed by Martin Davis. Retrospect Film on Facebook and Instagram. By the early 1990’s, Martin Scorsese was firmly established, alongside Coppola and De Palma, as one of the leading figures of the new wave of modern American cinema. Before the success of his 1990 gangster epic ‘Goodfellas’, already a contender for film of the decade, Scorsese had agreed to direct ‘Schindler’s List’ but was now apprehensive about the films subject matter, having already courted controversy with ‘Goodfellas’ and even more so with 1988’s ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’. Steven Spielberg, meanwhile, had a change of heart about directing a remake of the 1962 psychological thriller ‘Cape Fear’ and felt he had matured enough as a filmmaker to direct ‘Schindler’s List’ having turned it down 10 years earlier. Spielberg said at the time of ‘Cape Fear’ “I just couldn’t find it inside me to make a scary movie about a family being preyed on by a maniac”. The two directors traded scripts and Scorsese embarked on what would be, certainly in terms of it's budget and star names, his most ambitious project to date. ‘Cape Fear’ is a gripping and suspenseful thriller in the style of classic period Hitchcock. For the role of vicious psychopath Max Cady, Spielberg had intended to cast Bill Murray but Scorsese chose instead to reunite with long term collaborator Robert De Niro, who turns in one of the best performances of his illustrious career. Having served a 14 year sentence, convicted sex offender Cady is released from prison and immediately starts a campaign of terror against the man he holds responsible for his incarceration, his defending attorney, Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte). Cady has spent his time behind bars learning to read and studying law and when he discovers Bowden had withheld crucial evidence, that could have seen him acquitted, is hellbent on revenge. Arriving in the town of New Essex, North Carolina, Cady begins stalking Bowden and his wife Leigh (Jessica Lange) and teenage daughter Danielle (Juliette Lewis). Unlike the earlier film where the Bowdens are portrayed as a wholesome American family, Wesley Stricks’ screenplay presents them as flawed and dysfunctional, a marriage in crisis and both parents struggling to communicate with their daughter. At first, Cady stays just on the right side of the law, rendering the authorities powerless to stop him, but his intimidation soon escalates into something far darker and sinister. De Niro cuts a terrifying figure as Cady, lean and muscular, his body heavily tattooed with words of vengeance and quoting damnation from the bible. Nick Nolte played against type as Bowden, losing weight to play a role he was desperate to secure, a mess of insecurities and increasingly unable to protect his family. In many ways ‘Cape Fear’ is a scarily effective horror film, from Cady as the monster, always lurking with evil intent, to the climactic finale as the family attempt to escape him aboard their storm ravaged houseboat. The 1962 film is acknowledged with the casting of its stars, Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Martin Balsam in cameo roles and also Elmer Bernsteins’ reworking of Bernard Hermanns’ original musical score. De Niro and Lewis both received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for their roles in what might be Scorseses’ most conventional film to date but nevertheless remains an impressive and accomplished thriller with some excellent performances from its leading players. Martin Davis. Retrospect Film on Facebook and Instagram.