Sunday, 7 November 2010

Dirty Harry: Fun … For a Bit …

Hmmm …

You know, I’ve got to admit, it’s been a little while since I saw a movie with Movie Night Adrian and Kevin D.

And then gone and posted about it.

Hmmm …

Does Tuesday count … ?

No, that was me, Movie night Adrian and Squeaky …

A-HEM!!

At any rate, I know that Movie Night Adrian, Kevin D and I mange to get together.

And in case you hadn’t guessed … ?

Managed to watch the 1971, Don Siegal directed, Clint Eastwood movie that is Dirty Harry.

The film sees Eastwood as Inspector Harry Callahan — the eponymous title character — going about his job as a plain-clothes police officer in San Francisco.

And one whose job gets suddenly interesting when ’Frisco is suddenly hit by a killer calling himself Scorpio*.

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Now I’ve got to admit, Dirty Harry isn’t usually something I’d’ve gone for myself.

Had not Kevin brought it along — and Adrian not insisted — Dirty Harry isn’t necessarily something I’d’ve chosen to watch.

Saying that … ?

I’ve got to admit, it was something I enjoyed: whether I’d watch it again — or spend money renting or buying it — is a whole other matter, but I’d certainly recommend it for an entertaining evening …


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Lets briefly move on shall we … ?

One thing that did come in for discussion was the almost eternal subject of Hollywood’s habit of remaking movies.

I think it’s one of those subjects that’s going to be doing the rounds for quite a while.

You see all three of us take all sort’s of views, depending on the remake in question.

Although, bless him, Adrian does feel that remakes are maybe taking the proverbial, a touch, and feels a few more original films could do with being made.

I can’t say I disagree.

But I’m also very aware that the movie business is exactly what it says on the tin: a business, and — as such — looking for safe ways of making money.

I think Kevin sort of agreed with both: although he’s as unfond of remakes as Adrian, and doubts their money-making potential, he seemed to take my point.

Personally … ?

I’m thinking remakes have to be judged on a case by case basis: even given the fact that Kevin and I disagreed on the remake of The Omenº.

After all, over the past few centuries, we’ve seen how many different versions of the works of William Shakespeare?

I don’t know: but it doesn’t make the efforts any the less artistic, nor does it imply that any should or shouldn’t be done.

About my only worry, there, is when the much talked about remake of Hellraiser comes up.

It sounds like it could possibly go all pear-shaped …





























* Played by a very young Andrew Robinson, i should add, here.

º Kevin felt the remake was an insult to the original. While I sympathise — it’s pretty much the same reason I’ve never been near the remakes of The Wicker Man and The Italian Job — I also feel the remade version of The Omen — with the exception of the casting of Mia Farrow as Mrs Blaylock and the soundtrack— is on a par with the original. That one piece of casting and the music in the remake are its only failings, I feel.

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