MAD MAX (1979)

From one cult classic to another; from one movie icon to another; from Dirty Harry to Mad Max. Although the first Mad Max film hit the big screens almost a decade after the first Dirty Harry appeared on the scene, both of them became synonymous with the modern version of the great lawmen of the Old West like Wyatt Earp, Pat Garret and Wild Bill Hickok.

Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson in the rolled that 'rocketed' him to 'stardom' - pun intended) is a highway patrol cop in the near future where civilization is on the brink of collapse. The roads, especially, are dangerous places as they and anyone on them are under attack from roving motorcycle gangs. But when his family is viciously killed by one of these, Max becomes MAD and goes on the rampage.

The story line is nothing new but is told in an unique way which makes for some fascinating viewing. Notable is the fact that they all drive on the 'wrong' side of the road and all vehicles are right-hand drive. The reason for this, of cause, is that it's an Australian production. However, the Blu-ray disc I watched, contained the American dubbed soundtrack which, unfortunately, is atrocious. Therefor rather look for a version with the original soundtrack. Nevertheless, I still gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caHnaRq8Qlg

 Max, in his official Police Interceptor car...

   

THE DEAD POOL (1988)

This is the fifth and final installment of the Dirty Harry franchise. Someone once asked Clint Eastwood during an interview why no more were made and his answer was: "Leave a good thing alone". Maybe some other movie makers can take a hint from this and refrain from keep on making dead pan sequels from what was once a hit...

In this movie Harry himself becomes the target when his name appears on a hit list as part of a game called "The Dead Pool". The prime suspect is a horror flick director played by a young Liam Neeson in one of his earlier big screen appearances. And one of the characters he in turn directs is none other than Jim Carrey in the roll of a drugged out rock star.

In the end and looking back over the five movies in the series, it is no wonder why Dirty Harry became an icon and no less why Clint Eastwood did as well. It is almost fortunate that no further sequels or remakes were done as that just could have spoiled the nostalgia of what makes these movies what they are.

As with all the films in the series, this one is also done excellently in every aspect and deserves the 3 out of 5 stars I rated it. 

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n41u5nOsuBM

Liam Neeson and Clint Eastwood

SUDDEN IMPACT (1983)

Twelve years after "Dirty" Harry Calahan first appeared on the big screen, in this, the fourth movie in the franchise, he is starting to get a bit long in the tooth. It is almost as if the resistance he gets from his bosses is starting to wear him down. This in turn seems to start to muddle his strong convictions on what is right and wrong a bit. But please don't let this bit of negativity put you off from watching the movie. It is still very, very good.

In this one Harry is tasked with investigating what seems to be a serial killing. All the victims seem to have known one another at some point in time and the ballistic reports show all of them have been shot with the same gun.

Sondra Locke who appears as the killer in this film also worked before with Clint Eastwood on the two "Which Way" movies (Every Which Way But Loose - 1978; Any Which Way You Can - 1980). The other well known face in this movie is, of cause, Pat Hingle (Chief Gordon in several of the Batman movies).

Overall the original Dirty Harry recipe still seems to work and I rated it 3 out of 5 stars. 

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=getJcZ6-R5Y

Sondra Locke as 'Lady'

THE ENFORCER (1976)

Over the years, the Alcatraz prison has featured in a number of movies. The Birdman of Alcatraz of 1962 comes to mind and so do Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Murder in the First (1995) as well as The Rock a year later. Therefor, being situated on an island in the middle of the Bay of San Francisco, the city where Dirty Harry operates, one should suppose it inevitable to feature in one of his movies too.

In this, the third delivery of the series, Harry is up against a group of terrorists that is trying to hold his city to ransom. But this time his partner is a woman and that, of cause, does not sit well with him at all. This in turn leads him to using a new catchphrase: every time she does something he does not like he looks away and mumbles the word "Marvelous..."

Whereas the first film focused on the over emphasis of the rights of criminals and the second on the limits of how far law-enforcement should go, this one looks at what happens when politics interfere with police work. Incidentally, Tyne Daly, who plays the roll of Harry's female partner, later went on and became famous for her role in the TV cop show Cagney and Lacey.

Compared to the first two movies in this series, this one is still very good but not quite on par with them. The action is there but the plot is thinner. However, it is still good enough to earn 3 out of 5 stars from yours truly.

Trailer link:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eYPSmHUkzU

 

Clint Eastwood and Tyne Daly