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Fort Apache The Bronx
This is a movie I have not seen for a very long time. Picked up a cheap copy of it out of curiosity.
Paul Newman stars in a gritty drama set in 70's New York, in a notoriously run down and crime ridden part of the Bronx. Fort Apache is the nickname given to the local police station.
Newman is a veteran cop near retirement, coasting along and not wanting to make waves, but yet relatively clean and with an increasingly troubled conscience at what he sees going on around him...and eventually reaching a point where he realises he cannot turn a blind eye anymore.
Newman butts heads with Edward Asner as a new police chief, who makes waves by insisting his cops go by the book, and make arrests for things that they would normally turn a blind eye to, leading to unrest within the community.
The film has an episodic nature to it, there are many different plot strands ongoing (it is very reminiscent of Hill Street Blues in that respect).
Pam Grier is memorable and actually very creepy as a stoned prostitute, (who has a nasty habit of killing cops and slitting peoples throats with a razor blade in her mouth), then you have the ever dependable Danny Aiello as a corrupt, vicious cop, Newman and partner Ken Wahl's complicated love lives etc.
It is well acted on the part of Newman, Asner and , but unfortunately some of the acting is variable, TV level at best. And indeed the movie does resemble a tv series in look and design, veering on amateurish occasionally. Thankfully Newman and the others manage to keep interesting, and basically Newman manages to carry the film, his character becoming more interesting and watchable as the film progresses.
Paul Newman stars in a gritty drama set in 70's New York, in a notoriously run down and crime ridden part of the Bronx. Fort Apache is the nickname given to the local police station.
Newman is a veteran cop near retirement, coasting along and not wanting to make waves, but yet relatively clean and with an increasingly troubled conscience at what he sees going on around him...and eventually reaching a point where he realises he cannot turn a blind eye anymore.
Newman butts heads with Edward Asner as a new police chief, who makes waves by insisting his cops go by the book, and make arrests for things that they would normally turn a blind eye to, leading to unrest within the community.
The film has an episodic nature to it, there are many different plot strands ongoing (it is very reminiscent of Hill Street Blues in that respect).
Pam Grier is memorable and actually very creepy as a stoned prostitute, (who has a nasty habit of killing cops and slitting peoples throats with a razor blade in her mouth), then you have the ever dependable Danny Aiello as a corrupt, vicious cop, Newman and partner Ken Wahl's complicated love lives etc.
It is well acted on the part of Newman, Asner and , but unfortunately some of the acting is variable, TV level at best. And indeed the movie does resemble a tv series in look and design, veering on amateurish occasionally. Thankfully Newman and the others manage to keep interesting, and basically Newman manages to carry the film, his character becoming more interesting and watchable as the film progresses.
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Easily found on DVD via usual online retailers. I found a version from Hungary, only a couple of quid. Quality is not great, but it's watchable.
Wonder if this will ever have a blu ray upgrade?
Oh yes, I noticed that too!
But far worse is the absolutely stupid ending...