On H List of Movie Reviews
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Hardcore (1979)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
6/21
6/21:
Three years after the screenplay success of Taxi Driver, Paul Schrader got the chance to become writer-director
of Hardcore.
In many ways, both are the same kind of film only that Hardcore is more autobiographical and less violent. Of course,
Peter Boyle appears again, enlightening the lead character about the underworld of sex and sadomasochism. Showing
plenty of neo-noir, it serves as an inspiration to 8MM, and
The Searchers comes up in my mind as well.
The main problem is this question over and over: "What first happened at home?" It's not normal
for a teenager to run away spontaneously.
Finally hearing the explanation at the end, I find it to be too little, too late; for sure, she'll do it again after going back.
Instead, I'm made desensitized by the long display of naked women and pornography paraphernalia. For a devout man of the
Dutch Reformed Calvinist faith, Jake VanDorn is sure open-minded about it all. Really, to save himself the time and trouble,
he, by impersonating a customer, should've offered an insider something like $1,000 to locate his daughter for private
sexual purposes. I know this happened, but it took so long. The other way is drugs, but Jake has zero experience with them.
George C. Scott is fine and means well, but it's not among his best stuff. Season Hubley somewhat helps out, but her character's
terrible attitude explains why she's all the way down at the bottom, hence garnering no sympathy from me. Peter Boyle plays a
pretty strange guy with a single intent on his mind: ripping off anyone who'll pay him well with semi-fake promises.
All in all, given the same topic, I appreciate Hardcore more than Cruising, but
Paul Schrader gets it right in American Gigolo.