The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Charlie

Anyone else see this on RTE the other night?

Thought it was brilliant, some great performances, and nice to see Jerry Stiller cast not as an screaming old man.

Pigman II

I got it out earlier this year on the recommendation of a friend. Have to say I liked it a lot. Robert Shaw is excellent as always.

keefg

I haven't seen this film for years. God bless Sky+, I might watch it tonight - great film, Robert Shaw & Walter Matthau - great combination

Nolanger

Mr Blue, Mr Brown, Mr Green, Mr Gray - this was 18 years before Reservoir Dogs.

Charlie

Nolanger wrote: »

Mr Blue, Mr Brown, Mr Green, Mr Gray - this was 18 years before Reservoir Dogs.

Indeed, I believe this was the inspiration for the names in R. Dogs.

Loved the bit with the Japanese men when they found out they could speak English.

mike65

Thats been noted before - the whole of Res/Dogs is borrowed from various sources.

The Taking of Pelham 123 is a great flick, seen it twice and meant to tape it on Friday but forgot. The David Shire sountrack is worth 'locating' or buying if you insist!

Oh beware the TV movie remake which pops up on MGM or is it TCM, every now and again.

Mike.

Running Bing

Absolutely brilliant film.

The perfect action/thriller imo.

The pacing is absolutely spot on and from the moment it starts til the moment it finishes the whole thing is just the plot..nothing is superfluous and it just adds to the tension. The real genius is despite the fact that the film is so plot driven we are still given very interesting characters who we can identify with as well as the excellent New York setting.


Performances are class as well with Mathau and Shaw on top form and I liked the bit of comic relief as well with the mayor(which is also central to the plot)


Cracking film.


Oh and BTW QT has openly acknowledged this as the inspiration for the names in RD.

Stargal

First saw this when I was about 14 and couldn't understand why I'd never heard of it before. Great film, criminally underrated.

Creature

Excellent film with an even more excellent cast. I just wish it wouldn't always be on at some awful hour :mad:

Running Bing

Creature wrote: »

Excellent film with an even more excellent cast. I just wish it wouldn't always be on at some awful hour :mad:

It has to be otherwise RTE wouldnt have times for Reruns of off the rails, about the house or holiday hunters in the sun. :rolleyes:


And God forbid they put on anything decent in place of that fvcking cardboard cut out Pat "stick to my list of preconceived questions" Kenny:mad:

aurel

Hard to believe this was my first time seeing the film. Nigh on perfect film in what it sets out to achieve. Gripping from the word go. Does anyone have any recommendations of similarly awesome films in the same style/period.

humanji

Sadly, I missed this. But I did read in Empire that Tony Scott is remaking it with Denzel Washington in Matthau's role.

mike65

*shakes head*

Mike.

keefg

humanji wrote: »

Sadly, I missed this. But I did read in Empire that Tony Scott is remaking it with Denzel Washington in Matthau's role.

Hmm......sounds like it will be just as "good" as the recent remake of The Hitcher.

Why oh why? (money I guess):(

mike65

Listening to the soundtrack right now, cool and moody jazz. You know the remake will have some identikit crap by (insert hack here).

Mike.

Running Bing

aurel wrote: »

Hard to believe this was my first time seeing the film. Nigh on perfect film in what it sets out to achieve. Gripping from the word go. Does anyone have any recommendations of similarly awesome films in the same style/period.

Not that similiar really but I recommend the warriors. It has that 70's New York feel to it as well....love that:D

mike65

I saw Warriors in 1980 and again about two years back, its aged badly I think.

For more urban cops 'n robbers type stuff you could check out Cops and Robbers (1973) which is a light comedy/actioner about cops who decide to nick 10 million.

More gritty is The Driver (1978) the Laughing Policeman (1974), If you are into Sam Peckinpah check out the Getaway and The Killer Elite. Of course there is Dirty Harry and sequels and The Gauntlet. The Supercops (1974) is fun.

Mike.

aurel

Cheers fellas. Currently procuring the Pelham soundtrack. I'm a big fan of Shire's score for the conversation too so can't wait.

kryptyk500

Other crime films from the 70s which I like:

Prime Cut (with Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman)
Charley Varrick (Walther Matthau again)
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
Dog Day Afternoon
The French Connection 1 and 2

Dont be at yourself

Serpico is the best cop film of the 70s, no doubt. Pachino's best performance too, in my book.

Declan A Walsh

About twice a year, this film is shown on terrestial tv on BBC1 and RTE1 - always after midnight.

It is a great suspense thriller - one of the best from that mid-seventies period. It was made in 1974. There are a no. of great performances in the film, particularly from Robert Mitchum, Robert Shaw and Martin Balsam. In addition, there are numerous little amusing cameos, like the aforementioned mayor.

I for one never get tired of it, even though the suspense is now gone for me. I just enjoy the dialogue, sprinkled with humour (sometimes black), the direction, the story's pace and the central performances and the various bit performances as well.

Do get it out. Even today, the premise is quite unique : an underground train being highjacked!

yabadabado

did anyone see the remake of this film with Vincent D'Onofrio it was on last nite on one of the satellite channels .it is absolute muck looks like it cost €10 to make.it is up there with the very worst of remakes but i suppose it was a made for tv

keefg

Details of the 2009 remake here

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1111422/

Washington in the Matthau Role & Travolta in the Shaw role.

mike65

Jesus wept.

Mike.

Creature

Ugh. Washington is grand, but Travolta? I don't think I've ever seen him in a villain role that I didn't dislike. Not good.

mike65

Washington will not be grand - he does not do "crumbled sardonic" and yes Travola will spend 100 mins gurning.

Mike.

Sherifu

keefg wrote: »

Details of the 2009 remake here

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1111422/

Washington in the Matthau Role & Travolta in the Shaw role.

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love the original.

Creature

mike65 wrote: »

Washington will not be grand - he does not do "crumbled sardonic" and yes Travola will spend 100 mins gurning.

Mike.

Well sure if you're gonna compare him to Walter Matthau but then I don't think he'll be trying to emulate Matthau in this instance. I meant as a capable actor.

Vokes

Was in Lower Manhattan in April when they were filming a small scene with James Gandolfini (as Mayor) driving along.

Not very exciting but interesting nonetheless

Dont be at yourself

A Tony Scott & Denzel collaboration? It will be entertaining if nothing else.

I think it's probably best not to be too faithful to the original. It was such a perfectly pitched film that it will be hard to replicate.

rednik

The original was a fantastic film again why not leave it alone. The cast is wrong although Scott does make good action movies but Pelham is not just a good action film it is a real film, the new version in my opinion doesn't have a chance to come near the original.
Another film from around the 70s is The Silent Partner with Elliot Gould and Christopher Plummer and was co written by a young Curtis Hanson. It has one of the most violent scenes I have ever seen,but besides that it was one of the best thrillers of its day. I haven't seen it for about 15 years and is very hard to come across. What bugs me in all those years I have never once seen this movie on TV.

keefg

rednik wrote: »

The original was a fantastic film again why not leave it alone. The cast is wrong although Scott does make good action movies but Pelham is not just a good action film it is a real film, the new version in my opinion doesn't have a chance to come near the original.

Yep, totally agree. The original was very character and tension driven as opposed to an all out action.

Maybe they should call it "Taking the p1ss out of Pelham 123"

The Black Oil

Saw it a while back on TG4, very good. It's a shame they're remaking it.

Charlie

It's a real shame that they are remaking it. I can understand that they want to milk some more dollars out of the idea, but why not just re-release it. Seriously, Hollywood should consider re-releasing films like this, rather than butchering them and spending a fortune doing it. I for one would love to see this film on the big screen.

I love movies set in New York, particularly ones from the 70's and 80's (when New York wasn't a Disney themempark) and particularly ones which are very much about the uniqueness of the city (i.e. Pelham, Taxi Driver, Annie Hall).

If anyone else likes these New York style films, I would highly recommended checking out Martin Scorsese's After Hours starring Griffin Dunne. It really captures that unique late night feel of no mans land, whilst mixing it with the grit and grime of New York.

heyjude

The original film was excellent, its a shame they are going to ruin it now by giving it the big star, big budget, action movie treatment.

As someone else stated, like 'The Hitcher', there is no need for a re-make as the original was excellent. The new film at best can match it, but will probably end up as a big disappointment

keefg

Just a heads up for those who missed or have never seen the original Taking of Pelham One Two Three......

It is on at 11.45 pm on RTE1 Next Monday (29th Dec)

AnonoBoy

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

A Tony Scott & Denzel collaboration? It will be entertaining if nothing else.

Like Man On Fire? :rolleyes:

mike65

Bump! see above

indough

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Like Man On Fire? :rolleyes:

nothing wrong with that movie

longshanks

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Like Man On Fire? :rolleyes:

or deja vu?

indough

Or Crimson Tide? They're all quality films to be honest

shatners basoon

mike65 wrote: »

Listening to the soundtrack right now, cool and moody jazz. You know the remake will have some identikit crap by (insert hack here).

Mike.

Its a fantastic soundtrack alright. Really got to love Shire's work after seeing Copolla's 'The Conversation', which is also deserving of a lot more recognition and praise. The soundtrack to that is also worth getting. Need to get the soundtrack to Zodiac next and i'll be set!

Have yet to actually see this film though, will rent it tonight, before the remake so that i can scoff at all the people who go to see it.

mwu ha ha ha ha!

Vokes

Here's the new trailer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_fbAz4--qw

Looks like typical Tony Scott fare, which i usually like. Haven't seen the orginal, so no high expectations for the new one from myself.

Our man in Havana

Trailer looks good.

lostexpectation

any helicopters and chains involved this time?

JP Liz

I'm looking forward to seeing the remake - Washington/Scott/Travolta made a good team

The original was a great film

Chad ghostal

Think I'm gonna avoid this, it's never gonna be patch on the original. The original was cool and understated, this looks super cheesey and ott. John Travolta overacting on the end of a walkie talkie for 2 hours is pain enough on it's own..