Precinct Seven Five

bkrangle

Just caught this documentary in cineworld. It's about corruption the NYPD in the late 80s early 90s. Some fairly unbelievable stuff takes place. Very entertaining overall, a large part of which is due to the charismatic (but probably sociopathic) nature of some of the principal interviewees.

humanji

I just heard of this earlier today. I read the overview of it thinking it was fiction, it's that insane. I'm definitely going to have to see it.

Cantona's Collars

humanji wrote: »

I just heard of this earlier today. I read the overview of it thinking it was fiction, it's that insane. I'm definitely going to have to see it.

The cop at the centre of it all was interviewed on the Last Word last week,he's hoping Hollywood pick this up and turn it into a movie.He was clearing between $3000 to $6000 a week on the side back in the day.

bkrangle

The main cop, Michael Dowd, is himself fairly unbelievable.

But one of his former cohorts, Adam Diaz, is straight out of a gangster movie!

Looper007

bkrangle wrote: »

The main cop, Michael Dowd, is himself fairly unbelievable.

But one of his former cohorts, Adam Diaz, is straight out of a gangster movie!

The Drug Dealer, yeah he was something else. He basically say's on film that he killed the two druggie's who robbed money from him (he didn't care for the money but the disrespect is what he found wrong).


A great documentary but I felt at times it made us try to feel admiration for what Dowd did, who really is a scumbag with a badge. Even his story about the cop getting killed in the line of duty and him and his partner Ken Eurell driving the guy to Emergency and feeling bad about his death, came off like a total B.S (even the F.B.I said the same thing) as he would have gladly put a bullet in that cop if he got in the way of him making money.


One thing I loved was Ken Eurell and his wife trying to make themselves out like Dowd forced them into taking bribes and they were innocent victims. Just two guilty souls trying to backtrack on their own greed and selfish behaviour.


Great documentary though and I don't see why they need to make a film on his life. I think the documentary has done enough with his life.

Agent Coulson

Hoping to see it this weekend.

Cop land was loosely based on the corruption in the Seventy Seventh & Seventy Fifth if I remember right.

Telecaster58

Excellent film. The drug dealing kingpin was straight out of central casting. Dowd was definitely self-serving, and without any redeeming features whatsoever

cena

NachoBusiness

Looper007 wrote: »

A great documentary but I felt at times it made us try to feel admiration for what Dowd did, who really is a scumbag with a badge. Even his story about the cop getting killed in the line of duty and him and his partner Ken Eurell driving the guy to Emergency and feeling bad about his death, came off like a total B.S (even the F.B.I said the same thing) as he would have gladly put a bullet in that cop if he got in the way of him making money.

I don't agree. I think Dowd try to make you feel admiration for what he did. The guy is very very charismatic and at the screening I was at, he had people laughing a lot just by the way he said stuff and that was just with the camera pointed at him and so I don't think the docu makers tried to manipulate us to feel one way the other. In fact, show what the cop said right after that made Dowd look awful. It made him look like a liar and his tears as crocodile in nature.

One thing I loved was Ken Eurell and his wife trying to make themselves out like Dowd forced them into taking bribes and they were innocent victims. Just two guilty souls trying to backtrack on their own greed and selfish behaviour.

Yeah. Particularly the wife I thought.

There is supposed to be a book called Behind the BLUE WALL by Ken Eurell, but I can't seem to find it online.

Great documentary though and I don't see why they need to make a film on his life. I think the documentary has done enough with his life.

There was docus made on Henry Hill before Goodfellas I think and so I don't see why it would make a great film. His story is amazing. The screenplay almost writes itself and there would some great lighthearted moments amidst the drama. Particularly..

Taking his first bribe off the guy with no licence.
Driving the Corvette the Police Station the first day.
Finding the bags of cash and struggling to get someone to come pick it up.
Spotting the guy who just put a hit on him and the subsequent pull over.
Coming across the cops just about to raid the shop and so he nips in and buys some cans of Heiniken so he can tip off the dealer.

With the right director and casting the film could be across between Catch Me If You Can, Goodfellas with a little Serpico thrown in. Personally I'd love to see it made into a film. He really is just a gangster who became a cop.

Have to say, I found it hard to believe that someone that came across as likable as he did, was willing to see a woman die just so he could flee the charges and start over again as a fugitive. That was the most shocking aspect of the whole thing for me. Along of course with how he didn't seem to consider any of the consequences of many of his actions, which of course could be seen by his facial expressions when many of the questions were being put to him.

Here's a brief recent interview with Dowd.

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

charlie_says

Other notable crazy corrupt police officer was Rafael Perez, who Det. Vic Mackey from The Shield is based on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_P%C3%A9rez_%28police_officer%29

Mental stuff, there is a film there somewhere methinks!

edit: oh yeah, the doc looks good. Added to watch list, thanks.