betty boop Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Watched a trio of movies kicking off with The Seven-Ups only to realise it was connected to Bullitt a movie released prior and The French connection I & II that followed, fantastic movies ! Apart from them being crime, police dramas a common thread in them I found was Producer Philip D'Antoni https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_D'Antoni I watched The Seven-Ups first off, which is an interesting movie about a team of police men working undercover on cases that would send the perpetrators off for 7 years or more. Has a car chase scene with Roy Schneider who stars in the movie flying through the streets of New York. Core to the movie according to Philip D'Antoni was that was he wanted a sense of the real. reality and all the characters are very real every day sorts and not leaving out the raw and the grit. Watching Bullitt next it has also that fantastic car chase scene through the streets of san francisco. staring Steve Mcqueen and his scene in the mustang chasing a charger in the streets probably goes down in the history of car chase movies ! The movie won an academy award for film editing of all things. sticking to the line of keeping it real, true to the times and not leaving out any of the raw and grit had the movie inducted in the National film registry for preservation by the library off congress due to it being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" I watched French Connection next and it is set predominately in the us is based on true characters and events picks up on activities of the mob/organised crime and international drug smuggling. This time around there is Gene Hackman who is the larger than life loud mouth american cop and partnered by Roy Schneider. It was the first R rated movie to win an academy award and won a few academy awards (including best actor for Gene Hackman) and was nominated for a few more ! again a film that is inducted in the national film registry for preservation for same reasons as Bullitt. French connection 2 based totally in france Has Gene Hackman returning but Roy schneider is no where to be seen. while didnt do as well in the box office I found it a good closing o the story and an important one I have watched these films many many years prior as a kid, and again some decades later, but first time as a trio here and very much enjoyed especially understanding the thread of commonality between them and their significance some true crime classics and great to be able to enjoy. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muriwai Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Hi Al,bought locally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 1 hour ago, muriwai said: Hi Al,bought locally? hi muri, I got both french connection https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/drama/french-connection-1-2/271949/ and same with bullitt from jb hifi originally some years ago, but doesnt appear that bullitt is on there site anymore, can try amazon uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bullitt-Blu-ray-Region-Steve-McQueen/dp/B000TTPF20 I picked up seven ups from amazon uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017MNXL94/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betocool Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Great review Al! I watched French Connection about 10 years ago, borrowed it from the Uni library, I was impressed! It's raw and gritty alright, and the Paris bit was heavy, especially all the heroin sequence, jeez! Sometime's they're harder to watch these 70's films, the pace is slower I think, you get to digest some more, and they look a bit dirty. My opinion, of course. Cheers, Alberto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundfan Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 (edited) French Collection has long been one of my favourite crime films, and Bullitt is top shelf too. FC II ain’t bad either. Might have to chase down The Seven Ups. Edited January 7, 2018 by soundfan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 50 minutes ago, betocool said: Great review Al! I watched French Connection about 10 years ago, borrowed it from the Uni library, I was impressed! It's raw and gritty alright, and the Paris bit was heavy, especially all the heroin sequence, jeez! Sometime's they're harder to watch these 70's films, the pace is slower I think, you get to digest some more, and they look a bit dirty. My opinion, of course. Cheers, Alberto thanks betocool that is very true. its certainly raw gritty, really telling like it is. and yes dirty grungy. the pace indeed slower too. its amazing the efforts for realism eg one of the characters in 7 ups was an actual undercover policeman working on the real 7 ups cases ! I like also with the police things really dont always go to plan and infact hardly ever does. am sure they portrayed the hard slog of police in chasing crime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 8 minutes ago, soundfan said: French Collection has long been one of my favourite crime films, and Bullitt is top shelf too. FC II ain’t bad either. Might have to chase down The Seven Ups. indeed watching D' Antoni's interview its funny how he said when they had done french connection, he thought it was just ok. saw quite a few things could have been better done...and then much to his surprise all the oscars that it won ! quite a movie ye i like the part 2 in the way it completed the story ... though perhaps it was the unfinished nature of the first part that made it the hit it was ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kensell21 Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I’m a bit confused regarding the order to watch these. Is it Bullitt first or Seven Up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCC Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Great write-up @:) al! I saw Seven-ups and FC in the theatres when first released and enjoyed the realism. Very gritty indeed. I remember the scene that strikes me most was in FC when the sniper fired at G Hackman as he was walking to his flat, the shot rang out so unexpectedly it gave me a fright! Thanks for reminding me about Seven-ups which I have forgotten about, will be watching it soon, just booked from the Library... cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 56 minutes ago, Kensell21 said: I’m a bit confused regarding the order to watch these. Is it Bullitt first or Seven Up? hi kensell, no order as such. but they came out in order of french connection 2 1975 The seven ups 1973 french connection 1 1971 Bullitt 1968 apart from the french connection movies others stand on own 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 11 minutes ago, YCC said: Great write-up @:) al! I saw Seven-ups and FC in the theatres when first released and enjoyed the realism. Very gritty indeed. I remember the scene that strikes me most was in FC when the sniper fired at G Hackman as he was walking to his flat, the shot rang out so unexpectedly it gave me a fright! Thanks for reminding me about Seven-ups which I have forgotten about, will be watching it soon, just booked from the Library... cheers great scene that one YCC, even the reaction of those in the movie(eg kids in the window) on the goings on. its almost like they shot the scene without telling anyone that it was a movie. so realistic. fantastic you got to see seven ups in the theatres, am amazed i've only stumbled upon it now, something just slipped me by. watching it now and the D'Antoni video put it all into perspective, like a missing part of puzzle even though the movies arent connected as such 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muriwai Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 hi muri, I got both french connection https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/drama/french-connection-1-2/271949/ and same with bullitt from jb hifi originally some years ago, but doesnt appear that bullitt is on there site anymore, can try amazon uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bullitt-Blu-ray-Region-Steve-McQueen/dp/B000TTPF20 I picked up seven ups from amazon uk [emoji4] https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017MNXL94/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Hi Al,picked up French connection 1&2 boxset at JB $8 ,bullit and seven ups not available on blu from JB any more so will try Amazon ,or anyone here on forum wish to sell ?Cheers Muri 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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