Rating: 
Summary: Everything a New York thriller should be.
Review: If you're feeling nostalgic for gritty, rude, 1970's New York, then you should watch this movie. Every detail seems absolutely spot-on, from the location shots and flourescent-lit interiors, to the dialog and characters (check out the sniffley, vote-counting mayor and pragmatic deputy mayor.) Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw give terrific performances in the main roles (not to mention the redoubtable Martin Balsam) but it's the gallery of character actors and walk-on roles that give this film it's hyper-watchable texture and charm. Jerry Stiller and Tony Roberts are great, but there's a trainload (if you'll pardon the expression) that I can't even name, all of whom seem like they stepped right off the Manhattan sidewalk, circa 1974. The guy who monitors the subway display board and keeps asking "What the Hell's going on here?"----he was also in The Hot Rock, as the bank employee who get hypnotized. The time-limit of one hour that the train-jackers give before thay start shooting hostages provides much of the suspense---think of a mid-70's Speed with brains and nuance. The absurdly pulse-pounding score will leave you feeling manipulated and loving it. There's narry a wasted moment in this very economical yet densely detailed film, right down to the perfect, meaningful look Matthau gives at the end. The many humorous touches don't ever threaten to turn it into an outright comedy, since many of them center on how the city works. Call it a light-hearted suspense-thriller; it must have seemed like a shameless piece of urban exploitation when it came out, but now it looks like a masterful, pleasurable time capsule.
Rating:
Summary: Top-notch action movie spiced with New York humor
Review: A cracking good film, fast-paced, relentless in its build-up of tension, and shot through with that special New York humor. Now that it's 25 years old, some of the jokes and cameo character parts seem not to work. But Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw play the leading roles so well that it hardly matters, and, though it doesn't particularly try to do so, the movie gives a good impression of what the city, its politics and its institutions were like in the early-mid Seventies. Mostly, though, it's just a good fingernail-biter based on the bright idea of someone hijacking a subway train.
Rating:
Summary: Loved this movie!
Review: Some people want to criticise movies like this for the lack or multimillion-dollar special effects (defects, in reality), but I for one...prefer to see gritty, more realistic movies such as this. The plot is credible, the villains absolutely ruthless, and politicians are shown in all their corrupt, greedy glory. Women of that era are depicted as being more sincere and naturally beautiful compared to the shopping mall-obsessed creatures we know of today. It has been stated that this movie lacked testosterone, but not all men are Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, etc. I give this movie five stars, as it was made toward the end of Hollywood's golden era (for me, at least)
Rating:
Summary: This Is Pelham..
Review: 4 men hijack a New York subway train. Nobody can quite beleive it, who would hijack a subway train, how would the hijackers get away?.This has to be one of my all time favourite movies. I first saw it 10 years ago as the "late night" movie on the BBC. The next day at school we were all talking about it. Pelham 123 boasts some great performances from Robert Shaw & Walter Matthau. Matthau plays the detective assigined to negotiate with the hijackers led by Robert Shaw. Matthau provides the humour and the with while Shaw plays it strictly dramatic as one of the cruelest villians around. This film is deadly serious but as always Matthau provides a few laughs along the way. The acting in this movie is first class and the story is unusual but very gripping. The score is also dramatic and works well with the movie. I would recomended all fans of films such as Taxi Driver, Oulp Fiction, Reservior Dogs etc to get this film today. The DVD features collectable booklet and original Theatrical trailer.
Rating: 
Summary: They Don't Make Them Like This Anymore
Review: The early to mid seventies is known for some great films set in New York, "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" springs to mind and for me this feature which is overlooked these days, I'm suprised Hollywood hasn't ripped it of ("SUBJACKED" or "UNDER STEET BLUES" starring....). The cast makes this film worthwhile, the story is very shaky. Basically a group of hijackers storm a subway train and take one carridge including its occupents. Unless one million dollars is paid in one hour a passenger will be shot every minute after the deadline. A simlpe storline but effective. Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw plus a sometimes hilarious script ("Matthau-'Have they moved';Police chief-'Has who moved';Matthau-'The train! How many hijacked trains do we have down here')result in a exciting film. The DVD comes with no extras and has mono sound, however there isn't much more to see or say with regards to this film except the feature itself.
Rating:
Summary: The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 is #1 with me!
Review: Of all the gritty, realistic police dramas of the 1970's, "The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3" stands out as the best of a very good lot. Released during the low-point year of NYC history in 1974, "Pelham" is argueably the most real-life look at New York and New Yorkers one can get without actually visiting the big town. The plot concerns the hijacking of an IRT subway train by a gang of four men, led by the coolheaded Robert Shaw (Jaws, Black Sunday). The late Walter Matthau shines as Lt. Zach Garber of the NY Transit Police who, over a two-way radio, has to deal with the terrorists unbelievable demands. The writing in this movie crackles with smart-mouthed NY urgency. The acting, photography, editing, and music MUST have all been created by native NYers. Even the 18 passengers who are taken hostage in the lead car of the #6 train look like they stepped off the street and into the IRT without missing a beat. You wanna hijack me just before rush hour? Go ahead, but I'm not ganna make it easy for you, punk! Many other NY movies (Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, French Connection) have overshadowed this gem, but do yourself a favor and buy it, especially in the DVD version, which gives the viewer a panorama of a NYC that has faded into history.
Rating:
Summary: great 70's flick...
Review: In the same way that "The Naked City" portrays New York City of the forties, "Pelham" does justice to the 70's. This is a great movie! Did anyone notice that the opening theme music was also used in the more recent Mel Gibson movie, "Payback"?
Rating:
Summary: A Fine Suspense Drama
Review: I was in high school when this film came out. I remember standing on a long line on Broadway in a snow shower to see it. It was well worth the wait. Thirty years later, it was well worth the wait to buy this DVD. While there's no give-me's on this disc (which is a shame), this action packed, and often funny, film is one of those that for some reason didn't stand the test of time or become a cult hit. Perhaps New York and America want to forget the inner city squalor of the 70s (although "Mean Streets" and "Taxi Driver" remain popular). But this film is worth watching just for Robert Shaw's chilling portrayal of a subway hijacker. The filming is appropriately dark and grainy. If not for any reason, watch a well-crafted suspense/action movie before they became completely gory, bloody messes.
Rating:
Summary: PELHAM ONE TWO THREE WHERE THE F**K ARE YOU!
Review: I first saw this movie on TV in the mid 80s edited of course. Now I can see it in all it's
wide screen glory. The plot moves along in a brisk pace and it is unrelenting from
begging to end. When you watch this movie, the 2 + hours seem to roll by thanks
to clever acting by the stars. See this movie if you like police drama - 70s style.
Rating:
Summary: I saw this in this theatre in 1974!
Review: This is a good film with an unusual premise. Theres tons of details. The only problem I have with the film is the ethnic sterotyping. For example, theres an old Jewish man as part of the hostages on the subway car as hes there to provide some sort of idealistic contrived balance- throughout the film he basically proclaims "I am the Jewish element in the film- I will talk with an overhyped accent and act like a stereotypical Jewish imigrant for your distinct pleasure".
|
