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The Dirty Harry Collection (Dirty Harry/Magnum Force/The Enforcer/Sudden Impact/The Dead Pool)

The Dirty Harry Collection (Dirty Harry/Magnum Force/The Enforcer/Sudden Impact/The Dead Pool)

List Price: $68.92
Your Price: $51.69
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: DO IT! Own 'em all
Review: DVD or VHS, own 'em all. You'll be glad you did.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Dirty Harry: the original die-hard lethal weapon!
Review: Finally! The original die-hard lethal weapon now has all of his adventures available on the digital format! I was wondering what took Warner Bros. so long. And the new digital transfer looks a whole lot better than the old VHS tapes I used to own! Looks like the WB did a bit of film clean-up as well- I don't see nearly as many scratches or other visual clutter in any of the movies like I did the VHS versions. If you're looking for the movies that made the police action genre what it is today, this is the series to take a gander at!

There must've been a time when being in a 'Dirty Harry' flick was an actor's ticket to modest-to-amazing stardom. Andy Robinson, the Scorpio Killer from the original DH, eventually found his way into the hearts of the Trekkie minions as the Cardassian tailor/spy Garak on 'Deep Space Nine'. Along with a brief appearance by Suzanne Somers, Robert Urich ('Vega$') and David Soul ('Starsky & Hutch') were featured in 'Magnum Force'. 'The Enforcer' saw future 'Cagney & Lacey' co-star & 4-time Emmy winner Tyne Daly as yet another unfortunate partner of Detective Callahan. And Liam Neeson & Jim Carrey had their moments in 'The Dead Pool'.

Like most, I consider the first 'Dirty Harry' to be the best. There's just something about the way that it establishes the characters & situations that Harry will have to face in the subsequent flicks. They could've made the fake blood more realistic-looking, however. Also included here: One half-hour documentary hosted by 'Magnum Force' co-star Robert Urich, an original '71 behind-the-scenes doc, and theatrical trailer.

'Magnum Force' has its moments, and I found the idea of our anti-hero actually defending the system he dislikes against rogue elements in the police department an interesting one. This one also features one noticeable flub: The scene where Harry's dismantling his apartment mail box. After the wimpy complainer starts walking back upstairs saying he doesn't want to get involved, you can see for an instant the shadow of one of the crew members on the wall above the stairway. Then there's the less-than-convincing scene where a nude, coked-up blonde drops several stories to her death. If there's one scene in the entire DH canon that could use some of that 'Star Wars Special Edition'-style digital correction, that particular moment is it! Also included is a brief doc on the evolution of cop flicks leading up to the first two 'DH' mo-pics, and an original theatrical trailer.

I consider 'The Enforcer' to be the weakest film of the bunch- the group of heavies looked kinda psycho, but didn't seem as scary or dangerous as previous or subsequent 'DH' villains. The LAWS rocket climax was also pretty hokey. However, it has one of my fave moments in the entire series, where Harry asks Big Ed Mustapha, a Black Pantheresque militant, if he knows him from somewhere. This moment is something of an in-joke- Albert Popwell, the guy who portrayed Mustapha, also played the bank robber who felt lucky in 'DH', the pimp in 'Magnum Force', and Horace in the subsequent 'Sudden Impact'. Strangely enough, he's absent from 'The Dead Pool'. Also included: brief male full-frontal nudies (gasp!), a mini-doc, and a theatrical trailer.

I thought 'Sudden Impact' was pretty cool, even though most of it takes place a short distance away from San Francisco, rather than in the city proper. It introduced us to Harry's 'old stand-by', the .44 Automag, which made for an impressive addition to our anti-hero's silhouette during the climactic 'final fight' scene. And let's not forget the introduction of his most famous line, "Go ahead... make my day." Also added: common-law missus Sondra Locke, and Clint taking to the producer's & director's seat for this one. 'SI' also includes the most notable 'blooper' in the series: while Harry's trying out the Automag at a makeshift target range in the woods, the aforementioned Horace drives up and opens the driver's side door to get out. As the door opens, you can clearly see the camera man in the driver-side window's reflection! One of cinema's most glaring oopsies. No docs are included here, just the obligatory trailer.

Finally, there's the 'Dead Pool', featuring the most bizarre car chase scene I've ever witnessed! And who could forget Harry's takin' out the last scumbag? Just when you thought he was dependent on the .44 Magnum revolver to protect himself, he surprises you with his improvisational skills! Also featured: another unfortunate cop partnered up with Callahan who's only one of two folks throughout the five flicks to survive the experience! As expected, a trailer is included.

All in all, the Dirty Harry collection box set is a pretty good presentation of the entire series. There's not an exhaustive array of extras, but if you're a big-time fan, I'm sure you'll consider yourself fortunate to have some new stuff to look at. Too bad WB still hasn't caught wind of putting their DVDs in plastic keep cases, rather than those flimsy cardboard snap sleeves that they still seem to be partial to. C'mon, Warner, let's get with the times here!

'Late

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great collection, louse packaging
Review: I knew that I would fully enjoy the movies. I was right, they are still great. The cardboard sleeves for the individual movies were almost destroyed just trying to get them open. I will be relocating them to new cases, no doubt. Sure is a shame for such a collection to be packaged in such flimsy material..

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: this is the most exciteing film i have ever scene
Review: I love the dirty harry movies. I especially like sudden impact when at the end he says "let the girl go punk"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Man With No Name
Review: I own everything on CLINT EASTWOOD!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Every one a gem
Review: I understand many people dislike sequels and that most people put too high of expectations on sequels but I am quite sick of all of the 'wannabe' critics that say, Oh, the first was the best, the rest sucked...that is "the thing to say" I guess if you THINK youre a film fan and follow blindly behind the other sheep bleating just because the other sheep are. Now, everyone has the right to like or dislike a film but if you liked the first film you generally like the sequels. Each film to me is a continuation. If you don't like em, fine, move on. However I find EVERY film presented here a gem. Each film presented here did fairly well at the box office. The point is, these were supposed to be like the bond films but Eastwood decided enough was enough. Some say, awwww, its his worst after the westerns....cmon, hes not gonna do westerns forever!!! ridiculous! The films here are gritty and VERY 70s/80s so newcomers won't find much to relate to here but anyone who is a 70s or 80s child will enjoy these films. Its NOT NYPD Blue, Nor is it Lethal Weapon or any other cop drama. These are films that were VERY revolutionary back in their day and made Eastwood a star, it wasnt his "Man with no name" trilogy that did it, even though they were amazing and got the ball rolling for him. It was these films right here that gave him his trademark saying "go ahead, make my day!". If your a fan of Harry you must own this set, otherwise move off to the pasture and bleat and chew grass like all of the other sheep.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great movie but.....
Review: I would buy the DVD set if it wasn't widescreen. I for one don't like widescreen because of the black spaces at the bottom & top. If the disk has standard on one side & widescreen on the other I would buy it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Excellent Collection
Review: I've been waiting for the Dirty Harry Series on DVD for awhile now and was no disappointed. All the movies have excellent transfers picture and sounds wish there where a few extras but I'm not complaining. Why only 4 stars because the Dead Pool was included in the set zzzzzzzzz

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Clint Eastwood at his worst
Review: Now that Eastwood has disowned his "Dirty Harry" years, I guess Warner Studios thought they could make a quick buck by packaging the movies into a box set. While the first movie packed a punch, the latter ones were little more than retreds of the original, much like Charles Bronson's "Death Wish" movies. Personally, I think Dirty Harry was Eastwood at his worst, transforming him from a High Plains Drifter into a tough cop tracking down the lawless elements in society. But, the movies made the Magnum the most popular handgun in America.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Clint Eastwood at his worst
Review: Now that Eastwood has disowned his "Dirty Harry" years, I guess Warner Studios thought they could make a quick buck by packaging the movies into a box set. While the first movie packed a punch, the latter ones were little more than retreds of the original, much like Charles Bronson's "Death Wish" movies. Personally, I think Dirty Harry was Eastwood at his worst, transforming him from a High Plains Drifter into a tough cop tracking down the lawless elements in society. But, the movies made the Magnum the most popular handgun in America.


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