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Bullet in the Head

post #1 of 16
3/8/10 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
Hadn’t seen this in well over a decade. In a way I hope I’m able to not to watch it for another 10+ years so it can sneak up and blow me away again. The fact that Woo was able to pull off a film this agonizing, while still delivering the rat-a-tat-tats we all know and love, is wildly impressive.

That whole sequence in the Viet Cong prisoner camp. Holy Toledo.
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post #2 of 16
3/8/10 at 2:30pm
Haven't seen this one in a few years but I remember enjoying it. I would definitely need to watch it again to remember a few of the nitpicks I had with it (I think there were a few parts where I thought the tone was off).

I will say, in regards to the ending: I like the imagery, and Woo always goes all out in that regard, but I couldn't help but ponder the circumstances around the man character bringing his friends skull back to the final confrontation. Did he personally decapitate his friend's corpse and then skin the head? Wait for it to rot on his undoubtedly long walk back? Totally not the point, I know, but I couldn't help but think of it. I might be remembering things incorrectly, too.
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post #3 of 16
3/8/10 at 2:43pm
One of Woo's bests, for sure. The raid on the Vietnam prison camp is a highlight, but the high octane finale might be even better considering that we care about the characters and the stakes at that point (as silly as some of it kinda is, like what Coombs brings up above). Great performances, too.

I also love the innocent 50's inspired intro. It's another reminder that Woo could handle lighter material really well when he wanted to (like Once a Thief).
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post #4 of 16
3/8/10 at 2:49pm
I should revisit this. I saw this after I got hooked on Woo from Face/Off... and it was just too much for me.
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post #5 of 16
3/8/10 at 3:15pm
I've seen most of Woo's major films except for this one. Needs to be seen. Is there a decent R1 release?
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post #6 of 16
3/8/10 at 3:16pm
I like this, but I've only seen it once. It's not quite as watchable as his collaborations with CYF.
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post #7 of 16
3/8/10 at 3:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pop Zeus View Post
I've seen most of Woo's major films except for this one. Needs to be seen. Is there a decent R1 release?
Not that I know off. The disc I got was a region free one.
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post #8 of 16
3/8/10 at 3:45pm
What I love is I totally sympathize with the guy lugging that crate full of gold around. I mean, c'mon! It's a crate full of gold! We go through all this shit, we gotta have SOMETHING to show for it!

I also love that they go to Vietnam to avoid being arrested. Whoops.
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post #9 of 16
3/8/10 at 4:12pm
The 2-disc Hong Kong Legends edition (Region 2) is probably the one to own.
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post #10 of 16
3/8/10 at 11:19pm
A brilliant film that literally kicks you in the gut and leaves you breathless. Not my favorite John Woo film (The Killer which I adore) but easily his most powerful. Tony Leung and Simon Yam are such badasses in this.

I showed this to my girlfriend about 3 years ago (I have the region free dvd as well) and she was speechless.
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post #11 of 16
3/10/10 at 12:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Daywalker View Post
A brilliant film that literally kicks you in the gut
Literally?
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post #12 of 16
3/10/10 at 2:58pm
Other discussion of BITH:

http://dxb-lon-dmewww.chud.com/forum...ad.php?t=63055

http://dxb-lon-dmewww.chud.com/forum...ad.php?t=42561

http://dxb-lon-dmewww.chud.com/forum...d.php?t=106117

My take is in that last one. I respected it and liked a certain scenes and performances, but it was too unfocused to be a favorite.
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post #13 of 16
3/10/10 at 5:49pm
Nice hunting, thanks!
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post #14 of 16
3/11/10 at 5:47am
Since I saw The Deer Hunter I can't help but notice the similarities, it's one of Woo's most visceral and intense films but the russian roulette scene seems directly lifted from TDH, with more melodrama. I will say though, Simon Yam is a god in this film, he really should've had Chow Yun Fat's career, his charisma is off the charts in Bullet. The nightclub shootout is just a blazing action scene, the use of 'Daydream Believer' is inspired, I think the film kind of meanders after that.
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post #15 of 16
3/11/10 at 3:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NathanW View Post
The nightclub shootout is just a blazing action scene, the use of 'Daydream Believer'
I'm a Believer

Yours,

Nitpicky Monkees Fan
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post #16 of 16
3/12/10 at 9:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammerhead View Post
The 2-disc Hong Kong Legends edition (Region 2) is probably the one to own.
Yeah, that's the one I've got. Probably one of my favorite Woo flicks. Simon Yam kicks ass in this one.
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