MOVIE OF THE DAY: THE DRIVER

Always have been a fan of Walter Hill but The Driver never spoke to me. Perhaps its Ryan O'Neal who i've always thought was awful.

Nice MOD, Dre. Between you and Beaks, Walter Hill is getting his due.

 

O'Neal is kind of a Steve McQueen substitute, but i think the casting works. (Glad you mentioned he had a helluva 70's) He gets what Hill was going for.

I've read the role was originally written for Steve McQueen who turned it down, it definitely seems tailor made for McQueen. I can only imagine how badass he would've been in the role. Those car chases though, are absolutely terrific.

It's hard to imagine any film closing down downtown L.A. nowadays for what must have been weeks of car chase shooting.   Such great old school stunt driving on display here. 

Fat Elvis, thanks for steering me towards that article. I don't read AICN, so I wouldn't have come across it otherwise. That (and this) are both awesome, but that talk back is surprisingly kick-ass, considering what the talkbacks are usually known for.

 

It really is great to see Hill getting some due. He's made so many great films, and I love how different people have different favorites. I think that that's the sign of a truly great director, rather than a good one. Ridley Scott is undeniably a talented filmmaker, but ask film fans what their favorite film of his is, and their either gonna answer Alien or Blade Runner (Alien all the way...).

 

Now, ask different people what their favorite Hill movie is, and your likely to get all types of responses: The Driver for some, Hard Times for others, Long Riders, Warriors, 48 Hrs., Southern Comfort, Extreme Prejudice, Streets of Fire. All masterpieces.

 

Then there are his films that, although not great, are still kick-ass: Johnny Handsome, Tresspass (fuck yeah), Crossroads, Wild Bill, Last Man Standing...

 

Guy's one of the greats.

 

PS: Glad to see Le Samouri mentioned here, as I've always considered it an homage. You can draw a straight line between those two through Heat.

Plus the dude produced and directed (and clearly had a large hand in casting ) fucking Deadwood. Jesus, it never surprises me how great his career has been.

I watched this three times on the big-screen on initial release...brilliant!!

Seeing it on TV over the past few decades, it loses a LOT!!

Not Hill's best, by a long chalk, but fun... 

I don't know if I could argue that it's his best, or even his most rewatchable, I mean 48hrs is fucking perfect in its way, and vacillates perfectly between action and comedy. But I can just watch The Driver over and over.

 

Watching it and Dirty Harry, and a number of these Wright Stuff films, there's lots of sustained, steady shots in action scenes. I miss when action movies didn't have to have quick cuts and shaky cam to be exciting.