Posted on 08/24/2009 6:21:07 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
It was repeatedly panned by the critics. But movie-goers loved it. And thirty-five years later, it remains a cult classic.
“Death Wish” celebrates 35 years, this summer. It was released in theaters on July 24, 1974, and was directed by Michael Winner and produced by the Dino De Laurentiis Company
I watched it again over the weekend, and it stands the test of time (thought it’s funny to take Jeff Goldblum seriously as a murderous gang thug). In fact, now in the Obama administration–with police called “stupid” and impliedly racist by the President and our Second Amendment gun rights under attack–the movie is more relevant than ever.
Liberals hated “Death Wish,” because of its message that vengeance and vigilantism works. They hated that the hero of the movie is a liberal pacifist who realizes his way is the wrong way. And they hated Charles Bronson for the rest of his life–the rest of his acting career–for playing Paul Kersey, “Death Wish’s” sly, silent, and clever protagonist who shoots criminals after his wife is murdered and his daughter raped into a state of catatonia. They never forgave him for it. (Ironically, the role was meant for Steve McQueen, but he turned it down.) And Hollywood never forgave him, giving him few good roles after the fact (his role alongside Charlton Heston in the TV movie, “Raid on Entebbe” comes to mind as one of the good ones).
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What is ironic about that?
New York in the Lindsay-Beame era ping!
I heard Stallone was going to do a remake.
One of the funnier comments about “Death Wish” came from (I think) Andy Sarris who said “he spends half the movie hanging around parks and overpasses at night and not once is propositioned sexually by another man!” I think that, nevertheless, says more about Mr. Sarris (or whoever said that) than anything else.
PLEASE NO! Stallone should not be let in front of a camera ever again!
It would never make the cultural impact that DW did, people are quite used to revenge movies nowadays. IMO.
Right now....I’m wishing for the return of the OLD VERSION of “Walking Tall”....the way things are going.
I’m waiting for Stallone and Kurt Russell to team up again to do “Tango & Cash II: Electric Boogaloo.”
IMHO, Charles Bronson was one of the great ones. My favorite Bronson movie, Alister McLean’s, “Breakheart Pass”, came after Death Wish.
That winter, I came home for Christmas vacation and four of my friends talked me into joining them for a long drive from NW Minnesota to NYC for the new year. Two of the friends worked for the local Ramada Inn, so we were able to bribe the bell-hop in Manhattan to get five guys into the room-- sleeping bags and Mexican hide-a-bed (using both matress and box springs for beds).
We rented Death Wish on the motel pay per view and cheered Bronson on. We debated long into the night the morality of vigilante justice. The vigilantes won the debate in the end.
Another good one. Thanks!
“PLEASE NO! Stallone should not be let in front of a camera ever again!”
Rambo was pretty good.
I love “The Mechanic” myself. Wouldn’t mind a remake with Jason Statham, who is the British Charles Bronson.
The last “Rambo” was brainless, although “First Blood” is one of my guilty pleasures.
Street crime actually went down after that movie came out as I recall.
Not just in the movie, but in reality.
Another great Bronson movie.
“The last “Rambo” was brainless, although “First Blood” is one of my guilty pleasures.”
It was far from brainless. Simple plot, yes, but hardly brainless - and a good ending to the 1st movie (I ignore the middle two).
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