Product: French Connection [VHS] (1971)
Rating: 5.0
35 years later, still nothing like it
There are many great old films that I've never seen, and I'm finally making up for lost time. I was 12 years old when this one came out, and just saw it for the first time. I'm truly amazed at the style in which it was filmed, and amazed that no one else has been able to duplicate it. In the first place, it's so gritty that you can feel it between your teeth. Subsequent cop dramas have reached this feel in different ways, but "The French Connection" is that rare film that doesn't feel like a film at all; it feels like the viewer is along for the ride, eavesdropping on the characters, and taking part in the action. Really remarkable.Gene Hackman's star-making role as Popeye Doyle is the dictionary definition of "unblinking," as this womanizing, racist, over-the-top violent slob pursues a hunch that leads to a huge drug bust, all while an unfriendly fellow detective reminds him often that one of his past hunches had led to the death of "a good cop." No detail is given, just as would not be given in a real-life situation. The willingness of the director and screenwriter to not overdo these little details is a joy to behold, while the pace and texture of the entire movie are perfect from start to finish.Anyone who likes action films but hasn't seen "The French Connection" owes it to him/herself to do so right away.