Product: French Connection [VHS] (1971)
Rating: 5.0
THE FRENCH CONNECTION! (1971)
Starting the gritty cop dramas to follow, THE FRENCH CONNECTION can only be describes in one word: Gritty. Before all the glamour that is the Hollywood blockbuster there was THE FRENCH CONNECTION. With no CGI or huge explosions how was this film ever great? during this review I'll tell you why THE FRENCH CONNECTION won 5 Academy Awards icluding Best Picture.For the starters the film is fast. It holds nothing back with it's quick chases and startling uncovering of the facts the movie is rlentless. It moves along at apace rarely seen anymore. The movie is only about an hour and 40 minutes. Before the story has started it's already done and you're left to figure it out. To have the audience believe that this is really happening the performance of Gene Hackman is truly top- notch. He's not a real complicated character and in the script he's written pretty straight forward but Hackman puts a twist, a lonely side to "Popeye" (his nickname in the movie that is typically looked over in the film's first viewing while most are just waiting for the famous car chase. The movie shows modern day problems that people have with the law including racism and Hackman's character chases down and beats a black guy for some intel. The movies shows that cops were just as crooked then to get what they wanted people just din't care. Popeye is an old fashioned cop who does what he has to, to get what he needs no matter the level of damage he creates in getting there.I read Roger Eberts review to see what he thought of the film and he says the story hardly matters in the film. I have a hard time taking a side in this debate. The movie' plot is sort of irrelevent in a way. The movie really needs no specific story for what it's trying to say. THE FRENCH CONNECTION is in no way light on story, it just takes a back seat to the unfolding of an unknown mystery of the characters and how far they will take or can take of dead ends and stakeouts.Director William Friedkin (THE EXORCIST) gives the film a fast pace with close ups and chases spread across the scenery of twisting New York. He keeps a certain pace of uncertainty of the line between good and bad just likes 2001' TRAINING DAY. Friedkin's job is not underrated because he won the Oscar but is truly unappreciated.THE FRENCH CONNECTION is unlike any other cop film ever! It never slows down not even to let you realize how many connections it truly has to modern day motifs of fear, uncertainty, and chaos just like it's main character.