Whether you consider Charles Band a low-budget genius or a scourge to film-makers everywhere, he certainly has an active imagination. "Blood Dolls" blends several of his favorite themes  killer (and marketable) dolls, freaks, and rock music into a trademark memorable twisted film.

"Blood Dolls" certainly sports an odd cast of characters. There is Virgil (Jack Maturin), eccentric billionaire, his right-hand man Mascaro, an assassin with clown make-up, and his butler, little person Phil Mascaro. Virgil also has a faithful band in a cage, a rock anti-Spice Girls (each member of the band has a `Baby' nick-name) who play dark, death-themed background music on command  or get shocked. When Virgil runs into any trouble, he sends Mascaro and his own personal strike-force, the Blood Dolls  Pimp, Sideshow, and Ms. Fortune. The film's antagonists, though much more normal (with one notable exception), may not be as weirdly entertaining as the film's bizarre protagonists, but they are well-acted (they have to be, since they don't have a gimmick to fall back on) and still great characters (they just have incredible protagonists to contend with!), with enjoyable lines, albeit some fairly standard death scenes.

Though they are the title characters, the Blood Dolls are, surprisingly, not the film's main focus. As the film continues, it turns from a simple killer doll film to a twisted romance. The transition is smooth, and adds a sense of freshness to the story; there are even two endings, one for the romantically inclined and another, more typical ending. The plot innovations are believable because of Maturin's great facial expressions and delivery during his interactions with other characters. Unfortunately, the practical effects budget barred Maturin from being in any shots other than close-ups; a well-used puppet head (it's not totally apparent, and is used sparingly from careful angles to prevent it from becoming so) takes his place in a couple shots. Like many Full Moon releases, CG-effects were ditched in favor of practical effects, and though they worked well for Virgil and the rest of the film, the Blood Dolls are not as animated as their fellow killer-puppets in the Puppet Master series; they look fantastic but move more stiffly. Perhaps this is partially why Band made this film more story-oriented than death-oriented.

Though not all professional musicians, an original idea was for the actresses playing Virgil's band-in-a-cage to record a soundtrack CD and go on tour after the film's release as The Blood Dolls. This was scrapped, but the majority of the movie's soundtrack is provided by the band (along with a music video on the DVD), is quite good (it could certainly fit in with some of today's bands). The themes and lyrics are quite dark, but are presented in an almost pop-music manner, catchy and relatively up-tempo.

Charles Band has remarked that by the time Full Moon has made 500 pictures that he hopes "Blood Dolls" will be one that truly stands out. "Blood Dolls" is a unique and entertaining film that definitely fits Band's hopes as one of the best Full Moon releases.


In the true spirit of Full Moon Entertainment who previously did the Puppet Master series come Blooddolls! Its campy, It has bad acting I I really loved this movie alot! Can't wait for the sure to come sequel!If its from Full Moon you know its gotta be good!


Frankly unique film from Full Moon and Charles Band himself features small dolls, a caged female rock band and a villain with a minute head, weird! It is the bizarre touches that make this film so much fun. The female band - though clearly sexy in appearance - are not developed enough as individual characters. They do sing well, their songs rough and crude but fun despite this. Part time actress/part time teacher, Debra Mayer (as Moira) wants Virgil Travis' wealth and spends a lot of the film wearing little clothing and torturing her man (Warren Draper). It's not clear why Virgil has a pinhead but the story is frequently so ridiculous it doesn't really matter (incidently Virgil is played by actor Kristopher Logan, using the name here of Jack Maturin). The 'killer' dolls are new and well designed but budget restricts their role and unlike - say 'Puppet Master' - they are mainly shown looking threatening but not doing much. Likewise Virgil doesn't have any particularly exciting scenes presumably because his small head made these logistically difficult. Phil Fondacaro is in charge of the girl band and his job is to demand particular songs at the request of Virgil, for whom he works. If the girls disobey they get a shock - literally. Well made, exceptionally acted - plot firmly tongue-in-cheek. Quite honestly, brilliant.


This movie is Charles Band at his classic best. It has; living toys, midgets, a man with his face painted like a clown for absolutely no good reason, a guy with a head the size of an avocado, a female rock band in a cage (Again, for no good reason.), S&M, torture, dismemberment and did I mention that it continues Mr. Band's obessesion with living toys? Oh, I did... Sorry about that. If you love everything that is bad about Full Moon go out and buy this movie today. That's right, I said buy it. Don't waste the three bucks on the rental!


Its hard to find a movie that is both so much fun to watch while being so terrible. The best part about Blood Dolls is that it sets out to be terrible and hilariously terrible at that. Our hero in this story is Virgil who, when you look past his racist dolls, desire to take over the world and utter hatred for all other beings, is just a guy like the rest of us. Lonly and looking for someone to share his time with. This movie has two things going for it, above about a million other things granted but two really important things. One, it has a cage full of Goth Rock chicks that have to play on command, urged to do so by Phil Fondacaro (Vonhkar from willow). The second thing this movie has is Mr. Mascaro. I swear to god this character is about the coolest thing that has graced the silver screen since Herbert West. If i were to go into why Mascaro was so cool i'd definitely go over the 1000 word max. The most important thing about this movie is that it tries to be part of the killer doll genre of horror movies and yet the killer dolls in this film take a back seat to every other amazing character that steps on screen. Not that the dolls aren't cool but trust me, you'll couldn't possibly care less about them or who they are killing at the moment because all you'll be thinking about is What insane thing Virgil or Mascaro is about to say next.


Pretty disappointing clone of Puppet Master with some S & M fetishism thrown in, which is the only thing that stops this getting 1 out of 5.

Mad man discovers way to turn humans into evil, killer dolls. Madman has all girl rock band captive in a cage in his cellar, whom he makes play for him by use of electrocution. Madman has head like a pin. Madman isn't happy about most of this and tries to exact revenge upon people that have done him wrong in the business world.

Weird, throughout, but entertaining enough to watch. If you like Puppet Master, but thought it needed some female degradation to really liven it up this might just float your boat, otherwise pass it by on the torrent shelves Wouldn't watch it again though.


Blood Dolls starts as eccentric billionaire computer developer businessman Virgil Travis (Jack Maturin) discovers he has lost a billion dollars after losing a legal battle leaving him financially ruined, obviously not best pleased about losing a billion dollars he sets out to kill his competitors who made it happen as well as the corrupt judge. In his spare time Virgil has also created horrible little killer dolls to do his bidding, first George Warbeck (Nicholas Worth) & Mercy Shaw (Jodie Coady) are taken care off then Virgil turns his attentions to Harrison Yulin (Warren Draper) & his scheming wife Moira (Debra Mayer) who just happens to be a dominatrix... Has Virgil met his match at last?

Written, produced & directed by Charles Band & made under his Full Moon company this is yet another killer toy flick one maybe cynically would suggest is more interested in starting a new line of collectible toys than entertaining. Band has experience in the killer toy genre, Dolls (1987) & Puppet Master (1989) & it's sequels, unfortunately Blood Dolls is terrible in pretty much every way. The story is absolutely none existent, seriously there is no story to speak of or worth mentioning at all. It's just a few random scenes cobbled together more than a coherent film. There are some really bizarre things in Blood Dolls, for instance a four girl rock band who Virgil keeps locked in a cage & has them perform songs at regular intervals for no apparent reason. The fact that Virgil has an extremely small head, there's absolutely no reason for it & it looks stupid but it's here anyway. The fact that Virgil's servants consist of a guy in clown make-up & a dwarf add another unusual spin on proceedings without ever making any sense in their own right. Then there's the fact that Moira is a dominatrix, the film comes alive when she goes into mistress mode & abuses her husband & her scenes are the only reason I'm giving Blood Dolls 3 stars instead of 1. Unfortunately her dominatrix scenes are few & far between & once her husband is killed off she becomes 'normal' as it were & the film then dies a slow painful death. There's also a pointless double ending like in Clue (1985) where one thing happens & then an alternative it could have also happened like this ending is shown which just makes the whole film even more pointless.

Director Band was obviously working on a low budget, the doll effects are poor & they have little movement. There's hardly any blood or gore, someone gets bashed over the head with a lifting weight, someone gets a scalpel in the eye, a guy is killed when wires dig into his flesh & a drill burrows into someones chest with lots of blood splatter. Otherwise this is virtually bloodless. There's nothing here scary, there's no atmosphere or tension & the story sucks. Apart from a few fun scenes with Moira as a dominatrix Blood Dolls has nothing going for it & is utterly forgettable. Even the dolls themselves are bland & look cheap, none of them stand out as being 'cool' or particularly threatening.

Technically the film is basic, it appears to be shot in the same few rooms & the special effects consist of nothing more than a few plastic dolls moving their arms & heads. Every so often the rock group perform a song, they can't sing & all I can say is thank god for the mute button! The acting is OK, dominatrix Debra Mayer steals every scene shes in.

Blood Dolls is a cheap, poor, plot less attempt at starting another killer toy franchise by Charles Band, do yourself a big favour & watch Puppet Master, Dolls or Child's Play (1988) again instead. Apart from Mayer's dominatrix scenes this is pretty damned bad & as far as I'm concerned has nothing going for it.


For a low budget movie, it's way above average...in part to a well written (albeit campy) script, that has a a very good premise. The script itself has it's high and low points, with many of the lines going to Maturin, who uses them well. The script is mysterious and keeps you hanging on to see what will happen next. Who cares if it's a knock-off of PuppetMaster...it has it's own strange charm, in a John Waters directed type way. Jack Maturin does an excellent acting job as the insufferable billionaire Virgil Travis...as does Bill Burns as the stoic Mr. Mascara.

A must have in any horror collection. Throughly entertaining, and way under-rated IMHO.


Alright well i've been a big "b" horror movie buff for practically all my life and this movie was really bad. BUT I love the music!!!! Its totally up to date with any metal music out there now if not better. If they did decide to put out a soundtrack they would make back all their money they lost making this film. Also that house they filmed it in, i've seen it before and it was my dream house, but now i'd be too scared to step into it so i guess the movie was somewhat effective. Anyways, the music is awesome and its a crime against humanity not to of made a soundtrack. I'm gonna buy the stupid film on DVD just because I heard there was a music video on it. Damn, they got me.


what a hoot!!!very campy, but fun, and the dolls have a personality of their own, that is crazy....

a bit over the top, but all in all not a bad b film; of the actors, all seem to be having a good time, with Warren Draper as the wimpy husband stealing every scene he is in until his gruesome death by the hands of the evil dolls....

Recently viewed one of Drapers latest films, Tomorrow is Today with Scott Taylor Compton, and he gives a very powerful performance...

Blood Dolls is very much worth the rent, and the all girl band is smoking!!!!


This movie is terrible - I love it. It is classic "B" movie crap. I collect terrible movies (I currently have about 400 or so) and this is in my top 10. The girl band in the cage is classic and no movie is complete without a midget. I will be dressing as Mr. Mascaro this Halloween. Get this movie, you will not be disappointed. Virgil is truly horrible and I was not surprised to see that he only appeared in one other movie. Thought the movie features dolls, don't expect to see them that much. I guess the budget needed to animate these things just didn't exist. Come to think of it, I doubt there was much of a budget to speak of. I'm pretty sure netflix carries this film and I have seen copies at Blockbuster.


It's not satire, but for all of its absurdity in humor there's an air of sophistication and intelligence. Personally i love this movie and wish they had a soundtrack for it. It's absolutely surreal(but then again maybe thats why i like movies- anything can happen) I think some will find it politically incorrect, but it's not sending any messages for or against any certain "groups"- other than maybe "its wrong to keep girl bands locked up"? thats another reason why i like it- i'm not having an ideal of how i "should" feel about this issue or that group shoved down my throat- its all good clean fun (with killer dolls, a killer clown assistant/spiritual adviser, cute cute business girls, cute rocker girls, a sadistic little person,and a little bit of blood and gore- its a good mix in my opinion.


I saw this movie on Sci-Fi channel so I'm sure I missed out on the best of the nudity and gore but I was still fascinated by it. I couldn't figure out what was so unique about it until about halfway through. This is like a good porno but with no sex !

All the women are hot and while they appear in some provocative outfits and there are "sexual situations" nobody actually has sex. The acting is on the same cheesy level that is about the best that adult films can hope for. The story is bizarre and gimmicky enough ( but without the gory payoff that horror films should deliver ) to be a fetish-y porno. The main female characters ( The dominatrix, brainy wife behind the business tycoon, The all-girl rock band, The hot Asian lawyer) are all porn character staples played by adult-film caliber actresses ( no, wait - I mean that as a compliment ! )

Most of the male actors make no impression. The exceptions are the lead actor, playing Virgil Travis ( the actor somewhat handicapped by the fact that he's basically a walking special effect ) and the actor playing his right-hand man, Mr. Mascaro. Mascaro is a stone cold killer who wears clown makeup throughout the film, a deadpan expression on his face throughout. The only exception is one scene where he must go out "in disguise". After returning from this mission he reapplies his makeup and says " I'm so glad to be out of that disguise " ( meaning his bare face )

A weird, unique film, much more than I expect from Full Moon, and I can't help but think that the "greatness" is nothing that they could have planned on ( or achieved if they'd tried )


Well, I gave this movie 2 out of 10 point, because it really is a crappy one. I liked it anyway. As many other cheap movies it entertains a lot, mostly because of the awfully cast. Okay, the women were good looking and the guy with the makeup seemed to have some talent. But letting the girls play ridiculous pop rock and having 2 ends for it just to reach a 80 Minutes line is a sad result for Mr. Band. "Mr. Mascaro"'s appearance and his explanation why there is a second ending added a little touch of a "Tales from the Crypt" atmosphere, and it helped Blooddolls to gain a few bonus points. Conclusion: Very bad movie, but a lot of fun to watch, but Charles Band did better in the past, I will definitely watch it again when it runs after midnight and there is no alternative.


A mad scientist turns some small horror toy puppets into his blood-thirsty, living killer brigade to take revenge on his opponents and to conquer world power. That's what this movie called "Blood Dolls" from 1999 is all about, and it's really as bad as its "storyline".

There is as many nonsense in it as in all Ed Wood and Spinal Tap movies altogether - a retarded mad scientist, the ridiculously looking killer toys, looking like some old 80's-style he-man puppets on acid and some more bizarre stuff like a strange dominatrix whipping and torturing her masochist slave all the time, a b-movie zombie monster with a carnival mask, a mad clown and gnome and a girlie rock band being captured in a cave and playing sonic-blasting gothic metal rock over and over again...

All in all it's rather a freak show like from a fifties' b-movie with a non-plot, some hardcore sex and splatter violence and ridiculous dialogues. Well, at least I haven't seen such a weird waste of time for a long time, so if you need a good party movie for a good laugh after midnight choose "Blood Dolls" and you won't be disappointed!


Geez, I LOVE this movie. It's got just about everything a great (sort of) B-movie needs: Killer dolls, caged women rock bands, a psycho dwarf with an eyepatch, an assassin/clown/ordained priest, and, of course, a crazed billionaire with a shrunken head. Like the tagline says, 'Revenge, lust, and Dolls', all in an hour and a half.


Rather mediocre fare from the much maligned independent producer/director Charles Band who probably tooled whatever resources were available just to fund the project. Had a very strange quality about it with the shrunken-headed millionaire, Virgil Travis(Jack Maturin, always carrying a scowl) his muscle and enforcer in clown-face, Mr. Mascaro(William Paul Burns) a disgruntled dwarf assistant, Hylas(..the great Phil Fondacaro) and the imprisoned girl rock band who were sent shock waves if they didn't play their instruments and belt out a selected tune at their master's command. The blood dolls are merely a modern take on the popular dolls made famous in The Puppetmaster. I didn't really care for them, at all..they are basically designed after modern urban street characters like a scummy pimp and muscle-freak with multiple piercings. We watch as Virgil punishes the two experts under his employ who failed to solve his financial woes, through a drill to the chest with the other shrunken into a doll!

I liked the addition of the true villainous being Moira Yulin(Debra Mayer, seen mostly in lingerie or in a dominatrix outfit torturing her husband, who remains a subservient little puppy always obeying her, often receiving punishment if he angered her with his idiocy) who works behind the scenes using her inept husband, Harrison Yulin(Warren Draper) to gain power and money, her skill and cunning matching favorably against the pint-headed millionaire with revenge on his mind for being swindled by the three conspirators(..one her husband, told through an earpiece what he must say and do as she communicates from a different room) who worked together to bilk him of billions. Virgil uses his killer dolls, and Mascaro himself, to get bloody revenge against those that wronged him(..including Nicholas Worth, from the notorious slasher Don't Answer the Phone, as a pampered millionaire, whose mansion serves as a meeting place to talk with his alliances, including the underused Jodie Fisher as Mercy Shaw).

I really enjoyed Burn's character the most, a morose, cold, pillar of strength, whose monotone, very serious voice never rose even as he watches his master's questionable acts towards others in violent ways. In fact Mascaro, a very faithful servant, was willing to do whatever it took to please his master. He's just such an unusual character..Band has the whole film played straight which gives the film an even odder quality. Dabra Mayer, whose resume proves that she's a sport often starring in horror schlock, is quite yummy in her scenes whipping and abusing Draper's wimpy husband. While I agree it doesn't touch Band's older films like Trancers, Subspecies, or The Puppetmaster, I'd have to admit that Blood Dolls ranks as one of his better endeavors, although it feels like the movie was made without a polished script, featuring themes the producer/director depends on entirely(..his resume shows that psychotic dolls are perhaps his favorite thematic element in killing folks)for any success. Not as gory as it should've been and the two endings were unnecessary(..either one would've been okay, but to feature two in the movie makes little sense).


Well well, I know that I hadn't to expect to much of this flick. But hey, over here in Belgium it's a hard to find so I was lucky to find him in a stupid shop. The cover looked promising as was the storyline. SM, gothband, dismemberment...the unusual stuff. It starts off pretty nice with the killing of a guy. And for no reason a girl shows her melons. But afterwards it decays. And it becomes really stupid, the radio is the gothband playing live in a cage for no reason. Clocking in at 82 minutes isn't true. The movie stops after a hour and then the clownface appears telling that they had another ending of the film too, and they show it afterwards, it's not an extra. It's in the film. So that's the only good part. The dominatrix isn't sexy or whatsoever. The cast isn't convincable except mr. Mascaro, made me think of pogo the clown. The gore isn't believable too, almost no blood. I think that the puppets are more acting then the actors. Watch the gothband, they really can't act or even play. The songs are nice but ...i really have to stop here, this is your xmas movie to watch with the whole family, in other words, a Disney horror.


This movie was terribly made. Of course, it was a little too much like Puppet Master, though the characters, I mean the dolls as characters were too much like Demonic Toys. Oh, what the heck, they are mixed up. Like I said, this was a terrible movie. The clown faced and the small-headed dude were kind of silly characters, now I know why small-headed dude wore a mask, because his head is too small. This movie does not deserve a sequel, at all. These characters should be in the Demonic Toys series. And where do they get the "actors" to make these movies? Are there that many persons working at odd jobs around the movie business...? to say nothing of the director, who also wrote this mess.


I Love It, I Love It, I Love It. I thought this was a Great Example of a Movie from My Favorite Company, Full Moon Pictures. It had VERY Bad acting, which View as a good Quality in a Movie. Also, for all those people that Accuse it of being a Copycat of Child's Play, I'll be the First To Tell You !No!. Blood Dolls is more Like Puppet Master.I almost even consider it to be one of the many Sequels to Puppet Master, Mainly because Puppet Master and Blood Dolls are both from Full Moon Pictures. Another thing just plain out great about this movie was Pimp Doll. He is so Cool. As soon as I Work Overtime I am going to Order the Pimp Doll from Full Moon's Website and get a Blood Dolls DVD (It Comes Included With The Doll). My Suggestion is: Go Rent it If you don't take my word for it.


When I think of Blood Dolls, I become saddened to think that someone had to star in this movie and will forever have it on his/her resume. My best friend, sister, and I were looking for a good movie to watch. When we read the description of Blood Dolls, we simply knew we had to watch it. One of our favorite things is watching the worst movies and making fun of them for the rest of our lives. Other favorites include "IT", and our mega-favorite "Nightmare on the 13th Floor". While watching Blood Dolls we muted the dialogue and spoke our own during the marriage scene, and videotaped it. I have never laughed so hard. So, only watch this movie if you want to laugh like you've never laughed before! Don't watch it expecting to be fulfilled afterwards.


A very interesting movie with horror cheese written all over it. It's basically about an extremely rich business man called Virgil Travis who is genetically disfigured and is going about getting revenge on rival business people who have screwed him out of a hell of a load of money. He creates dolls who with the aid of Travis's clown faced right hand man go about killing these business people. It makes for a good watch but falls short of the mark for me due to a lousy script and poor acting from a couple of the female cast. It reminded me of Puppet Master several times which is superior in every way to Blood Dolls. One more thing which i thought this movie lacked and that thing is gore. Most of the killings were too fast or not focused on long enough. The goriest part was near the beginning and even that wasn't too gory. Gore fans go elsewhere. It was still enjoyable though and is fairly fun to watch. 7/10


This is truly an amazing movie. It does not have a very suspenseful plot, it is not very gory, but there is something sinister and even humorous about the series of events that make this a truly bizarre movie. The acting is surprisingly quite good, the plot is quite good but most of all it is very entertaining and very hard to change the station once it starts. The perfect B movie to watch after coming home from a few beers on a Saturday night. The dominatrix wife of the villain's illusive enemy is so perfect in her role that it makes you almost forget the great performances of the the evil looking dwarf, the puppet master (or the guy who looks after the dolls), the tiny headed villain and of course the blood dolls. Ten stars, better than any commercial block buster movie ever released.


by Dane Youssef

"AFTER HOURS" is a surrealistic experience. It's also one of Scorsese's lesser-known gems and as far as I'm concerned, everything the man has so much as ever sneezed on is a gem. I know that sounds very sad and slavishly faithful, (but keep in mind that the man has a great reputation for spinning cinematic gold with about everything he does). I know I sound like some kind of medication and therapy, but to that, I simply ask you all: Has the man ever made a bad movie?

Many have complained that pretty much all of his movies are kinda the same. "Mean Streets," "Raging Bull," "Casino" and "Taxi Driver."

Griffin Dunne is Paul Hacket, a computer programmer who is just going through the motions and has an empty social life. He strikes up a conversation with a nice lady named Marcy (Rosanna Arquette) at a local restaurant over a novel they've both read. Words are exchanged. So are looks. She seems interested. He's hooked.

And from the split-second he gets into that cab, the nightmare begins. The cab blows like mad through the busy streets of downtown SoHo. And after his transportation money literally goes out the window, so do Paul's chance of getting home. He has no idea how deep he's in. At first, it just seems like he's the victim of some bad luck.

He encounters a lot on those dark streets after hours. Unpleasant night owls, severe misunderstandings and eventually the next thing he knows, poor Paul is running for his very life.

He encounters a lot on those dark streets after hours. Unpleasant night owls, severe misunderstandings and eventually the next thing he knows, poor Paul is running for his very life.

Now many of you may be asking, "Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? Is a thriller? Is it a horror show?" Yes.

It's... it's like a dream about something that really happened to you. It all plays out like a dream about "the strangest night of my life...." And everyone's had that one long, weird night where they were stranded somewhere.... just stuck. No money, no ride. And all the weirdos and sickos all come out from their hiding-places.

"They only come out at night," as they say.

I don't want to give too much away because this is a movie where surprise after surprise. There's a whole domino effect here as everything leads to a big final act where we fear for Paul and his safety, and our own. Because it feels like we have become Paul.

The movie features a first-rate all-star cast. Rosanna Arquette, Verna Bloom, Tommy Chong, Linda Fiorentino Teri Garr, John Heard, Cheech Marin, Catherine O'Hara, Dick Miller, Will Patton, Robert Plunket and Bronson Pinchot.

This is the most surprising thing to come from Martin Scorsese. Scorsese has been somewhat pigeon-holed as a director, making usually historical bio-pics about true-life Jewish/Itallian Immigrants growing up in the Bronx and embarking on a life of crime. Always operatic, always rich with detail. "After Hours" is the arrival of a new Scorsese. One who shows a frightening "what if?" story in the Big Apple involving anyone with a big-city nightlife.

If it wasn't for Scorsese's name in the credits, you'd never guess he was at the helm. You'd never imagine in a million years he ever had anything to do with the project. He uses a quiet, subtle feeling the movie has when it's... "too quiet" and the pumped-up feeling during the more intense dramatic scenes.

Scorsese is a master of suspense, mood and timing. The fact that the Academy continues to pass him for an Oscar time and time and time again is not only annoying. It's downright offensive. We all know too damn well that the Academy bases Oscars all on politics. Well, as far as I'm concerned, Scorsese has played by all the rules. His films are very well-made and intellectual. They have a graceful operatic feel to them. They are often all-too historically accurate bio-pics.

And it uses it. Every actor is perfectly cast. Everyone is allowed to stand out in a big way without being too contrived or too cartoonish to be real.

And Scorsese, who's name stands for quality above all others, makes the most of it.

Joseph Minion's screenplay (which he collaborated with Scorsese on) is used for all it's worth. All the characters are quirky, colorful, yet realistic. The dialog is smart and honest without being too unnaturally "screenwriter-ishly clever."

And 9 out of 10 New Yorkers who see this movie will smile and nod, "Yep. That's NYC at night to a T." Everyone else will be sure to avoid New York like a severe audit. Most people who live outside New York fear the city and plan never to go there.

I imagine this movie will do a lot to complete the trend.

My only real complaint is that Minion should have gotten more credit for his original and winning screenplay. He should have gotten maybe a few more nods from other academies, I'd never seen anything so intriguing and elaborate before. It's not just new. It's smart, fresh, well-crafted and all-too believable.

I know the American Academy would give an Oscar nomination to a film like this, but that's almost a sign of it's greatness. Scorsese gives it a realistic, yet outrageous feel and knows how to let the suspense draw out and build skillfully and Joseph Minion has written himself a little bitty treasure. I just wish he'd write so much more.

Still, this is a home run on every account. I say this and mean it: YOU ALL MUST SEE THIS MOVIE. Ask for it by name: "After Hours."

by Dane Youssef


Firefly Dreams is a movie about the friendship between a young teenage girl and an old Lady who she visits in her summer holidays. Naomi is a spoiled brat and send by her father to the countryside, after her mother runs away. There she works at the restaurant of her aunt and uncle. Close lives also Mrs Koide with whom she used to play when she was a kid. From there the story unfolds. I have to praise almost all aspects of the movie. The plot is well thought and all characters are believable and very interesting even the ones who just appear in a few scenes. The photography is marvellous, the landscape is breathtaking and rounds up the plot very nicely. The aesthetic is very different from recent Japanese movies I saw (e.g. from Kitano). It is violent free and it is set mainly in a rural area. Maybe this is so because the director is English and chose a different approach for portraying Japanese life, but this is just a speculation. The acting is great and for me this is the first time I think I learned something about normal Japanese everyday life through a movie. Surely the development of Naomi, how she grows up - and indeed has to grow up - through friendship and also sorrow, is the driving force of the movie. The movie has a slow pace, so if you are an action-movie fan, don't go. Everybody else: you will not regret it!


This movie sets its story in two opposing contrasts one about urban life and country living, and another about young and old. Yumi, lives a shallow life like many teenage girls living in urban Japan until her father sends her to country side where their relatives live for the summer. She befriends Ms Koide, an old lady who used to be an actress.

Removed from the urban life, and seeing the contrast between her who has whole life ahead of herself, and an elderly Ms Koide who has nothing to look forward to in life, Yumi begins to put things into perspective about her own life.

This realization comes very gradually, so the movie seems slow, but the story is told in a very beautiful way. Almost all the people living around her in the city is very selfish, people living in the country aren't as privileged, but are more caring. Yumi gets a chance to reassess her life between the two opposing environment.

Kind of a coming of age story for an urban girl, but also has message for all of us about what life is all about.

Highly recommended.


Firefly Dreams took me right into the story,and the dreamy pace/visual beauty,and heartfelt emotions added to the charm.Naomi's journey through pain and loss is very charmingly portrayed here,and all the characters are well placed.Nothing seems forced or overly contrived..more like you are in the locations and absorbing Naomi's everyday life,and the character of Mrs. Koide,the old woman/ex actress will warm your heart.it's VERY refreshing to see films like this,where you are not distracted by noise,gun fights,explosions and special effects.Mr.Williams has created a real gem.Visually and emotionally lush! See it!


This film alludes the life of a brat from Nagoya, problem teenager from a dysfunctional family, to the life of a former movie actress from the 1930s who is now suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Most of the scenes are cast in the city of Shinshiro, Aichi, and the town of Horai, Aichi (which will become part of Shinshiro in October 2005), both very small cities away from the visually overwhelming Japanese urban landscape. The unstaffed and deserted train platform of the JR Iida line, a small (and an actual) hospital, the unpolluted river, waterfalls, forests and the hot spring inns are remnants of old Japan, and so are the fireflies, fireworks and a summer festival at local shrine grounds.

Director John Williams captures the beauty of rural Japan and the wide cultural gap as well as geographical contrast between the urban teenager's Nagoya (fourth largest municipality in Japan) and Koide-san's farm house up on the hill in the Oku Mikawa Highland region, while on the interpersonal and spiritual levels connecting the common elements between these two women from two different generations.


The plot of this film reminded me of "On Golden Pond." In this case a teenage girl who is somewhat troubled is sent off to the country when her parents separate. She becomes reacquainted with an elderly relative who is suffering from Alzheimer's.

The pace of the film is slow, but the scenery is spectacularly beautiful, which most of us would not have expected from Japan as most films there are set in the big cities. The sounds of the cicadas made my wife very homesick for the country where she grew up.

The film tied for the audience award for best dramatic feature at Cinequest (the San Jose, CA film festival), which is where I saw it on 2/26/2002.


This movie was so much better than I expected, which was a simple romantic comedy with predictable "pass each other in the street" scenarios throughout. I was pleasantly surprised to find a love story that touched my heart. Renuka me non's vulnerability and pride in her Grand father made me cry and Barath's sensitivity and devious behavior were so very sweet.I liked the cartoon character of Barath which is the masterpiece character in Indian cinema.Great and unforgettable movie. This movie was warm, funny, smart and great. Barath and Renuka light up the screen and Barath is the perfect hero! The movie was 2 hours long, felt like 10 minutes, and I didn't want it to be over!


February 14 isn't any different from the many sappy love stories that have existed in various cultures for centuries. and this movie is no exception. In this modern-day,the movie is set in in the hill stations of India, a fictitious decaying urban location.

The action really starts when hero falls in love with heroine who is a abroad born girls where she never likes to stay in India... hero tries to keep her in India as to convey his true I've to her The most brilliant aspect of the movie is the urban landscape setting, the lighting, and the cinematography. The movie is also funny at times, and director's direction is excellent. The acting is mixed: hero and heroine don't generate any chemistry on the screen, and further, they appear to have fundamental problems managing the love dialog. In fact, I thought many of the performers were unable to deliver the dialog effectively and convincingly and I think this is the biggest flaw in the movie. It is as if the performers themselves don't understand what they're saying and are just reciting lines from memory.

The best performance is by hero who uses the dialog in a convincing manner to make the audience laugh and to generate empathy when he is crying.

this is movie can be called as one of the best romantic movie and its great movie and a must watch movie


This is one of the great Indian movie I've ever seen .The director of this stands up to the international level with his screenplay, visualizations dialogues etc .it can be called as one of the greatest romantic movies of all time . iam sure that this director will go places and reach heights in his future .

Director of this movie has a great music knowledge to select such beautiful songs and background score . the screenplay in this movie is so interestingly played and written by the director himself like a rollercoster ride which made me sit in the tip of the chair as the movie progress. that is because of the sheer knowledge of the director.. looking forward for the next creation of this great director


I have seen the movie,In the Indian film industry the Tamil movies taking a good path, because of the creators as well as directors.The movie February 14 is simply superb, and the movie takes a beautiful love subject which feels a heart of love and romance. And the director controls the movie in excellent screenplay.And the cast performance is excellent and the animation character gives a grade for a entire movie.

Each of the multi-ethnic characters is surrounded by irony, as each time a scene rewinds from another's perspective we find that the characters are not in fact what the other(s) perceive them to be, despite the actions that brought them to intersect.

Thanks to director for giving a good movie like February 14.


February 14, make no mistakes about it, is a great love subject. With a name as it has got, what can it otherwise be. This youthful romance packs plenty of sentiments and style, to emerge as a viable time-pass.

In the shades of Kadhal Kottai, the movie dwells on the heroine falling in love with a youth whom she has not seen. Their only contact is of course the letters.

A great screenplay by a new and talented director Hochimin sustains the much-needed tempo in this movie, which otherwise goes predictable. The sequence of events narrated by Hochimin makes the whole thing engrossing.

Equally supportive are Rathnavelu's noteworthy cinematography and melodious numbers by Bharadwaj.

The movie begins with Bharath (Siva), a native of Thamaraikulam in Madurai going to Bangalore to take up his higher studies. He comes across Renuka Menon (Pooja) in the college and falls in love with her instantly. its really a must watch movie please don't miss it . this movies is made up to international level .. great work by the director .. congrats to him


This is an interesting romantic and funny movie from Hosimin, and it fulfilled my long waiting desires to watch it. And it should inspire all the directors of his genre. The scenes have been mostly shot at outdoor spots like bangalore, pollachi, chigmagalore and chennai, and this entertains us as if we are experiencing ourselves a real tour. Again and again seeing daily studio scenes made the eyes wounded and fed up the mind. And thats why it's a nice pick up at nice time.

Although the storyline is not that new with the old movies as a boy meets girl and slowly fall in love but the way Hosimin presented each and every scenes are worth to watch. From the beginning to the end I personally enjoyed the whole movie, and happy to spend some amount of bucks on it. After Kaadhal this is second time in which barath has proved that he has all the required potentialities to become a genius actor one day. But I was damn irritated by renuka menon's irritating and annoying much chatty and talkative role. But still then, beside this the whole story became a sweet and funny love story. For Barath's lovers and fans, you must have got something relaxed after watching this unique love story (just like ME!!!). I love the Barath cartoon so much!


I saw this film randomly the other day while at a friend's house. She comes from Indian decent and had always nagged me to watch tamil films with her but I always declined. Being a general film fanatic, I agreed to watch this film, not expecting much. But as soon as I got into the story (and got over the horrible and sometimes non-visible subtitles) I was completely hooked! Whether it was the directing or the wonderful screen presence of the actors, somethng about this film had the ability to capture the emotions of the viewer. I can say that having been used to watching generally Hindi films, february14 is a romance that stands out from the typical Hollywood love story -- paying attention to detail and character development in a way in which I've rarely seen before. Although I was quite new to Indian "musical numbers" in which they incorporate within their films and even found the performances in them a little bit on the cheesy side, I throroughly enjoyed some of the songs as well. Great melodies, especially the title song'un peyar ennada' -- which added to the emotional impact of the movie itself. I wll definitely be looking out for more Indian films in the future.


I have NO words to describe HOW WELL this movie has been made. This movie rediscovers the beauty of LOVE, long after the success of DDLJ, when creativity started dwindling with more and more movies trying to replicate it rather than coming up with something altogether different or FRESH. With a very good cast, a nice blend of wit and sentiment, and many other pluses, this romantic comedy remains as enjoyable and charming as ever. The fluffy but pleasant story benefits greatly from the director's touch, since he had the knack of giving significance to little things without taking them or himself too seriously. Presenting his characters honestly yet sympathetically, he makes the somewhat contrived situation seem believable and worth caring about.Wonderful movie with super hit songs. A must see movie for all movie lovers.I'd recommend the DVD if you don't know the language.


Perhaps "Death Wish" is unquestionably the best vigilante film ever made. It's not the action-packed thrill-fest that movies like "Kill Bill" or "The Punisher" seek to be, instead it's a haunting, sometimes intoxicating look at our society's views on justice.

Charles Bronson is Paul Kersey, a New York architect whose wife is killed by a group of muggers ransacking their apartment, an attack that also leaves his daughter catatonic. The killers are never caught, and Kersey is left shattered.

He takes a job working for a land developer in New Mexico to get his mind off his troubles, and while there his long dormant fascination with guns is renewed when his client Ames Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) shows off his personal collection and lets him crack some shots off. He also witnesses a live reenactment of an Old West shootout, where frontier justice was administered at the end of the gun.

Kersey soon arrives back in New York, livened up a bit from his visit and ready to resume his life. But the streets are still filled with thugs, and Kersey knows that Manhattan is not the best place to be at night. He discovers that Jainchill has given him a .32 revolver as a present, and subsequently uses it to kill a man trying to mug him. Kersey soon realizes the cathartic release of enacting vigilante revenge as the media reports his killings and other private citizens take action, all while police officer Frank Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia) leads a task force to capture the vigilante and stop future violence.

"Death Wish" was a product of its day -- a Nixon-era knee jerk reaction to rampant crime that turned out to be quite a hit. But to dismiss it simply as that would be to deny the film its true power. It asks the question of whether or not vigilantism can be used as a social good, and just how can a citizen properly defend himself from criminal attacks. More importantly, to the movie's credit it does introduce the downside of vigilantism, with Ochoa worrying that people will be whipped into such a frenzy that they'll start attacking anyone who looks suspicious.

The movie does play it safe when it comes to Kersey's "victims" however. Every one of them is clearly a mugger, threatening his life or just wanting his money. But the movie does enter into ambiguous territory by looking at the actual actions Kersey takes. At first he just stumbles into traps set up by muggers or happens on a crime taking place; later on the other hand it's clear that he's actually inviting attacks by making himself a target. And the self-defense aspect of his actions becomes equally cloudy when he kills muggers that are already fleeing. He wants to punish them for their crimes, which itself can be morally troubling.

But to understand "Death Wish" you had to understand the times. Murder rates were very high in New York City, and many muggers had little problem killing their victims. The criminals in the film are not overly sympathetic either, most of them clearly hippies or other social undesirables, probably hooked on drugs from their "free love" days and now stuck in the bitter reality of narcotic dependency now that the good times are over. It's hard to feel sorry for someone willing to kill you just for a couple hours worth of pleasure. I'm sure the movie's audiences in New York, and probably across the country, enjoyed living out their revenge fantasies vicariously through Kersey.

It should be said that Bronson, normally criticized as a wooden actor, gives a remarkably strong performance. This may be due to his friendship with director Michael Winner, who also helmed several of his other films. But it's probably due to the fact that the movie was not written as an action hero vehicle, and because of this the story demanded a character more grounded in reality. Kersey is not a superhero -- he's just one man trying to make a difference in the world.

Also, he's not all there, either. The movie makes it clear that Kersey is a little deranged as well, and one wonders just how far he might go to do what he thinks is right. The sequels were more interested in making him out to be an infallible crusader against evil, abandoning any pretext of social commentary and just offering body counts, but here at least the movie shows that someone willing to go on a shooting spree isn't quite right in the head, regardless of the guilt of his victims.

Supporting roles are excellent as well. A very young Jeff Goldblum nails his performance as one of the muggers who invades Kersey's apartment, immediately scary and repellent. Gardenia is a nice foil for Bronson, making Ochoa an intelligent officer not unsympathetic to Kersey's crusade, especially when he sees how the crime rate plummets following the killings. Christopher Guest, who would go on to star in hit mockumentaries like "This is Spinal Tap," "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind" has a small but memorable role as a police officer towards the end of the movie. In fact, everyone does a good job.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of "Death Wish" will probably rely both on your politics and views toward crime. It's a movie where the critic is judged based on his review, which is just as well I suppose. It's at once fascinating, and still very timely.

Nine out of ten stars. Bronson's best solo movie and certainly a very thought-provoking piece, which is lost on both people who only want to watch it for the mugger killings and those who just dismiss it a fascist trash.


Michael Winner's provocative film is slightly more intelligent and much more insidious than Richard Fleisher's 'Mr.Majestyk.'

Charles Bronson is a Manhattan middle-aged architect who was at work's one day, when three brutal punks invade his Riverside Drive apartment and attack his loving wife and happily wed daughter... The wife was beating to death and the daughter savagely sexually assaulted, and sent traumatized into a near-vegetable state...

To escape the oppressive urban environment, Bronson goes to Tucson, Arizona on business, and gets the gun code of the Old West imprinted on his mind... He was given a .32 pistol as a going away present by a gun-loving millionaire...

Back in New York, Bronson carries one night his gift, and kills the first mugger who was molesting him... The first one was the hardest!

Then he discovers he likes it... He begins deliberately to tempt muggers, whether in an alley, on a subway train, or in a park... and that he mechanically guns them down...

The police couldn't identify him... This made him the 'avenging angel,' a true phantom 'one-man crusade.' In the eyes of the public, Bronson became a national figurethe vigilante...

The authorities were worried sick about the example he was setting... His actions seemed to be giving others new attitudes toward crime in the streets...

When Inspector Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia) identifies the mysterious vigilante, he was immediately ordered to scare him off...

The police commissioner asks him to quit, to desist, to go away, to stop!

If you have never seen Bronson in action by sundown, 'Death Wish' is the one to see...

Final comment: Rarely have I found myself so caught between my own gut reactions and intellectual reservations... I wish (with many here) to touch an exposed nerve in fearful Mexico, particularly of its muggers, thugs, kidnappers, and rapists, who (as in this film) could be easily eliminated if every upright, middle-class, middle-aged citizen got himself a weapon and used it at least one time a week... We are tired of being frightened, endangered and ripped-off daily... If the law is fighting a losing battle against the criminal element and can't protect innocent people, then maybe someone else should... It is very important that we know how to protect ourselves within the law...


Charles Bronson was already a major movie star in 1974 in Europe and a top action actor in the USA but it was "Death Wish" released that year that made him the super star that he became. What's so unusual is that in the movie "Death Wish" he played a man who was a pacifist all of his life, he served in the Korean War as a conscientious objector, who then turned into the vigilante executioner! A role which Bronson has become known for and identified with more then any of the scores of actions roles that he made during his long film career.

Bronson as well as director Michael Winner and writer Brian Garfield touched a raw nerve in "Death Wish" with the American people in big cities under siege like no other movie ever did before and, now some 30 years later, after. Since "Death Wish" there must have been made over a hundred films with it's theme but none had the impact that "Death Wish" with Charles Bronson had.

A group of tugs get Joanna Kersey's, Hope Lange, address from a delivery slip of a local grocery store and acting as if their delivering her groceries break into Joanna's apartment and savagely attack her and beat and rape her daughter Carol, Kathleen Tolan. Paul Kersey, Charles Bronson, comes home to learn that his wife and daughter are in the hospital rushes over to see how they are. Kersey finds out that his wife is dead and his daughter is mentally destroyed and needs to be institutionalized for life.

The whole world around Paul Kersey falls apart like a house of cards and he's left alone with everything that he loved dead or as good as dead. Some time later going to Arizona to do his job as a land developer for his firm in NYC he's given a .32 handgun as a gift by the person that he worked for Ames Janichill, Stuart Margolis, for the great job that he did for him.

One night back home in New York City taking a stroll in the park with the gun on him Kersey is accosted by a local junkie who pulls a handgun on him but Kersey draws first and shoots and kills him. Sick at first over what he did, killed a human being, Kersey like a wild beast from the jungle tasting blood for the fist time begins to roam the streets of New York at night for prey. A vengeful Kersey goes out looking for criminals to put out of commission, like those who killed and raped his wife and daughter, as some kind of revenge and retribution against them. In the process Kersey puts the criminals of the city of New York into a state of absolute terror and panic. In his guerrilla-like actions Kersey knocks off some dozen of them sending the the city's crime rate falling as much as 70%! All this with the ineffective, in stopping crime, police being more interested in stopping "The Vigilante" then stopping the criminals!

The movie "Death Wish" hit a raw nerve with the public as well as the local politicians and police because it showed how, in the movie at least, one man with a gun and knowing how to use it can make a difference when it comes to stopping crime. The story is not that unlikely as those against it would want the public to believe. There's been many times when average people took to protecting themselves, with firearms, and did a much better job then the police; which is just what Paul Kersey did in the movie. That may have been one of the reasons that those in authority were so much against the film.

When Bernie Goetz in December 1984 gunned down four muggers, much like Charles Bronson did in the movie "Death Wish", who tried to attack him in the New York subway crime dropped a lot more then if one hundred policemen were put on the trains. Nobody can doubt now that Charles Bronson's "Death Wish" was not only a major milestone in films about urban crime but also a major milestone in what the public thinks about crime and what's best to do to stop it.


I guess by now you could call this movie a "classic." It would meet most definitions. It was so popular that it spawned a number of sequels, but they just got dumb and dumber. This is one of the most famous "revenge" movies ever made and still stands up today.

This was a very, very simple story and it panders to our base instincts which is probably why it was so successful. Most people want justice, and they want it now....which is what this movie preaches. At the time, the movie was shocking. If it came out today, it wouldn't have nearly the impact. However, the early scene of the mother and daughter raped and killed is still horrifying. That will never change.

The story then slows down as we see the transformation of the husband, from conscientious objector to vigilante. When Charles Bronson hits the streets, the film picks up big-time. The movie also ends on a very satisfying note.


Here is a film whose quality and appeal, much like Sylvester Stallone's Rocky, may be overshadowed by a seemingly endless line of inferior sequels. But Death Wish is a real crowd-pleaser filled with emotion, drama, action and suspense. It's the story of Paul Kersey, a family man (and former Conscientus Objector in Korea) whose wife and daughter fall victim to a brutal attack at the hands of unknown thugs. Yet Kersey doesn't get mad, he gets even as a one-man judge, jury and executioner against those who prey on the innocent. Bronson delivers an underrated performance in a movie that constantly asks the viewer, "What would you do?"


One of the best favorite action movies of all time, Death Wish glitters Charles Bronson's glory famously. Followed by 4 script-free episodes the first episode had inspired millions worldwide. At present(2009) while the remake version is being filmed I have to say that; no matter who will perform Paul Kersey for the second time, he won't be able to impress us as Bronson did.

Rather than Bronson's performance Death Wish has its significant themes and screenplay components which were used at almost every action/crime movie later on, thus became clichés of their genre. Spending a lot of the running time through the bad guys' side is the most fundamental component. This development was so modern and original, after a while it changed the outlook of the Crime genre.

Death Wish is nearly as good as Eastwood's Dirty Harry, with just a different taste. Obviously, this should have been produced only once; since the sequels misrepresented its purpose.


Over the course of a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, action star Charles Bronson has appeared in dozens of films. Among them, the one that he is best remembered for is "Death Wish," an urban drama that has practically defined his career. He plays Paul Kersey, a liberal, mild-mannered architect whose family falls victim to violent crime. One fateful afternoon, he is shocked to hear the dreadful news: his wife has been murdered, his daughter brutally raped. What's more, the police are unable to apprehend the perpetuators. Feeling stunned and helpless, Kersey decides to take the law into his own hands--and the subsequent publicity galvanizes New York City. It isn't long before the police are hot on his heels. The ultimate consequences promise to be drastic.

"Death Wish" was a highly controversial film when initially released. At the time, major cities were facing a deadly crime epidemic, and this film tapped into the fears and unspoken desires of many viewers, giving them a chance to live out their secret fantasies. Critics on the Left lambasted its politics on crime, and even some on the Right felt it went too far. One could find much to complain about from an ideological standpoint. One could point out that the film is manipulative and heavy-handed (the attack on Kersey's family comes right after his co-worker tells him he's a "bleeding-heart liberal"). Yet, it is undeniably compelling; one of these movies that makes you wonder, "what if this happened to me?" In light of the later, inferior sequels, it is fascinating to see how the character came to be, how he made the transition from law-abiding man to cold-blooded vigilante. It is not an easy transition to make by any means--after his first kill, he breaks down and vomits the moment he reaches home. Yet, as his kills (each is very suspensefully handled) occur with greater frequency, we get the sinking feeling that he has reached a point of no return. Indeed, he narrowly eludes capture on at least two occasions, and there is the certainty that it is only a matter of time before the law will catch up with him.

Bronson is highly effective here; while not one of the great actors, he has a very strong screen presence. The audience is on his side every step of the way, rooting for him even as he strays onto the wrong side of the law. Surely, he is entitled to justice, but at what point does his vengeance outweigh his grievances? Vincent Gardenia is effective as the police detective assigned to his case. He grudgingly admires Kersey's resolve, although he is sworn to put a stop to the killings. The manner in which this is resolved is creative, though its plausibility is less than certain. The film is also noticeable for an early appearance by Jeff Goldblum as a slimy thug. However, Steven Keats is somewhat ineffectual as Bronson's son-in-law (he just sorta got on my nerves). In the years to come, this film would be followed by an endless chain of sequels and rip-offs, many of them starring Bronson himself, reducing him to a stock character whose only attribute was blowing the bad guys away. A shame, considering he was once an internationally respected actor. "Death Wish" is nonetheless a well-crafted, tightly paced crime drama, despite some dated aspects. It still kept me interested throughout and made me more interested in viewing more of the star's other films--good or otherwise.

Rating: *** (out of ****)

Released by Paramount Pictures


This movie is often branded as a violent and fascist one... I think this is nonsense, since if this movie is violent, then what about others like "First Blood", "Commando" or "Rambo" just to name a few?...

If one watches this movie carefully can see it´s a very likely story.

Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is not a violent man at all, it´s a liberal and broad-minded architect who leads an ordinary life until his wife is murdered by some punks... and that´s not precisely a funny thing to happen to anyone.

This is not a specially violent movie as I´ve said before. It´s the story of a man who loses what he loves the most... and just decides to make justice... and becomes the "vigilante".

This movie is a masterpiece. Probably the best movie starring Charles Bronson.


The original Death Wish movie is still the only one worth watching. A slick, well-made and enjoyably amoral vigilante drama, it was a huge box office hit in its day. It starts with a chilling rape sequence - still provocative thirty years on - and develops from there into an exciting and perversely funny story of how a man whose life is affected by these disturbing events gets his revenge.

New York businessman Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is devastated when his wife (Hope Lange) and daughter (Kathleen Tolan) are sexually assaulted in their own home. His wife dies from her injuries and his daughter is so deeply traumatized that she is left in a permanent vegetative state. Kersey tries to get some normality back into his life through work, but deep down inside he's burning for revenge. He knows he will never get the actual gang who harmed his family, but he also realises that crime in general is spreading through the city like a plague. So, armed with a gun and a sense of vigilante justice, he starts patrolling the streets by night, killing muggers, hoodlums and rapists. But for how long can he hand out his own brand of justice without being caught? And at what point does his course of action stop being justifiable? When does he become just as bad as the crooks he is trying to rub out?

The film is based on a Brian Garfield novel, but in the book vigilantism was illustrated as an extension of crime - just another problem as opposed to a solution. Here Michael Winner, a director always happy to create a few ripples, presents the vigilante as an out-and-out hero. The film basically gives a great big nod of approval to Kersey's actions. The sense of humour really helps the film (I still laugh at the scene where some construction-workers kick the hell out of a crook, and one workman nonchalantly states to the TV reporters: "Erm, we roughed him up a bit before the cops arrived!") Death Wish was a pretty influential film for its era, and in spite of its dated air and its morally dubious stance, it is still a great flick. Just make sure you steer clear of its four utterly terrible sequels.


Directed by Michael Winner and starring the late Charles Bronson in the lead role, this is a gritty inner city revenge film which comes off as a competent and effective social statement.

Paul Kersey (Bronson) is a liberal architect living in a not so nice, crime ridden area of the city. He lives with his wife and daughter, who are brutally attacked whilst at home by 3 sadistic street trash thugs (a young Jeff Goldblum is one of them) whilst he is out. The wife is beaten into unconsciousness before later dying in hospital, and the daughter is sexually assaulted and goes into a catatonic state as a result of the shock.

It is this terrible event which changes Kerseys perception of law and order. He starts to change his way of thinking, starts to change his way of acting. He sees an overstretched police force struggling with the city's crime and social decay, and feels he, just one man, can make a difference. Kersey soon enough takes to the streets, never to look for trouble, but to let trouble come to him, and deal with it directly in his own way! He is tired of being the decent citizen who shakes their head at the morning paper, talks amongst friends but does nothing to change what he sees. The film becomes better still as the police find themselves under pressure with the recent vigilante killings, and the media report that once helpless victims are fighting back against their attackers inspired by this new rebel.

This is one of those films that has had a lasting effect on me, and I remember being quite shaken after watching it. It seems so real as Kersey could just as easily be a next door neighbour or uncle, he is no hulking giant with an arsenal of weaponry or superpowers, no fearless warrior who can't be scratched...he is just another man trying to make a living. Cleverly directed, well acted and graphic when it has to be, this is a great film and serves its purpose well. Gripping, raw and impactive, this is one of Bronson greatest films, and stands as a classic.


Before watching this film I've already seen a third part and I was expecting this film to be similar with Death Wish 3 but actually these are pretty different films. In a third part there were a lot of action and in this one there is almost no action just some short shoot-out scenes. But this film is better in it's own way. Charles Bronson's character is a vigilante who is looking for criminals in the streets and killing them. He is also inspiring other people to fight crime. Actually there is a lot of this kind of movies but this one is much more intriguing. So if you are expecting to see some action - this movie isn't the best choice but if you just wand to see a good vigilante-thriller, then you may like it.


Before I saw Death Wish, I knew there was more than just the context of it being a starring vehicle for one of the major bad-asses of the action picture, Charles Bronson (who's best role is still the one with the least words, Once Upon a Time in the West), and that it contains the elements that would spark an entire sub-genre (for better or worse). I knew that there was also a kind of historical context for the times, of how it was in New York City as well as in others during the 70's (though especially in the 70's)- I remembered my mother telling me about how the atmosphere of 'Death Wish' with its thieves and rapists and abusers was for real, that they were around every corner, and that crime was indeed at an all-time high then. So watching the film with this in mind, it brings a little extra drama to the story of Paul Kersey (Bronson). There is the style, and underlying humor, that appeals for the genre fans (and there is a minor bit of exploitation in making Kersey a 'bleeding heart liberal' with skill behind a gun). But there is also a sense of overall tragedy to it all.

The tragedy comes out of a truly disturbing scene- Kersey's wife and daughter go home from the market, unaware that a trio of hoodlums (one of them a fresh-faced Jeff Goldblum no less) follow them, bust in, and beat and rape them. This is indeed so terrifying and real it tops a scene like the one in Clockwork Orange with the assault on the writer; it's somehow even more shocking when its in an apartment in the now, with hoodlums as random and sadistic as the ones here. Kersey mourns the loss of his wife and daughter (the latter to dementia) briefly, but it sticks with him through the whole film, in one way or another. The first signs of him knowing what's around him on the streets at night (and one of the funnier bits of the film's bleakness) is when he takes a sock full of quarters to use on the hoodlums. This is short-lived after a visit to the south-west, where he gets slipped a gun in his suitcase. The rest of the film unfolds as it would, at least under the circumstances of the genre.

Yet within the grip of Death Wish being a genre picture (and this is something that the sequels and other lessor B films have forgotten) is that there has to be a sense of reality, and real dangers, to the film, not to mention the sort of evolution of Kersey into how he becomes- a killer, a vigilante of the scum who try to rob and threaten to kill. Although the police procedural that parallels his story isn't as strong as his, it works fine within the scope of the story that has to turn out in a certain way. But there are other factors to go with it besides a strong story (based on an even stronger book Brian Garfield). Bronson is, indeed, great at being, well, Bronson. If the violence in the film doesn't pull any punches for its time period, Bronson doesn't skip being good at showing Kersey's inner strength of defense as well as his weaker side. It's not a very complex performance aside from the conflicts midway through the film with Kersey, but it's in a way truer than the film could deserve. Michael Winner, the director, is also an asset with this, in giving to the film its gritty tone. And, as an added bonus, there's the sweet musical score from Herbie Hancock.

Death Wish is a film of its time, but one that still has significance, and entertainment value for today. People my age (i.e. college kids) will be attracted to it for its 'retro' style, and, as it is in the vein of a film like Taxi Driver (though less visceral), as a stylistic action film. And for the older folks, the drama of the film, and the solid storytelling, will keep it interesting. In short, it's the proverbial good vigilante film of its time, giving Bronson one of his most memorable turns.


Charles Bronson plays a liberal, mild-mannered architect. His wife (Hope Lange) is murdered and his daughter is gang-raped into a near-comatose state by a gang of thugs (one played by then unknown Jeff Goldblum!). He slowly becomes a vigilante--going out late at night and shooting and killing any muggers and thieves that attack him. Somewhat unrealistically he's attacked every single night he goes out--was NY THAT bad in 1974? He becomes a media hero and police detective Vincent Gardenia is assigned to stop him.

Interesting movie--on one hand you're all for Bronson and, on the other, you're disgusted with what he's doing. Both sides of the issue are presented but not dealt with in much depth--this IS a Charles Bronson movie after all! Film is dated (NY has gotten much safer since this came out) but is still powerful.

Bronson gives a bad performance which somewhat diminishes the films impact, but everybody else is great--especially Lange and Gardenia. And look for Olympia Dukakis and Christopher Guest (very young and handsome) in small roles.

Only complaint--the murder/rape--it's way too graphic and disturbing. It's hard to watch today--I can only imagine the impact in 1974.

Avoid the sequels--they're all violent killings and nothing else. All the moral issues brought up in this movie are gone.


This visually-arresting action-drama tops the classic Dirty Harry in my opinion, the whole vigilante theme is there in both movies but Death Wish pulled on my heartstrings a little more than the testosterone filled Harry Callahan vigilantism. Do not get me wrong I love Clint Eastwood and the entire Dirty Harry series but the series of events that Mr. Bronson had to endure was very very upsetting (like I was almost in the same room with Mr. Bronson feeling his pain, that is how good I think Michael Winner did in shooting this film). The opening scene (AKA Jeff Goldblum's debut) is very unsettling, but without that opening scene, we as the viewer really wouldn't have much to get amped up over. Bronson's retaliation is classic and I found this movie truly redeeming in the end. A true classic that will never lose it's touch. 10 out of 10 stars.


Before god awful pieces of trash like The Punisher, there was another film that showed a man who's wife was murdered by a gang and wanted justice, but wanted to deliver it in his own way. That film was Death Wish. And instead of a hero that didn't seem to care too much about this killing (though it was mostly just the actor, Tom Jane)we had the cool three dimensional Charles Bronson. You may ask yourself, "three dimensional?". And I say "sure" he cried about his wife before he went on to kill a great many scum bags on the streets of New York. The bottom line is that Bronson was a bad ass in this film and all the rest of the Death Wish films which I also enjoy very much. We know that this movie will be great from the beginning when Bronson cashes in a 20 dollar bill for two rolls of quarters so that he can stuff them in a sock and smash it across some dude's face. It's brilliant. They don't do they kind of raw action in movies anymore, and I guess that's why this movie can be so refreshing even if it was made in the seventies. There's no doubt that anyone who appreciates good action flicks with a bad ass main character will appreciate THIS movie the way I do.


Charles Bronson stars as Paul Kersey a mild mannered businessman who turns vigilante after a brutal attack on his wife and daughter in this thought provoking, well made and humorous box office smash. Death Wish is indeed a pioneer in the genre for which it spawned, and overall it holds up well today as it did in the 70's. Charles Bronson's most note worthy date, and certainly one of his best. Followed by 4 weak sequels


This movie is even better than when it first came out in 1974. Those of us old enough to have seen it then can understand what I am talking about. There was a great deal of 70s mentality in this film hence the term Zeitgeist. Urban squalor, violence, apathy, and fear permeate this movie, and were big political issues at the time. During the police investigation, one of the key suspect groups suggested by the Chief of Police was the Vietnam vet - nothing like serving your country faithfully. The Vietnam War was just over, and the Vietnam vets were viewed as potential psychos for any number of reasons real or imagined. The police in NYC are always an easy target, and are shown as being ineffectual. In one scene on the subway, two thugs enter the car, and the cop moves away from them to another car.

As the movie unfolds, Bronson's wife is murdered and the daughter is raped into catatonia during a robbery at their apartment. Bronson feels hopeless for a time after dealing with the system. A work related trip to Tucson breathes some life into him. He comes back to NYC with a pistol a client had given him as a surprise gift. One night while walking, a junkie tries to rob him, and becomes Bronson's first vigilante kill. Thereafter several shooting and deaths occur as others try to rob him. The police figure out that they must have a vigilante on their hands -- even a blind pig can find an acorn. The crime rates plummet, people begin to stand up to the muggers, and the cops start getting scared.

By some miracle, the police trim the list down to Bronson. The Police Chief in charge of the investigation is called in by the DA and other bigwigs for a chat. They tell the Chief that they don't want the vigilante because of all of the publicity the he has gotten. Apparently the public loves him, and cops don't want to look really bad by not being to protect people and then arresting the one person that is fighting back and inspiring others to do the same. They instruct the Chief to "scare him off".

The Chief tries to scare him off, but only makes his point after Bronson has been shot and has no other choice. Bronson makes a bon mot by stating the obvious -- get out of town before sundown.

This movie, while presenting all the darker elements of human nature, is a good movie from a historical perspective and proving once again "revenge" will always sell theatre tickets!


Although its four sequels probably would give the viewer a real death wish, the original and best in the series is more commendable than it is made out to be. Charles Bronson plays Paul Kersey, an architect whose wife and daughter are violently attacked and raped. His rage vents to the streets of the city as he takes down other lowlifes in the classic vigilante motivation. Bronson's monotone approach actually fits his character and his character's actions very well. When the viewer thinks about it, the plot of "Death Wish" isn't nearly as overblown as other films of the "revenge fantasy" genre. The movie was a hit and made Bronson a star relatively late in his career. A great formula of action and drama.


even flawed ones and this film works in fulfillment of that. It's plot isn't entirely realistic and feels like a comic book story yet in some strange way it works. This film delivers what most viewers probably want from it..an action anti-hero.

Of course there's many problems with what is put forth here such as violence being used to try and solve the problem of violence, the mugger characters getting gunned down always being almost faceless, unknown and evil.

Still when the world seems an awful place, when it seems like justice isn't being done in the real world..at least in the movies it seems the heroes can win...and that's where this movie's charm lies..in there somewhere. This film was most likely the inspiration for the comic book character named The Punisher. Having talent like Charles Bronson and Vincent Gardenia certainly didn't hurt the film any either..I found it surprisingly engaging.


spoilers ahead!

Death Wish is one of those movies about New York in the 70's,when the city was a toilet. Other movies in that era are "the French Connection" and "Taxi Driver".

Death Wish is a movie about revenge. Charles Bronson plays Paul Kersey,an architect and a liberal,whose wife and daughter are attacked by muggers(a young Jeff Goldblum!) in a vicious rape scene.His wife dies and his daughter turns into a vegetable. To get away from it all Paul decides to go to Tucson for a job where he meets Jainchill,a redneck from the country. There he shoots a gun or two and on his way home he gets a present from Jainchill,a gun. Back in the Big Apple Paul wants to get even with the muggers and goes on a crusade in New York at Night. He kills muggers in Riverside Park,in an alley,in a subway train and at 8th avenue station. In the Meanwhile inspector Ochoa(Vincent Gardenia) tries to catch this mysterious Vigilante. In the end he catches Paul and orders him to leave NYC.

Although the moral of the story is not my way of thinking and although the end is pretty psycho(let Paul loose in another city),it is a very good movie about New York in the 70's. The shots of 1970's New York at Night are beautiful and Charles Bronson gives away a fine performance as an innocent man who becomes a killer.

My favorite part about the movie is the soundtrack by Herbie Hancock. each scene has it's own score and doesn't look alike. The rape scene has a dramatic almost horror score while the scenes of Night New York are very quiet and gloomy

A shame is that Charles Bronson got a stigma on playing a Vigilante(4 sequels,from which only part 3 is not bad. The others suck.). In the end Death Wish is one of those very good movies that where made in that period,don't look at it from a political point of view but from a movie watching point of view. Then it will good evening entertainment! 9/10


A quiet and very savage thriller that examines the peaceful life that a honest Manhattan archtitect, Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) lives until a small gang viciously attacks his wife and daughter. The daughter survives, but the event left her in a state of shock and the wife is gone. Kersey decides to take matters into his hands and becomes a vigilante, who ventures out onto the dark and bleak streets of New York City with a loaded silver thirty-two pistol in hand. What the movie is trying to suggest is that murder isn't the best solution to crime. The performances are strong all around besides Bronson himself (Vincent Gardenia, Hope Lange, Steven Keats, Stuart Margolin, etc.). I was also impressed with the ultra-stylish musical score by Herbie Hancock, who lets the music express itself and it's fun to listen to. Jeff Goldblum makes his movie debut here as one of the demented muggers.


This movie reminds me a lot of Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs. It's the story of a pacifist pushed to violence. The premise itself is intriguing and the movie is interesting.

What is lacking is a solid leading man. I love Charles Bronson, but he's too old for this movie and too wooden. The story is a bit tiresome and never really satisfies the viewer.

Still, if you're a vigilante fan, check out Chuck and his sock full of quarters.


Death Wish is a movie for all of the people who have to wade through the legends of scum that inhabit the streets of America's urban wasteland. Liberals hate this film because it appeals to a very real desire in many Americans to see the streets "cleaned up." It is often portrayed as horribly violent and as nothing more than an "exploitation" movie--I'm not so sure that it is either. Yes, the film "exploits" the very real feelings people have toward violent wanton crime, but this story could have been a lot more exploitive than it is. Rather than roaming the streets armed to the teeth, as we might see in a more modern film, Paul Kersey takes on the criminals of New York with a .32 revolver. This is not a "gun nut" blowing people away with a .44 magnum or a .308, rather it is a guy who knows so little about firearms that he uses a pathetically underpowered gun to defend himself. That's the point of the movie. Paul Kersey is not a Special Forces Vietnam vet returning home to clean up America with overwhelming firepower--he is an architect and a liberal--in other words, just a regular guy. That's what is so forceful about the movie. Most people hold liberal views about criminals and violent crime because they have never had it hit close enough to home to shake them out of their liberal, hypothetical, text-book way of thinking. This movie seeks to do just that. As difficult as the rape scene is to watch, it is absolutely crucial to the plot because it tries to put the audience in the place of an innocent victim of violent crime. Talk to people who have lost children or parents to violent offenders and see if they support liberal coddling of violent criminals--you'll find few that do. Death Wish makes a simple point: if the law can't or won't protect innocent people, then maybe someone else should. Is vigilantism scary? Yes, of course it is, but then so is the liberal tradition of accepting violent crime as a "normal" aspect of society. Death Wish is a good movie; it's many sequels are not. Don't confuse the original with the real exploitation movies that follow it.


In this movie (unlike the sequels), Paul actually seems somewhat remorseful, where in the other ones, it seems like a mission. After his daughter is raped and wife murdered (by a young Jeff Goldblum), he takes to the streets, fighting back and showing that he's not going to put up with it anymore. The very last image of the film shows that Paul Kersey will probably not stop murdering muggers, he has just begun, hence the horrid sequels.......


I'd seen bits and pieces of this over the years, but never the whole thing straight through. Bronson is Paul Kersey, a successful New York architect in a happy marriage, with a son and daughter-in-law. Right away the film telegraphs its POV about violence, when one of Kersey's coworkers calls him a knee-jerk liberal and, knowing it's a Bronson film, we can see that an awakening is about to happen.

For those who don't know the story, I'll make it brief. Kersey's wife and daughter-in-law are viciously attacked by a trio of hoodlums (including a young Jeff Goldblum) in Kersey's apartment; his wife dies and the daughter-in-law is left so emotionally scarred that she never recovers and ends up in a sanitarium. In the early scenes, before and after the attack, we see a crime-infested New York where violence is casual, everyday, all over - and a police force that is powerless. Bronson undergoes a slow metamorphosis - to the credit of the film, he clearly has doubts about what he's doing - as he decides to take the law into his own hands upon finding that the cops can't do anything. Interestingly, he never really speaks out against the police though his son more than once says "nobody can do anything." At first he just puts some rolled-up quarters in a sock and carries it with him as insurance, at one point fighting off an attempted mugging - but after a lengthy trip to Tucson where he makes friends with a client who turns out to be a gun collector, he decides to arm himself seriously, and a one man (and five movie) war on crime begins...

This got lambasted by liberal film critics when it came out, of course, just as Dirty Harry had three years previously, but what's interesting about it today is how low-key the attacks on liberal values are, and in fact the film really doesn't go after anything except on-the-street violence. Of course it completely ignores class and race issues, except for one brief comment where somebody at a party mentions that there are more black criminals than white - it basically just treats all "criminals" as scum who enjoy preying on their victims. It does get a bit more disturbing as it goes along, and we see Kersey acting first, deliberately getting himself into situations where he might be in danger, and then blowing people away before they even have a chance to go at him. No question that the morality here is decided skewed to the right, but as I say, not so much as you might expect given its reputation. Probably the most extreme part is at the very end, when the rather sympathetic police detective (Vincent Gardenia) who's been in charge of hunting down "the vigilante" lets Kersey go - but given the vision of the city this film gives us, this isn't really unexpected.

The film-making though is quite solid; one thing Winner can do is propel a story forward, with very little in the way of needless exposition or explanation. The New York locations are well used, and Bronson is...Bronson. Great music by Herbie Hancock.


Watchable enough, for various reasons: who doesn't like to think of putting holes in bad guys? Who is unamused to see Olympia Dukakis, Christopher Guest, Paul Dooley and The Fly in bit parts? Who can resist the obscene spectacle of Charles Bronson's rude hamburger face perched atop one of the most classically sculpted physiques in pre-Schwarzenegger stardom?

But ultimately it's a Michael Winner movie, so, eh. This wildly uneven director (MECHANIC and LAWMAN a little better than they oughtta be; NIGHTCOMERS just irresistibly awful; BIG SLEEP largely soporific) here demonstrates his inability to sustain mood and his lack of interest in coherence, both spatial and logical. Mostly he exemplifies a bland form of typical British salaciousness. The early rape scene involving Bronson's daughter is a pretty straight ripoff of the home invasion in CLOCKWORK ORANGE from a couple of years previous, but lacks the grandeur, morbid humor, and lasting chill of Kubrick's version.

Aside from the indifferent direction, there are numerous technical underachievements. Most annoying is Herbie Hancock's score, hugely derivative of Lalo Schifrin's cop movie music yet not ever quite interesting. Thank God these guys didn't get to do FRENCH CONNECTION.


Michael Winner stopped making films some time ago and became a professional rent-a-celeb, boulevardier and occasional restaurant critic, largely because his last few movies stank. But there was a time when the redoubtable friend of the stars was capable of better things, and DEATH WISH is proof that Winner once had some degree of talent. A talent untroubled by considerations of subtlety, good taste and understatement, but talent nonetheless. DEATH WISH tells the story of Paul Kersey (a fine performance from the late Charles Bronson), a happily-married architect returning from a second honeymoon with his wife to the scum-encrusted toilet that was New York City circa 1974. Most directors make the viewer wait at least twenty minutes before hitting them with their first jolt of adrenalin-rushing excitement, but Winner can't wait that long, so within the first ten minutes we see Kersey's wife and daughter attacked and raped in their own apartment by three drugged-out hooligans. Even thirty years down the line, it's a genuinely shocking scene; not even the presence of Jeff Goldblum as one of the most reprehensible and hateful thugs ever to smear a screen can diminish its impact. Kersey's wife dies and his daughter slips into a traumatized catatonic state (look quickly for Marshall Anker, the dumb sheriff from LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT during the snowbound funeral scene), prompting him to take a job in Tuscon to take his mind off things. In Tuscon, he meets up with a good-ole-boy property developer who invites him down to the gun club where Kersey turns out to be something of a sharp-shooter. Suitably impressed, the redneck presents Kersey with the parting gift of a handgun, which comes in useful during the second half of the film, during which the vengeance-crazed architect sets himself up as an easy target for muggers, only to wipe them out the moment things get nasty.

DEATH WISH reads like simple, gut-level exploitation, and to a large extent that's exactly what it is, but Bronson's subtle, believable performance, the well-drawn characters, the effective NYC location shooting, Arthur Ornitz's grimy photography and Winner's knack for snappy action sequences help to rise the film above the sum of its parts and make it a minor classic. There's a lot of black humour on offer, some of which works (Vincent Gardenia's performance as the downtrodden, headcold-harbouring detective is always amusing), but some of which - such as the nose-picking hookers and the minor character whose dog "paints such marvellous pictures with his paws" - are simply perplexing. Above all else, DEATH WISH is a highly effective mood piece, the kind of film that goes down well after a hard day, as a reminder that somebody is always worse off than yourself, or as an escape valve for all your guilty fantasies about slaughtering whichever inconsiderate lout stole your parking space or your seat on the bus. For that reason alone, DEATH WISH belongs in your video collection as a very guilty pleasure.


When it comes to the 60s and the 70s in Hollywood, there were only four true badasses of cinema: Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Lee Marvin, and Charles Bronson. And in Charles Bronson's career, there were really only two big highlight films for him: "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "Death Wish". While his one film with Sergio Leone was amazing, it was "Death Wish" that was his vehicle. The film was made for him and it was great at that. Charles Bronson is a man of few words and he says more with a facial expression than with dialogue. Which is why when he finds out that his wife has been murdered and his daughter has been raped, you really feel for him because of his superb acting. And you're completely on his side when he turns to a life of vigilantism, killing sociopathic muggers, because he is just so believable. Sure, the director Michael Winner may not be one of the greatest directors in the world and sure the other four "Death Wish" films really sucked (especially "The Face of Death"), but at the end of the day when, in "Death Wish", Charles Bronson smiles at a group of rowdy kids and mimes firing a gun at them, you have to shut up and let the king of badasses do his work.


In a film that excels in manipulating even the most docile audience into wanting blood, Bronson plays a kindly architect who turns into a vigilante when his family is brutally attacked. Bronson and his wife Lange come home from an idyllic Hawaiian vacation to their home in New York City (the contrast is more than obvious, with a practically hellish depiction of The Big Apple here) and have barely unpacked before a trio of thugs assaults Lange and her daughter Tolan. Bronson tries to find a way to live with the injustice of it all, but eventually is awakened to the lure of gun ownership by a trigger-happy associate he meets during an extended business trip to Arizona. Having endured and witnessed all the crime he can tolerate, Bronson sets out to lure criminals into attacking him so that he can blow them away. Meanwhile, police detective Gardinia and his fellow officers try to locate the vigilante, whose string of killings has caught the media's attention and turned him into a celebrity, albeit an unknown one. Eventually, Bronson finds himself risking personal injury from his prey as the authorities close in on him, though they aren't even sure what to do with him since, thanks to him, crime has dropped considerably! Bronson isn't perhaps the most obvious choice to play a pacifistic architect, but he is, of course, right at home when it comes to the vengeful aspects of the character. He's always cool as a cucumber, stoically (detractors might say woodenly) enticing the dregs of the city into his gun sites. Just as the character he plays caught on with the media in the film, Bronson's star rose significantly after this film, which was a runaway hit (whose prestige was diminished a tad by a later quartet of horrendous sequels.) Lange (along with Tolan) has to endure a gut-wrenchingly savage attack, which, even today, is chilling to view. Something about that 70s camera-work makes these things look even more disturbing than today's filmmakers are capable of producing. Gardenia hams it up a bit as the dogged detective with a perpetual cold, but he's a good counterpoint to Bronson. (He shares some screen time with Dukakis, as a policewoman, who would later play his wife in "Moonstruck" and take home an Oscar!) Keats, as Tolan's husband, tries just a little too hard to engender familial bonds with Bronson and comes off as quite whiny. One could destroy a calculator trying to count how many times he says "Dad" to his father-in-law Bronson. "The Rockford Files" fans will get a kick out of seeing Margolin as the gun-totin' associate of Bronson's. His car is quite a sight, too. Many familiar 70s TV and movie faces pop up along the way including a nearly unrecognizable Guest as a cop, Jacobs as a mugger and Goldblum as one of the deranged thugs who start the whole sick ball rolling. It is, for the most part, a bleak, rather disturbing film, but, for those along for the ride, it's also somewhat cathartic in that it allows the viewer to vicariously get back at those who break the law and have no regard for others' feelings, property or wellbeing. On the flip side, there is some amusingly heinous décor in Bronson's high-rise apartment. This might take the cake as the all-time fugliest cinema kitchen! Also, Bronson appears briefly in a speedo, for those who like that sort of thing. Herbie Hancock's busy score is a matter of taste.


Death Wish is a very clichéd type of movie. Someone close to the heroic character is killed, hero goes out for revenge.

However, there is plot here. There is also character development (for some characters anyway). It just doesn't take long for the movie to go down the famous path of hero becoming a vigilante.

Charles Bronson was obviously the best choice to play Paul Kersey, the war veteran with a family who is happy with his life until disaster strikes. Stuart Margolin plays Ames Jainchill, Kersey's new found cowboy friend who introduces him to the world of carrying a gun outside of the war. Hope Lange plays Joanna, Paul's wife. Vincent Gardenia plays Detective Frank Ochoa, the detective who is sent out to find Kersey. I guess the rest of the characters aren't really worth mentioning except for an early appearance by Jeff Goldblum, who actually plays his part very well.

The New York setting was very good, the wintry climate gave it all the more realism as to how cold the world really is. The music score was also really good.

Bronson was definitely the main reason to keep watching. The part was seemingly written for him.

Over all, not a bad movie. I'd recommend to mainly fans of vigilante/rogue cop movies and fans of Charles Bronson, as this is probably the role that fits him best.

8/10


As a young actress still in her 20s, Norma Shearer was hailed as the First Lady of MGM, and she reigned as queen of the studio throughout the 1930s. For about two decades after early retiring in 1942, she was fondly remembered by fans and critics, but slowly she was forgotten. Then in the early 70s, antagonistic film critic Pauline Kael, grudge-holding MGM rival Joan Crawford and others took delight in trashing her, usually with the implication that Norma's greatest talent was finding a powerful husband (Irving Thalberg). Unfortunately, those unfair remarks carried great weight since Shearer's movies were unavailable on video and rarely shown on TV.

We're now able to see her talent for ourselves, thanks largely to Turner Classic Movies, and Norma Shearer's star is rising again.

If you've never seen a Shearer movie, Marie Antoinette is a good beginning. It is one of Hollywood's great epics of the 1930s, with lavish costumes and scenery, and its historic setting holds up well. Shearer plays the doomed French queen from teenager to the Guillotine, and the final scenes as she awaits death in prison are among the finest of her career.

Other notable Shearer movies are The Divorcée, Private Lives, Escape, A Free Soul, The Barrets of Wimpole Street and The Women.