The French Connection (1971)

16 October 2021

Still a great film, and one I think I'll keep coming back to. Pacing is great, as well as the New York vibe that is retained from being on location. It can have some language and insensitivity to it though that may offend though. Gene Hackman at his best. 10/10

9 October 2019

The French Connection (1971) is a little dated but it remains a powerful crime film of its time. The chase scene in the middle is flawless and after that the film doesn't let up with the suspense.

It's loosely based on a true story, and stars Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider. It also has Fernando Rey (who also appeared - in a lesser role - in The Hit (1984, 10/10) that I reviewed earlier this month). The pacing and style of this film is fascinating, and the organic and serendipitous investigation that builds from the beginning.

My only knock against the film is that the "five star collection" dvd version is kinda disappointing. Though the commentary tracks are quite informative (I highly recommend a listen after the film, because the tracks talk about the fact behind the fiction), the disc doesn't have something as basic as an English track if you want to follow along.

It's one of the best crime movies out there I think. It's worth a watch if you want a suspenseful chase scene - I think this would be a great film to watch in theaters. I watched it 2/1/2015 without a review, but years later I think it's a solid 10/10. This won 5 academy awards in 1972, including best picture, director, and (for Hackman) actor. 10/10

1 February 2015

Tonight's last film was The French Connection (1971): another one of those movies I meant to see but didn't find the time. I replayed this one with commentary to get a better understanding of the history behind the movie.