George C. Scott goes "Hardcore" on 9/14 (1 Viewer)

[Gordon McMurphy]

I'm really surprised to see that this is getting a DVD release. It's an mediocre film with a dubious central performance that was perhaps groundbreaking in its day, but hasn't aged well at all. And it doesn't help that Season Hubley was 25/26 when she starred in this film and she looks over 20, ie. she looks old enough to be making her own decisions. A younger actress would have been more effective. That's what makes Jodie Foster's performance as Easy in Taxi Driver so effective (disturbing).

Good news for George C. Scott and Schrader fans, of course.

 

[Zen Butler]

I don't see the comparison to The Searchers a giant leap. This one will be mine also, if not for simple nostalgic reasons alone. Probably, one of the first films I watched on L.A's ONTV. George C. Scott, for me, is/was my favorite actor of that era. The Changeling, a year later, brilliant.

If I may add, revisits to Hardcore, have been no different than many other films I revisit in the same and other eras. Let yourself go with the time these films are made. It's quite freeing.


From Hardcore, for fun, when he was interviewing potential stars for his porn movie....

Prospect:
"Don't you wanna see my stuff,....you know...my stuff(grabs package)?"

 

[JakeR]

Sorry if I came off a little hostile, gang...especially in light of the fact that Schrader has made his "Searchers" influences readily apparent.

Um, I'm almost always right.

At any rate, it wouldn't shock me to see this one remade in the next few years. Harrison Ford wading through the hedonism of the "Other Hollywood" = box office gold. Gold, I tells ya!

 

[streeter]

Can't wait to finally see this - I have only seen bits of sanitized TV airings.

I'd also like to see Inserts.

 

[Felix Martinez]

Does this ring a bell...?



Can't believe I kept most of these from Aug. 1980 thru 1984!

OnTV was kinda big in South Florida as well. I remember seeing Hardcore the same way, along with other amazing films I would otherwise never allow a 12 year-old kid to see (A Clockwork Orange, Straw Dogs, etc.).

Also, remember the "Adults-ONly" option after 11pm? I went cross-eyed trying to see some stuff in the scrambled image. And occasionally, once in a blue moon, it would unscramble for a few secs...

Sorry for going waaay OT. Now, back to Hardcore, "Uncut, Unedited, and Commercial-Free."

Cheers,

 

[Jeff_HR]

You have expressed a thought that I've expressed in other words before. If you accept & watch a film in the context of the time & circumstances inwhich it was made, then I believe any film from any era can be enjoyed. Expecting a 30, 40 or 50 year old film to be relevant today may be asking a bit too much, but it could be possible.

 

[Gary->dee]

And I don't mean to continue to drift but OnTV: now that's a blast from the past! Thanks for that pic, Felix. Ah the early days of cable. Anyone remember their rival SelectTV? Ok maybe this should continue in another thread.

 

[Zen Butler]

Jeff, Bravo!

Felix, I can't believe you have those!!! ONTV & Selectv corrupted my early years as a pre-teen and teen, or enriched it. There was also one before ONTV, I believe, forgot the name.

I too, apologize for the off-topic conversation.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Exactly. When you watch a western, do you expect it to look and feel like it's 2004? Of course not - it was taking place in the 1880s, and this is accepted. I believe that every movie has a time and place setting in history, and you're not supposed to presume that HARDCORE (for example) is taking place today; it's a "period piece," if you will - taking place in the late 1970's. Just as much of a period piece as something like BEN-HUR is.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

IMHO, the only movies that don't date well are the ones that look like the year they're made, but are supposedly set in another time. I.e. many 80's westerns.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Wasn't there one called "Channel 100"?

 

[Jeannette Walsh]

I don't get the SPR comparison either. I don't see how you can say Private Ryan didn't want to be found when he didn't even know they were looking for him till they found him. He just didn't want to leave his brothers. Totally different scenario from someone who is running away from something.

I remember seeing Hardcore when it first came out and I remember it well so it must of had an impact on me as I haven't seen it since. It was showing recently on one of the cable film channels (Encore I think).

 

[Dan V]

I want this one for nostalgic reasons-parts of the movie were filmed in the neighborhood I grew up in in Grand Rapids Mi. While it is not the best movie Paul Schrader has made by any means, the Christian Reformed/Dutch Calvinist families he portrayed were dead on. I went to the same church that Paul Schrader did, and though I was much younger, I still remember when he was visiting his family in town after Hardcore came out and walked into church on Sunday. The looks he got from people were as if he had made a hardcore porno movie.It was a very contreversial subject at the time. Anyway, it will be good to remenisce with this one.

 

[PeterTHX]

I prefer the sequel "Hardcore II". Seeing George C. Scott with pasties on is a sight I'll certainly never forget.

SNL reference for those who don't "get it"

 

[PeterTHX]

ONtv...woah. Been awhile since I thought of that on. Channel 52. Scrambled adult programming. Stuff a 12 year old guy had never seen before. I got in trouble once, my Dad realized why the TV without the descrambler box UHF dial was set to "52" one morning.

I also remember the big deal in 1982 of the cable premiere of "Star Wars". My Dad had a party and the old pop-top VHS VCR all set up. Periodically a "You're watching ON TV" would appear on the bottom...kinda like those "screener, not for public viewing" things would appear (not that I've ever seen that of course). REALLY cheesed him off, since this (obviously) was the attempt to keep people from taping it.

 

[Joe_Pinney]

Oh my god, ONTV. What a cultural icon! (But dammit, when it showed up, we didn't get to watch "Speed Racer" on Channel 52 anymore!) I also fondly recall SelecTV on Channel 22, which seemed to show even more soft porn than ONTV, as well as the hot hits (first time I ever heard the legendary title Kinky Ladies of Bourbon Street).


But what I really REALLY miss is the Z Channel (on Channel 56, I believe), which came along a few years later. It was thanks to them that I discovered Kurosawa, specifically my favorite,Ikiru, and many other cinematic gems which were previously unknown to me. Ironically, there's a brand new documentary about the Z Channel from IFC Films which may get a theatrical release soon. http://www.filmthreat.com/Reviews.asp?Id=6182

 

[Zen Butler]

Guys, out of respect to this thread I made a new one over in TV and HDTV Programming. I would love to further the conversation.

ADMIN: could you merge a few of the "ONTV" posts to the appropriate thread please? Especially, Felix's nostalgic pic.

Remembering ONTV, SelecTV, Z Channel