The Outside Man-The Outfit

These two action movies have developed a cult following in recent years. They are examples of the unpredictable action movies from the 1970's that directors such as Quentin Tarantino have championed in recent years.

The Outside Man is a gritty L.A. set movie featuring Jean-Louis Trintrignant, Ann-Margret and Roy Scheider and directed by a Frenchman. Whicj means that this very cool movie also has an existential edge to it. Trintrignant plays a hired killer who realizes something fishy has happened during his last hit. The movie is full of interesting action pieces and features Ann-Margret in some of the most amazing low-cut dresses in cinema history.

The Outfit is even cooler. In it, Robert Duvall plays a recently released felon who finds out his brother has been killed. It seems that the bank they had stolen years ago was run by the mob. And he is really pissed about it. The movie reminds one of Point Blank, but in a way I like this one better. It is full of great action moments and even features actors such as Robert Ryan and Elisha Cook, Jr. that give it a distinct noir feeling.

But what makes these two movies special is that every action scene seems real. Every situation feels like it could happen in real life. There is nothing too wild or fancy. Action movies seem to have lost that honesty. Just look at the trailer for The Bourne Legacy and there is not a single plausible moment in it. It's all fake and impossible. And, me, well I like what's possible. Call me old fashioned.

Dos de George Pal

En estos días he visto dos películas del productor George Pal, famoso por sus Puppettoons. En los años Pal hizo varias películas que tenían que ver con el espacio. Entre ellas las dos que vi, When Worlds Collide y Conquest of Space. Es interesante ver estas películas y ver el concepto de la exploración del espacio casi diez años antes de que el Presidente Kennedy declarara el "Space Race" a la luna.

En los 1950, se hiciero muchos films grado B y más bajo. Películas como Cat Women in the Moon, entre otras. Pero Pal sacó a ese género del mundo grado B, haciendo películas que tenían más base en la realidad o en lo que ciéntificos pensaban sería el futuro. Lo interesante es que Pal trataba de ser mas realista, pero a la misma vez en When Worlds Collide y Conquest of Space hay momentos donde se tira por la borda cualquier concepto de real de la ciencia. No los cuento porque serían spoilers.

Pero en realidad no importa. Lo que es importante es que el cine de Pal tiene un encanto especial. Una especie de "comfort food" del cine. Poner un DVD de sus películas transporta a uno a una era más inocente, donde la ciencia tenía todas las soluciones y los buenos ganaban siempre. Y a veces, eso es mucho más que suficiente.