Point Blank (1967)

Point Blank - Lee Marvin

After reading the reviews online I purchased the video believing it would be another great performance by Lee Marvin and others.
He IS a great actor and yet, from just moments after it starts the director has him stoic, cold, acting strangely as tho in a coma, his actions in the fight scene are more like a faggot fighting for his purse instead of the man we all enjoyed in Marine/combat/fight scenes like Emporer of the North and Prime Cut ...
And the movie dragged on with bizarre directing of his actions to be partially there and barely acting like the man he was ... I guess the director was trying to exhibit odd emotional replies to the circumstances, but all it comes off is - a Poorly made movie for a Great actor. He was stymied of his natural acting abilities by this fool.
The music was offbeat also and added to the distorted style of mental frame of mind attempted by this offbeat director.

It was a waste of time and money to have ever made this film much less buy and sit through it until the end hoping it would finally get better.

In most cases Marvin looks away from anyone asking him or answering him as tho he has a care about what's going on . His facial expression is of being crazed almost !

Go ahead, make someones day by buying this junk to see if I'm wrong !!

I'll sell you mine right now for cheap !!
Hurry b/c I'll be taking it to the target range soon if it's not sold !
June 6, 2008

This icy cold revenge thriller creates a world all its own

"Point Blank" is an icy cold revenge thriller from 1967, heavily influenced in style by the French "New Wave". The continual jump cutting and flashbacks are confusing and the cacophonous musical score date it somewhat, but this is an entertaining film right until the very end. "Point Blank" is one of the few films to successfully create a strange world all of its own. June 4, 2008

The Lonely Business of Revenge Is Ripe for Exploitation.

Released in 1967, "Point Blank" bridges the gap between the neo-noir films of the late 1950s and 1960s that mixed elements of classic noir with social conscience filmmaking and those of the 1970s, with their disillusioned protagonists and increasing explicitness. Walker (Lee Marvin) was a cool, competent crook, convinced by his old friend Mal Reese (John Vernon) to help heist money from some other crooks on Alcatraz Island. But Reese shot Walker, left him for dead, and took off with Walker's unfaithful wife Lynne (Sharon Acker). A year later, Walker wants revenge, he wants Reese dead, and he wants his $93,000. A mysterious mobster (Keenan Wynn) who seeks control of the criminal syndicate of which Reese is a part is happy to facilitate Walker's vendetta.

"Point Blank" was director John Boorman's first color film, and he made good use of the palette, often dominating scenes with a single hue. Although it basically has a continuous timeline, the film takes brief excursions back in time, uses some slow motion photography, and, at one point, confuses us with images that exist only in Lee's mind, if at all. This was pretty risky for a studio film in 1967, and it works well. The fact that Walker is as much a criminal as his enemies is forgotten in a world where everyone is corrupt. Lee Marvin is great at this stoic, fixated kind of masculinity, but he does seem conspicuously old for the women Walker attracts. "Point Blank" is one man's revenge-driven journey, made memorable by so frequently doing the unexpected.

The DVD (Warner Brothers 2005): There are 2 featurettes, a theatrical trailer, and a feature commentary. "The Rock, Pt 1" (8 min) and "The Rock, Pt 2" (9 min) are promotional films made in 1967 about the Alcatraz location. "Point Blank" was the first film to use the abandoned prison, just 4 years after it closed. The documentaries talk about using the prison as a backdrop, interview the director, and interview a former inmate who recalls the 1946 Battle of Alcatraz. The audio commentary by John Boorman and Steven Soderbergh is very good. Soderbergh questions Boorman on various aspects of the film, including the script, structure, collaboration with Lee Marvin, technical details, and interpretations of the film. Subtitles are available for the film in English, French, and Spanish. Dubbing available in French. May 10, 2008

A great Lee Marvin Movie....but....

....Lee Marvin at his finest....but there are so many holes in this plot it looks like swiss cheese! But in 1967 who cared! Get it for Lee's performance! February 20, 2008

OVERBLOWN OVERRATED IDIOCY

INCREDIBLY OVERRATED UNBELIEVABLE NONSENSE--BLOATED SELF IMPORTANT DRIVEL--- BAD DIALOGUE-- NOTHING REMOTELY BELIEVABLE OR INTERESTING HAPPENS BOORMAN THINKS HES BEING HIP OR CUTTING EDGE W THIS NOIR MISFIRE--- ITS VERY ANNOYING GRATING AND JUST PLAIN MISGUIDED--LOTS OF FIGHTS ,SHOOTING THINGS UP-- CHASES--ALL BADLY DONE--- HOLLYWOOD AT ITS WORST AND MOST OUT OF TOUCH---- DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE---- A WASTE OF TIME MONEY ETC----I FOUND IT EMBARASSINGLY INSIPID AND UNWATCHABLE !!!! November 3, 2007

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