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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 15, 2019 5:45:37 GMT
My gosh this film is bleak and depressing. It is grimy and dirty and sleazy and while there's not a great deal of violence in the film, there are scenes of sexual violence and also graphic depictions of drug abuse, Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant is not a film for the squeamish, and most certainly not for children.
Saw this when first released in the early 90's and was expecting a revenge thriller and by the end my expectations were shattered, but 20 something years down the track, I now have a greater appreciation for this film. While it could be considered a bit sluggish, or even heavy handed in parts, it still packs an emotional wallop and you can't take your eyes of Keitel. I was asking myself is he giving a courageous and daring acting performance, or is this just Keitel being psychotic and weird and not really acting at all? Did Keitel strip himself of his own ego in order to portray a character full of his own rancid and corrupt ego, that the vulnerability exposed is so raw and the cuts are so deep, that we are afraid to watch for fear of not only Keitel's sanity, but our own. It is like a deer being transfixed in one spot on the highway by the beaming headlights of an oncoming vehicle and not able to move.
This lieutenant is bad to the bone, but when his own humanity gets triggered, it takes such a hold on him, he doesn't know how to really deal with it, or only deals with it in the only way he knows how. Even a bit of seemingly divine intervention leads him to the answer he wants, but redemption and especially forgiveness don't come easy. The price tag for the victim, the vindicator as represented by the bad lieutenant and the perpetrators is a hard and tough pill to swallow. The film had to end the way it did, as there was no more harm that the lieutenant could do himself or even others, and the scum that violated purity only had themselves to live with. There was another movie in here had it continued on with their journey.
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Post by The Herald Erjen on Sept 15, 2019 6:08:38 GMT
I've never seen "Bad Lieutenant" but it's regarded as one of Harvey Keitel's best roles. He's a great actor and it's nice to see him getting some overdue recognition.
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Post by petrolino on Sept 15, 2019 6:12:13 GMT
He's bad to the bone. The follow-up from Werner Herzog is good too.
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Post by rudeboy on Sept 15, 2019 11:07:24 GMT
An excellent film with a brilliant performance by Keitel. One that I may never watch again but I shall always remember.
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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 15, 2019 13:27:30 GMT
An excellent film with a brilliant performance by Keitel. One that I may never watch again but I shall always remember. It is not an easy go to film. I own it as a double disc set with Last Exit To Brooklyn, which is hard hitting as well, but a film I have watched several times and does hold some enjoyment factor due to a smoother and easier flow to its presentation. I doubt Bad Lieutenant will see the light of day again anything soon in my dvd player as it is bleak and even humorless, but I am pleased that I watched it again from a different perspective since the 90's.
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Post by koskiewicz on Sept 15, 2019 15:06:48 GMT
If you are into Abel Ferrara, try his "MS .45" another of his films not for the squeamish.
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Post by Dramatic Look Gopher on Sept 15, 2019 16:28:10 GMT
An outstanding performance by Keitel, but this hard-edged film was pretty hard to stomach at times. I first saw Bad Lieutenant on VHS back in the 90s, and remember fast-forwarding through the graphic drug abuse scenes. That's how difficult it was to watch. I'm still not sure if I even like the film or not.
Abel Ferrara sure had a knack for displaying the extremely seedy underbelly of New York City.
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Post by biker1 on Sept 15, 2019 20:39:05 GMT
Seen it numerous times, if finding it a bit ugly and morose first time round. Likely Abel Ferrara's best film, although I haven't bothered with his recent movies.
7
bad lieutenant
6
king of new york
the addiction (vampire)
5 - worth a look
ms. 45
body snatchers
the funeral
4
driller killer
'r xmas
nope..
new rose hotel, fear city, china girl, cat chaser, the blackout, dangerous game
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Sept 16, 2019 2:26:32 GMT
Its fine but I like Port of Call New Orleans better.
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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 16, 2019 9:30:06 GMT
Its fine but I like Port of Call New Orleans better. Is this connected somehow with Ferarra's version here? I haven't seen the Cage film with the same title.
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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 16, 2019 9:31:12 GMT
If you are into Abel Ferrara, try his "MS .45" another of his films not for the squeamish. Seen a few times. Nice spin of Death Wish theme, but not one of my favorite vigilante themed films.
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Sept 16, 2019 9:56:19 GMT
Its fine but I like Port of Call New Orleans better. Is this connected somehow with Ferarra's version here? I haven't seen the Cage film with the same title. No just the fact that they involved drug addicted cops. Its almost more of a remake or a re-imagining.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Sept 16, 2019 9:57:16 GMT
Great closing credits
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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 16, 2019 9:57:27 GMT
Is this connected somehow with Ferarra's version here? I haven't seen the Cage film with the same title. No just the fact that they involved drug addicted cops. Its almost more of a remake or a re-imagining. I suppose what I mean, was it inspired by the first?
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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 16, 2019 9:58:02 GMT
I didn't watch them. Do I need too?
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Sept 16, 2019 10:01:18 GMT
I didn't watch them. Do I need too? Not particularly, I just think the black on white (as opposed to the usual white on black) is a nice touch, after the arbitrarily "shocking" conclusion.
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Sept 16, 2019 10:06:19 GMT
No just the fact that they involved drug addicted cops. Its almost more of a remake or a re-imagining. I suppose what I mean, was it inspired by the first? I think so but I cant find any info that it is. Kinda odd there would be two simlar films with very simular titles. Director Werner Herzog Said it was not it is neither a sequel nor a remake. From Wikipedia: Abel Ferrara, director of the 1992 film, has been quoted by various media outlets as being very angry about the film. After it was first announced, Ferrara was quoted as saying "As far as remakes go, ... I wish these people die in Hell. I hope they're all in the same streetcar, and it blows up."
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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 16, 2019 10:31:15 GMT
I didn't watch them. Do I need too? Not particularly, I just think the black on white (as opposed to the usual white on black) is a nice touch, after the arbitrarily "shocking" conclusion. I did make a brief note of that when they started, but didn't think much else of them and shut it off. That is a nifty touch with what you have commented on.
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Post by Toasted Cheese on Sept 16, 2019 10:33:31 GMT
I suppose what I mean, was it inspired by the first? I think so but I cant find any info that it is. Kinda odd there would be two simlar films with very simular titles. Director Werner Herzog Said it was not it is neither a sequel nor a remake. From Wikipedia: Abel Ferrara, director of the 1992 film, has been quoted by various media outlets as being very angry about the film. After it was first announced, Ferrara was quoted as saying "As far as remakes go, ... I wish these people die in Hell. I hope they're all in the same streetcar, and it blows up." It does seem odd that they used the same title, which correlates as some sort of connection. Only Herzog could say then if he was influenced by Ferrara's film, but his response seems a bit glib.
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