Paul Schrader is a weird character. First of all, as hard as he tries, he's just not a director. Second, I think his natural instincts lead him to revenge stories that he's no longer willing to pay off. "Hardcore" is a perfect example. Geo. C. Scott should have purchased weapons, like "Taxi Driver," and killed every porno guy. No, he punches one guy through a bunch of set walls.
Tommy Lee Jones has some great lines in "Rolling Thunder." I love when the prostitute asks him what he's going to do and he says--while assembling his rifle--"I'm gonna kill a bunch of people." I know Schrader has kind of disowned the movie, mainly because he didn't like the altered "happy ending." But I rather liked it. I also think "Hardcore" is very good. Calvinism does not look like a fun way to grow up.
There was a recent article on Paul Schrader which featured a picture of him as a young boy standing in the front yard of his house in Grand Rapids. A buddy of mine out here in GR saw that picture, and realized that he and his family are living in Schrader's childhood home. Kinda cool.
Paul Schrader is a weird character. First of all, as hard as he tries, he's just not a director. Second, I think his natural instincts lead him to revenge stories that he's no longer willing to pay off. "Hardcore" is a perfect example. Geo. C. Scott should have purchased weapons, like "Taxi Driver," and killed every porno guy. No, he punches one guy through a bunch of set walls.
Tommy Lee Jones has some great lines in "Rolling Thunder." I love when the prostitute asks him what he's going to do and he says--while assembling his rifle--"I'm gonna kill a bunch of people." I know Schrader has kind of disowned the movie, mainly because he didn't like the altered "happy ending." But I rather liked it. I also think "Hardcore" is very good. Calvinism does not look like a fun way to grow up.
There was a recent article on Paul Schrader which featured a picture of him as a young boy standing in the front yard of his house in Grand Rapids. A buddy of mine out here in GR saw that picture, and realized that he and his family are living in Schrader's childhood home. Kinda cool.