New York ne répond plus

I saw this when I was a kid around the same time I saw Planet of The Apes, Logan's Run and The Omega Man. I love this kind of stuff. Yul Brynner was always a cool actor and he's very cool in this piece of dystopian sci-fi. It also has Max Von Sydow in it who's always good value for money.

The amazing thing about this film (well ok it's not that amazing, more sort of interesting) is how the plot is so similar to Mad Max. There really was a preponderance of this sort of movie in the early seventies, enough to cover the writing of thesis me thinks.

Anyway if you have a spare evening and no idea what to watch why not check Yul in full flow.

Hiring a warrior to protect your leaky compound after a worldwide plague can be an iffy proposition. Having to fight off a menacing gang lead by a man named Carrot is also a dangerous endeavor. Yul Brynner is ably cast as "The Ultimate Warrior." He wields a knife with the precision of a rabbi. The film's final reel will confirm this. And Max von Sydow is always fun to watch as he wrestles with the dialog and the ultimate fate of the barricaded parish. I admire the fellow who tends the garden on the roof. A movie like this needs a ray of hope cracking through the grim reality taking place. Stephen McHattie, who played James Dean in the break out role that didn't pan out, has the thankless role of a father who is desperate to feed his family. The film's climax takes place in the city's subway tunnels and is honestly brutal in its resolution. Bravo to the director for his use of still photos at the end. He releases the frame briefly for a burst of light--and coastal bliss. Lastly, my "summary" can be rendered mute if the towers are rebuilt before the date established by the makers of the film. Lets go!

From Robert Clouse, the director who brought us the absolutely classic, Enter The Dragon, comes this post apocalyptic tale starring none other than Yul Bryner. Shall we dance indeed! Wow, sounds good so far eh? Well, as it happens it is rather and benefits immeasurably by its fine casting, especially the always superb Max Von Sydow, here playing a character called the Baron, leader of a commune of survivors trying desperately to survive in this harsh new world. As was later to become a staple plot in the plethora of post apocalyptic flicks which were to follow this in the early 1980's, not only is there unease and warring factions within the commune itself, but outside even more hostile groups are forever plotting to wipe out their neighbours. In this instance, a particularly nasty group headed by a chap called Carrot(!) (played by perennial bad boy, William Smith) are the antagonists. As a result of the mounting pressure, The Baron hires lone warrior Carson (Bryner) to help protect them and in a more secretive plan, to have him lead his daughter and her horticultural expert husband to safety, far away from the ravages of the doomed city.

Whilst best remembered for his action output, Clouse was actually a very gifted visual director and here manages to convey some particularly effective scenes of desolation (the visuals over the opening credits carry an especial air of sorrow and emptiness, depicting the end of civilisation).

Action wise, despite his mature years at the time of filming, Bryner is on fine form here as he demonstrates during the fair number of fight scenes contained within. Special mention to, for the rather shocking decision he makes during his final confrontation with his nemesis, a sure illustration of the old motto, 'Desperate times call for desperate measures.'

Overall, whilst not nearly as exhilarating as some of Clouse's other works such as Enter The Dragon and Black Belt Jones, this is a fascinating film that deserves far more recognition that it presently owns. For fans of the whole post nuke/post apocalyptic genre which was so huge following Mad Max, this is well worth checking out.

This relatively obscure film is, it has to be said, under-rated. There's the usual fine performance from Max von Sydow as the 'Baron' while an old-looking Yul Brynner does well as Carson, the Ultimate Warrior.

The future looks bleak. In 2012 New York is a city devastated, with rival gangs living in communes. By appearance alone, you might be forgiven for thinking that this is a western - with von Sydow, particularly, looking like he's going to burst into a saloon bar, guns blazing. He plays the leader of one of these communes, desperate to secure a better life for his pregnant daughter Melinda (Miles) and enlists Brynner to this end.

Clouse manages to build up the tension nicely as Brynner & Miles race along the derelict New York subway to get to a fabled island, chased by a gang of nasties. The end, however, is abrupt, to say the least and you may feel cheated as about ten minutes before the end the movie seems actually quite good.

As I said before, this is an obscure film that will have a definite novelty value for fans of Sydow and Brynner. Viewers today will see the irony in the opening sequence of a supposedly devastated NY, with the Twin Towers promenantly still standing in the background.

7/10

This is just an action movie: the acting is crappy, the directing is cruddy, the sets are cheesy, and the effects are cheap... but so what?!? This is Yul Brynner stripped to the waist, fighting with knives!!! It's just brilliant!!! If your fantasy involves the sky falling, you'll get off on this. And just in case you're keeping track, this one came after 'Omega Man' and before 'Mad Max'.