JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonDead Presidents (1995)
October 11th 2006 06:20
Dead Presidents
DVD Cover
Writers/Director:Albert and Allen Hughes
Starring: Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker, Freddy Rodriguez, Terrence Howard, Bokeem Woodbine, Clifton Collins Jnr
Cinematography:Lisa Rinzler
Original Music:Danny Elfman
“It's not your fault you've been brain washed by America”-Delilah
This ferocious assault on the senses will dazzle and awe as well as dismay and touch. Unleashed with flair and style the Hughes Brothers (From Hell) follow up their confrontational feature debut Menace II Society, with even more gusto and balls to the wall storytelling.
A classic 3 act play that begins in Brooklyn New York in the 1960’s, Dead Presidents tells the epic tale of Anthony Curtis (Larenz Tate). We meet our protagonist as a teen, drinking, smoking and looking to bust his cherry, generally having a good time with no direction.
Whisking us to the blood soaked primal rage in the killing fields of Nam. Anthony grows up fast and sees the horrors of life first hand.
"No bad habits, Ma. Except for a little killing."-Anthony
Returning from combat to an anti war/anti government society and skilled only in violence, he cannot put food on the table for his family.
Forced to take extreme measures to ensure a sense of self worth and purpose Anthony wants the American Dream at any cost.
"There gunna burn all this shit and a nigger can't even get a job"-Skip
John Doe says:
Few films have made my hair stand end in the cinema like this one. It’s a powerhouse that abducts the viewer and takes them to hell and back.
Doning its blaxploitation roots as a status symbol, the Hughes brothers have taken the best of the 70’s genre and injected it with a fresh passion and emotion.
The result is a stunning film that is challenging and visually repulsive at times, but impossible to turn away from or ignore.
Blood runs red and bone crunching, exploding with street language and graphic, ultra-violent scenarios. Fuelled by the pumping funk soundtrack, that facilitates the Machine gun dialogue, crackling with a dark sense of irony and a realistic tone.
The Delicious camera work and well thought out lensing merge with split second editing to create a majestic and often over whelming celluloid experience. The transition from Brooklyn to Vietnam is filmmaking at its most knowledgeable.
The talented cast throw themselves into the art of making fictional characters ring true. Larenz Tate (Crash, Ray) has the film resting on his shoulder and confidently handles the demanding challenge. Chris Tucker (Jackie Brown) will surprise with his previously untapped skill for drama.
Keith David (The Thing,Platoon,The Crow,Clockers) as always dominates in his scenes and brings empathy to his criminal portrayal.
“Everyone in this town knows I've only got one leg. And that motherfucker grabbed the wrong one.”-Kirby
Entertainment with a capital E, badass cinema that stands tall and never flinches, I love this film.
The DVD:
You want to give your home theatre a strapping, slide this bad boy into the DVD, crank it up and prepare for the tsunami of audio visual brilliance. There are no extras to speak of on the disc but the sound design demands the DVD standard of 5.1 dolby quality and a rich picture.
Starring: Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker, Freddy Rodriguez, Terrence Howard, Bokeem Woodbine, Clifton Collins Jnr
Original Music:Danny Elfman
“It's not your fault you've been brain washed by America”-Delilah
This ferocious assault on the senses will dazzle and awe as well as dismay and touch. Unleashed with flair and style the Hughes Brothers (From Hell) follow up their confrontational feature debut Menace II Society, with even more gusto and balls to the wall storytelling.
A classic 3 act play that begins in Brooklyn New York in the 1960’s, Dead Presidents tells the epic tale of Anthony Curtis (Larenz Tate). We meet our protagonist as a teen, drinking, smoking and looking to bust his cherry, generally having a good time with no direction.
Whisking us to the blood soaked primal rage in the killing fields of Nam. Anthony grows up fast and sees the horrors of life first hand.
"No bad habits, Ma. Except for a little killing."-Anthony
Returning from combat to an anti war/anti government society and skilled only in violence, he cannot put food on the table for his family.
Forced to take extreme measures to ensure a sense of self worth and purpose Anthony wants the American Dream at any cost.
"There gunna burn all this shit and a nigger can't even get a job"-Skip
John Doe says:
Few films have made my hair stand end in the cinema like this one. It’s a powerhouse that abducts the viewer and takes them to hell and back.
Doning its blaxploitation roots as a status symbol, the Hughes brothers have taken the best of the 70’s genre and injected it with a fresh passion and emotion.
The result is a stunning film that is challenging and visually repulsive at times, but impossible to turn away from or ignore.
Blood runs red and bone crunching, exploding with street language and graphic, ultra-violent scenarios. Fuelled by the pumping funk soundtrack, that facilitates the Machine gun dialogue, crackling with a dark sense of irony and a realistic tone.
The Delicious camera work and well thought out lensing merge with split second editing to create a majestic and often over whelming celluloid experience. The transition from Brooklyn to Vietnam is filmmaking at its most knowledgeable.
The talented cast throw themselves into the art of making fictional characters ring true. Larenz Tate (Crash, Ray) has the film resting on his shoulder and confidently handles the demanding challenge. Chris Tucker (Jackie Brown) will surprise with his previously untapped skill for drama.
Keith David (The Thing,Platoon,The Crow,Clockers) as always dominates in his scenes and brings empathy to his criminal portrayal.
“Everyone in this town knows I've only got one leg. And that motherfucker grabbed the wrong one.”-Kirby
Entertainment with a capital E, badass cinema that stands tall and never flinches, I love this film.
The DVD:
You want to give your home theatre a strapping, slide this bad boy into the DVD, crank it up and prepare for the tsunami of audio visual brilliance. There are no extras to speak of on the disc but the sound design demands the DVD standard of 5.1 dolby quality and a rich picture.
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Comment by Justin
Your style is getting that much more descriptive and crisp it's hard for the other movie reviewers to keep up. I mean this in all honesty - whatever you've been doing, it's showing in your descriptive language that sets the tone perfectly and really gives the reader a "taste" of the film through your words.
Haven't seen the film yet. Always wanted to, like "Kids" and "8MM".
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Check out the film, Im sure you will find things to like about it.
Comment by Cibbuano
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In the end, it's a little confusing... I think the filmmakers intended us to feel some sympathy for the main character, as if he was a product of the system.
He didn't make the right choices, though...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
The wrong choices without a doubt. Where you grow up and what you experience shape what you become and it was all he knew.
Justin,
Kids is an ok film but for Larry Clark you cant go past Bully, IMo its his best film.
As for 8mm its a poor mans version of the George C Scott film Hardcore, a much better recommendation.