Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Brenda The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

ma-cortes Crafty and tense thriller about a nasty team led by a tough attacker (Robert Shaw) and his underlings (Martin Balsam , Hector Elizondo , Earl Hindman) hijack a subway car holding 17 passengers for 1 million ransom . Then , a Transit Authority Inspector (Walter Matthaw) to be communicated with them . Among the passengers are a slice of the N.Y urban life , as the occupants represent a cross-section of the metropolis : a pimp , a Puerto Rico pregnant woman , a hooker , a mother with his small children , a Wasp , a homosexual , a hippie , an African-American , and an undercover cop . As authorities are determined to pay the money and get thing over . A fast and stylish movie with very fine pacing that keeps things on the edge of your seat . Top-notch action movie , if slightly mechanical in which some passengers are kidnapped with a juicy million dollar ransom in mind . A sincere and well-meaning screenplay , as Peter Stone's snappy script hardly needs to resort to the foul-mouthed language it sometimes uses . The movie retains a fascination and attractive the way others 70's films did . The pace of the thriller aspect is unflagging , as the roles are unerringly drawn from a masterful casting . An all-star-cast lends powerful interpretations to this fascinating movie . Over-the-range Walter Matthaw who chews up the scenery as the railway security chief and saviour of the system ; he harks back his early performance days as a tough man with a Bronx accent . And Robert Shaw is invaluable as the grim heavy as well as two-fisted thief leader . Riveting support cast is frankly excellent , such as James Broderick , Doris Roberts , Julius Harris , Kenneth McMillan , and best of the rest : Dick O'Neill , Jerry Stiller and Tony Roberts as a straight-talking deputy mayor , among others . New cinematic techniques used by the great cameraman Owen Roizman defies shadowy along the dark underground like never before . Thrilling and moving musical score by David Shire in Lalo Schifrin style .This nail-biting and heart-pounding motion picture was compellingly directed by Joseph Sargent , without a doubt one of the best movies of the seventies . Sargent directed as TV as cinema films with enjoyable results . Desperate , swift , nimble realization from Sargent who has made some of television's finest hours , it's been a monster hit in the 70s . Joseph made all kinds of genres , such as Comedy : ¨Coast to coast¨, ¨Tribes¨; Court-room drama : ¨Never forget¨ ; Sports : ¨Golden girl¨ ; Sci-Fi: ¨Colossus the forbidden Project¨ ; Biography : ¨MacArthur¨ , ¨Abraham¨, ¨Manions of America¨, ¨Mandela and Klerk¨ , ¨Arturo Sandoval story¨ , ¨WWII when lions roared¨; Terror : ¨Nightmares¨, ¨Jaws, the revenge¨ ; Drama : ¨The incident¨, ¨A lesson before dying¨ , ¨Passion Flower¨ ; Novels adaptation : ¨Dostoevsky's Crime and punishment¨ ; Western : ¨Streets of Laredo¨ , and action ¨while lightning¨ and this one .

encyes When watching "Pelham" it's easy to see why it was remade twice: a gripping storyline, intriguing characters, an event that could easily happen forty years ago, or twenty years from now. This 1974 version is so well done, from throwing you immediately into the story, to great actor choices like Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, it's hard not to like – more or less love – this film. It dispenses with unnecessary romantic subplots, and never deviates from the cat and mouse game interwoven from start to finish. Shaw is captivating as the menacing mastermind, and Matthau is surprisingly good as his would-be nemesis. Even the supporting cast from Jerry Stiller to Maltin Balsam (as "Mr. Green" – BIG smiles for all BIG 'Reservoir Dogs' fans out there) to Hector Elizondo are wonderful choices. Sure the clothing is dated as is perhaps some of the Seventies lingo, but it never detracts from the intense story. It really has that 70s movie feel and the external Manhattan scenes are terrific. If there is any negative to be given about this film, the less-than dramatic ending and its subsequent frozen last image could have used an additional Hollywood-styled edge-of-your-seat conclusion. Otherwise, this a movie is well worth the watch.

classicsoncall Many years ago, make that many decades ago, I stumbled into the middle of this picture and was intrigued enough to watch it to the end. I never bothered to try catching the entire movie until it showed up on cable the other night. I have to say, this is one of those Seventies action flicks that just grabs you and doesn't let go until the red lights come on. Another picture that did the same for me back then was the original "Assault on Precinct 13" with John Carpenter at the helm. You have to catch that one too.Probably the first thing I noticed in the film were the names of the four subway thugs. I had to wonder if this was the source of Tarantino's inspiration for the criminals in "Reservoir Dogs". In fact, there's a Mr. Blue and a Mr. Brown in both pictures. And as for the mayor of New York City (Lee Wallace), I couldn't help thinking that he might have been selected for his resemblance to Ed Koch, until I realized that Koch wasn't mayor until a few years later. So that was interestingly prophetic.Like everyone else who watches the movie while trying to figure out how the hijackers would get away with it, it never occurs that the simplest solution would be the best - just get off at some point along the way. I thought it was just a bit too coincidental the way Garber (Walter Mattthau) second guessed the bad guys, but there was still enough suspense to keep one invested in the story. With nice dollops of humor thrown in every now and then, the picture still holds up pretty well after forty years, and will make you think twice the next time you board a subway train.

sesht Confession - I watched the Tony Scott remake of this Sargent flick with Denzel Washington and John Travolta first. Another - that, in no way diminished from my enjoying this on TV recently. Yes, there are those repartees that are more a norm, them being organic and all, though they were rehearsed, of the 70's staple, that could be found in movies of any genre (with a few not-too- notable exceptions, of course). Yes, like many movies of that period, it looks like 'French Connection' (the first one). Yes, 'Payback' got the 70's period soundtrack right. This one has the pounding score throughout, except when it's all silent for us to get the sound design. Very nice.The plot's the same, with the plan being the same, and the dead man's feature being the linchpin of the gig. It's been a while since I watched Robert Shaw man it up as the suave baddie. He does one more fantastic job, that evokes memories of his other good roles, in 'From Russia with love' and 'The Sting', among others. he would have made a great Marlowe, along with the other Robert.Speaking of evocative turns, Matthau pretty much mans it up too, throwing politically incorrect barbs all the way, while Jerry Stiller is very much himself, and Hector Elizondo playing the kind of character we have not seen him play in a long, long time, wishing he'd had more screen time. Balsam is, as always, fantastic, and his 'tic' (Hic) that's used very much for effect, and a key twist as well, is super- endearing.The focus is on the narrative throughout, and this has to be one of the best edited features out there, and does not seem dated a bit. Mattahu plays the kind of reluctant and recalcitrant hero we have seen before, but the way he kind of eases into it allows us to get into his shoes quite a few times, and there's no doubt about who's actually in control in all the exchanges he has with Shaw, even though things on the surface might indicate otherwise.Not to be missed, and worth repeat viewings. The remake's pretty decent too, but if I were asked to choose, in spite of my fondness for Tony Scott movies, and the Washington-Travolta combo, I'd have to say that the original's the better movie of the two, even though I saw it after the remake.