Before modern horror classics like Halloween and The Fog...before he forgot his talent at a bus terminal somewhere...John Carpenter gave us Assault on Precinct 13, a wonderfully gritty film dealing with horrors that are all too possible. I don't even like action movies, really, but as the saying goes, I know what I like.
A youth gang cruises the sun-faded streets of L.A. on a senseless, blood-soaked rampage. On their ultra-violent quest for kicks, the victims include--in a shocking and very refreshing scene--a pigtailed Patty McCormack-lookalike ("I wanted vanilla twist."). Meanwhile, Austin Stoker (Abby) is a police lieutenant sent to supervise a precinct house on its last day of operation. As night falls, the pack of thugs converge on the station with the intent of killing everyone inside--even if it costs them their lives. The result is a painfully tense bullets-and-blood standoff and a group of disparate characters fight for survival.
In his prime, Carpenter, knew how to do a lot with very little. Assault cost a mere $100,000; it looks like at least double that amount. Most of the money was spent on camera equipment, and the result is a very professional-looking picture (though the much-lauded Panavision framing is lost in the TV version). The actors are all quite capable. I love the emphasis on the reactions and interactions of the characters. The two women are almost like two sides of the same coin; switchboard operator Nancy Loomis (Halloween) becomes hysterical, while secretary Laurie Zimmer becomes almost disturbingly calm.
This film, I've heard, is a remake of Rio Bravo. I haven't seen Rio Bravo, but I have seen Night of the Living Dead, and I was quite surprised at the similarities. The hero is black; one character is semi-catatonic; there is a should-we-go-in-the-basement debate. And of course, there is the massive, silent, relentless enemy. Yet somehow, despite this debt, Assault remains an extremely original film, approaching brilliance in its own right. Granted, there are a few loose ends and unanswered questions, but it really doesn't matter in the end. It's called "suspension of disbelief." The only gang film you need to see, with a haunting synthesizer score you must hear for yourself. There should be more films like this one.
A youth gang cruises the sun-faded streets of L.A. on a senseless, blood-soaked rampage. On their ultra-violent quest for kicks, the victims include--in a shocking and very refreshing scene--a pigtailed Patty McCormack-lookalike ("I wanted vanilla twist."). Meanwhile, Austin Stoker (Abby) is a police lieutenant sent to supervise a precinct house on its last day of operation. As night falls, the pack of thugs converge on the station with the intent of killing everyone inside--even if it costs them their lives. The result is a painfully tense bullets-and-blood standoff and a group of disparate characters fight for survival.
In his prime, Carpenter, knew how to do a lot with very little. Assault cost a mere $100,000; it looks like at least double that amount. Most of the money was spent on camera equipment, and the result is a very professional-looking picture (though the much-lauded Panavision framing is lost in the TV version). The actors are all quite capable. I love the emphasis on the reactions and interactions of the characters. The two women are almost like two sides of the same coin; switchboard operator Nancy Loomis (Halloween) becomes hysterical, while secretary Laurie Zimmer becomes almost disturbingly calm.
This film, I've heard, is a remake of Rio Bravo. I haven't seen Rio Bravo, but I have seen Night of the Living Dead, and I was quite surprised at the similarities. The hero is black; one character is semi-catatonic; there is a should-we-go-in-the-basement debate. And of course, there is the massive, silent, relentless enemy. Yet somehow, despite this debt, Assault remains an extremely original film, approaching brilliance in its own right. Granted, there are a few loose ends and unanswered questions, but it really doesn't matter in the end. It's called "suspension of disbelief." The only gang film you need to see, with a haunting synthesizer score you must hear for yourself. There should be more films like this one.