I watched this recently as it is a well-known British classic thriller. As with a lot of these older films (made in '71) the sound quality wasn't great. That slightly spoiled my enjoyment of the film.
If I was to choose a soundtrack that complemented a film perfectly, I would choose the Get Carter theme. The tune opens the film with a solo played on a harpsichord (I think) which evokes a sense of disaffection, and then in the film we arrive by train at a industrial wasteland that is Newcastle in the 1970's. Also a bass guitar is playing a groovy riff in background, and that is after we have witnessed in the film gangsters enjoying a porn film. The music sets up the film perfectly.
It has been a while since I watched this film. It certainly reminded me of classic 70s TV programmes like The Sweeney and Play for Today. Gritty, sleazy and with a aftertaste of poverty. Looking back at it though it's quite a straightforward revenge flick. There isn't much character development for Michael Caine as Carter, but he is still good in a quiet, reserved performance.
One surprise for me was that the film starred the famous English playwright John Osborne as one of the northern gangsters (Cyril). He is famous for writing plays such as Look Back in Anger. There is northern twist to this film with the backdrop of austerity in Newcastle played against the rich London gangster. Hands full of pound notes and drinking beer out of a straight glass. This brings an added interest to the film. I really thought the setting of the film is one of the most enjoyable parts of it, and alongside the haunting music really captures your interest more than it would in another location.
If you want to recapture life in Britain in the 1970's you will love this movie, and it has some of the best British actors in it like Caine and Ian Hendry. The film starts fairly positively for Carter and then descends gradually into hell as he seeks more and more revenge. In the end there is no good guys left including Carter. I gave it a 6/10 because I felt it could have developed the character's back story a bit more, but it is one of those films that stays in your head long after the film ends.
If I was to choose a soundtrack that complemented a film perfectly, I would choose the Get Carter theme. The tune opens the film with a solo played on a harpsichord (I think) which evokes a sense of disaffection, and then in the film we arrive by train at a industrial wasteland that is Newcastle in the 1970's. Also a bass guitar is playing a groovy riff in background, and that is after we have witnessed in the film gangsters enjoying a porn film. The music sets up the film perfectly.
It has been a while since I watched this film. It certainly reminded me of classic 70s TV programmes like The Sweeney and Play for Today. Gritty, sleazy and with a aftertaste of poverty. Looking back at it though it's quite a straightforward revenge flick. There isn't much character development for Michael Caine as Carter, but he is still good in a quiet, reserved performance.
One surprise for me was that the film starred the famous English playwright John Osborne as one of the northern gangsters (Cyril). He is famous for writing plays such as Look Back in Anger. There is northern twist to this film with the backdrop of austerity in Newcastle played against the rich London gangster. Hands full of pound notes and drinking beer out of a straight glass. This brings an added interest to the film. I really thought the setting of the film is one of the most enjoyable parts of it, and alongside the haunting music really captures your interest more than it would in another location.
If you want to recapture life in Britain in the 1970's you will love this movie, and it has some of the best British actors in it like Caine and Ian Hendry. The film starts fairly positively for Carter and then descends gradually into hell as he seeks more and more revenge. In the end there is no good guys left including Carter. I gave it a 6/10 because I felt it could have developed the character's back story a bit more, but it is one of those films that stays in your head long after the film ends.