MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Had V+'d this film a couple of weeks ago from film 4 and watched it last night. Thought it was very good and thought provoking. Left with me lots of questions about it and am interested to find out others views on it?
E.G. The figurative elements such as the raincoat he habitually wore, his inability to relate to others and his playing sax to back tracking tapes whilst alone in his apartment.
Thoughts?
Superb film - have a tape of it from when it was shown on BBC2 years ago.
Was introduced by Philip French of the Guardian - might be something by him out there.
Hackmans' character is interesting - the professional snooper who won't let anyone get near him.
I found the scene where he loses it in the warehouse, after him and his mate invited the two girls round quite disturbing, as well as the gobsmacking ending.
One of the best twists to any plot I can remember, I'll watch it again this week.
Had forgotten about the raincoat. Thank God they never caught on.
Hackman is one of the all time great actors, as described in the Hoodoo Gurus song "And let’s not forget he took on Superman!"
Pigface - Agreed! Gene Hackman imo is in De Niro/Brando league of acting brilliance, but is it just me or is he not recognised as well as he should be?
Man was a genius in the 70's.
French Connection AND The Conversation - similar characters?
Paranoid, regretful loners.
Good point well put!
Not just the 70's Mississippi Burning, The Royal Tennenbaums, Unforgiven.
Its one of Coppola's most interesting films, but I think the dream sequence is a bit odd, almost clumsy in the way Hackmans character explains himself.
The dark, open ending is fantastic though.
Pigface, I love his performance in Superman," Costa del Lex!" totally hilarious stuff.
He's also been great in some of Arthur Penn's films, like Bonnie and Clyde, and Night Moves.
I enjoyed it too, Hackman is always interesting to watch.
He also appears in the 1998 Will Smith film "Enemy of the State" as a surveillance expert v similar to his character in "The Conversation" - it's suggested that it's supposed to be the same person.
For a similar watch, try "The Domino Principle" from 1977 also starring Hackman - cool 70's conspiracy thriller!