4/25/07: The Enforcer (1976)The latest issue of TIME has one of
the most pathetic columns you’ll ever see by an old man whistling past the internet. “Don’t Read This Column!” is an attempt to address the clout of internet fanboys. Richard Corliss, naturally, decides that Hollywood will now make really stupid movies because the studios care about the opinions of regular guys instead of film scholars like Richard Corliss.
Corliss wants us to know that he’s “the informed, independent voice amid the cacophony” and is “fascinated with all kinds of movies, seeing everything, so you don't have to.” What he doesn’t know—because he’s out of touch—is that Harry Knowles of AintItCool News (to cite the biggest fanboy on the internet) has already proven to be a far more useful student of film than Corliss ever was.
Corliss also can’t admit the true reason that critics no longer matter: They see everything through a Leftist prism that dictates what they’re allowed to enjoy. In fact, the last essay we read by Corliss included him praising himself for seeing film through a progressive prism.
Harry Knowles is another dedicated Leftist critic. He’s professed some really stupid beliefs. But Knowles never (or at least rarely) allows his Leftist ways to interfere with his celebration and enjoyment of cinema.
As proven yesterday when Knowles posted
an excited announcement (since updated by AICN's "Scorekeeper") about how we’re finally getting a commercial release of the soundtrack to
The Enforcer.
It is, indeed, a cool soundtrack. Also,
The Enforcer is the most right-wing of all the Dirty Harry Callahan films. It needed to be, too. The second in the series was
Magnum Force, which had an obligatory plot where Clint Eastwood’s overachieving detective went after bad vigilante cops. Eventually, all TV series about rogue law enforcement types—from
Hunter to
Hardcastle and McCormick—would require a similar episode.
The Enforcer, however, was a return to bad-ass crimefighting with nothing to vindicate.
Dirty Harry is rightfully adored, but
The Enforcer has the opening liquor store robbery that remains the most influential scene in the history of the modern crime film. Callahan defies his superiors, wipes out the bad guys, and is promptly chewed out and shuffled off to crappy desk jobs.
Of course, Callahan is soon taking on some terrorist creeps who call themselves the People's Revolutionary Strike Force. He’s also got a female sidekick played by Tyne Daly in all her soft-butch glory. James Fargo wisely directs the film like it’s some kind of comedy, as Our Hero runs rampant over his conniving superiors, a weasely mayor, and assorted citizens who are outraged at how ruthlessly Callahan goes about saving their lives.
DeVeren Bookwalter also provides a great lost performance as the unhinged pretty-boy creep who’s trying to lead a deranged revolution. The film ends with a brilliant big gag that the later entries never managed to top. In fact, we could’ve all been satisfied if this had been the last in the series.
And that soundtrack really is impressive. It’s composed by Jerry Fielding, and is pretty much a warm-up for what would be his final triumph with 1977’s
The Gauntlet—also with Clint Eastwood.
Make it your own: The Enforcer is
on DVD, of course, but with none of the extras that it deserves. We’re not sure when you can get the soundtrack; keep checking in at
AintItCool.com.
