Dirty Harry
by Don Siegel
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Andy Robinson, Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, John Vernon, Reni SantoniDirector: Don Siegel
Brand: WHV
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 102 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-09-09
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of Dirty Harry
Movie Review: A New Kind of Cop
Summary: 5 Stars
The year was 1971. For many of us living in that era, it appeared that the justice system was geared to protecting criminals more than their victims. Every time a criminal walked free on a technicality, especially when it was clear that the criminal was guilty, we felt that much more helpless. Along came Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry.
In a way, the character of Dirty Harry was very similar to the characters Clint played in his famous spaghetti westerns. He was a man of few words and though his name was Harry Callahan, he really did not need a name, just like the Man with No Name. Some even called "Dirty Harry" an urban version of a western. Yet, Harry was somewhat different from the Man with No Name in that Harry had a great gut feel for justice and right and wrong. Harry was never out for himself; his actions were always about protecting innocent people.
When we meet Harry at the beginning of the movie, we are privy to an incident that predates the present story. Harry's boss advises him that there should not be a repeat of an earlier incident. Harry points out that he felt obligated to stop someone who had intent to rape. When Harry's boss asks how Harry knew what the man intended, Harry points out that when he sees a nude man in a clear state of arousal chasing a woman while holding a butcher knife, it seems as though the intent is clear. I personally liked Harry from that point and I suspect so did most audience members. We quickly see that Harry recognizes a crime in progress when he sees it and he will affirmatively halt that crime, even if he has to do so with his .44 magnum.
A man calling himself the Scorpio Killer shot a woman swimming on a rooftop. He promises to kill again unless the city of San Francisco pays him. Given what we know about the last several decades of history, we suspect that he will keep on killing even if he the city gives him the money.
The victims are piling up, but Harry is on the case. Along the way there, we are treated to a scene where we see that Harry treats his actions as part of his job when he "apprehends" a group of bank robbers. The final bank robber is lying in a doorway, shot. Harry comes up to him and tells him he is unable to remember whether he fired five shots or six. Harry asks him whether he feels lucky, a classic scene with a classic line.
Harry and his partner continue to pursue the Scorpio Killer, convincingly played by veteran actor Andrew Robinson. As seemed typical for the era, the city keeps trying to appease the Scorpio Killer while Harry keeps trying to bring him to justice. Even when the identity of the killer is known it appears that the justice system is impotent, unable to bring the killer to justice. Harry, on the other hand, will get this murderer, kidnapper and abuser of children.
With the benefit of four decades of movie-making, we can see that "Dirty Harry" was a new class of police officer who led the way for legions of police officers frustrated with a cumbersome justice system that adheres to the rules so completely that it forgets to get justice. The extras, which are very good, make this observation in detail.
Two extras I particularly liked were "Dirty Harry's Way" and "Dirty Harry: The Original." In addition to discussing the effect of "Dirty Harry" on the film industry, there is significant discussion of Harry's attitude. Other extras include interviews, commentary by Clint Eastwood biographer Richard Schickel, and a "Dirty Harry" movie trailer gallery.
It is always clear that the bad guys are really bad and deserve their punishment. Harry never gets it wrong. Does Harry short-circuit the justice system? Of course. However, Harry is a fictional character. While we may wish that criminals get justice much faster than our system seems to do, in reality, the system sometimes gets it wrong and the safeguards that cause the system to move slowly are there to help minimize the chance for mistakes. Would most of us condone a real-life Dirty Harry? Probably not. However, it is fun to think about justice that gets our adrenaline flowing.
"Dirty Harry" remains a highly original ground breaking movie that made way for dozens of others. I have watched this movie many times and hopefully will watch it many more times. It is one of the great movies, making a number of "best of" lists. Violent and raw, though perhaps not all that violent by today's standards, it is not for everyone, but if you enjoy crime thrillers and can handle an R-rating, then this one is for you.
Enjoy!
Summary of Dirty Harry
Synopsis:Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: R
Street Date: 09/09/08
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: yes
LanguageENGLISH
Foreign Film: no
Subtitlesno
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve Please note: This supplier will be closed on 11/24, 11/25, 12/26, 1/2 for the holidays. The shipping cut off is 12/10 to try and have the products delivered by Christmas.
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