Point Blank (1967) | The Documentary

on June 18th 1944 Lee Marvin and fellow Marines faced a devastating ambush in the South Pacific Japanese artillery decimated their ranks reducing their number of troops from 247 to six Marvin sustained a severe injury from machine gun fire resulting in a critical wound his active combat was over leaving him haunted by the loss of his comrades plagued by nightmares and self-medicating with alcohol he carried the survivors guilt from the Ambush that mostly annihilated his platoon this internal conflict became a driving force behind his intense and compelling performances on screen Point Blank begins with with a man shot Lee knew how to play a man back from the dead so John Borman the director of Point Blank initiated his career in the film industry as an editor before transitioning to directing documentaries and television projects for the BBC this path led him to his debut feature film catch us if you can 1965 a venture inspired by the success of the Beatles a hard day night featuring the pop group The Dave Clark 5 while the film did not achieve significant Commercial Success it garnered critical Acclaim contributing to borman's emerging reputation in the film industry borman's last documentary with the BBC focused on the pioneer of narrative filmmaking DW Griffith spending over a year on this project Borman gained a profound understanding of Griffith's contributions to cinema he openly acknowledged Griffith's M yet often unrecognized influence on filmmakers and the film industry stating that all filmmakers are greatly indebted to him even though many in the industry and general audience are unaware of the extent of this influence borman's accumulated experience and insight particularly his deep comprehension of cinematic history and narrative techniques were instrumental in authentically portraying the anguish and complexity of Lee Marvin's character on the screen through Nat Cohen the producer of catch us if you can John Borman connected with American agents turned producers Bob chartoff Irwin Winkler and Jud Bernard this group had just finished their first film with MGM Double Trouble starring Elvis Presley and were searching for a new project their next project was found when Patricia Casey Bernard's assistant introduced them to a screenplay developed by David neous and his brother Rafe based on the Hunter by Donald E Westlake recognizing its potential chartoff Winkler and Bernard bought the rights agreeing to change the film and characters names as per West lak's condition the hunter turned into point blank and the main character Parker would be altered to Walker Westlake who had published eight books featuring Parker by 1966 only permitted using the original name if it was for a series the winner is Lee Marvin in the producers were in agreement that Lee Marvin who had recently won an Oscar would be perfectly cast as Walker Bernard recalled Marvin said he was interested 6 months went by and nothing happened I couldn't get the picture off the ground then something clicked every actor had turned it down Alex cord Tony Curtis Stuart Whitman Peter Fork what clicked was a bit of a fast while Bernard was in London according to the director Sydney J Fury Bernard screened Fury's movie the IP Cress file for Marvin and convinced him Borman had directed It Marvin liking the movie agreed to meet with Borman to discuss the project Marvin was in London filming The Dirty Dozen Borman was under the impression Lee had never seen any of his work when Marvin and Borman first met they both admitted they didn't like the script but liked the Walker character they both felt his quest for Revenge had potential after meeting a couple more times times Borman understood more about Marvin's War experience he came to realize that Marvin was completely brutalized by the war and that in a way acting for him was a way to recover his Humanity or to purge himself of what he'd done this understanding influenced borman's approach to rewriting the script Borman told Marvin he felt Walker was emotionally and physically wounded to a point where he was no longer human making him frightening but also pure in a certain sense his only connection with life was through violence yet he lacked the conviction or cruelty or passion to take pleasure from it or satisfaction from Vengeance Borman painted a bleak picture and Lee was intrigued Lee looked at me in the eye and said I'll do this flick with you on one condition what's that he tossed the script out of the open [Music] window Lee Marvin had script approval cast approval and approval of key crew in his contract he told all the bigwigs at MGM that he deferred the approval to John so on his first Hollywood backed feature film Borman had almost total control of his movie with a budget of $2 million Borman now tasked with a complete overhaul of the screenplay reached out to Alex Jacobs an old associate from their BBC days together they embarked on an intricate yet expedited process of redrafting with each new version they further streamlined the dialogue the original script had an oldfashioned throwback gangster feel you're yellow whereas Jacobs and Borman wanted to make an enterprising fresh Thriller that was a half real ahead of the audience the script is anything but conventional and is presented in a series of fragmented nonlinear deliberately dreamlike scenes that make it quite unlike any american crime film that came before for it borman's Vision was to reshape the gangster genre maintaining its inherent violence while crafting a complex narrative structure Borman felt the character Walker represents an average person isolated and unsupported grappling with the might of a corporate entity only to face constant dismissal and marginalization his response to this rejection mirrors the path of violence like the fictional character portrayed by Michael Douglas in falling down or the real Tony kitzes in the documentary dead man's life too godamn desperate to do anything else a godamn man couldn't think good and he always wanted what was wrong now he knows this narrative highlights the Elite's indifference towards the growing resentment and frustration among Ordinary People the organization's bosses all react to Walker as if his bold rage is not allowed or Justified why do you run around doing things like this what do you want the suggestive rather than explicit script made no sense to MGM president Robert O'Brien but with Marvin's approval deferral to Borman there wasn't much he could do about it Borman later stated I knew that the script wasn't right there were problems desperately wrong with it basic flaws which I tried to cover up paper over never quite succeeded in doing so writing a script in 1966 could be quite the challenge not only did you need to please your stakeholders but you also needed to appease the production code Administration by adhering to the motion picture code the motion picture production code commonly called the haze code represented a set of self-imposed guidelines for Content censorship in American Motion Pictures most major US film studios actively adhered to this code from 1934 until 1968 in 1966 upon assuming the presidency of the Motion Picture Association of America Jack Valente encountered his first challenge with the film who's afraid of VG wolf over its explicit language you laugh your godamn head off Valente broke at a deal that saw the removal of the word screw while retaining other controversial phrases hum H yes shut up will you the film ultimately gained approval from the production code despite including previously banned language this incident prompted a revision of the code reducing the number of explicit prohibitions but introducing a new power for the production code Administration to designate films as suggested for mature audiences while Borman was writing the script the hay code was on its last legs yet it was still trying and succeeding in censoring point blank between October 1966 and February 1967 the production code Administration or PCA sent several letters regarding their concerns with the script such as we ask that you shorten the dialogue referring to mle's past Behavior with prostitutes the business of pushing the gun in Bruce mouth is unacceptable this stomping and kicking seems excessively brutal and we ask that it be eliminated it will be essential to avoid unacceptable nudity or vulgar dancing in early January 1967 the PCA threatened to basically Blacklist the film by not approving it at all we note several important changes in this script from the previous version submitted for code consideration in our opinion these revisions produce a script which now includes extremely serious problems under the code and one which would result in a film that could not be approved by this office after several script changes the PCA would approve point blank with a rating of suggested for mature audiences while point blank was technically made and released under the haze code it was part of the movement that helped end the code's dominance the film's style and content reflected the changing attitudes in American Cinema and Society contributing to the shift towards more mature and complex film narratives Borman chose Angie Dickinson over Stella Stevens mgm's choice for the co-starring role of Chris Marvin had worked with Dickinson in the killers and M Squad hi Hazel long time no see you know each other yeah I bought her a couple of drinks down on the street in fact Hazel here and I have kept each other out in trouble with the police a couple of times isn't that right Hazel yeah to popular belief Dickinson did not hold a grudge against Marvin for the scene in The Killers where Marvin hung her out of a window yes bourman alluded to it in a couple of interviews in jest but think about it why would Dickinson be upset about a scripted stunt done on a TV set shut uput shut up swe there was Zero danger to her was she mad at Ronald Reagan for slapping her in the face well I can change that in a hurry dick son's intense performance in the slapping scene with Marvin was her following the script not personal animosity behind the scenes images show the cast smiling after shooting the scene and Dickinson's comments about Marvin were always positive describing him as a tough bastard and a great guy and a man of few words he was pretty awesome Marvin had suggested Peggy Lee whom he starred with in Pete Kelly's blues for the co-starring role of Chris but he was content with Dickinson in the role speaking of Marvin getting slapped around actress Vivian Lee took it to Marvin with her high heels 2 years earlier hey what the hell go on get up get up get get to play the part of the mythical yast character Marvin personally chose Keenan win wi and Marvin developed a lifelong friendship during the production of Shack out on 101 in 1955 hey feel is that's pretty hot as hard as mine it's a matter of opinion that's a beautiful looking set of muscles how many times have I told you not to call them muscles you want to sound like an amateur call them PEX four years before his renowned role as Archie Bunker in All in the Family Carol o' Conor secured the role of Brewster Borman recalled an incident during the shooting of okon's death scene they discovered in the dailies that okona made absurd sounds that caused laughter when OK Conor was already on his way back to LA they had the highway patrol intercept him to return for a re-shoot much to his shagrin will you stifle yourself Borman initially wanted blue-eyed villains intentionally avoiding casting Italian or Jewish actors yet he learned after casting Lloyd bachner as Frederick Carter that bachner was Jewish and devoutly religious contrary to his casting intent by 1968 he still had not realize this discrepancy did the organization have the mysterious overtones I wanted to make it the business World it seems to me the business world is the organization in America I didn't have any Jews or Italians in it they were all wasps everybody had blue eyes what do they got against the Jews back home we don't have anything against the Jews John Vernon and Sharon Aker notable for their strong performances in the Canadian TV series wojek made their Hollywood debut in these roles Marvin doubting Vernon's ability to match his intensity heightened tensions during rehearsals at his house while rehearsing Marvin punched Vernon in the stomach causing him to double over in pain and cry asserting he's an actor not a fighter cut the horeshit son Vernon later appeared in major films like Dirty Harry The Outlaw Josie Wales Animal House and others that's so fast Boys Nobody moves the girl gets at first you're Mr B but I thought you were what above playing an exploitation villain what you're wrong James siking eager to play the Assassin faced initial rejection by Borman for looking too nice undeterred siking frequently waited outside borman's office hiding like an assassin hold her right there police officer let's go now move it to demonstrate his suitability for the role this persistence paid off and Borman cast him Borman considered filming point blank in black and white but the prevailing Hollywood strategy at the time was to make movies in color to compete with the growing television market as point blank was borman's first color film he embraced creativity he shot each scene emphasizing a single color progressing from Grays and blues to dark red in the final acts for example Carter's office is entirely composed of shades of green the entrance blinds carpet phone walls and the actor's suits Green symbolized who had Walker's money which lent a unifying power to the scenes the MGM art department head didn't initially grasp this Vision Borman explained that the green tones would vary some would appear yellow due to the film's Emulsion reaction While others would lean towards Brown in another example Lynn's apartment showcases a pallet of silver Grays and metallic Blues which creates a cold sterile atmosphere in contrast her sister's house exudes warmth with its yellow and orange Hues Borman adhering to his color scheme he painted a coin operated telescope yellow to complement Chris's dress and Walker's slightly darker shirt and tie Borman would later confess Angie was very unhappy with me about forcing her to change her hair color I had this maniacal idea that I wanted her hair to be the same color as her dress and we went through three dying jobs to get there the hairdresser at MGM said I can't go any further her hair is starting to break off this Innovative approach to using color for storytelling and evoking emotions was groundbreaking in later years directors like Tim Burton would Advance these ideas even further today film credits often include a specialized role to enhance colors digitally known as colorist Point Blank stands out for its distinctive cinematography partly due to bourman being the first filmmaker to use the newly created Panavision C Series anamorphic 40mm lens this lens allowed the creation of wide and distinctive visuals Borman described himself as Intoxicated by anamorphic additionally the film benefited from the expertise of cinematographer Philip H Lathrup who was Oscar nominated for the Americanization of Emily and his renowned work on the iconic 12-minute opening shot in Orson wells's Touch of Evil Le's experience in black and white Noir was pivotal in capturing borman's color Noir Vision leup significantly aided Borman in transitioning to working with a major Studio while fostering his creative instincts Borman remembers a specific instance reflecting this Dynamic at that time the cber some studio Mitchell camera was commonly used in American film making but point blank was also being shot with the smaller more agile Air Flex leup aware of the studio Executives visit to the set advised Borman to use the big camera while they were around Lathrup said to Borman if they see all that money disappearing into that itsy bitsy camera they're going to get very nervous the original screenplay had the location as San Francisco but once Borman got there he felt the gentle Hills and pastel colors were wrong for The Bleak cold picture he wanted to make so he moved the bulk of the shooting to Los Angeles at first the studio did not like the change but once they figured shooting in La over San Francisco would save them $100,000 they were all for it filming began on February 20th 1967 and lasted 8 weeks although Borman shot most of Point Blank in Los Angeles he filled the opening scene at alcatra Island making it the first motion picture filmed at the former federal prison money and by partisan political persuasion made it possible to convert Alcatraz into a movie set temporarily producer Jud Bernard worked with Republican senator George Murphy San Francisco Democrat Mayor John F shell and the president of the Motion Picture Association Jack Valente to make it happen MGM accepted any liability for accidents paid 2 ,000 a day in rent and agreed not to glamorize any former inmates like Al Capone or Machine Gun Kelly the production needed to be self-contained for the two we shoot at Alcatraz and Fort Point MGM sent trucks and trailers filled with Lights generators camera gear a complete makeup unit and miscellaneous items to maintain a company of 125 on the island on the first day of shooting Lee Marvin was nowhere to to be found upon arriving in San Francisco the night before he and jazz legend and co-star from Pete Kelly's Blues Ella Fitzgerald went on an allight Bender Borman infuriated destroyed his hotel room in the scene where Vernon's character shoots Walker actor Sharon aka's right forefinger floated past the gun's nuzzle the powder Blast from the blank ripped open the inside of her finger eight stitches were required AKA was in shock for 2 hours and remained hospitalized for the better part of the day rering it virtually Escape when it came time for Marvin's stuntman to swim off Alcatraz the stuntman said it was too cold so Marvin did it himself since Marvin did this and other stunts he was awarded a bonus stuntman check at the movies wrap-up party the Walkers coming to get you scene set in terminal 6 at Los Angeles International Airport is the film's most talked about segment Walker back from the dead and seeking his money moves through the deserted airport to confront his betraying wife this iconic scene contrasts Walker's determined march with his wife applying makeup and beauty parlor visit symbolizing her preparation for death contrary to popular belief it wasn't the first movie to use the backdrop smog was the first followed by Sunday in New York and then the loved one and many others post Point Blank following Lee Marvin's death in 1987 his widow offered Borman the chance to select a Keepsake of Le Borman chose the size 13 shoes Marvin wore in that scene which are now preserved in the bourman archive at the University of Indiana Lee significantly contributed to the film not just as an actor but as a creative Force Borman praised him for his ability to find Visual metaphors for instance Lee suggested shooting into the empty bed of his betraying wife and dramatically simulating a recoil symbolizing the backfire of his character's quest for Revenge with an exaggerated arm jerk the blank filled Smith and Wesson 45 Magnum was chosen by Marvin for its imposing size a gun later popularized by Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry in his book Borman detailed how Lee would influence modifications to the script right until the start of filming a scene when we came to rehearse this interrogation Lee was supposed to ask a number of questions where's Reese who brings the money every month Etc after shooting out the bed with its obvious sexual connotations we played the following scene with Walker spent post Cole he tips out the empty cartridges and the gun flops down the penis parallel is rather overt as we rehearsed the actress Sharon Aker getting no questions from Lee waited then simply went through her lines Lee was signaling to me that it was impossible for Walker to start questioning her in his depleted State we were about to shoot the set was lit I quickly rewrote her responses so as to include the questions reys I haven't seen him the money a guy brings it first of every month Lee sat impassively as she answered his unasked questions in addition to finding metaphors and helping with the script Lee would bring personal emotions to his character when Walker finds that his wife has committed suicide Marvin brings genuine pain to the screen in the same year as filming Point Blank Marvin's long-term partner Michelle triola also attempted suicide with an overdose of pills a few years before his death Marvin ruminated on these parallels between art and reality I saw Point Blank at a film festival a year or so ago and I was absolutely shocked it was a rough film the Prototype that was a troubled time for me too in my own personal relationship so I used an awful lot of that while making the picture even the suicide of my wife point blank was pushing the boundaries of contemporary Hollywood film production and subtle Progressive ideas if you've seen the film you might find it surprising to find out the filmmakers meant to infer homosexual overtones between Walker and Reese in this scene they weighed through a sea of men to find each other at the all male party symbolizing the path of past love lovers when Reese takes Walker to the floor he manhandles an uncertain Walker and Marvin reacts like a passive girl what are you doing this idea is echoed further when Walker dumps Reese out of bed and then becomes the alpha and climbs on top of him or how he continues to yank on Reese via the phallic sheet Borman said I think I inadequately explained his relationship with his friend I wanted to build up this sense of comradeship with his friend with homosexual overtones a few of you may be thinking there would be no way an actor like Lee Marvin would play a gay man in 1966 but an interview with Marvin by playboy in 1968 would say otherwise could you ever impersonate a homosexual on screen it would be easy for me to play a homosexual now that I know where I stand I can indulge myself in such things without any fear the home where Brewster met Walker one year prior was the actual crash pad for the Beatles after their 1966 US tour the Fab 4 played pool in the same room where Chris whacked Walker with a Q stick and they enjoyed the swimming pool with fellow musicians David Crosby and Joan bz ironically Paul McCartney and John lenon derived their groups name from the name of Lee Marvin's characters motorcycle gang The Beatles from the movie The Wild one where all miss you did you miss them yeah yeah the Beatles missed you all the Beatles missed you in 1998 Hollywood cameras rolled into the Los Angeles home to film the TV movie The Rat Pack bringing rayy otter and Don chedel to life as the iconic ratpack members the following year rock band lit used the home as the backdrop for their music video Ziploc Drew Barrymore acquired the 8,000 FT Property in 2002 for approximately $3 million she allowed the British rock band radio head to use the house for a 3-we recording stint in 2010 for their album The King of Limbs Barry Moore eventually sold the property in 2018 for $16 million point blank became the first major motion picture to equip every cast member with concealed wireless microphones setting a precedent for almost all TV and movie productions today in 1966 the norm was to use a boom mic to capture audio which mostly worked well unless it captured unwanted ambient noises necessitating post-filming dialogue re-recording additionally scenes requiring Dynamic movement like those in vehicles presented significant challenges wireless microphones small enough to be discreetly hidden under clothing offered a solution placing the microphone closer to the actor's mouth drastically reduced unwanted background noise resulting in a more natural and immersive soundscape Additionally the wireless transmission via UHF radio waves eliminated the physical constraints of Boom mics allowing actors to move freely and untethered this Innovation provided sound Engineers with a valuable alternative for post- production guaranteeing pristine audio even when boom mic recordings were compromised while other films had experimented with wireless techn ology on a limited basis point blank embraced this cuttingedge approach with unparalleled enthusiasm the film employed 125 custombuilt wireless microphones solidifying its position as a Pioneer in cinematic sound capture the blue and white airplane Brewster arrives in was destroyed less than a year later on February 23rd 1968 it tried to land in Chicago f following a large passenger jet too closely and got caught in the plane's Vortex turbulence the plane landed hard its landing gear collapsed and it skidded 1,500 ft down the runway like I picked the wrong we quit sniffing blue when it came to rest both engines and wings were burning the pilot managed to open a side door and get out of the plane as he ran across the air strip the plane exploded firemen at the airport quickly extinguished the Flames but the craft was destroyed some people believe the movie is a dying man in the THS of death and is a fever dream of sorts and the entire film is a figment of Walker's imagination or Walker is a Wandering ghost who must satisfy his cravings for Vengeance on his wife friend and all involved before he can rest Walker doesn't Direct kill anyone instead his presence induces them to kill themselves and each other the closest he comes is in the scene where John Vernon falls off a balcony during their struggle and even then it's somewhat ambiguous how deliberate that was on Walker's part Walker is shot at Point Blank Range and both bullets tear into Walker's stomach they are the sort of wounds that prove fatal in nine out of 10 cases but Walker survives the blasts and miraculously gets across the Channel with freezing water and deadly currents between the Rock and the mainland either this is far-fetched or a man dreaming Walker's hair goes from dark before being shot to ghost white when he reemerges on the tourboat there are lines spoken in the film that directly reference Walker being alive or not you died at Alcatraz all right how good it must be being dead is it Walker you still alive after Lynn's suicide we have no clear notion of the passing of time as Walker moves from one room to another he Remains the Same But the rooms are substantially changed and Walker seems almost surprised as these scenes are continuous to him Walker crouches in the corner marred by Shadow an image suggesting he's never left his prison cell SL coffin on Alcatraz at the end of the film Walker finally has the opportunity to get his money well come and get your money then yet he doesn't Walker Fades into the shadows and leaves the money where it is a ghost does not need any money the purpose of his return from the grave vengeance is accomplished and now he returns to the shadows and death some movie reviews and podcasts about point blank say Borman never States if the film takes place entirely in Walker's head this isn't 100% accurate yes in some interviews Borman says the viewers should decide for themselves but he has also alluded that Walker does die in the beginning in his Michelle cement interview he States seeing the film one should be able to imagine that this whole story of vengeance is taking place at the moment of his death in a 2015 Sight and Sound interview he stated I struggled to get an ending there and finally I decided he just gradually Fades Into Darkness a series of shots in which he just sort of disappears a lot of people found that unsatisfactory he doesn't take the money but that was okay because it wasn't about the money really the fading away was to suggest that possibly he hadn't really existed at all one of the people who did not like the ending was borman's co-writer Alex Jacob he preferred the original ending they wrote a link is available in the description if you want to read it during the editing phase of the movie director Borman was confident in the expertise of his editor Henry Burman and Oscar winner for his work on Grand Prix and Borman himself had a background in film editing however their process was constantly interrupted by producer Jud Bernard who insisted on overseeing their work and frequently criticized The film's Bleak tone he even threatened to take control of the editing post filming to counter this Borman filmed minimally limiting the possibility of significant post-production changes despite this Bernard remained a persistent annoyance in the editing room the situation changed after Borman presented the film to Margaret Booth mgm's respected supervising editor known for her stringent re-editing of films she deemed subpar Borman and Booth connected over their admiration for DW Griffith's Works Borman had recently directed a documentary on Griffith and Booth began her career editing for Griffith in 1915 Booth suggested only minor edits after watching the film post adjustments she presented it to MGM Executives who confused contemplated further changes and re-shoot Booth however firmly opposed any alterations stating that any change would be over her dead body Not only was borman's film editor an Oscar winner but so was his music composer Johnny Mandel the same Year Marvin won his Oscar Mandel won his gold statue for music original song from the movie sandpaper the song that most people know of Mandel's prolific work would be the intro to the 1970s movie and long-running TV show MASH unlike many composers Mandel was on set during the filming of Point Blank while on alcatra island he found an outof Tune Piano in the jail basement that had been there for decades this helped Inspire him to create a surreal disconnected score and combine a group of unique instruments and effects to complement director borman's stream of Consciousness approach to the movie it's more tonal than melodic Mandel based his 45 minutes of music on a minor 12-tone score that utilizes tapes running at half speed later Mandel said a lot of fun to do that movie work but fun that's one of the more rewarding ones Point Blank premiered in San Francisco on August 30th 1967 and WR pulled out worldwide over the next 6 months 5 days before the film's gala World premiere Life Magazine devoted three full color pages to leather Fashions photographed on alcatra island and modeled by the film's leading ladies Angie Dickinson and Sharon AKA several of the outfits Illustrated comprise part of the national Point Blank fashion promotion with Highlander clothes over 60 major stores throughout the country participated in this promotion what are you doing in here what do you want I want my money the exact box office gross of Point Blank in 1967 remains unclear most online reports suggest a figure of $9 million citing an interview with the film's two producers in 1968 however this number likely skews high as it includes a speculative phrase may very well gross 9 million noted film author Howard Hughes reports that the US release earned only 3 .5 million a more accurate estimate might be around 7 million equivalent to 64 million in $224 ranking It 32nd among the top 100 movies for 1967 while respectable it wasn't a blockbuster especially compared to Lee Marvin's other 1967 release The Dirty Dozen which grossed 51 million or almost 400 million in 2024 2 weeks before the premiere MGM did some test screenings of the 166 people who participated 74 felt it was excellent 44 thought it was good and 48 thought point blank was fair or poor 93 would recommend it to their friends while 37 wouldn't people loved Marvin overwhelmingly but were not fans of actress Sharon Aker some of the comments left were film editors must have been drunk because Lee Marvin is a great actor and this movie is quite beneath him too many flashbacks tired of of violence and sex just for the sake of violence and sex in the United States the film struggled to gain positive reviews critics were either put off by the level of violence the script or they failed to appreciate the distinct foreign film style that Borman Incorporated yes some Forward Thinking critics like Roger Ebert from the Chicago Sun Times got it saying as suspense Thrillers go point blank is pretty good giving it four out of five stars or Bosley Crowder of the nework New York Times saying this much must be said for Point Blank the crime melodrama came in a blaze of gunfire and color it is a spectacularly stylized and vividly photographed film that hints at some of the complex organization and hideous inhumanity of the modern day underworld however many reviews were unfavorable especially in mainstream magazines like time and life or even respected periodicals like the New Yorker let me note first that nothing I have to say about what happens in this movie is guaranteed to be accurate the writers have decked their simple and Savage tale with such show offy guor of flashes back forward and sidewise and have left so many critical facts either Untold or unexplained that any six members of a given audience would be apt to recount six different versions of the plot even Hollywood's first daily trade newspaper did not like Point Blank the director proves that he is switched on but raises doubts that he is tuned in the resulting voguish will date the film quickly Borman and the screenwriters play with time throughout the film the easiest explanation being that it is a necessary diversion to disguise the weaknesses of the script Borman admitted in 1968 that some of the criticism was valid by saying the critics did attack the film rightly for weaknesses in the script I know that I certainly couldn't write American dialogue although I did quite a lot of it in point blank perhaps perhaps that's one of the things that's wrong with it as time marched on and once the home movie revolution started via video rental stores Point Blank became a cult classic and now the general thought amongst critics and fans is overwhelmingly favorable Martin scorsi showed his love for the film by putting the movie poster in this scene from his movie Mean Streets and then in 20110 saying this was one of the first movies that really took the storytelling Innovations of the French New Wave the shock cuts the flash forwards the abstraction and applied them to the crime genre John borman's picture reset the gangster picture on a then modern wavelength it gave us a sense of how the genre could pulse with the energy of a new era Point blank's influence on future Movie Makers is undeniable but there are some repeated movies said to be influenced by Point Blank that weren't so you lie to yourself to be happy there's nothing wrong with that we all do it countless times on the web and in books Christ Nolan's momento is mentioned to have been influenced by Point Blank but Nolan has stated he never saw Point Blank before or during the making of momento it's a rather surprising fact I can certainly understand the parallels admits Nolan it's very similar in the way it starts throwing you into this chronological turmoil also the Revenge motive it's taken to such an extreme I'm never surprised to see other films people have made that have done the same kind of things as me we're all working in the same Realm and we're all drawing from everyday life and books and experiences bet you're a big Lee Marvin fan aren't you yeah me too I love that game claims of Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs being influenced by point blank are unsubstantiated Beyond mentioning Lee Marvin the film lacks any tangible connections Tarantino himself has said that he is not a fan of Point Blank except for its first 10 minutes he considers the outfit the best Parker related movie and prefers Marvin's performance in The Killers over Point [Music] Blank not long after the premere of Point Blank Marvin brought another project to Borman about an American Airman and a Japanese naval officer who is washed up on a tiny Island during the Pacific War Borman was not thrilled about the story but how could he refuse the man who lifted him up from obscurity they made hell in the Pacific but that would be the last movie they worked on together Borman would continue to offer roles to Marvin but for various reasons it never worked out they remained great friends until Marvin died in 1987 after completing point blank producers Bob chartoff and wiwin Winkler adapted another novel by Westlake I 7th into a film titled the split starring Jim Brown in the role of Parker the duo would go on to produce many hit and critically praised films like Raging Bull the right stuff and rocky rocky a Robert chof Irwin Winkler production and the winner is Rocky irn Winkler and Robert chart off producers producer Jud Bernard went his own way from chart off and winklers and never replicated their level of box office and critical Acclaim in subsequent projects Point Blank redefined the crime Thriller genre wielding new stylistic and narrative techniques it forged its path redefining character archetypes and blending movie genres in a way that challenged the very fabric of Hollywood film making its influence continues to echo through the corridors of film history inspiring filmmakers and captivating audiences with its Timeless Allure and profound impact on visual storytelling Point Blank stands as a powerful Testament to Cinema's ability to transcend the boundaries of [Music] time

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Keywords: Point Blank 1967, John Boorman, Lee Marvin, neo-noir cinema, classic films, 1960s movies, film analysis, movie documentary, Hollywood history, crime thriller, filmmaking, behind the scenes, cinematic techniques, film legacy, movie reviews, film industry insights, classic cinema exploration, cultural impact of movies, filmmaking secrets, iconic movie scenes, actor profiles, cinematic storytelling, film editing techniques, character analysis, movie trivia, film critique

Id: Q8mkOTWcY8U

Length: 43min 23sec (2603 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 03 2024