UK PAL laserdisc review.
Originally published on London Calling Internet.
Distributor Pioneer LDCE
£19.99
BBFC Certificate 15
Director Peter Weir (1985)
Starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, Danny Glover
Running Time 108 min
Dolby Surround
Widescreen: 1.85:1
Chaptered? Yes
CLV
2 Sides
First American movie by Australian director Weir was also Ford’s first attempt at serious acting (for all those who think the star didn’t have his work cut out on the Indiana Jones or Star Wars films which previously made his name). The piece shifts constantly between a generally unremarkable gun-laden, American cop thriller on the one hand and an utterly unique portrait of Amish life on the other – so unique, in fact, that most people who have heard of the Amish have done so through this film.
The simple respect afforded the Amish – an extreme post-Anabaptist, post-Mennonite Christian tradition that abhors post-industrial material in favour of a pre-industrial community lifestyle – is quite extraordinary given Hollywood’s usual smack-in-the-face / pat-on-the-head attitude towards Christianity. Here, Weir just notes and observes, making no judgements one way or the other, leaving us rather to make up our own minds.
What Weir does do, though – and to remarkable effect – is juxtapose this clean and idealistic world with a foul-mouthed, urban universe of corrupt cops.… Read the rest