Uh, am I hearing things? Or is Popeye's gunshot WAY DIFFERENT (longer, bassier, more nuanced) than it was originally? I know there was a 'restored' version of The French Connection (which the cinematographer was none to pleased with), but have they also re-done the sound FX?
@bloggaloggs Yep, they did. The first movie gunshot sounds were made more modern in keeping with current trends but the original gunshot sounds in the sequel remained as they were on DVD. I should know as I used to own French Connection II on video.
@bloggaloggs who cares? this film seems so dated now, unlike the godfather or bonnie and clyde, e.g. i mean, this film was highly over-rated. the only performance by gh that was noteworthy was buck barrow. all of the other hundreds? of his screen characters pale in comparison, imo
@ultrakool You should check out Harry Moseby in Night Moves. He was a far more sympathetic and thoughtful character than Popeye Doyle ever could be, but also not a man you would want to mess with either and he was also out of his depth. Harry Caul in The Conversation was another gripping character and GH was terrific as the FBI veteran in Mississipi Burning.
@g25inmfsj6 People call it an action movie, but like you said, it was more a thriller and was based on a true story. The car chase was very very good for its time and there were some other good pursuits, but you might like French Connection II more. It does sag in the 1st hour or so but gets even better after Doyle recovers from his forced addiction and seeks revenge on Charnier.
@bloggaloggs That's true. What William Friedkin had set out to do was make a thriller that was very unlike what Hollywood had done previously. He wanted to examine the seamier, seedier and sleazier side to the Big Apple and portray the cops as the anti-heroes who could be as ruthless as the villains. French Connection II was good in that it was set in Marseilles, France, and the sleazy side of that city was exposed too.
@g25inmfsj6 For a bad film, it certainly did very well. Winning Best Picture and Best Actor Oscars as well as a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Roy Scheider. This was a highly influential police thriller and nothing like it had ever been made before 1971. Popeye Doyle was the ultimate brutal no-holds-barred anti-hero extraordinaire.
The ending to French Connection 2 is one of the most satisfying endings ever to any film. Don't want to ruin it here for those who haven't seen it even though it's included here.
@gmartin1985 I agree. For the time, it must have been quite shocking, but that's the only way it was going to happen after what Popeye had been through. I read on wikipedia there were plans for French Connection 3 which would see Doyle back in NYC and maybe dealing with a relative of Charnier's out for revenge, but Hackman didn't want it. The script that was written was later turned into the Stallone film Nighthawks.
@92af That and the sequel were two of the best police action thrillers to come out of the '70s. Jimmy Doyle and Harry Callahan were two influential Hollywood heroes, spawning the likes of John McClane and Martin Riggs.
@CI5AgentSweeps Nice one. You know, you're right. When Doyle first shoots Nicoli, it's on the right side of his back and the second shot is through his left side on the chest where you see the bloodstain. I bet you're glad you've got TFC on video because of the gunshot sounds. :)
I received my two French Connection video tapes today and Jimmy actually shoots the hitman twice (it goes very quickly so I guess they just thought they'd over-dub it as one gunshot for the DVD release rather then two quiet ones! :)
@CI5AgentSweeps Nice one. You know, you're right. When Doyle first shoots Nicoli, it's on the right side of his back and the second shot is through his left side on the chest where you see the bloodstain. I bet you're glad you've got TFC on video because of the gunshot sounds. :)
I received my two French Connection video tapes today and Jimmy actually shoots the hitman twice (it goes very quickly so I guess they just thought they'd over-dub it as one gunshot for the DVD release rather then two quiet ones! :)
IMO the hitman did deserve to die even if he was unarmed and he got shot in the back by Doyle. After all he had killed that guy at the start, the woman with the pram, the train guard and a passenger on the train. Doyle did the right thing, he just wanted to finish it. I have to say that from the bit where Doyle is taking cover from being shot at by the sniper and after he finally catches up with him & kills him, that's one hell of an action scene :)
@CI5AgentSweeps I think the 2nd guy he killed on the train was actually a ticket collector - he had a uniform on, so I assume he was that. You're right there. I've heard some directors talk about Gene Hackman being a superb athlete and they're correct. Just like Richard Bradford. :)
At first, I thought he only had a six shooter but since he clearly fired more than six shots, I thought I was clearly wrong but maybe we are right! :)
@SweepsProductions Yep. I used to have these movies on video and the shots were harder-sounding. Unfortunately like The Sweeney, there's no mono option on these TFC DVDs :(.
Have you got them separatly or in a box set? BTW: Why is Doyle stumbling about a bit when he shoots the first guy. I know he'd just been in a car chase but he seemed okay at the time :)
@SweepsProductions I got 2 DVDs in one container - shaped more like a single-disc set than a box :). Actually before the car chase, Doyle did a lot of running to go after the hitman after he took a shot at him. One of the greatest action scenes of the 1970s.
@jexplink He killed so many people himself so Popeye killed him. It's a pity Gene Hackman didn't do one more movie as Doyle - it could have been set in New York again. Actually, a script had been written for a 3rd Popeye movie, but it was turned into the 1981 Stallone movie Nighthawks.
Uh, am I hearing things? Or is Popeye's gunshot WAY DIFFERENT (longer, bassier, more nuanced) than it was originally? I know there was a 'restored' version of The French Connection (which the cinematographer was none to pleased with), but have they also re-done the sound FX?
bloggaloggs 8 months ago
@bloggaloggs Yep, they did. The first movie gunshot sounds were made more modern in keeping with current trends but the original gunshot sounds in the sequel remained as they were on DVD. I should know as I used to own French Connection II on video.
Banner1979 8 months ago
@bloggaloggs who cares? this film seems so dated now, unlike the godfather or bonnie and clyde, e.g. i mean, this film was highly over-rated. the only performance by gh that was noteworthy was buck barrow. all of the other hundreds? of his screen characters pale in comparison, imo
ultrakool 6 months ago
@ultrakool You should check out Harry Moseby in Night Moves. He was a far more sympathetic and thoughtful character than Popeye Doyle ever could be, but also not a man you would want to mess with either and he was also out of his depth. Harry Caul in The Conversation was another gripping character and GH was terrific as the FBI veteran in Mississipi Burning.
Banner1979 6 months ago
@g25inmfsj6 People call it an action movie, but like you said, it was more a thriller and was based on a true story. The car chase was very very good for its time and there were some other good pursuits, but you might like French Connection II more. It does sag in the 1st hour or so but gets even better after Doyle recovers from his forced addiction and seeks revenge on Charnier.
Banner1979 10 months ago
@Banner1979 The French Connection is remarkable because it's a contemporary American action thriller in substance, but European avant-garde in style.
bloggaloggs 8 months ago
@bloggaloggs That's true. What William Friedkin had set out to do was make a thriller that was very unlike what Hollywood had done previously. He wanted to examine the seamier, seedier and sleazier side to the Big Apple and portray the cops as the anti-heroes who could be as ruthless as the villains. French Connection II was good in that it was set in Marseilles, France, and the sleazy side of that city was exposed too.
Banner1979 8 months ago
It also won Best Director (William Friedkin).
Banner1979 10 months ago
@g25inmfsj6 For a bad film, it certainly did very well. Winning Best Picture and Best Actor Oscars as well as a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Roy Scheider. This was a highly influential police thriller and nothing like it had ever been made before 1971. Popeye Doyle was the ultimate brutal no-holds-barred anti-hero extraordinaire.
Banner1979 10 months ago
The ending to French Connection 2 is one of the most satisfying endings ever to any film. Don't want to ruin it here for those who haven't seen it even though it's included here.
gmartin1985 1 year ago
@gmartin1985 I agree. For the time, it must have been quite shocking, but that's the only way it was going to happen after what Popeye had been through. I read on wikipedia there were plans for French Connection 3 which would see Doyle back in NYC and maybe dealing with a relative of Charnier's out for revenge, but Hackman didn't want it. The script that was written was later turned into the Stallone film Nighthawks.
Banner1979 1 year ago
hi banner
DoubleOhSeven68 1 year ago
French Connection is one of the best movies ever
92af 1 year ago 12
@92af That and the sequel were two of the best police action thrillers to come out of the '70s. Jimmy Doyle and Harry Callahan were two influential Hollywood heroes, spawning the likes of John McClane and Martin Riggs.
Banner1979 1 year ago 7
@CI5AgentSweeps Nice one. You know, you're right. When Doyle first shoots Nicoli, it's on the right side of his back and the second shot is through his left side on the chest where you see the bloodstain. I bet you're glad you've got TFC on video because of the gunshot sounds. :)
Banner1979 1 year ago
I received my two French Connection video tapes today and Jimmy actually shoots the hitman twice (it goes very quickly so I guess they just thought they'd over-dub it as one gunshot for the DVD release rather then two quiet ones! :)
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
@CI5AgentSweeps Nice one. You know, you're right. When Doyle first shoots Nicoli, it's on the right side of his back and the second shot is through his left side on the chest where you see the bloodstain. I bet you're glad you've got TFC on video because of the gunshot sounds. :)
Banner1979 1 year ago
I received my two French Connection video tapes today and Jimmy actually shoots the hitman twice (it goes very quickly so I guess they just thought they'd over-dub it as one gunshot for the DVD release rather then two quiet ones! :)
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
IMO the hitman did deserve to die even if he was unarmed and he got shot in the back by Doyle. After all he had killed that guy at the start, the woman with the pram, the train guard and a passenger on the train. Doyle did the right thing, he just wanted to finish it. I have to say that from the bit where Doyle is taking cover from being shot at by the sniper and after he finally catches up with him & kills him, that's one hell of an action scene :)
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
@CI5AgentSweeps I think the 2nd guy he killed on the train was actually a ticket collector - he had a uniform on, so I assume he was that. You're right there. I've heard some directors talk about Gene Hackman being a superb athlete and they're correct. Just like Richard Bradford. :)
Banner1979 1 year ago
Does he kill the FBI agent BEFORE the hitman?
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
Popeye does lots of overkill :)
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
@CI5AgentSweeps He could get a little over-excited, true. In that 2nd clip, he fired his gun EIGHT times and I thought he only had a six-shooter. :)
Banner1979 1 year ago
At first, I thought he only had a six shooter but since he clearly fired more than six shots, I thought I was clearly wrong but maybe we are right! :)
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
@CI5AgentSweeps We must be. He must have had a special kind of piece. :)
Banner1979 1 year ago
When he kills the hitman (1st clip) it sort of reminds me of the final shooting on Bullitt :)
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
@CI5AgentSweeps I know because both bad guys fall after getting shot with Ross falling forwards and Nicoli falling backwards. :)
Banner1979 1 year ago
Well I was thinking more like you can hear the crowd shouting in the background. Here you can hear "LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!" and "MURDERER! MUDERER!"
CI5AgentSweeps 1 year ago
Have the gunshot sounds been redubbed or something? because they sound a bit modern :)
SweepsProductions 1 year ago
@SweepsProductions Yep. I used to have these movies on video and the shots were harder-sounding. Unfortunately like The Sweeney, there's no mono option on these TFC DVDs :(.
Banner1979 1 year ago
Have you got them separatly or in a box set? BTW: Why is Doyle stumbling about a bit when he shoots the first guy. I know he'd just been in a car chase but he seemed okay at the time :)
SweepsProductions 1 year ago
@SweepsProductions I got 2 DVDs in one container - shaped more like a single-disc set than a box :). Actually before the car chase, Doyle did a lot of running to go after the hitman after he took a shot at him. One of the greatest action scenes of the 1970s.
Banner1979 1 year ago
Charnier deserved what he got. Heroin peddling scumbag.
jexplink 1 year ago
@jexplink He killed so many people himself so Popeye killed him. It's a pity Gene Hackman didn't do one more movie as Doyle - it could have been set in New York again. Actually, a script had been written for a 3rd Popeye movie, but it was turned into the 1981 Stallone movie Nighthawks.
Banner1979 1 year ago