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Customer Reviews:- Received fine
Received movie quicker than expected and in fine shape. The DVD played just fine, no skips/scratches.
Thanks...more info - The Classic Movies
Today when there is always a re-make of older movies almost on a constant level, I always like to see the original cut first, before passing judgment on the re-make. Well,..I have always enjoyed enjoyed watching the original Taking of Pelham 123, Its your classic 70's Drama. No wonder it was a top movie in 1974! With the re-make coming out this summer, it looks just as intense maybe even better than the original, either way Its a good movie and a must see (the original). ...more info - Highly entertaining movie
Really enjoyed watching this movie. My son recommended it to my after watching it in his film study class at college. It was very well done. The writing and acting were great and the movie was very suspenseful without being highly violent. I would recommended this movie to anyone....more info - 2.5 stars out of 4
The Bottom Line:
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a decent genre film, but not a transcendent one: Robert Shaw is in top form but Walter Matthau is particularly annoying as Shaw's bumbling foil, and the hokey ending (Gesundheit!) doesn't help matters....more info - Historical Landmark Alert
Historical Landmark Alert: in one of the shots of Walter Matthau sitting in the back seat of a speeding police car, you can see the Twin Towers through the rear window.
I can't really be objective about this movie since I was there at the time and I walked through Astor Place (where the police car hits the bicycle) on my way to school and I knew someone who was one of the extras in the street crowd around the subway entrance. But as far as I'm concerned there's only one flaw: we don't get to hear Robert Shaw's nigh-superhuman shouting voice. Other actors pulled their vocal muscles trying to shout like him. See for instance A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS: "Treachery, treachery, treachery! It maddens me! ... It is a deadly kanker on the body politic, and I WILL HAVE IT OUT!" Or, THE STING: "But my MONEY's in there!" Also some demonstrations in BLACK SUNDAY and FORCE 10 FROM NAVERONE. The screenwriters must not have known.
Don't let Shaw and Matthau make you overlook the great Martin Balsam. How many actors could play a lovable terrorist in a non-comedy and make it work this well??? Hector Elisondo also does a nice job of making a very one-dimensional, cartoonish character interesting....more info - Pelham 1 2 3: The Quintessential New York Movie
New York often serves as the backdrop for films. There is something about the buildings, the people, the subways that stamp New York as unique. Love blossoms, criminals go wilding, a many hued population often meet, if for only a time, to impact on each other. This is the New York of THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE. In an age where ideological terrorism seems to be taking root here and overseas, it is refreshing to see that the bad guys can still be motivated by big bucks, and one million of them is nothing to sneeze at. One million dollars is the price that a band of hijackers demand to release no one special, just the dozen Typical New Yorkers (hookers, gray suits, super fly wanna bees, hysterical Latina mammas with unruly kids in tow, and of course, an undercover cop) who ride the subways every day.
There are many reasons why this film clicks as much now as when it was released in 1974, but the main reason is the growing interplay between the chief hijacker (Robert Shaw) and a tired, wisecracking Transit Cop (Walter Matthau). These two could not be more unlike. Shaw's hijacker is merciless, deadly, and does not believe in repeating orders or extending deadlines. Matthau's character radiates the fatigue that grinds down all railway police but still manages to dredge up from deep within the need to talk, even if only to wisecrack with cop buddies. In the film, they never meet until the very end, but they talk, and talk, and talk some more. In fact, their extended conversation reveals their respective probing natures. Shaw's is to see how far to give a microinch before executing a hostage. Matthau's is to gain some inner feeling for the man whose finger is on a trigger. And while all this one-on-one dialogue is going on, director Joseph Sargent reveals a biting, feisty New York peopled by a mayor who refuses to rule; a deputy mayor who refuses to let the mayor ignore a threat; and a cantankerous subway station supervisor who shouts, "Why can't these bastards hijack an airplane like everyone else?" Much of this many-sided interplay is truly funny. Not many hijack movies dare to use humor as a leavening agent to stir a cinematic pot that is kept boiling at a breakneck pace. If you ever wanted to know how a city could raise one million dollars on the fly, this movie shows how. There is not even one moment in the movie that does not ring true. The film's ending is an underplayed confrontation between hijacker chief and police chief. As Matthau tries to talk Shaw into surrendering, one can see a lifetime of criminal activity whirring in Shaw's mind as he weighs his options. Shaw's exit strategy comes as no surprise to a viewer whom Shaw has conditioned to mold by virtue of his own steely, unemotional resolve. And there is the more than comic ending. Not many movies end on a sneeze, which is a fitting, funny, and yet supremely terrifying ending to a train ride of a movie that took the audience from complacency to fear, finally stopping at relief that a rollercoaster ride hit a red light....more info - Typical 70's ambience but a good action thriller at its core
Taking of Pelham 123 is a good film, but too often I was taken out of the story by the jarring overly-loud poor 70's fusion score. Comedy actor Walter Matthau pleasingly settled down into his role of serious railway cop well-juxtaposed by Robert Shaw as the bright but brutal master thief.
I rate this film only 3/5 because it's just too typical of 70's films: predictable outcomes with only a few plot twists, jingo-junk soundtracks. Too bad so few films of that era hold up like Bonnie and Clyde, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, The Sting, Deliverance, The Hustler, Midnight Cowboy. If you like this genre and period, Pelham 123 is worth renting, at least first time around. Mild recommendation....more info - PHENOMENAL!!!!!
This has been my favorite movie of all time, for all time, since I was 11 in 1982, and had just recently rode my 1st NYC subway, until I was (and am) 31 in 2002. I have seen this movie 150++ times, still watch it several times per year, every year, and NEVER get bored!! Even my wife loves it. I own the Amazon-bought video, and a TV videotape of it from the 80s. The movie depicts NYC in the 70s, complete with 70s bad guys, 70s hair, 70s clothes, 70s cops, 70s stereotypes, etc. and has the beloved NYC subways of the 70s that we all want back! Its evil plot is just so far-fetched and so well-planned by the bad guys that they just might get away with it!!!!! Best train/action/suspense movie ever filmed. Robert Shaw was the all-time best bad guy in films. Period. His death in the late 70s stiffed us out of 25 more years of GREAT ACTING. See him at his bad-guy best in THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1,2,3 before he was "Quint", the drunk shark-hunting good guy, in JAWS. Pelham 1,2,3 should be put back in the theatres briefly, to initiate kids of today on GOOD movies, with GREAT actors.....because it's so incredibly done. The re-make on TV a couple years ago did this AWESOME film NO justice. (That's putting it kindly.) Matthau, Shaw, Elizondo (the hotel clerk in Pretty Woman), are GREAT! And check out Ben Stiller's then-YOUNG Dad Jerry Stiller, as Matthau's sidekick, Rico the 70's NYC Transit Cop!! Classic!! Best line: Boss (Matthau), when telling Lieutenant (Stiller) how to begin the impossible search for the bad guy who knew how to, and was driving, the the commandeered train, says comically: "well he didn't learn how to drive a subway train watching Sesame Street, so find out who he is, and find him today" and it just gets better and better from there. (Keep in mind nobody can drive a subway except someone who knows how to drive one, and Sesame Street was pretty much a brand new show at this time.) In November, 2000, my wife and I rode the Lexington Ave subway in NYC, 26 years after the movie was filmed, trying to find spots where the actors stood and where certain scenes happened. THAT's how great this film is. 26 years later it was still good enough that my train-hating wife went train snooping with me for scene locations. Buy it and enjoy....more info - One of the Best 70s Crime Movies
Dirty New York in the 1970s is fantastic in this movie. Great story, great characters, great suspense. There is quite a bit of dry humor sprinkled throughout the movie - perfect New York sarcasm in many cases.Walter Matthau is an unlikely but very believable hero. I wonder what he thought of this particular movie? Definitely a DVD for anybody's 70s Crime Movie collection....more info - "I feel like I'm walking into the OK Corral"
...Colorful, realistic language, be advised, and a non stop film that will actually have you on the edge of your seat. This movie captures the city of New York like only a Woody film might, complete with the grit, the guts and the pace of the greatest city in the World. Walter Matthau and a great suppporting cast of New York actors bring the hijacking of a subway train to the realm of tonights news, and use a dialogue pulled right from the city streets "...They're underground...how they gonna to get away...." I wish I had it here in front of me so I could site all the fine performances and the excitement....one thing you'll take away from this film....."they only know what we tell them" buy it, you'll like it.......If you're a New Yorker, you'll love it.......more info - Talk about Genre Creating
The Taking of Pelham 123, is the grandfather of all terrorism thrillers including such well know film series as Lethal Weapon, and Die Hard. Were it not for this film the genre would never have been born and we'd never have seen danny glover and mel gibson team up 4 times in about ten years. Any serious film buff who likes action movies should check this film out. Find out what movie gave birth to modern day blockbusters like speed and watch The Taking of Pelham 123...more info - One million dollars in exactly one hour...or else!
Though it may seem dated by its lack of special effects explosions and testosterone, what the 1974 thriller THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE-TWO-THREE has in abundance is more than sufficient to make it one of the most well-thought-out thrillers on record.The film involves the takeover of a New York City subway train by four very heavily armed men, led by a very ruthless Robert Shaw. Beyond their actions throwing the Big Apple's transit system into a frenzy, they are also holding seventeen passengers and the train's conductor as hostages. At 2:13 PM, the demands are made: $1 million is to be delivered to them in EXACTLY one hour, or they kill one hostage for every minute the money is late. And if any outsiders interfere in any way, the hostages get killed immediately, regardless! It is thus up to a very cagey NYC transit cop (the late, great Walter Matthau) to try and buy some time to not only get the money to the hijackers through the Big Apple gridlock, but to also get a bead on them. He winds up finding two of Shaw's associates (Hector Elizondo, Earl Hindman) already dead; and when he finds Shaw, the mastermind of the hijacking electrocutes himself! One man, however, has escaped detection--the motorman (Martin Balsam). And in order to wrap this caper up, both Matthau and an associate (Jerry Stiller) must find that elusive motorman and, if possible, the money. Full of snappy and rather salty dialogue, plenty of suspense, and black comedy, THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE-TWO-THREE offers up a solid contrast between Matthau and Shaw, which keeps the film moving through the slow spots, what few there are. Joseph Sargent, who directed the underrated 1970 sci-fi drama COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT, really lays the tension on, buoyed by an excellent score by David Shire. This is an absolute must-see for those fans of action and suspense films who believe that you don't need testosterone and explosions to be on the edge of your seat....more info - This Is Pelham..
4 men hijack a New York subway train. Nobody can quite beleive it, who would hijack a subway train, how would the hijackers get away?.This has to be one of my all time favourite movies. I first saw it 10 years ago as the "late night" movie on the BBC. The next day at school we were all talking about it. Pelham 123 boasts some great performances from Robert Shaw & Walter Matthau. Matthau plays the detective assigined to negotiate with the hijackers led by Robert Shaw. Matthau provides the humour and the with while Shaw plays it strictly dramatic as one of the cruelest villians around. This film is deadly serious but as always Matthau provides a few laughs along the way. The acting in this movie is first class and the story is unusual but very gripping. The score is also dramatic and works well with the movie. I would recomended all fans of films such as Taxi Driver, Oulp Fiction, Reservior Dogs etc to get this film today. The DVD features collectable booklet and original Theatrical trailer....more info - One of my all-time favorites
P>It's the oldest videotape I have in my collection. .The film has been released on DVD, and I am absolutely overjoyed, as it is one of my all-time favorites. Theatrically released in 1974, The Taking Of Pelham 123 is about a group of four armed men (three of them played by the great actors-the late Robert Shaw, the late Martin Balsman and Hector Elizondo) whom hijack a New York City subway train on an otherwise uneventful afternoon, and hold 18 of its passengers hostage. The ransom: One Meeeeeeeellion dollars. Ooops...that's another movie. The ransom IS indeed one million dollars (Hey, it was shot in 1974) to be paid by the City Of New York. There are two catches. Catch #1: The city has only one hour to pay up. For very minute that the city is late, the hijackers will execute one hostage. It is up to Lieutenant Zachary Garber (the late, legendary Walter Matthau) to stop, or at least outsmart them before they kill one. High drama, considering it takes the city FOREVER to do ANYTHING. I know...I live in New York. Catch #2: The hijackers are underground. IF they get their money...how do they plan on getting away? Great performances all around from a great mix of big name actors, and fine character actors. People such as Jerry Stiller, Kenneth McMillan, Dick O'Neill, Julius Harris and Tony Roberts, who plays the Deputy Mayor. But the film belongs to Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. Matthau, in a departure from his usual comedic roles, displays a tough, yet somewhat humorous demeanor as he "matches wits" with Robert Shaw (whom one year later would play his most celebrated role as Quint in "Jaws"). Shaw's performance is properly understated...which serves his character well, as he is supposed to be cold and calculating. It's a simple story, and simple to follow...yet The Taking Of Pelham 123 is a totally engrossing thriller. And unlike "Money Train" (Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes), Pelham is fairly accurate with details about the subway and how it works (including the dead man's feature-absolutely accurate). Money Train had me scratching my head in amazement with all the inaccuracies presented in the technical details about a subway train and how it works. Don't even get me started with that movie-but I digress. Pelham crackles with excitement and humor. And the ending is %$*&@ great! The musical score by David Shire will only enhance the drama on the screen. The main title theme alone is an overlooked crime drama classic. Urgent, yet kind of funky. Yes, this film is outdated...but don't let that stop you. This would definetly be one of my "desert island" movies. In a review here on Amazon.com, I read where someone said that this film "plays like an old friend". I concur wholeheartedly. By the way. There was an updated TV version of this movie starring Edward James Olmos and Lorraine Bracco. STAY AWAY FROM AT ALL COSTS!!!...more info - GRITTY, REALISTIC THRILLER WITH LAUGHS!!
This is a little gem of a movie. Walter Matthau gives an excellent performance as the Head of the New York City Transit Police trying to stop some criminals who have hijacked a subway train. Wisecracking all the way (especially the bit with the Japanese Subway people) I crease up every time I watch it! All the characters are superb - the criminals are nasty, the hijacked people are scared (well sort of , this is New York you know) and the workers on the subway trains are suitably annoyed/put out by all the disruption to their schedules. Couple all that with seventies hairstyles, clothes, music and jargon and you've got yourself a highly enjoyable way to spend 2 hours. Also without giving it away the ending is absolutely brilliant too. Incidentally, the use of Mr Brown/Mr Blue/Mr Green, etc was done in this movie well before "Pulp Fiction"!!!...more info - What was second-rate in '74 is top of the line today
After taking eighteen people hostage on a subway car, a group of four heavily-armed men in disguises hold New York City ransom for one million dollars. As anyone would expect, the focus of the story is not how the money is paid, but how the crooks plan to get away. These days, "Taking of Pelham" is best remembered as an influence on "Reservoir Dogs" - Tarantino copied the concept of formalized, color-coded names for his criminal characters. But in retrospect, this is a well-plotted and ably directed crime drama, helmed by Sargent at the top of his game well over a decade before the disastrous "Jaws: The Revenge" permanently relegated him to the TV fare that he cut his teeth on.
While Matthau's top billing is appropriate for his dominant screen time, the real show here is to be seen in Shaw and Balsam. It would be redundant to note that Shaw was in top form here - he was excellent in even the drivel that he participated in during the last few years of his life and career - and there's no ignoring the tense, imposing performance he delivers in his role as a ruthless mercenary-turned-criminal. The rest of the principle cast are serviceable, but the passengers are played horribly, as hammy as they are irritating. It's not easy to care about hostages when they're as obnoxious as these.
The action and drama of this movie are spot-on, while the comedy is hit-or-miss; for every laugh-out-loud line of dialogue, there's another that'll surely invoke a groan. But even at its silliest, "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" is absorbing, unpredictable and far more intriguing than the overblown, sanitized garbage that passes for crime dramas these days.
Like most MGM DVDs, this edition is of uniform and decent quality: you'll encounter neither surprises nor regrets. Unlike many of MGM's releases, this disc is single-sided and only features the widescreen version of the film (in this instance, the aspect ratio is 2.35:1). The audiovisual quality is fine, and both dubbed dialogue and subtitles are available in Spanish and French. The theatrical trailer is included.
Tony Scott is scheduled to direct a remake of this next year. That should be amusing....more info - Caricatures-not characters
The NYCTransit was not like this in 1971. You couldn't have pulled off this caper. Again-a 70's heist that has no thought, no plan, on how to get away clean. A disgruntled TA employee goes back to his house to await capture while rolling in cash. A nutcase gangmember puts everyone at risk from momemt 1. Another laughable 70's nyc movie without the advantage of showing old ny. Caricatures not characters inhabit the` supporting parts. ...more info - "Strap-Hangin' Good"
This is one of the most tense and exciting movies ever made as a NYC subway train is hijacked and commandeered by a group of criminals. You will go all "white knuckley" hanging on to the arms of your theater seat.
Robert Shaw and Walter Matthau are absolutely fabulous. If you never saw this gem, I highly recommend it. Be prepared to get a bit amused at the retro costuming--so stylish for the era....more info - Love this movie....
It was always a favorite of mine when growing up. Used to watch the repreats on TV in NY. I had a copy that I recorded from TV, but wanted better quality....more info - Hijacked a what?
Absolutely one of the most definitive 70's gritty NYC films. I've read how other reviewers have called it "dated". But what does that mean? It captured the time so well? It captured the way people spoke in Manhattan on subway trains? The lead character (Walter Matthau as Zach Garber) isn't PC enough? (Yes, he makes fun of a group of visiting Japanese men as he gives a tour of the subway operations, but he gets it back in the end.) It's not dated at all. It's spot-on.
Taking of Pelham, One, Two, Three is the kind of film, if made today, would be called an independent. It lacks every formulaic moment that goes into a studio picture. It has no big action sequences (with the lone exception of a police car racing through the traffic of New York), it has no forced love interest, and there is no "big twist" ending.
This is currently being remade by Tony Scott and starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. What does this mean? It means the look of the film will have a mustard-dirt filter that Scott puts into every movie and the editing will be fast cutting, like he does in every movie. Denzel Washington will be smooth-talking, Yale-smart, unlike Matthau who had the weathered look of a beat cop with street smarts. John Travolta will play the maniacal laugh and smile he does all the time when he's the villain, a la 'Broken Arrow' and 'Face-Off', unlike Robert Shaw who played it cool and collected.
In other words, please see the original. It allowed the story and characters to be the entertainment instead of over-the-top fast cutting "stylized" nonsense that distracts rather than entertains. This is a classic!...more info - New York, New York!
A great capper movie with a New York attitude! Indeed, what do these riders expect for their lousy 35 cents? The acting and writing are fantastic. The wit-laden stress and frustration expressed by Lt. Garber, mixed with the cool, calculated brutalness of Mr. Blue makes this movie pure fun and completely entertaining. The bizarrness of the two character's figuring the other out and playing off one another has been unmatched since....more info - Like New York, like that movie!
Not just for transit buffs, and those loving good, solid classic movies! It should not miss in any New York City lovers DVD libairy. Classic New York language presented by great actors.
The story is thrilling an even so, you saw the movie a couple of times, it is enjoyable over and over again!
...more info - A CLASSIC THRILLER THAT HAS MELLOWED WITH AGE!
This is a classic crime/drama movie from the 70's. Excellently cast, this well written story is a bit dated now but, not so much that it isn't a very enjoyable experience. I guess we're all spoiled by the intensity of today's action films but, I'm sure this one was pretty intense for it's time. Watching this film now, I barely remembered it. I'm glad I got to see it uncut in my home theater, it's an excellent movie, well worth seeing or revisiting. ...more info - Theres just one thing baby. They're all green!!
This movie is truly a timeless classic, from the goofy college girl meditating for a red light, the gruf not suffering any fools police officers.The powerless MTA officials expressing their frustration of powerlessness at the unrevaling of events.The portrayal of NYC in grips with a financial crisis of the 70s.The dialogue and reaction of the average person on the subway train.The glimpses of the WTC in the background(who knew those glimpses would mean so much for someone who grew up in NYC).The facetious remarks('Yeah I got eyes', 'How many hijacked trains have we got?','Whose moving?'),they may seem like goofy one liner fillers but they are genuine and not canned like todays movie dialogues.
This is the movie that deserves to be a cult classic, not the ridiculous and surreal Taxi Driver.Character development is excellent because it feels genuine.This movie can never be replicated.Most of the key characters in this movie grew up in NYC which is so key to playing a genuine New York official.The subway scenes are authentic, I've ridden the subway for decades and know those lines and the streets with the exits.All of it 100% authentic.I've realized that movies are meant more to be enjoyed than believed.This movie is enjoyable because of its authenticity.This movie shows that NYC is the main character and the people add life to it.This movie will never be replicated or duplicated, but has been copied.Oh, cant forget the music.The theme from Taking of Pelham 123 is so very NYC, a 70's jazz song that tells you there is trouble in NYC, big trouble.You could transplant the characters from the 70's into today and they wouldnt seem out of place.The reason thats even possible is because they all played their background.Shaw plays an English out of work mercanary (Shaws from the UK and has that sinister look to him),Mathau plays a Transit Cop(Mathau grew up NYC), even the little kids playing at the front of the subway car (I remember hoping to get on the front of the train when my mom and I would ride it when I was a kid).This is THE NYC Subway thriller movie....more info - the taking of pelham 123
I saw this movie as a child and the details were sketchy. I watched it recently and i was very satisfied. The movie is gripping and the excitment starts right away. This is a must see movie, whether you are watching it after many years or its your first time. if your from new york or ever rode on the nyc subway, you'll enjoy it even more....more info - "What the hell did they expect for their lousy 35 cents?"
The subway...lifeblood of New York. The largest mass transit system in the world, currently operating over 8,000 rail and subway cars, traveling on over two thousand miles of track, serving nearly eight million passengers daily. Seems like a logistical nightmare, keeping tabs on it all, but MTA (Metro Transit Authority) does, anticipating many problems before they arise. One thing they couldn't anticipate, what no one could have, is someone hijacking one of the trains. But it did happen, once (in movie world, at least).
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), directed by Joseph Sargent (Colossus: The Forbin Project, Jaws: The Revenge), presents a wonderfully talented cast including Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, and Hector Elizondo. Also making appearances are Jerry Stiller (Seinfeld), Dick O'Neill (Gamera), Kenneth McMillian (Dune), and Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond). The film involves the hijacking of a New York subway train by a group of men armed with semi-automatic weapons for the purpose of extorting one million dollars from the city, otherwise they begin executing passengers, one by one. `What the hell they expect for their lousy 35 cents? To live forever?!"
This is really an entertaining, tense and witty film that kept me interested up until the very end. Matthau really owns this film, appearing as harried yet cool-headed Lt. Zachary Garber, an officer working for the Metro Authority, and main negotiator with the hijackers, lead by the ruthless Mr. Blue, played by Robert Shaw (it's said Quentin Tarantino got the idea of using colors for the names of his characters in Reservoir Dogs (1992) from this film). Garber really has to play a juggling act, trying to keep the hostages alive, placating the hijackers, and keeping the trigger-happy cops from starting World War III down in the subway tunnels. Robert Shaw does an excellent job playing tactical minded Mr. Blue, basically Garber's counterpart, leader of the hijackers, meticulously planning the entire operation as if it were a military action (we later find out he's a British mercenary `between wars'). He must keep not only the hostages calm and in line, but also his men, especially the psychotic Mr. Gray, played by Hector Elizondo, who seems to suffer from an extremely itchy trigger finger. He's also kinda sleazy...(doesn't it seem like there's always one psychotic in the group? I guess criminals are a highly unstable bunch). As I said, Matthau owns this film, but it certainly doesn't hurt that he had so many talented and highly professional actors supporting him throughout the movie. If The Taking of Pelham One Two Three has the feel of a superior made-for-TV movie about it, that's because one look at Joseph Sargent's credits will show a vast amount of TV work, including shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and a ton of made-for-TV movies. He did venture into films a few times, most notably the 70's sci-fi film Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) and White Lighting (1973), to name a few, but always seemed to return to TV. He's also responsible for one of the worst movies ever made (in my opinion) in Jaws: The Revenge (1987), which probably put a serious hurting on any future film directing offers. As I said, Pelham does play like a TV movie (except for the brief but realistic use of profanity), but a really, really good one. Even the musical score for the film has a TV theme quality about it, but that of a top-notch theme, one that serves to enhance the overall product. The plot is tight, and moves along pretty quickly. The movie also has a real authentic flavor, especially all the smart alecky comments made throughout, the kind one would expect from New Yorkers. I loved the initial reactions to the news of the subway train being hijack, the incredulity accompanied by complete annoyance that someone would have the nerve to screw around with the New York Subway system, much less hijack it (the scene where the one of the men in charge with keeping the trains moving decides he's going to walk down the tracks and see what's going on for himself is priceless, at least until he finds out it's for real). The plot covers a lot of ground, focusing on not only the passengers and hijackers, but also the transit authority cop, the regular cops, right up to the politicians, forced to weigh the decision and consequences of paying the ransom money or not (they do, and the scenes involving the authorities racing to meet the hijacker's deadline is gripping, with slight dashes of humor...the police racing in their car, sirens blaring, Officer O'Keefe: "I always wanted to do this. Look, we're scaring the sh#t out of everybody.", Officer Miskowsky: "Yeah, including me.") The big question posed, and one that's focused on throughout is, even if the hijackers get the money, how are they going to get away with it? They're in a train, underground, surrounded by police, with no visible escape routes. Seems like a tricky proposition, but given Mr. Blue's talent for meticulously covering all the details, I'm sure he's got a plan (don't ask me, just watch the film).
The quality of the wide screen non-anamorphic print on this DVD is pretty good, but not as good as I would have liked to have seen. There's a lack of sharpness in the picture, and the colors a kind of dull. The audio is also pretty good, and the dialog is clear. MGM stints on the special features, as usual, providing a theatrical trailer and an informative 4-page booklet insert. Basically what you have here is an exceptional crime film set in New York, one that rises above most others and doesn't disappoint. Oh, and that warning you always hear about not touching the third rail, as it's full of juice (electricity), and will fry you like a side of bacon? You would do well to heed it, as it's not an urban legend, my friend...
Cookieman108
...more info - Patchy thriller that ultimately succeeds
With a cast that includes Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw and Martin Balsam, it can never be less than worth watching, and yet The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is not as great as it could have been. The necessary suspense and tension is lacking in the first half, and opportunities are missed that might have made us feel more involved in the lives of the characters.
Having said that, the suspense does pick up about halfway through, and in the end it turns out to be a fairly solid piece of entertainment....more info - Come in Pelham 123
I was so pleased to see this released on DVD. copies are inexpensive and should be purchased without prejudice. This is an absolute classic, certainly the type of film that would never be made today. a subway highjacking with all of the classic ethinc seterotypes on board. Walter Matthau is in charge of the case at New York transit headquarters. after putting his foot in his mouth a couple of times, Matthau's leadership come through in one of the best ending to a movie ever. Fantastic...more info - great 70's flick...
In the same way that "The Naked City" portrays New York City of the forties, "Pelham" does justice to the 70's. This is a great movie! Did anyone notice that the opening theme music was also used in the more recent Mel Gibson movie, "Payback"?...more info - A Fine Suspense Drama
I was in high school when this film came out. I remember standing on a long line on Broadway in a snow shower to see it. It was well worth the wait. Thirty years later, it was well worth the wait to buy this DVD. While there's no give-me's on this disc (which is a shame), this action packed, and often funny, film is one of those that for some reason didn't stand the test of time or become a cult hit. Perhaps New York and America want to forget the inner city squalor of the 70s (although "Mean Streets" and "Taxi Driver" remain popular). But this film is worth watching just for Robert Shaw's chilling portrayal of a subway hijacker. The filming is appropriately dark and grainy. If not for any reason, watch a well-crafted suspense/action movie before they became completely gory, bloody messes....more info - PELHAM ONE TWO THREE WHERE THE F**K ARE YOU!
I first saw this movie on TV in the mid 80s edited of course. Now I can see it in all it's
wide screen glory. The plot moves along in a brisk pace and it is unrelenting from
begging to end. When you watch this movie, the 2 + hours seem to roll by thanks
to clever acting by the stars. See this movie if you like police drama - 70s style....more info - An unremarkable tale
Pelham is a little difficult to pin down. It is part detective story, part action story and part drama. While I generally enjoyed it I can't think of anything positive that makes it stand out. On the negative side the film does give a bad rap to NYC transit workers since they all, excepting the lead character Lt. Garber (Walter Matthau), are portrayed either as buffoons or completely uncaring. It's worth a single viewing but probably won't become one of your favorites....more info - Dated but Still a Treasure
First of all, it is disappointing that there is nothing in the way of bonus features on this DVD. Yes, most of the stars are dead, but some commentary from Hector Elizondo, maybe? Or Jerry Stiller? Something...please!Anyway, I always loved this movie as a kid (and had never seen it unedited either, so was surprised at the amount of cussing for its time). Bought the DVD and put it in, hoping it would still entertain. And it does!!! The heist of hijacking the subway is a bit low-tech, and it's kinda funny to see all the good guys talking to each other through very unsophisticated equipment. Walter Matthau, as the Lt. Garber, the main good guy trying to thwart the hijackers, is constantly flipping switches while he talks to the hijackers, then turns them off to talk to the cops, then turns cops off to talk to Transit police, then off to talk to...well, you get the idea. But it's actually good that the movie is low tech. There are no pretenses of using sophisticated equipment (sophisticated for the '70s) that would now seem ridiculous or laughable. It's a fairly straightforward cat and mouse game, played well. The script is well written. There are lots of sly moments of humor, especially early on, when Matthau is giving a tour of the subways to a group of Japenese that he thinks don't speak English. Well, after insulting them left and right, it is revealed that they do understand after all. There are lots of bits peppered throughout. But it's pretty tense stuff, since the hijackers only give the authorities ONE HOUR to come up with ONE MILLION (yep, shades of Dr. Evil in Austin Powers). Apparently, ONE MILLION was an absolutely outrageous ransom to demand! The performances are solid. Matthau is fun to watch in a more "serious" role, where his usual mannerisms aren't really needed. It's not a great part, really, but he does it very well. Robert Shaw, one of my favorites, sort of set the standard for the calm, cool, collected hijacker type (think precursor to Alan Rickman in Die Hard). Martin Balsam was always good. And fun actors like Jerry Stiller, James Broderick and Kenneth McMillan have tiny parts and its fun to see them young. The direction is taut. I'm not sure it's an edge of your seat thriller anymore (we're so jaded) but I have no doubt it was in its day. And it's still a superior thriller, in my view, and stands up quite well on its own merits. But its fun that it's almost a "period thriller" now, with cracks about women police and other sexist remarks which weren't played for humor at the time. If you've never seen it, don't dismiss it because it's 30 years old. And if it's been a long time, check it out again. It holds up quite well!...more info - It Was Representative of New York in the 1970s
For those viewers used to the big budget special effects and violence from today's movies, Pelham may seem a bit mild. But it was good stuff when it came out. So good, that the NYC Transit Authority was able to learn a lesson on how to prepare for train-jackings.The movie depicted the decadence of the Big Apple in the 1970s, from loudmouthed, incompetent transit officials who resembled the Three Stooges to a bumbling mayor who resembled Ed Koch. Even the main character, Walter Matthau, showed a crude side by referring to his Japanese guests as "monkeys". Surprisingly, the subway cars shown were graffiti-free. A tagged-up subway train would have been more appropriate. Even so, the plot is good, and viewers will be kept in suspense throughout the entire movie....more info - Bittersweet Reunion With a Classic
When it comes to DVDs, MGM is conspicuously stingy with its extra features. There are usually none besides the theatrical trailer in most MGM titles.That shouldn't take anything away from this movie, however. It was a classic, and well reproduced on DVD. But since it is sold in North America, it is inexcusable why MGM provided Spanish and French subtitles, but not English. (This is also the case for several of MGM's other titles.) MGM could have given its customers more value for their money by including more extra features like behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, etc. If it had, this DVD would have rated higher....more info
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