[Inspector Abberline]

Silent Partner.1978.Daryl Duke.Based on the novel Think Of A Number by Anders Bodelsen a seemingly underrated crime film,which has'nt had a UK DVD release yet and sparodically shown on terrestrial TV back in 80s,Its that beast of a film which puts its hero played by the great Elliot Gould thru the ringer while being stalked by a very wicked Christopher Plummer who plays a very brutal villain with a fetish for head crushing and murder by fish tank.The plot is original and compelling and tight and would make a great double freature with the wonderful Long Goodbye.

The Hot Rock.1972 Peter Yates.The director of Bullit gives us a more sedate crime film with Robert Redford and George Segal as a pair of jewel thiefs.A superior crime caper movie with lots of plot twists as the gang bungle there way from one disaster to another.Redford and Segal are so cool and make a fun double act (maybe Paul Newman was busy that week)and are really likeable characters.Watch out for the initial robbery where they try to get into a glass case,its excruiating frustrating as they lose there grip on glass surface.

Straight Time.1978 ULU Grosbard.Dustin Hoffman seemingly could do no wrong during the late 60s, 70s and early 80s with Midnight Cowboy,Little Big Man,Straw Dogs,Marathon Man and this the story of a newly released criminal based on the Eddie Bunker book No Beast So Fierce.Hoffman's character on the outside seems laid back and laconic but bubbling under the surface he's volatile man, which his sweaty and sleazy parole officer played by M Emmet Walsh soon finds out when he's de-bagged and handcuffed to a central reservation of a free-way.Featuring a slew of great american character actors such as Harry Dean Statton,Theresa Russell,Gary Busey and an unrecognisable Kathy Bates.

Across 110th Street.1972 Barry Shear.Made famous by Mr Tarantino for using the theme song in his film Jackie Brown,to be honest I hadn't watched it or in fact had been aware of it until I had seen JB,so thank you Mr QT for that at least.Compared to alot of the Blackploitation movies that followed this is a very volatile and hateful filled film.Neither the police headed by Anthony Quinn (who was also the executive producer) and Yaphet Kotto are portrayed in a good light and the rather nasty and violent Mafia boss played by Anthony (Tenrbrae)Franciosa is like almost every mafia caricature rolled into one.In fact the only real characters that gain any sympathy are the gang pull of a heist of Mafia money in Harlem,who find themselves being hunted by both sides.The stereotypical portrayals on all sides whether there black or Italian are cranked up to 11,and if your at all PC you could be easily offended by its lazy stereotyping,but putting that to one side its a violent crazy film.

Marathon Man.1976.John Schlesinger.Marathon Man is one of those dark twist thrillers that could only of come out of the 70's.Based on the William Goldman novel we see Laurence Olivier play nazi fugitive Szell a kind of dentist from hell.The film is made famous for its" Is it safe" scene between Olivier and Dustin Hoffman but I think its Roy Scheider as a diamond courier and Wiliam Devane as a corrupt agent who really steal the film from under the noses of its main stars.Scheider has a terrific fight scene with an assassin and its his character you really engage with rather than Hoffmans.And Devane is his usual suave but slightly untrustworthy self.But Olivier Nazi dentist is still formidable villain and he gives a really nice quiet but chilling portrayal.