Review of 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) by Allan C — 25 May 2014
Underrated 80s crime film, featuring one of my all-time favorite action scenes. Written by Oliver Stone right around the same time he wrote the iconic remake of "Scarface," this film shares many of the same 1980s elements of drugs, sleaze and guns.
Fan of "Scarface" should all do themselves a favor and check this film out. The story is from a Lawrence Block novel about Matthew Scudder, played by Jeff Bridges, a former police officer turned PI.
Scudder gets caught up in the murder of a high price prostitute, Alexandra Paul. Andy Garcia is a terrifically scary as a smiling pony tailed drug dealer. Rosanna Arquette plays a woman caught between Bridges and Garcia.
The story kind of drags as points, but the film has some truly memorable scenes and superb performances, particularly Bridges and Carcia. But if for nothing else, watch this film for the amazingly awesome awesome warehouse showdown finale.
Director Hal Ashby builds some amazing tension and does is with flair and style that I can't say I'd seen in his pervious work. There's great glossy 80s photography by director of photography Stephen H.
Burum and a fitting synthesizer score by James Newton Howard in one of his very first film credits. Robert Towne reportedly did uncredited rewrites and the film has Tiny'Lister, so how can you not watch this film? But seriously, if for nothing else, watch this film for the warehouse finale.
It really is amazing.
This review of 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) was written by Allan C on 25 May 2014.
8 Million Ways to Die has generally received mixed reviews.
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