JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer
A police precinct is in the process of closing when it is brutally attacked by a street gang. This seems like a really obvious recommendation choice, but it falls into the category of movies that younger people may have overlooked. Assault… is John Carpenter’s first proper film after the very short, and very silly, Dark Star. It is also one of only two works in his filmography I give a 10/10. The other is The Thing. I was lucky enough to see a 35mm double feature of both films about 20 years ago. Anyhow, here’s some fun facts for you: The first time I saw this I was on LSD. For a minute I was convinced that the street gang were actually aliens or possessed by a supernatural force. Well, that’s partially because one of the major influences on this film was The Night of the Living Dead. Carpenter directed the gang members to speak very little and act inhuman. Also, fans of Eraserhead may recognize lead actor Darwin Joston, who played a whacky pencil-factory clerk. One final “fact” is that the 2005 remake of this movie is shockingly good. See, I don’t hate on all “reimaginings”, just ones that suck.
Available on Blu-ray from Shout Factory (this would be the best way to see it for image quality).
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