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The Driver
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by Fox Home Entertainment
Sales Rank: 17208
Price: $29.98
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A <i>tres</i> cool mix of noirish grit and slam-bang action this caper film from director Walter Hill (<i>48 Hrs</i>, <i>The Warriors</i>) is required viewing for car-chase fanatics and devotees of '70s cinema. Ryan O'Neal and Bruce Dern are terrific as opposite sides of the law: respectively, a supernaturally skilled getaway car driver, and the dogged detective who's pursued him at the expense of all else. For his second feature film, Hill keeps dialogue and character development at bare-bones level (the characters are named after their primary function: O'Neal is the Driver, the stunning Isabelle Adjani is the Connection) and focuses on mood, tone, and, above all, some of the most stunning automotive action captured on film. The DVD offers widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film; unfortunately, a number of scenes cut from the theatrical release, including a prologue featured in <i>The Driver</i>'s TV prints, were not included in this long-awaited DVD release. <i>--Paul Gaita</i>
Viewer Reviews
The Driver (1978), is a movie that's controversial, in that
it tends to idolize and glorify the "driver" who participates
in heists, hold ups, and stick ups. This is supported not
only by the protagonist, Ryan O'Neal, being a phenomenal
driver of various consumer cars (pickups, Mercedez Benz,
regular American cars) but also sparing the life of his
rivals driver, as well, with the argument that the latter
was "only a driver", in setup to doom him.
In between the above element of glorifying the criminal element,
(money laundering, gambling, etc) and suggesting in a candid way that
some peace officers are rogue, and act in a similar way to Dirty Harry,
for example, compromising their means, in order to achieve a desired
end for purposes of career promotion, notoriety, prestige as a detective
team leade, there's plenty of time to show off hair-raising stunts set
in the downtown or metro area of a major huge city, the size
of Chicago, NYC or New Jersey, for example, with suspense, and
style to an eager audience.
As stated, the car chases are spectacular in this movie (although
not as much as seen in the Seven Ups, with Roy Scheider elsewhere.)
In addition, the main actors are charismatic and low brow, modest
with a powerful, underlying vitality, energy and sensitivity,
in the form of O'Neal and also, Isabelle Adjani - the latter, who
projects here an image of youth, baby-faced innocence, and self-confidence
all the while being sensitive, and down to earth, that many in the audience
will build a rapport with.
Next, the earlier stylish and fascinating elements, are juxtaposed with
some point-blank shootings in the course of the action, coupled with
pistol and shotgun scenes during high speed car chases.
Various scenarios are shown of hold-ups, such as that of a supermarket,
a bank, and more ...with commentary that is somewhat politically
incorrect 30 years later, such as the cop calling another a "fruiter"
or bribe taker, etc.
The lead detective's cockiness (Bruce Dern) is shown by comparing gun violence
and car chases in the middle of where the public at large is walking
and driving to the sports pages of a newspaper. The same officer's
dialog is also surreal, from the concern he shows to the suspect,
by discussing his personal and professional life, as some kinds of
counsellor, when that's is not entirely realistic.
The rates for a hotel room ($5 and $1 for a TV) indicate the inflation
rate, that the economy has gone through, since that time.
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The Driver
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