Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #175639 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-04-29
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

Great Eastwood Double Feature
Filmed more than 20 years apart, these two great thrillers, directed by and starring our guy Clint have a similiar themes. He plays both a washed up cop and hasbeen reporter. He is given assignments that seem trivial to him, and in both cases turn into some great thrill rides.

"The Gauntlet" (1977)
Eastwood gives us an early taste of his brillant directorial style.
From the moment Ben Shockley(Eastwood)steps out of his car and an empty booze bottle falls out, we know this is not the usual "Dirty Harry" character we'd been used to up to now. Ben is a cop who's chances for greatness seem to be fading with him.

The Phoenix P.D. seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel when they assign Shockley the job of escorting Gus Malley, a seemingly unimportant witness from Las Vegas back to Phoenix for a trial. Ben's been looking for his big break on a big case and it doesn't look like this will be it with this guy. Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Ben discovers that Gus is no guy. Gus Malley(Sondra Locke), is a local prostitute and unwilling partcipant in the journey back as well. This is not "a hooker with a heart story" though, this pro is as hard edged as they come, but she does have a brain!

The action starts as soon as they leave the jail. Someone is going to make sure that these two never make it to trial. Vegas is even giving odds against them. Everyone's after them..the mob, the cops, they even made the mistake of angering a group of bikers along the route and they're out for revenge as well. They hardly know who to trust, as they get shot at from all angles, cars blow up, they are set up and beat up. What Gus knows can cost them their lives, but Shockley is now determined to bring his prisoner in at all costs and rises to the occassion and must break through an impassable barrier set-up to keep him at bay.

It's edge of your seat drama, thrills, and fun, as Gus and Ben trade quips and get in a little romance(we couldn't expect any different with Eastwood and Locke)along the way. As usual Clint surrounds himself with the finest talent. Pat Hingle, William Prince, and Bill Mckinney turn in excellent performances as well as Eastwood and Locke. There's also a terrific jazzy score by Jerry Fielding.

The film made in 1977 looks and sounds great on this DVD transfer.

"True Crime" (1999)
Eastwood plays reporter Steve Everett, who puts his job on the line and his family on hold to prove the innocence of an unjustly condemned man. He was given the story as a human interest piece, a story that was to depict the last few hours in the life of Frank Beechum(Isaiah Washington).He is at odds with his editor and is warned not to turn the story into a "Dick Tracey investigation".

Steve is alot of things. He's an alcoholic(on the wagon),a womanizer, and lacks in the qualities needed to be a good father and husband to his family. But one thing he does have, is his reporter's instinct. He has "his nose" for the truth. He senses something fishy about the case which has already gone through numerous appeals,and with only hours to the execution, starts digging around, and takes us on a thrilling ride as he tries, up to the very last second, to save Frank from the death penalty.

There is another storyline that runs parallel to the main focus of the film. The two families each going through their own personal anguishes. Frank's family, his wife and little girl, going through the agonizing last few hours with him, and Steve's wife and child must deal with his indiscretions and inattention to his own daughter.The wives played by Lisa Gay Hamilton and Diane Venora are expert at showing us the emotional states they are in. The little girls played by Penny Bae Bridges and Francesca Fisher-Eastwood(his real life daughter) are also terrific at making emotional demands on their Daddies at a time of crisis.

Eastwood's expertise behind the camera, as well as his powerful on screen presence combined with a terrific cast and crew to bring us a thrilling and moving story.Many wonderful performances add to it. James Woods, Dennis Leary and Bernard Hill to start with. Frances Fisher(the film is a bit of a family affair)plays the D.A., Michael Jeeter and Michael Mckean also give fine performances, and to my delight Christine Ebersole makes an appearance as well as the legendary William Windom(check behind the bar for him).Music by Lennie Niehaus and photography by Jack Green are the icing on the cake.

The DVD picture is perfect and distingishable even in the darker scenes.Colors are pleasing and vibrant, and the sound excellent.

This was Clint's 21st film as a director. He has a way of reaching an audience that touches the humanness in us that only gets better with each film.

A great combo package for collectors of Clint. Both films are enjoyable time after time....get the popcorn ready and enjoy....Laurie