Assault On Precinct 13
1976
Director John Carpenter's second film is a brutal, realistic story about the siege of a small police precinct by a violent and well-armed gang. The gang is seeking the man who killed some of their members in revenge for the accidental shooting of his daughter. After the father enacts his revenge, he wanders to the police .. Read more
| Starring | Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer, Martin West |
|---|---|
| Director | John Carpenter |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
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Assault On Precinct 13
Director John Carpenter's second film is a brutal, realistic story about the siege of a small police precinct by a violent and well-armed gang. The gang is seeking the man who killed some of their members in revenge for the accidental shooting of his daughter. After the father enacts his revenge, he wanders to the police precinct in a distraught state. The poorly manned precinct is being phased out of use, and is unprepared for the relentless assult which ensues. The violence in ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 was shocking for its time and has remained so over the years since its release, mainly due to the stark, unaffected direction of a young John Carpenter. Insipired by the cowboy and indian movies Carpenter watched as a boy, the film is more than just an action movie, as it shows the desperation and courage of people living in a violent society. Produced with a modest budget and without Hollywood backing, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 is a fine example of how a powerful film can be made with limited resources.
| Starring | Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer, Martin West, Nancy Loomis, Kim Richards, Henry Brandon |
|---|---|
| Director | John Carpenter |
| Studio | UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 31 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Cops & Robbers |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
| Language | English |
| Released | DVD: 01 Dec 2003 Production year: 1976 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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"...Carpenter is an extremely resourceful director [with an] ability to construct film entirely out of action and movement..."
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"...PRECINCT 13 is filled with delectable bits of business in direction and performances..."
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Most helpful member's review
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12 out of 12 people found this review helpful
Tautology
Ok, let's get the received wisdom out of the way. Like Woody Allen's 'early, funny films' John Carpenter is haunted by his formative, low budget brilliance. Should he ever return to form (even coasting, he's good enough for most) the acid comparison will be these: 'Dark Star' (a student film, which brought him to the attention of the studios) 'Halloween' (ditto the masses) and, of course, 'Assault on Precinct 13.'
'Assault,' for me, is the one. A tight budget and the tautest plot – nicked mainly from 'Rio Bravo,' with elements from other cowboy classics – and honed to within an inch of a 90 minute short.
The story has the good guys under siege from living, fast moving, intelligent zombies; in this case an LA street gang bent on suicidal revenge. It could have been merely an exercise in the mastery of plot mechanics but, and here's the stroke, you care about the characters. From the handsome black police lieutenant to the handsome and witty death-row convict who fights at his side (and eventually assumes an unofficial leadership of the besieged) and the more than competent girl who only submits to love-interestdom near the end; you will them to live.
There's so much more to this small film (daring casting in the non-PC 70s for a start) but that would distract from the essence of a small masterpiece. See it and see why Halloween had you jumping. Oh, and pray that John Carpenter finds himself one day. -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
A tense, dark thriller...
An enjoyable, if slightly pedestrian, action thriller, the premise of this film is excellent. A gang of Hell?s Angel-esque hoodlums hold a police station under siege following the death of one of their members.
Unfortunately Jon Carpenter ultimately fails to make the most of the idea.
The problems with the film all result from various improbabilities within the story. The malevolent gang members aren?t really developed as characters at all (I don?t think we so much as hear one speak) and while they follow certain strange blood-rituals and so forth these are never properly addressed or explained. I dunno, perhaps they?re meant to be mysterious as well as malignant.
Other parts of the film seem wrongly pitched. At least two key points in the film seem to be devoid of dramatic tension. Though I wont elaborate here.
Taking the criticisms on the chin though, there remains a distinct charm - particularly to the understated aspects ? in this film. The shootouts are low key, glass is pierced rather than shattered, and they ring true precisely because of that. Just don?t expect big explosions. -
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Assault On Precinct 13
Director John Carpenter's second film is a brutal, realistic story about the siege of a small police precinct by a violent and well-armed gang. The gang is seeking the man who killed some of their members in revenge for the accidental shooting of his daughter. After the father enacts his revenge, ...
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