IMDb user comments for
Electra Glide in Blue (1973)

Werbung

Filter:

Best Chronological Prolific Authors Loved It Hated It Spoiler verstecken:

Seite 1 von 5:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Übersicht

48 Nutzerkommentare insgesamt

---

30 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
Neglected Masterpiece, 12. Dezember 2002

Author: carnivalofsouls von Australia

The seventies was a decade so overpopulated with great films that hundreds of truly great films went unheralded, and "Electra Glide in Blue" is one of these, sadly the singular film directed by the former Chicago manager, who penned the superb "Tell Me" sung by Terry Kath that plays at the end of the film. Like many late sixties/early seventies film the plot is insignificant, but rather a vehicle for lots of character development and social commentary. Blake is great as Wintergreen and the Conrad Hall cinematography is simply stunning, with the haunting lyricism of the ending beholding one of the finest closing shots in the history of cinema. Somewhere between the poetry of "Zabriskie Point " and "Easy Rider" (which it is frequently compared to but in many ways is the antithesis of) and the downbeat cop dramas that would follow during the decade like "The New Centurions" exists "Electra Glide in Blue", a gem certainly worthy of being rediscovered.

---

21 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
Criminally obscure film has more to offer than 90% of modern day fare., 17. Januar 2005
Author: Poseidon-3 von Cincinnati, OH

Before he found himself on the wrong side of a murder investigation, Blake was noted for playing an unconventional cop on the TV show "Baretta" (and also the flip side as a brutal killer in the film "In Cold Blood".) Here he is a square peg trying to fit into a round hole as a California Highway Patrolman with dreams of more. At 5'4", he is a full head shorter than the shortest of his fellow motorcycle-riding fellow officers. Though his cohort Bush balances his days between sitting on his bike reading comic books and listening to the radio with pulling over anyone even remotely suspicious, Blake yearns to be a better cop than that and, ultimately, a detective. When (after a thoroughly gripping opening sequence) a man is found shot to death, Blake seizes the opportunity to piece the situation together and becomes the driver and right hand man to hotshot detective Ryan. As the pair attempts to solve the mystery of the man's death, their faults, attributes and insecurities are laid bare (notably in an extended scene with Riley, a barmaid who has known both men for a long time.) Finally, the truth of the death comes to light, but only after significant turmoil, carnage and some surprises. Blake is terrific in the lead. He perfectly captures the awkwardness mixed with ambition of his character. He has many memorable scenes, more than a few of which that poke fun at his size (though he was in great physical shape at the time.) Bush lends strong support as his rather amoral buddy. Ryan is splendidly authoritarian and paints a memorable portrait of a man who is a big shot (especially in his own mind) every time and everywhere except when it counts. He is perfect in the role. Cook has a very showy and effective role as a mentally challenged old man who discovers the body. Riley is effective in her sleazy, but sympathetic role, but her big scene does seem out of place somehow and shifts the focus of the movie more than it probably ought to. Dano, a strong character actor in countless TV and film projects, does an excellent job as a jaded coroner (a far cry from "Quincy M.D.", he not only eschews a surgical mask, but smokes a cigarette during the autopsy!) The film is gorgeously photographed and extremely creatively directed. It had to be way ahead of its time in terms of camera-work. The texture and atmosphere of the scenes is beyond most of what is cranked out today. It's also loaded with quirkiness and irony (some might say overloaded.) In any case, it's a unique viewing experience with many rewards for the patient and incisive viewer. There's also a motorcycle chase that rivals any of the best from this period. Like so many films, the only way it can be fully appreciated is in the widescreen format. The glimpses of Monument Valley are welcome and add much to the visual appeal of the film. The film isn't completely flawless, but it is highly memorable. The title refers to the make and color of a motorcycle.

---

15 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
An American anthem - Several films in one, 1. August 2000
Author: Brewski-2 von Sarasota, Florida

Blake, as Big John Wintergreen, is the idealized American who is a Marine Corps veteran from Vietnam, comes back and wants to do the right thing: enforce the law fairly and not give favors to other cops nor hassle the hippies. He is "chopping the wood before him" by riding his Harley, working traffic and the concert and hoping to be a Detective. He tries hard and provides info to the lead Detective but he just can't bring himself to be brutal to the hippies at the commune or hassle the hippie VW Bus drivers. And he is a man, and hence tempted by the delightful Jolene. His traffic partner, Zipper, wants more but doesn't want to work for it like Wintergreen. And amidst all these human dynamics is a murder and theft of cash. Aside from being a great story, there are many specifics that will make you want to watch this film. The 70's flavor is a fun retrospective. The Police Bike vs. dirt bike chase scene is the greatest ever done. The desert scenery never looked better and the Monument Valley morning scene is a real treat. The soundtrack is perhaps the biggest star. You have Du-Wop, Country, Rock and jazz. Sadly, only parts of some songs are in the movie (or are spoken over) and the soundtrack is not available on CD. If you are ever in an old record store, look for the LP in a silver colored cover. You may even be lucky enough to get the posters and picture book that came with the album. I would love to see Rhino records give this soundtrack the same treatment they gave to Casablanca. You will like John Wintergreen and feel his joys and sorrows as his personal and professional life take their ups and downs.

---

15 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
A great Road Movie, with themes of honesty, integrity and duty., 24. April 2004
Author: (paulmoran99@aol.com) von Chippenham,England

EGinB should be seen as an anthem to early 70's America, and the ringing messages of all road movies at the time.The film is unique as a tour de force from a director who knew precisely what he was doing.From the opening scene, with it's brilliant use of close-ups, to the final incredible draw-back, EGinB relentlessly drives home the message of post-Vietnam America, with themes of honesty,realization,ruthlessness and duty.As in other Road Movies, the Road is the conduit along which America travels for hope and redemption.The implication is that it is only in the expanse and purity of the Big Country that these ideals can be attained.

Blake seizes his opportunity to wrest his character, Wintergreen, out of the Vietnam War and into a troubled American Society; not without a little resentment along the way. His remark to the truckdriver he books, displays his feelings; " I'll give you,what they gave me (in Vietnam)...nothing". His ideals of right and honesty give way eventually to acceptance of the system, with all it's failings.

The photography is beautiful and skillful, lending a curious winsome nostalgia to the Great American Outback.Wintergreen's gleaming bike,( the Electra Glide of the title), deserves a credit of it's own. EGinB has an ending that audiences have argued about for 30 years. I think it is an original devize by the director, that emphasises the plight of nations and individuals, who trade honesty and integrity for mundanity and compromise.Additionally, what you are really watching during the long 7 1/2 minutes drawback, is a pictorial unfolding of the American flag.This echos the ' God bless America ' lyrics of the Big Elk soundtrack.Watch it, and listen to the music of Big Elk as it unfolds.It somehow encapsulates the film and it's themes, and is mesmeric for that. See it, but realize what you are watching; it's worth the research; and you'll never see a Volkswagan Camper in the same light again!

---

18 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
This is real Cinema, 19. Oktober 2004
Author: frazer churchill

An incredible piece of film making, this beautifully shot movie really is about as poetic as it's possible for cinema to be and still have a coherent, gripping narrative. It feels like a western with its dramatic monument valley backdrop and masculine themes, but plays more like a European movie, with it's dark characterisations and existential mood . The soundtrack is fantastic and the feeling the movie imparts is unique. I always recommend this film to people because so few have ever seen it. I think it's a tragedy that James Guercio didn't make more movies because this was his first (and only) film and it's up there with the best of Peckinpah/Leone/Boorman/Seigal (whose work is similar). I'll never forget this film and the ending will live with me forever. If you like movies you need to see this film, This is real Cinema.

---

8 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
It's in Arizona, Not California, 24. Oktober 2006

Author: bd18packer von Rocky Mountains

Robert Blake's Character in "Electra Glide in Blue" was a motorcycle policeman in the fictional town of Stockman, Arizona, not California or the CHP. Also, the title "Electra Glide in Blue" refers to the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, Electra Glide, favored for many years by law enforcement agencies in this country, before the influx of foreign bikes, (namely Kawaski, etc.) and the "Blue" in the title refers to the Men in Blue, aka the police. A previous commenter referred to these in their comments incorrectly. Several references are given in the film, by Officer Wintergreen (Robert Blake), referring to areas around the Valley of the Sun, namely the Phoenix, Arizona area. Among the aforementioned are "Buckeye Road", "Camelback"(Camelback Mountain), "The Superstitions/Superstition Mountains". Strangely, the Mounument Valley area also appears as a backdrop in several scenes; this area is nowhere near the Phoenix area. The soundtrack from this movie was available on LP, after it's release. It is sometimes seen on Ebay; collectors should note that inserts of the Electra Glide motorcycle, the cover picture and glossy pictures of the cast and action sequences, in booklet form, from the movie were included in the original release of the album, and should be included in the sale of this collector recording. They greatly increase the value of the record. I have seen this movie almost 100 times since it's release, in theaters, on TV and Cable, and in video form. It is among my favorites of all time.

---

4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
John Wintergreen needs a pack of lifesavers and a Stetson., 16. Mai 2006
Author: copper1963 von Staten Island, New York

Pigs! Killers! Fascists! Anti-cop? Not a chance. The locals took one peek at the script and threw the entire film crew out of their precinct, and escorted them to the edge of town and beyond. Wow! Sharp bikes. And movie title. Robert Blake is dead on right as the highway cop. He makes up for in height by what he delivers in toughness and compassion. Miss Jeannie Riley plays the love interest of both Blake and his superior. She has a lengthy bar room scene bordering on religious fervor and regret. Nifty character turns by veterans Elisha Cook Jr. and Royal Dano. The action sequences are staged and edited with flair. The great cameraman, Conrad T. Hall, experimented with the interiors, flooding the camera lens with smoke, diffused light and warped, fun house-type angles. Memorable moments one and two: Blake has two great dress-up scenes. The first involves his uniform and motorcycle. The second concerns his new threads when he makes detective. An old do-wop group, The Marcels, invades the soundtrack with the flip side of "Blue Moon." However, the best musical cue occurs at the end of the film. The closing song, "Tell me," written by the producer/director/composer, James W. Guercio, of this film, is a masterpiece of the rock genre. Worthy of an Oscar or Grammy, the song begins with a nod to Blood, Sweat and Tears, travels to Chicago and, later, dismounts in Spectorville. A road and a movie well traveled. And taken

---

7 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
two extreme overactors (E. Wood, M. Ryan) marr a cool little indie, 20. August 2003

Author: slavejuan (slavejuan@aol.com) von mtDoom

i had to watch it twice to appreciate the movie. i liked it the first time, but only partially. i couldn't stand two of the characters, one being an old looney man played by Kubrick vetran Elija Cook, and the other a more important character played by Mitch Ryan (he played the laughing boss in Jim Carey's LIAR, LIAR as Carey shouted 'truths' about him). Ryan plays a tough, neat dressed undercover cop, a guy that Robert Blake idolizes at first, but then grows to hate, both inwardly and then, openly. Ryan overacts the part so much it's almost intolerable. it was like acting within a really corny B movie or a violent soap. and Wood goes so overboard as a crazy old man that you want to pull him out of the TV and slap him and say, "Relax, this is too small a movie to garnish any oscar nominations anyhow, so just be subdued and realistic because this is a cult movie, and must appeal to people thruout the years, and for years to come so for godsake RELAX!!!" well, that is does, and doesn't - last as a cult flick, that is. it's not a perfect movie, but it's original and interesting and pretty fun to watch (keep an eye out for members of the band CHICAGO, preferably Peter Cetera). you really get the feel of the lonely hot desert roads, the Arizona highway that's like a character in itself, an open range prison for Robert Blake who plays a CHP cop with aspirations of being a great LA detective (did he dream of a bird named Fred on his shoulder?). Blake's character isnt fleshed out but i dont think he's supposed to be. he's sort of learning his character as the movie goes on, just as his character is learning himself, sort of like in noir films when the audience is within the perspective of the lead character - Blake is a pawn, so to speak - and, as the audience, so are we. and Billy Green Bush, who is always great as a character actor, does a cool job (ala Five Easy Pieces) as Blake's CHP buddy - crooked as hell - but even he overacts further into the movie when he is 'punished' for his bending of the law. but, all in all, i liked it. being a fan of Robert Blake in IN COLD BLOOD (which i believe is one of the best performances of any actor of all time) i enjoyed this movie and thus do enjoy having it in my collection, and can't wait till it's on DVD. oh yeah and a cool scene is when Blake and Bush are shooting a poster of Easy Rider for target practice; this is a sort of premonition for the finale of ELECTRA GLIDE, which is very intense and, overall, pretty messed up... i won't ruin it for you...

---

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
It's taken 35 years to get over the ending...., 28. Mai 2008

Author: innocuous von Raleigh, NC, USA

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I first saw EGiB the very first weekend it opened in Boston. Back then, you had very limited access to movie reviews and there wasn't much buzz about movies prior to their release. Because of this, the ending of the movie surprised me a great deal. In fact, I think it overwhelmed my perspective of the movie as a whole.

Fast forward to 1989. While I had seen a few clips from the movie here and there, I only had the opportunity to watch the movie again in its entirety after I found that a local video store had a VHS copy for rent. I discovered that EGib has a lot more depth than I originally gave it credit for. I've only watched it a few times since, but it remains a very impressive accomplishment for a first-time director.

The cinematography really puts you there in the desert with the cops, investigators, barflys, and low-lifes. Blake is very good in his role, which seemed to be written for him. I only wish that the other actors had done a better job. Ryan is particularly disappointing.

Just remember when you're watching that this film was made at a peculiar time in US history. After ten years of anti-war protests, "Summer of Love," rapidly expanding drug use, and all sorts of wild-hippie-crazy-leftist-pinko-commie activity, basically the government and our parents' generation said, "OK...you win. We're out of SE Asia and you can look forward to disco." We were stunned. I think that EGiB is more of a parable of THIS situation than any other. After all, what do you do when you take the thorn out of the lion's paw and he eats you anyway?

Definitely worth your time to watch.

---

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Where have all the cowboys gone?, 12. Oktober 2007

Author: travisyoung von United States

A requiem for the death of the American hero. No, this is not the plot—this is what the movie accomplishes. Do not mistake this existential parable for what may otherwise seem like a superficial counter-culture exploitation flick—it is nothing of the sort.

Record producer Guercio's first (and last) effort at film-making, captured beautifully by the late cinematographer Conrad Hall, leaves the viewer wondering "where have all the cowboys gone?" John Ford taught us that the hero rode a white horse and did the right thing, even if it killed him—and in this Vietnam-era analogue, Blake is a five-foot four-inch leather-clad motorcycle cop writing speeding tickets along a lonely two-lane road cutting through monument valley. With high hopes and ideals, he aspires not only to do more but to become more...and for a while he succeeds. But the world is different, people are different, and the old heroes he admired are not just obsolete—they are extinct.

We are inexorably drawn through his disillusionment and our own to an ending that is sad, tragic, and inevitable.

---

---

Seite 1 von 5:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Add another comment

---

Weitere Links

Plot summary	Plot synopsis	Nutzerbewertungen
Auszeichnungen	Newsgroup reviews	Externe Kritiken
Plot keywords	Hauptübersicht	Your user comments
Your vote history