I finally saw this movie!

I'm 47 and I became a big movie fan in the mid 70's. Since French Connection was released in 1971 I never really got around to watching it. From flipping through channels over the years I did know the junk was in the rocker panels and I had seen the bad guy "wave" from the subway but I didn't know what else.

I know a lot of folks nowadays say how dated this movie is or that it didn't age well, however you want to call it. It does remind me of how dated Save the Tiger is from that same early 70's era. The blood is way too bright and fake, the cars are like small boats, and you can tell the camera is hand held as it bounces up and down while the cameraman is walking around.

Still, I can see why the film is so well received as it brought a whole new genre to the big screen. The action is frenetic, the NY locale is bleak and dreary of the time, and the acting and editing and story are all top notch. I write this knowing that the movie has to be put in its context, it was the early 70's and this was a revolutionary film for its time. Sure, other films that came along after TFC are probably more appealing to the younger folk nowaday, like Godfather, Taxi Driver, Exorcist, but the movies kept on getting better and better throughout the 70's in many ways.

Overall, I'm glad I finally watched The French Connection and got that notch under my belt. I'm sure back in the day it was a huge deal for the movie industry and I think it's a perfect time capsule movie for people of all ages to watch.

"There is no Hollywood any more, there's just a bunch of banks"