MovieChat Forums > 52 Pick-Up (1986) Discussion > Good script, Good acting, Poor directing

Good script, Good acting, Poor directing

posted 14 years ago by tricksoftrade01
3 replies | jump to latest

Ya need all three to be a classic, but instead it is just another good movie.

The flow was just off in this movie. It seems that the director did not have any regard for audience reaction, or any sense of buildup. This movie is supposed to be suspense but the director has problems coming through. A prime example is the attempted murder of Alan Ralmy at his home. It was a downright horrible scene, no suspense at all, pretty sloppy. I think that the director was going for a 'chaos thing' but it just ended up looking lazy. She wakes up, Alan quiets her and says someone is in the house, a closet opens and he is attacked.

There was other examples, but generally I think that movie just did not build up enough tension/relase for the viewer. I wonder how different this movie would be if Hitchcock in his prime would have directed it.

[–] j-taylor-goddard 13 years ago

That's typical Cannon I'm afraid - medium budget. Enough cash for good stars and composers, but always B-movie directors.

Their scripts are usually awful too, but sometimes, like in this case, they got it right.

Street Smart, Barfly, and Runaway Train (in particular) are also good Cannon examples.

[–] WhackJob 13 years ago

Don Siegel in his prime would have been a better choice of director because he's more up front with the violence than Hitchcock.

John Frankenheimer was a good director and would make a really good film, RONIN 4 years before his death. But his direction here seems apathetic and lackadaisical. Like in sports the difference between the good ones and the great ones are the great ones never lets up. Obviously Frankenheimer lets up here.

Paybacks are a Behar!

[–] nutsberryfarm 13 years ago

frankenheimer's cool. not melodramatic. makes it that much more chilling.

We're not soldiers and he's not the enemy. He's a pizza man.