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The Killer and the History of Hit Man Movies

posted a year ago by roger1 (3692)
24 replies | jump to latest

Though it has a few unique touches to distinguish it, The Killer sometimes feels like the umpteenth telling of a story we've been told 100 times.

And what do those 100 times include? Well, I think Vince Edwards played a guy in a movie called "Murder for Hire" that set the template. And we needed to get the Hays Code out of the way to end the moralizing but, here goes: The Killers(versions in the inverse years of 1946 AND 1964, the latter with Lee Marvin as a hitman) Hard Contract(James Coburn), The Mechanic(Charles Bronson), Hit Lady(Yvette Mimeux) The Day of the Jackal(Edward Fox), The Jackal(Bruce Willis) Three Days of the Condor(Max Von Sydow), Prizzi's Honor(Nicholson and Kathleen Turner), one, maybe two movies with William H. Macy(I know, I saw them), Absolute Power(Richard Jenkins' bland milquetoast of a hit man), Grosse Pointe Blank(John Cusack in a comedy version with Dan Ackroyd trying to start a "hit person union".) And lots more.

Michael Fassbender's killer has some mantras he always repeats like "Forbid emphathy" or is it "avoid empathy" and "Only fight the battle you've been paid to fight" but he also has a lengthy voiceover bit about how no one should waste time trying to bring him over to a side.

This matches the wittier speech by hit man Max Von Sydow in "Three Days of the Condor" in answer to a question by hero Robert Redford as to why he killed somebody:

Redford: Why?
Von Sydow: I don't interest myself in "why." I think more often in terms of "when," sometimes "where," always "how much."

[–] moviechatterer (15697) a year ago

you missed "Leon" the fanboys will go mad!

Basically people love to romanticise the life of a hitman as a swarve cool international man-of-mystery to be looked up to and admired.
Hell, I really enjoyed those hitman games on pc and many of the aforementioned movies.

In real life though they are nothing more than murdering gangland thugs with zero morals who should all be executed.

[–] mitzibishi (1857) a year ago

and the vast majority are not cool, and calm, sitting with a sniper rifle for days. Trained in every martial art, knife combat, archery, axe throwing, knife throwing, gun-fu masters.

They are just crazy enough to take money for killing somebody or attempting and botching it. Dumb as rocks, and a lot of them get caught because they are not super smart, didn't meticulously plan it, then brag about it in a bar.

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

you missed "Leon" the fanboys will go mad!

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Oops. You're right. I hereby add Leon back in.

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Basically people love to romanticise the life of a hitman as a swarve cool international man-of-mystery to be looked up to and admired.

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I didn't see the film, but I think that George Clooney as a hit man in "The American" was meant to play that way.

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Hell, I really enjoyed those hitman games on pc and many of the aforementioned movies.

In real life though they are nothing more than murdering gangland thugs with zero morals who should all be executed.

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Years ago, I read some article by an experienced cop who wrote: "The professional hit man is a fantasy creation of Hollywood. There are no such hit men."

I suppose he's right -- in terms of the movie type -- suave, meticulous, maybe handsome. You're right -- basically when they exist, they are murdering thugs, not very smart on gangster payrolls.

Two movies gave us one other fictional but maybe believeable background for hit men: John Cusack in "Grosse Pointe Blank" and Tom Cruise in "Collateral" have backgrounds as highly trained, very good MILITARY solders -- Cusack mentions the US Army I think. The idea that "soldiers trained to kill" would transfer those skills to civilian roles as hit men - or "assassins" -- does make some sense. This is roughly what Robert DeNiro played in The Irishman. Ex-soldier, killed in cold blood and followed orders -- transferred that to Mafia work.

And back to fantasy: In the 1967 movie "Deadlier Than The Male" gorgeous Elke Sommer and gorgeous Sylvia Koscina played a team of hit women who killed guys while wearing bikinis and other distractions. The movie poster played up the bikinis. Still, wouldn't you rather get killed by a hot chick in a bikini?

[–] SweetTooth43 (2052) a year ago

If real life was like Hollywood, 1 out of every 100 people would be a hit man.

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

If real life was like Hollywood, 1 out of every 100 people would be a hit man.

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LOL. They've really made it look like a boom occupation, haven't they?

I just remembered one more: George Clooney in "The American."

[–] [deleted] a year ago

If it was a john Wick movie, everyone would be a hit man.

[–] [deleted] a year ago

[deleted]

[–] spacecomedy (2047) a year ago

Three Days of the Condor is a superior film, but I liked The Killer a lot. One of the better movies I've seen this year. Fassbender is very good in a role that requires both stillness and intense action. His movements reminded me of strikers who sometimes stroll around the pitch before breaking into a full on sprint.

Wittiest quote of the film for me: "It's the idle hours that most often lead a man to ruin. That's not Dylan Thomas, but it ought to be."

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

Wittiest quote of the film for me: "It's the idle hours that most often lead a man to ruin. That's not Dylan Thomas, but it ought to be."

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One reason that I do want to watch The Killer again is lines like that. I kept noting them all the way through and I'd like to go back and remember them better.

I also felt his constant voiceover mantras -- of which I have only learned two -- "Forbid empathy" and "Only fight the battle for which you are paid" -- were unique, the prayer-like statements -- affirmations? -- a man makes over and over so as to give him focus every time he has to kill.

[–] Khan23 (11) a year ago

A possible source for the 'idle hours' line. Dylan Thomas lived in New Quay, Wales for a while after WWII:

https://www.discoverdylanthomas.com/llareggub-and-the-1939-war-register

"As in previous census returns, New Quay’s fishermen remain hidden within the 1939 War Register. Only two people gave their occupation as fisherman. But there were many in the town with fishing boats, who fished to supplement their savings, war pensions or income from another job. Several of the master mariners and retired sailors had their own boats, as did some of the tradesmen, including grocer Norman Evans, whose boat was aptly-named the Idle Hour. Cobbler Glanmor Rees and carpenter Carsey ‘Evans the Death’ also had fishing boats, as did Skipper Rymer of the Dolau pub and butcher Dai ‘Come Back’ Lewis"

The Idle Hour meant retirement, then.

Maybe The Killer was subconsciously a in retirement mood when we first meet him. We see him wearing that flowery shirt, which looks like the place were Magdala lives and where the film ends. So maybe that's where he came from, before the film began, filled with idle hours, maybe even had a boat there.

[–] spacecomedy (2047) a year ago

That's an interesting thought, but I wonder what little eye twitch at the very end meant? Perhaps it's not just the money that keeps him in that line of work. Maybe a compulsion for the work itself.

[–] Khan23 (11) a year ago

There's another tiny twitch when Dolores, Hodges' secretary, begs. Same eye, the left one. 'Empathy is weakness(tiny twitch)weakness is vulnerability'.

The left=sinister eye. His right=dexterous one is in shadow, as is that side of his face.

The twist being, if you're a killer then compassion is evil, a temptation. It could kill you.

'I'm just like you, one of the many(twitch)' at the end is meant to be provocative I guess (in Se7en, written by the same guy, we have John Doe, an Everyman, one of the many too)

I guess you can trace the twitch to the killer missing that shot at the beginning. The dominatrix entered his vision from the left, and only then the killer pulled the trigger just as Morrissey was singing 'and you want to die'. I guess a subconscious and sinister boyfriend thought got in the way primed by the sinister dominatrix, and that the killer wanted to leave that life deep down...the hesitation almost cost him his girlfriend though.

[–] spacecomedy (2047) a year ago

Great analysis. And now that I think about it, the use of How Soon Is Now in the assassination attempt was also telling considering the lyric "I am human and I want to be loved." Maybe the Killer really did want a different life, but he hadn't quite fully realized it yet.

[–] spacecomedy (2047) a year ago

The mantras were very memorable. In many ways, he conducts himself like a monk. But, obviously, on the opposite side of holy.

[–] MichaelJPollock (736) a year ago

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

Allen Baron's 1961 'Blast of Silence' also comes to mind. It's very similar to 'The Killer', in that the protagonist is also quite clearly a non-romanticised sociopath and we are privy to his inner thoughts as he methodically follows his target and prepares for the hit.

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That's a great "add" to the list because I'd never heard of it, the casting seems to be of near unknowns, its almost a 1961 "indie" and -- "privy to his inner thoughts" is very specific to this film The Killer. I doubt the writers and makers of The Killer knew of Blast of Silence. so I doubt that's a "steal." More like great minds thinking alike.

[–] ElizabethJoestar (946) a year ago

I was going to mention BLAST OF SILENCE, one of my favorite movies!

BLAST is definitely a cult title, sandwiched between the classic noir heyday of the 40s and 50s and the neo-noir revival kickstarted in the late 60s. I wouldn't be surprised if any of the filmmaking team was influenced by the French New Wave or Beat literature. It's a low-budget film, notable for its lean narrative, sneering second-person voiceover narration, and vivid time capsule quality. It was largely shot on-location in NYC during the 1959 holiday season (I believe without a permit-- they had to get their street scenes shot without the cops knowing about it) and the film takes advantage of the great contrast between the seething angst of the protagonist and the Christmas decorations and music surrounding him.

What I love most about the film is its total lack of glamor, both in regards to the setting and the characters. Not a one of them looks like a movie star. Apparently, Peter Falk was supposed to play the lead, but he backed out for a better-paying gig elsewhere (I think MURDER INC), so the role went to the director/writer/producer Allen Baron. He's a bit stiff acting-wise, but it suits his character, a lonely, psychologically troubled hitman consumed with thoughts of what his life might have been had he not chosen a criminal career path.

This is probably my favorite Christmas movie-- I watch it every December along with the usual holly jolly subjects.

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

I was going to mention BLAST OF SILENCE, one of my favorite movies!

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Boy do I feel "out of the in crowd" now! I never heard of this, and here's two of you who not only have, but really love it.

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BLAST is definitely a cult title, sandwiched between the classic noir heyday of the 40s and 50s and the neo-noir revival kickstarted in the late 60s. I wouldn't be surprised if any of the filmmaking team was influenced by the French New Wave or Beat literature.

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Movies in that "stretch" are sort of "between eras" aren't they? And perhaps "of a piece" with New Wave and Beat.

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It's a low-budget film, notable for its lean narrative, sneering second-person voiceover narration, and vivid time capsule quality. It was largely shot on-location in NYC during the 1959 holiday season (I believe without a permit-- they had to get their street scenes shot without the cops knowing about it) and the film takes advantage of the great contrast between the seething angst of the protagonist and the Christmas decorations and music surrounding him.

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Well its Christmas time as I post this(2023) and maybe time to hunt it down for the season.

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What I love most about the film is its total lack of glamor, both in regards to the setting and the characters. Not a one of them looks like a movie star.

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And in 1961, even "non movie stars" were SUPPOSED to look like movie stars. Only handsome guys and pretty gals got cast for leads.

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CONT

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

Apparently, Peter Falk was supposed to play the lead, but he backed out for a better-paying gig elsewhere (I think MURDER INC),

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Well, Falk made the right choice regardless of the quality of Blast of Silence, because he got an Oscar nomination(Supporting) for his very first role in Murder, Inc. Then the NEXT year (officially 1961 at the Oscars) he got ANOTHER Supporting Oscar nom(for Frank Capra's final film, Pocketful of Miracles.) With that one-two Oscar punch, Falk was launched as a character guy all through the 60s(including a slapstick Laurel and Hardy turn with Jack Lemmon in Blake Edwards The Great Race to go with the serious stuff) and then, of course, exploded into the culture forever as Columbo (the first Columbo TV movie was in 1968! Then a second pilot in 1971...then a series for most of the 70s and a return in the 80s/90s/2000s!)

I"ve seen Murder, Inc. and Peter Falk wasn't funny in that one. He was terrifying as a real-life mob enforcer(rather than hitman) called Abe Reles. I'll never forget how his first victim was sweet goofy Morey Amsterdam from The Mary Tyler Moore Show -- Morey played a guy who owed gambling debts or something and Falk stabbed him right in the stomach. Horrible!

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so the role went to the director/writer/producer Allen Baron.

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Another, more famous role that Peter Falk turned down was "Moe Greene" in The Godfather. The guy with two famous scenes -- (1) "Do you know who I am? I'm MOE GREENE! I made my bones when you were dating cheerleaders!" and (2) Getting shot through the eye, which Big Pussy on The Sopranos called "The Moe Greene Special.". Peter Falk as the loveable Columbo would have been wrong in that bit of film history. Alex Rocco was just right. Falk turned it down by saying "I needed Columbo to investigate where that role WAS, it was so small." Oops for Falk -- good for us.

CONT

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

(Allen Baron is) a bit stiff acting-wise, but it suits his character, a lonely, psychologically troubled hitman consumed with thoughts of what his life might have been had he not chosen a criminal career path.

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I read a plot synopsis on Imdb that said this hit man was based out of Cleveland. That's in Ohio, natch - home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Drew Carey Show.

I had relatives in Ohio and I would visit them as a kid and in later years, I was astonished to learn how MUCH Mafia there was in the Cleveland area. I guess it made sense -- the mob started in New York and slowly worked its way West -- Chicago being the Second City of Crime but Cleveland making the list, too.

Also in the cast list is Larry Tucker - whose fame in the 60's was as a writing partner to the more famous Paul Mazursky (I Love You Alice B. Toklas, Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice)..but also on The Monkees(where Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson also toiled.)

I found Larry Tucker in an interesting role in Preminger's DC political film "Advise and Consent" of 1962. Tucker figures in the films most controversial sequence -- in TWO ways -- in which straight-arrow Utah Congressman Don Murray goes to NYC in search of an ex-gay lover who can ruin his career. This scene was controversial for just EXISTING in Hays Code 1962(but Otto was always pushing the envelope) and in later years for its "sinister view" of gay culture, which is rather represented by Larry Tucker as a weird, overweight gay man who Murray interacts with. So Larry Tucker ended up with quite a little career -- acting( a little) and writing.

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This is probably my favorite Christmas movie-- I watch it every December along with the usual holly jolly subjects.

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Right alongside MY favorite Christmas movie -- Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho -- which is set in the days from December 11 to December 20 and features Christmas decorations on Phoenix streets in an early scene.

[–] ElizabethJoestar (946) a year ago

This is probably my favorite Christmas movie-- I watch it every December along with the usual holly jolly subjects.

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Right alongside MY favorite Christmas movie -- Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho -- which is set in the days from December 11 to December 20 and features Christmas decorations on Phoenix streets in an early scene.
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Another Christmas classic: Three Days of the Condor. Set during the holidays, complete with streetside Santas and carols on the soundtrack.

I also rewatched The Phantom of the Paradise a few nights ago and that film's set in December too. Ho ho ho

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

...oh there's all sorts of Christmas movies out there. Three Days of the Condor was one of the first movies(now they are legion) to give Santa a sinister cast at the end.

As to the "is Die Hard a Christmas movie" debate, one thing has been made clear in somebody's research

The producer was Joel Silver, who the yeqr before opened the first Lethal Weapon in March...but opened the movie with "Jingle Bell Rock" on the soundtrack and had the movie set at Christmas time. Die Hard saves the Christmas song til the end ("Let It Snow.") ...but

...evidently Silver's plan was to put Xmas songs and setting into his action pictures whenever possible so that they would PLAY on TV at Christmas and make more money.

The screenplay for Psycho calls for it to take place in "late summer"(despite the big storm that brings Janet Leigh to the Bates Motel) and there are no Xmas decorations ANYWHERE in the movie except the ones on the streets of Phoenix. Reason: Hitchcock sent a second unit camera crew to film those Phoenix streets in November 1959 and the decorations were up. Rather than send the unit back to Phoenix to reshoot, he just slapped the title "Friday December 11" for the first scene and audiences could count the days from beginning of story to end.

[–] chubacheeba (59) a year ago

Jim Jarmunch's Ghost Dog The way of the samurai was an interesting take. The Killer reminded me of Collateral. Tom Cruise is surprisingly good at portraying a psycopath

[–] roger1 (3692) a year ago

The Killer reminded me of Collateral. Tom Cruise is surprisingly good at portraying a psycopath

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In my OP, I missed Collateral in my history of hit men -- and I knew I would miss a LOT of movies even with the ones I remembered.

But Collateral is special because of the quality director(Michael Mann) and look of the film (smoggy brown LA on a hot summer n ight) and because Mr. Cruise's trademark intensity and coldness really FIT this psychopathic bad guy.

As with our anti-hero in The Killer, Cruise is playing a "perfect" hit man who actually quite botches the job. He is set to kill 5 people in five locations in one night without attracting the attention of the cabbie driving him from place to place(Jamie Foxx) but -- the very first victim manages to jump/fall out of a window, alerting Foxx to Cruise's murderous job and Cruise must "implement Plan B" -- holding Foxx a nightlong hostage in his own moving cab -- to pull off all 5 murders. Or not...