ROLLERCOASTER

1977, James Goldstone, 117 mins.

American amusement parks are stalked by a maniac.

Connoisseurs of the art of screen acting sometime have to look in the most unusual places – Rollercoaster for example. It’s a ho-hum suspense movie which is never anything other than predictable and is shot in a flat TV movie style which makes it visually indistinguishable from the average cop show of the 1970s. The supporting performances by the likes of Richard Widmark and Henry Fonda are strictly for the money and Timothy Bottoms is peculiarly mannered as the bad guy who likes to blow up fairground rides. But it’s worth it all for George Segal’s quite sensational performance in the lead. It’s not a great part and the dialogue is generally mediocre but he adds grace notes and gives the character so much wit and style that he stands out as a credible, complicated person in the midst of banality. 

TRANCE

2013, Danny Boyle, 101 mins.

An auctioneer becomes involved with an art robbery. 

The problem with Trance is that it twists about so much that it eventually coils its way up its own rectum. It’s a clever enough film which uses hypnosis with a lot more intelligence than you might expect, although it does depend on the idea that the central character, played by James McAvoy whose performance which is unfortunately reminiscent of Ewan McGregor at his most unappealing, is the most suggestible hypnotic subject in the history of the discipline. The plot, in which he gets involved with sexy therapist Rosario Dawson at the behest of gangster Vincent Cassel, hangs together  well until the last half hour when a string of daft revelations pile up and characters behave in ways which are wildly contrary to the way they have been developed. Danny Boyle’s stylish direction just about keeps it watchable. 

SITTING TARGET

1972, Douglas Hickox, 92 mins.

A convict escapes to get revenge on his unfaithful wife.

Sitting Target is a violent, grim, and compelling thriller which offers a sensational performance from Oliver Reed as an escaped convict obsessed with getting revenge on his cheating wife. Reed was always a powerful actor but here he turns the intensity up to eleven and keeps you compelled even while you’re appalled at his brutality. He’s well supported by Ian McShane as his more cheerful accomplice and there are effective cameo turns from a typically colourful Freddie Jones, Frank Finlay, and Edward Woodward as the copper on the case. The London locations are a delight and there’s one particularly good chase through the sheets and knickers of some tower block washing lines. It’s dated in some respects, particularly a lot of casual misogyny which sees the women uniformally treated like dirt. But it’s constantly riveting with an effective plot twist. 

BRASS TARGET

1978, John Hough, 110 mins.

The theft of Nazi gold is linked to an attempt to assassinate General Patton.

I’ve long had a soft spot for this daft and absurdly complicated conspiracy thriller. It’s a mad fantasy involving the post-war theft of Reichstag gold and the death of General Patton which gets by on sheer nerve. There’s a starry cast although the plaudits go to Patrick McGoohan, camping it up and having fun with an extraordinary accent, and Max Von Sydow, who adds much-needed gravitas to the whole affair. The plot is idiotic and virtually impossible to follow, but there are numerous diversions along the way including nice cinematography and a pounding score by Lawrence Rosenthal. The biggest problems are the two leads; John Cassavetes looks bored out of his mind and is even more disengaged than he was in The Fury, while a perfectly coiffured Sophia Loren must be among the most unlikely war refugees in film history. 

THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE

1973, Peter Yates, 102 mins.

A small-time crook gets in over his head.

Robert Mitchum could be a terrible, lazy actor when his mind wasn't on the job. But here, as small-time crook Eddie Coyle who is destroyed by his basic decency, he demonstrates just how good he could be at his best; subtle, mesmerising and able to break your heart. It’s a bleak, sad story but leavened with rich characterisations and plenty of salty humour, delivered to perfection by a cast of familiar faces including Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, Steven Keats and Alex Rocco. The direction by Peter Yates is an outstanding example of how to make the most of a good script and a capable cast and the result is his best film; he trusts the audience to listen and be patient. Victor J. Kemper’s cinematography has that characteristic 1970s grittiness and Dave Grusin’s jazzy score keeps you in the mood. 

FRACTURE

2007, Gregory Hoblit, 113 mins.

A brilliant engineer kills his wife and seemingly gets away with it.

Gregory Hoblit is one of those filmmakers who is perfectly competent but relies almost entirely on a decent script if he is to do anything above average. His debut Primal Fear is still the best thing he’s done. Fracture is a rather too clever-clever thriller which comes on like a courtroom drama but gets the trial stuff out of the way quickly and concentrates on a not terribly fascinating battle of wits between Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins. The latter seems to be enjoying himself in a role which is reminiscent of Charles Laughton in The Big Clock but Gosling is rather bland and the excellent supporting cast – Fiona Shaw, Cliff Curtis - has little to do. It's entirely typical of the film that in lieu of an exciting climax, it winds up with a perfunctory bit of legal manoeuvring.