Watching this film may cause some irritation. At times it is cheaply melodramatic, at times it is clearly a comedy despite of a rather serious story, and George C. Scott, known to the public principally as refined, cynical urbanite (The Hustler, Petulia, The Changeling) seems to be a very odd choice for the part of a deeply religious man from the Midwest looking for his daughter who disappeared during a trip to a Calvinist convention in California and is later discovered to be a starlet in porn movies.
MINOR SPOILERS On second thought the story is pretty fascinating. Apparently it is derived from Greek mythology. Like Hercules, Ulysses and other heroes of Antiquity, the main character has to fulfill a task to please the Gods (well, singular, in this case). And he goes to work with the ruthlessness of a true hero. The object of his search does not really matter. The relationship with his daughter is never explored and it is little surprising that she is not particularly pleased to see him again. The enemy of the Hero is the porn industry. He courageously descends into Hades all right, but it is not easy to identify your real adversary there. The director really makes a point in presenting the red light district in all its aspects as a well working sector of the economic machinery, with its rules, laws and boring everyday routine somehow it succeeds more so than Boogie Nights. Like in many movies based on a Schrader script, the action soon departs from rational common sense and reverts into a man's wishful thinking and dreams of violent action which lead to a climactic final part with an anti climactic ending. And this end justifies the hiring of George C. Scott fully.
The most interesting part of the movie for me was the conversation between the main character and a young hooker who is ready to help him with his task (people knowing more about Greek mythology than I might find the right parallel there). The girl declares herself a Venusian. I believe in TULIP, replies the Hero who has a Dutch name and probably forefathers of that nationality. What at first seems (to an ignorant soul like me) a cynical joke reveals itself to be an acronym denominating the five principles of Calvinist faith which the Hero then explains in a matter of fact way. Suddenly it becomes clear that the title Hardcore does not refer to the porn industry but to the main character who acts according to his faith which can be pretty inhuman if you follow it to the letter.
Like all Schrader movies I know Hardcore is an exercise in aesthetics. The colors are beautiful and well balanced, George C. Scott's wardrobe is a sight to behold. Watch for the final scene in a house of bondage where the main character crashes vigorously through the paper thin walls of several torture chambers' in hot pursuit of his adversary. Very telling. And very funny, to be honest.
MINOR SPOILERS On second thought the story is pretty fascinating. Apparently it is derived from Greek mythology. Like Hercules, Ulysses and other heroes of Antiquity, the main character has to fulfill a task to please the Gods (well, singular, in this case). And he goes to work with the ruthlessness of a true hero. The object of his search does not really matter. The relationship with his daughter is never explored and it is little surprising that she is not particularly pleased to see him again. The enemy of the Hero is the porn industry. He courageously descends into Hades all right, but it is not easy to identify your real adversary there. The director really makes a point in presenting the red light district in all its aspects as a well working sector of the economic machinery, with its rules, laws and boring everyday routine somehow it succeeds more so than Boogie Nights. Like in many movies based on a Schrader script, the action soon departs from rational common sense and reverts into a man's wishful thinking and dreams of violent action which lead to a climactic final part with an anti climactic ending. And this end justifies the hiring of George C. Scott fully.
The most interesting part of the movie for me was the conversation between the main character and a young hooker who is ready to help him with his task (people knowing more about Greek mythology than I might find the right parallel there). The girl declares herself a Venusian. I believe in TULIP, replies the Hero who has a Dutch name and probably forefathers of that nationality. What at first seems (to an ignorant soul like me) a cynical joke reveals itself to be an acronym denominating the five principles of Calvinist faith which the Hero then explains in a matter of fact way. Suddenly it becomes clear that the title Hardcore does not refer to the porn industry but to the main character who acts according to his faith which can be pretty inhuman if you follow it to the letter.
Like all Schrader movies I know Hardcore is an exercise in aesthetics. The colors are beautiful and well balanced, George C. Scott's wardrobe is a sight to behold. Watch for the final scene in a house of bondage where the main character crashes vigorously through the paper thin walls of several torture chambers' in hot pursuit of his adversary. Very telling. And very funny, to be honest.