This is certianly not the best of the 70's crime films, and I am not sure I understand the alternative title 'Diamond Shaft' (with Roundtree top billed) as Roundtree's not playing John Shaft and he's not even playing a cop. It's probably just a way of exploiting his past success in the Shaft films. Anyway, this film is difficult to love or hate, I just found it an adequate quirky little 70's crime film. Robert Shaw is quite a dignified charactor and is also a little mysterious (playing his twin aswell). It's a fun film to watch but is not as good as those gritty 70's thrillers such as French Connection, Taking of Pelham 123 etc. I doubt it's worth recommending, but it was interesting to see Roundtree, Shaw and randomly Shelley Winters, all together.
Reviews
3 Reviews
The Wedding Party
(1969)
Quirky watchable film
17 October 2001
This is a pleasant little film by De Palma, and is a light hearted comedy. It has a traditional comedic feel to it with it being in black and white and it's use of speeded up footage. It does however get a little tiedious at points but is an appealing quaint little comedy about eccentric family and friends. The young De Niro in the film gives a fairly empty performance, but works well in the double act with his other zany friend. The improvised dialouge adds a more realistic/un-predictable feel to the film and it's worth seeing for it's light-hearted entertainment and humour.
Sam's Song
(1969)
Unbearable
17 October 2001
I have only seen the 'Line of Fire' version of this film, and it was frankly just unbearable. The acting from Charnota is awfully wooden and the rubbish lines they churn out just get worse (eg. "it's written all over your face like egg"). However the film is intriguing as it's probably De Niro's worst film, but despite this it has an interesting look and setting to it. With it's bleak, porno filled and gritty American streets it's a perfect setting for De Niro, particularly as he goes on to embody such settings in Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or even Sleepers. Theres also a nice seen on the beach where De Niro acts out a film he saw, and it's intercut as De Niro plays the shooter and the victim. This act is again like an incarnation of De Niro's later action of pretending to shoot himself (in the mirror) in Taxi Driver. However despite my fumbling attempts to find some good points to the film, it is terrible and very hard to watch as it's so bad. De Niro in the film is the better of the cast and perhaps the original 'Sam's Song' version is better.
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