Welcome to Commentary Commentary, the place we sit and take heed to filmmakers discuss their work, then share essentially the most fascinating elements. On this version, Rob Hunter revisits the nonetheless sadly underseen Alistair MacLean adaptation, Concern Is the Key.
Actor Barry Newman handed away this weekend on the age of ninety-two after a movie & tv profession that ran for half a century. He starred in dozens of movies and exhibits, however the position he’s finest remembered for is that of Kowalski in 1971’s Vanishing Level. The movie made him a star, if just for a short while, and stays an immensely well-liked motion/thriller. As nice as it’s, although, my choice is for the experience that got here one 12 months later. Concern Is the Key doesn’t get practically the love of that different title, however from its epic, first-act automobile chase onward, it’s one hell of an entertaining watch.
Australian label Imprint Movies launched this gem to Blu-ray final 12 months — its worldwide debut on Blu — and it features a commentary observe with two movie historians. Hold studying to see what I heard on the commentary for Concern Is the Key.
Concern Is the Key (1972)
Commentators: Kim Newman (movie historian, no relation), Sean Hogan (writer)
1. The primary adaptation of an Alistair MacLean novel hit screens in 1961 (The Weapons of Navarone), and twelve extra adopted over the subsequent three many years. His reputation peaked within the 60s and 70s to the purpose that studio execs have been giving him story outlines which he would then concurrently write as each novels and screenplays.
2. The unimaginable automobile chase within the movie is a part of the supply novel, nevertheless it’s drastically expanded for the movie as evidenced by it being unfold throughout over ten minutes. It was crafted by stunt coordinator/driver Carey Loftin who took on the identical duties in Vanishing Level. His filmography is endlessly spectacular and consists of every part from Insurgent And not using a Trigger (1955) and Spartacus (1960) to Bullitt (1968) and The French Connection (1971). He’s additionally the motive force in each Duel (1971) and Christine (1983)!
3. Kim Newman credit movies like this and Puppet on a Chain (1970), one other MacLean adaptation, for uplifting the James Bond movies to up their recreation when it got here to vehicular chase scenes.
4. Spoiler in case you haven’t watched the movie but, however John Talbot (Newman) seems to be a very good man merely pretending to be dangerous with the intention to attain sure folks. The character within the e-book takes that deception to a different stage by carrying a disguise consisting of daring crimson hair and a vicious scar.
5. Director Michael Tuchner made his characteristic debut with 1971’s Villain, an underrated British crime movie, however whereas his tv profession flourished he solely made six characteristic movies in whole.
6. That is the movie debut of Ben Kingsley — he performs a gun-toting powerful man — and he didn’t return to the massive display till ten years later in 1982’s Gandhi.
7. MacLean’s writing idol was reportedly Raymond Chandler, and that inspiration comes clear as soon as the movie hits the midpoint with the massive home, the runaway daughter, the peculiar antagonist, and its twisted little detour on the coronary heart of one thing larger.
8. Kim Newman describes this as a mid-range thriller, the likes of which we don’t see sufficient of as of late. “The final one I can consider is Michael Bay’s Ambulance.” He’s not mistaken.
9. MacLean turned fairly rich as a author, however he switched careers in 1963 and have become a hotelier for a number of years solely to lose all of it and return to the typewriter.
10. They reference a handful of frequent themes and pictures throughout MacLean’s tales together with radios, villains falling to their doom relatively than being immediately killed by the protagonist, macabre beats in the midst of a extra conventional thriller, and extra.
11. Kim Newman finds Breakheart Cross (1975) to be an odd duck in MacLean’s filmography because it’s the author’s “try to do a western, nevertheless it’s a western made up of bits and items of different Alistair MacLean tales.”
12. MacLean was satisfied to jot down The place Eagles Dare (1978) as an unique screenplay, however he was sad with the epic physique rely within the completed product because it was supposed as an anti-war movie. Hogan says the author was in opposition to violence usually, and Kim Newman provides that “lots of people who’d been by way of a battle, have been.”
13. Normal screenwriting recommendation means that Act One you get caught up a tree, Act Two you get caught additional up the tree, and Act Three you get down from the tree, “what MacLean does is Act Two again and again, and that could be a nice mannequin for motion/suspense.”
14. Talbot scuffles with a foul man at 1:20:00 and watches as the person unintentionally falls off the oil rig. Within the novel, the person is greater than a generic thug — he’s the drug-addicted son of the massive dangerous (performed by the nice John Vernon right here).
15. Within the novel, Vyland (Vernon) throws himself off the oil rig selecting suicide over imprisonment. Right here he’s shot by a determined Ben Kingsley.
Finest in Context-Free Commentary
“This was made throughout the two or three years the place Barry Newman was a star.”
“One other character who isn’t fairly what he appears, kind of a MacLean staple.”
“It is a movie, like all early 70s movies, that speaks to the spectacular age of trend.”
“Alistair MacLean does appear to have way more sympathy with wealthy folks.”
“I don’t assume I’ve met many ladies who’re large Alistair MacLean followers, he’s an actual bloke author.”
“The Weapons of Navarone was made in a interval the place you can nearly move it off as a critical, essential movie relatively than a romp which it blatantly was.”
“As of this recording he’s nonetheless alive…”
Last Ideas
Concern Is the Key stays a unbelievable experience with an awesome chase, some wild story turns, and a powerfully sedate finale. The commentary doesn’t contact an excessive amount of on Barry Newman past his temporary standing as a number one man and his attraction to moms in every single place, however each Kim Newman and Sean Hogan share some fascinating details concerning the different skills concerned. Their information is particularly heavy on author Alistair MacLean — to the purpose that I’m planning to work my manner by way of all fourteen movies based mostly on his writings.
Learn extra Commentary Commentary from the archives.
Associated Subjects: Commentary Commentary, Imprint
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