Across 110th Street
1972 Directed by Barry Shear
Synopsis
If you steal $300,000 from the mob, It's not robbery. It's suicide.
In a daring robbery, some $300,000 is taken from the Italian mob. Several mafiosi are killed, as are two policemen. Lt. Pope and Mattelli are two New York City cops trying to break the case. Three small-time criminals are on the run with the money. Will the mafia catch them first, or will the police? Written by Ken Miller
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The Letterboxd Festival – Film #3
My knowledge of blaxploitation amounts to almost zero. I can't recall having seen a single film in the genre - not for any real reason, it's one of those things I just never really got round to investigating in great detail. I'm not sure I'm Gonna Git You Sucka! can really be counted as a part of the genre, so Across 110th Street, with its fantastic Bobby Womack theme tune, took my blaxploitation virginity. It also tied in quite neatly with the fact that I seem to be watching a lot of stuff with Yaphet Kotto in at the moment.
It seems to be a great place to start. Cops Anthony Quinn and Yaphet…
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Letterboxd Festival 3
Although it contains the hallmarks of a blaxploitation film, Across 110th Street has slightly loftier ambitions than many films within its genre. That is not to say that the films main aim is not to entertain, and it does so with vicious action, compelling characters and tight direction, but it also tries to create a rich central character pairing. This pairing comes in the form of a white cop (a brilliant and grizzled Anthony Quinn) and black cop (Yaphet Kotto - one of the best blaxploitation actors of the '70s). Both deliver stellar performances brimming with intensity and enough shades of grey to keep an audience engaged. The story of police and gangsters looking for a gang…
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I never really got on board with this one. It could be that the film's time, place, and subject matter (crime & mobsters) aren't really my thing. Or maybe that there was little character development that made me feel anything for any of the characters.
This was probably made before buddy cop movies were a sub-genre or else they would have developed the relationship between Anthony Quinn and Yaphet Kotto's characters. Yes, I know they did this a little, but they never came to an understanding. I would have liked to see something that was a cross between In the Heat of the Night and Lethal Weapon. But the focus was less on the cops, and more balanced between them, the…
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The Third film of the Letterboxd film festival
I really dug the first 10 minutes and last 10 minutes but that's about it. Some of the pimp costumes where pretty cool too. Not a bad film in any way but it just didn't really do anything for me.
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When watching Jackie Brown (1997), there is in particular a certain tune one notices, namely "Across 110th Street", written by Bobby Womack for this film. Across 110th Street (1972) is traditionally considered a blaxploitation movie, and as an homage to the genre it was natural for Tarantino to let Pam Grier hum along to this song.
In the film two colored criminals rob the mafia, and runs off with a bunch of money, at the same time killing both mobsters and police officers and thus becoming New York's Most Wanted. In the subplot the racist and corrupt police captain (Anthony Quinn) must hand over the investigation to the colored lieutenant (Yaphet Kotto). The film is quite exciting, intense and remarkably raw and brutal. Recommended! -
3rd Film of the Letterboxd Festival.
I agree with Groove Man's review, I liked the first and last 10 minutes, in between just seemed to be Anthony Quinn or Anthony Franciosa beating the shit out of people.
Loved the soundtrack but never really got into the film.
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Typically gritty '70s cop movie that lacks the spark of greatness. It's a good cast but surprisingly it's only Tony Franciosa who shines as a psychotic mob lieutenant.
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There's no denying this is a good movie, I just didn't think it was a particularly great movie which is a real shame. The problem is mine though because I may have been too hyped up after hearing others recommend and rave about it. It's a gritty flick - brothers vs. mafioso after two crims take out 7 dudes and get away with the score. A by the book Harlem cop and the crooked veteran end up handling the case. There's a lot of angles, lots of tension and I think personally that the characters weren't realized enough for me, or I just really didn't feel like I had a chance to connect with them. Anyway. Good flick, lots of action and drama with real 70's flavor - just not as great as I had hoped. I'll give it a rewatch in 12 months
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Manages to effectively translate racial tension into dramatic tension without halting the plot in order to make its points. Anthony Quinn and Yaphet Kotto are great together, and if the movie suffers from a major flaw, it's that they aren't on screen enough.
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Great film, timeless ending. Shit goes DEEP.
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Gritty 70's cinema at its finest. Drags alittle bit but is saved by some unexpectedly good acting, especially by the criminal characters and a climatic shootout/chase.
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If you haven't seen THE WIRE (and look, I'm not advocating that you not watch THE WIRE; you should DEFINITELY watch THE WIRE), then you could spend less than 2 hours watching this and get the gist of it.
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Liked how this turned out to be less about the cops and spent more time with the crooks. Has one of those great '70s endings.
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I've been interested in watching Across 110th Street ever since I first heard Bobby Womack's amazing title song in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown. I've been a huge fan of the song ever since then, and that has single-handedly upped my interest in the film.
Anyway, I've had Across 110th Street in my Netflix Watch Instantly queue for who knows how long, but it came up as one of a few titles that expires from Netflix this Friday, February 1st. I decided to seize the opportunity and finally watch this blaxploitation classic tonight amidst two or three other films that I'm hoping to cram in before Friday, and I'm really glad I picked this first.
I never expected to get as…
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