| | | L.A.'s deadliest street gang just declared war on the cops
Features: DVD, Dolby, Dolby Digital (5.1), Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, Widescreen
They cut the lights, the power and the phone lines...and now they're cutting through the front door! Director John Carpenter plunges into a world of violence and brutality with this riveting thriller about a police station attacked by a vicious street gang. The precursor to Carpenter's highly acclaimed Halloween and Escape From New York, this story of guts and honor is a bone-chilling look at the thin line that separates the cops from the criminals. Assault On Precinct 13 is a cult favorite and is critically regarded as one of the most suspenseful urban action films of all time.
"...riveting thriller" Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
"One of Quentin Tarantino's favorite films." Los Angeles Times
"...takes no prisoners." Entertainment Weekly
Editor's Note
Director John Carpenter's second film is a brutal, realistic story about the siege of a small police precinct by a violent and well-armed gang. The gang is seeking the man who killed some of their members in revenge for the accidental shooting of his daughter. After the father enacts his revenge, he wanders to the police precinct in a distraught state. The poorly manned precinct is being phased out of use, and is unprepared for the relentless assult which ensues. The violence in ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 was shocking for its time and has remained so over the years since its release, mainly due to the stark, unaffected direction of a young John Carpenter. Insipired by the cowboy and indian movies Carpenter watched as a boy, the film is more than just an action movie, as it shows the desperation and courage of people living in a violent society. Produced with a modest budget and without Hollywood backing, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 is a fine example of how a powerful film can be made with limited resources.
Plot Summary
ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 is an early John Carpenter film with explosive impact. A backwater L.A. police station gets lively fast when a man avenges the murder of his daughter and then takes shelter from the murderous gang in the 13th precinct house. Purportedly an homage to Howard Hawks, it matters little when the riotous action starts.
| Features | Radio Spots | | Widescreen Version Enhanced For 16x9 TVs | | Audio: English Dolby Digital Mono | | Still And Lobby Card Gallery | | Storyboards | | Theatrical Trailer | | Audio Commentary By John Carpenter | | Isolated Music Score | | Behind The Scenes Photo Gallery | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | New Video Q&A With John Carpenter And Star Austin Stoker At The American Cinematheque |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Image |
| Release Date: 1/4/2005 |
| Running Time: 91 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1976 | | Catalog ID: 3660-CKDVD | | UPC: 00014381366020 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Memorable Quotes| "In my situation, days are like women...each one's so damn precious, but they all end up leaving you."----Napoleon Wilson (Darwin Joston) | | "I like killin' pigs. I like hearin' 'em squeal. Wieeeeee!"----Gang member |
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| | Professional Reviews | Sight and Sound
"...PRECINCT 13 is filled with delectable bits of business in direction and performances..." 12/01/1977 p.58-9New York Times
"...Carpenter is an extremely resourceful director [with an] ability to construct film entirely out of action and movement..." 08/18/1979 p.10 Entertainment Weekly
"...A tight, tense thriller....Carpenter's eerie score and Douglas Knapp's stylish cinematography give this low-budget shoot-out all the weight of an urban RIO BRAVO..." 03/14/2003 p.49 Uncut
"[I]nstinctively punk....Brilliant..." 02/01/2005 p.104 Uncut
Ranked #20 in Uncut's Best DVDs Of 2005 -- "Carpenter's film is a classic in its own right, a benchmark of lean action cinema." 01/01/2006 p.84-85 Empire
4 stars out of 5 -- "[A] stripped-down thriller....It owes as much to George A. Romero as Howard Hawks....Raw and visceral..." 05/01/2008 p.159 |
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