Cop Killer

[johnnysgirl]

Well too late for this review but I happened to see the film by chance on a film channel n my house... the name of the channel was Cinecanal (film channel, in spanish) I was all bored out of my mind and started cliquing through channels at first I clicked on Cinecanal.. I hadn`t payed attention to the movie.. but after I switched to that channel again I realized it was Cop Killer, I realized it was Cop Killer because they were showing the scene of John in the bathroom with Fren (Harvey Keithel) ... I thought "Oh wait it`s Cop Killer!!! how come they are shoing this film on this channel??" but I loved the film.... damned John in those white shorts during the bathroom scenes.. I wish some parts got wet so we could see something...let me tell you that Cinecanal only shows only hollywood movies that you couldn`t expect John`s movie to be put there

The movie in general from where I could see it hence I couldn`t see the beginning (damn it ) the rest was great.. great perfomances and John proved to be a great actor ... and if this movie was reviewd before.. I`m sorry...
Oh I forgeot.. I had to wait for the end of the fil since the mmovie here iis called "Mision Mortal" and not Cop Killer so if I`m lucky enough maybe I could rent the dvd

[Snoogans4Jay]

I am glad you caught as much of it as you did! I have a (not so good) copy of it. I LOVE the movie and was way impressed with John's performance. He and Harvey Keitel had quite a bit of antagonistic chemistry on screen in my opinion. I loved all the psychological warfare between the characters. Johnny played a somewhat psychopathic aristocrat, kinda bored with his wealth and in need of some excitement. He played a cat and mouse game with the police that eventually got him "found out". There is a point in the film where it appears Johnny's character just likes to claim responsibility for crimes he did not commit. Later you find out that this deception is just a part of the game and game point Johnny. It was really neat that the character has an Arsenal gym bag and that pictures of John from PiL are used as the characters portraits in his room.

I too would have liked to see John get wet when he was in his underwear (you can take that statement a couple of different ways ).......

Great film, way worth having for any Johnny fan, and the ending is nothing short of awesome!

[elisabeth]

I'm so jealous right now, i wish I'd be that lucky to click on a channel running that movie just by chance, I have seen bits and pieces from the movie, quite a few clips were uploaded on youtube some time a go, though I think they've been removed by now, I really like the scenario of the movie, I'm still kind of on the fence about Johnny's acting skills, but he definitely stole the show from the rest of the cast, but he did look amazing in that movie, but some scenes were painful to watch, as ridiculous as it is I now hate Harvey Keitel because of his character shoving Johnny in the oven. Somehow someday I'll get to see the whole movie I hope, although thanks to sweet Snoogans4Jay I can't complain about the lack of Johnny footage. I read an article which talked about making the movie, and I loved it that they said that Johny was really focused and hardworking.

[Snoogans4Jay]

elisabeth said:

I'm so jealous right now, i wish I'd be that lucky to click on a channel running that movie just by chance, I have seen bits and pieces from the movie, quite a few clips were uploaded on youtube some time a go, though I think they've been removed by now, I really like the scenario of the movie, I'm still kind of on the fence about Johnny's acting skills, but he definitely stole the show from the rest of the cast, but he did look amazing in that movie, but some scenes were painful to watch, as ridiculous as it is I now hate Harvey Keitel because of his character shoving Johnny in the oven. Somehow someday I'll get to see the whole movie I hope, although thanks to sweet Snoogans4Jay I can't complain about the lack of Johnny footage. I read an article which talked about making the movie, and I loved it that they said that Johny was really focused and hardworking.

Where the hell was I when this was posted ...I will just reply now

I know, I hated watching that scene too, I hated watching Johnny being roughed up. Harvey just was taking it TOO serious I thought, I bet Johnny had bruises.... .....I was yelling at the screen John talked about the film and the experience on one interview I have seen and said he felt he worked really well with Harvey, that he was okay.. ......so that made me feel a little better. But still .......... He (John, not Harvey) looked mighty cute in those little white undies though

[justina]

God, I want to see that movie so badly. UUUUUUUU. I'm just looking on youtube all day, if someone posted it, as one person posted "Sid and Nancy". Fucking Lithuania, I tried getting the DVD from eBay, but no one would deliver it to my little country. And I'm too young to do that kind of business. But I've seen the clips on youtube, they are still there. Poor John, I got scared when Harvey showed his head into the oven. I really thought, that he would die in there.

[Snoogans4Jay]

justina said:

God, I want to see that movie so badly. UUUUUUUU. I'm just looking on youtube all day, if someone posted it, as one person posted "Sid and Nancy". Fucking Lithuania, I tried getting the DVD from eBay, but no one would deliver it to my little country. And I'm too young to do that kind of business. But I've seen the clips on youtube, they are still there. Poor John, I got scared when Harvey showed his head into the oven. I really thought, that he would die in there.

I know right? I was SSOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fucking WORRIED about him when Harvey was doing all that beating and shit . I was like NOT SO ROUGH DAMMMMIT, CAN'T you see he is ADORABLE?!

[justina]

admin said:

justina said:

God, I want to see that movie so badly. UUUUUUUU. I'm just looking on youtube all day, if someone posted it, as one person posted "Sid and Nancy". Fucking Lithuania, I tried getting the DVD from eBay, but no one would deliver it to my little country. And I'm too young to do that kind of business. But I've seen the clips on youtube, they are still there. Poor John, I got scared when Harvey showed his head into the oven. I really thought, that he would die in there.

I know right? I was SSOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fucking WORRIED about him when Harvey was doing all that beating and shit . I was like NOT SO ROUGH DAMMMMIT, CAN'T you see he is ADORABLE?!

Yeah, that was exactly what I thought.

[M!$H]

I've never seen this nor had the chance to see it because I have the worst satelite TV in the whole entire world.

[seasidegrl]

I just rented this movie from Netflix. Okay I know HAVE to own it. I wonder if they had made it today if they would have put in more guy on guy action instead of all implied? But I love Johnny in the beginning when he lays his head on the table (sooo cute) when he is in the tub and...well...I didn't get mad at the TV when he was getting beaten up (didn't like the over part though) casue he looked like he enjoyed it LOL!!!!Sooo friggen hot in this movie and sooo neat that they threw in things like the Arsenal bags and the fact that his mother was from Ireland(I think they mention on the radio when they are talking about him)

[Joan D]

seasidegrl said:

I just rented this movie from Netflix. Okay I know HAVE to own it. I wonder if they had made it today if they would have put in more guy on guy action instead of all implied? But I love Johnny in the beginning when he lays his head on the table (sooo cute) when he is in the tub and...well...I didn't get mad at the TV when he was getting beaten up (didn't like the over part though) casue he looked like he enjoyed it LOL!!!!Sooo friggen hot in this movie and sooo neat that they threw in things like the Arsenal bags and the fact that his mother was from Ireland(I think they mention on the radio when they are talking about him)

I'm not so sure he enjoyed the fight scenes. I read an interview with him from right after the filming & he was talking about Harvey Keitel. According to the NME he said:

"I did the film because I have very great respect for him. A nicer geezer you couldn't hope to meet, but method actors - avoid. They are dangerous business. They're not acting, they're being real. All the violent scenes, the fight sequences between us - I'm REALLY beaten up, boys and girls. There were times when he was throttling me and I'd look at him and think 'Christ, he's actually gonna do it. I've had it!' (laughs)"

Then again, maybe he did enjoy it!!

[As for the movie - I liked it, but have a hard watching it as I hate the soundtrack so much. It works way too hard at trying create tension. When you have Harvey & John on the screen, you don't need the overpowering music to create tension - it's there already.]

Joan

[Johanna]

I´ve seen the clips that someone mentioned before from youtube, and I have to say I was really REALLY WORRIED about John in the oven scene, I mean I was scared because it looked like a real thing so I was screaming LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU´RE GONNA KILL HIM!!! but I was excited cause John´s acting skills were great, God the way he was beaten up with the table (poor adorable Johnny!!) and I enjoyed that part when John lays his head on the table, he was soo adorable and cute!!! Too bad I haven´t seen the complete movie, guess I´ll have to work harder, save money and buy it through internet, because I don´t think I could find it round my town... snif snif

[Joan D]

johannarotten said:

I´ve seen the clips that someone mentioned before from youtube, and I have to say I was really REALLY WORRIED about John in the oven scene, I mean I was scared because it looked like a real thing so I was screaming LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU´RE GONNA KILL HIM!!! but I was excited cause John´s acting skills were great, God the way he was beaten up with the table (poor adorable Johnny!!) and I enjoyed that part when John lays his head on the table, he was soo adorable and cute!!! Too bad I haven´t seen the complete movie, guess I´ll have to work harder, save money and buy it through internet, because I don´t think I could find it round my town... snif snif

Actually you should be able to pick the movie up from amazon.com pretty cheap. I just checked & there were a number of the marketplace sellers who had it (under the title "Corrupt Lieutenant") for $0.01 + $2.98 s/h. Can't usually find a DVD for a much lower price!

The movie is on DVD under a number of different names (at least in the US). I actually have 2 - one as "Corrupt" & one as "Corrupt Lieutenant". If I remember correctly one of them had edits in the dialog (I think they cut out the "bad" words), but I don't remember which is the better one. I'll try to check them out again & let you know.

Joan

[seasidegrl]

Please do let us know because the one from Netflix has bad words cut out Cause the words you want to cut out but guys head in an oven??? That's just fine and dandy

Do you think if it was made today they would have done more with the overtones of John and Harvey's character having a sexual relationship?

[Joan D]

seasidegrl said:

Please do let us know because the one from Netflix has bad words cut out Cause the words you want to cut out but guys head in an oven??? That's just fine and dandy

Do you think if it was made today they would have done more with the overtones of John and Harvey's character having a sexual relationship?

I checked the 2 DVDs last night. The one issued as Corrupt with the following cover had the cuts in dialog:



The other DVD, issued with under this cover, called Corrupt Lieutenant, includes all the swearing (and Keitel's character does swear quite a bit)



In all honesty, neither of these DVDs is really a good quality video - they look like someone made a bad copy of a VHS tape. The Corrupt one may be a little better quality, but it's a close call on that. Given the situations, the swearing fits the movie & it seems odd to have it cut out. So, if you want the full movie, get the Corrupt Lieutenant one (even if it does list John on the cover as "John Lyndon"). Note that these are DVDs bought in the US (the one labeled "Corrupt" says it was manufactured in Canada); there are most likely other releases in other countries. I saw one from Australia on ebay, that listed the time as 99 minutes. The ones I have list the time as 113 minutes (I didn't actually check the total - guess I should go back & do that). So it is possible that some issues have more cuts that just the swear words (there are a lot, but not 14 minutes worth!) Or, they could just be wrong on the time.

As to the potential sexual relationship between Leo (John's character) and O'Connor (Keitel's character) - it certainly seemed likely that something was going on with the cop keeping a 20 year old guy tied up in his underwear in the bathroom. He tells his partner the kid is "in love with me or something". If that bothers him so much, why does he keep the kid there, tell him if he is hot he should take off his clothes & proceed to walk around in his bathrobe in front of the half naked kid all the time?? He certainly seems to enjoy man-handling & abusing Leo - that can be foreplay for some. Would they take this further if making the movie now? I'm not sure, maybe the director wanted to leave this hanging out there for the viewer to reach his/her own conclusions. I haven't read the book it is based on - maybe that would explain more.

Watching it again (at least in part) it left me believing that O'Connor's partner Bob could be seen as his "good half" & not an individual person. Afterall, they do the same job, share the same apartment, are attracted to the same woman, etc. - are they really two halves of the same man? Maybe it is a link to Leo saying that he didn't kill the cops, it was the "other part of me". Once "Bob" is killed, there isn't any good part left and O'Connor can then decline (with Leo's assistance) --> Leo achieves his goal. Or, maybe I'm just putting more into the movie than is really there.

BTW - one part I really like is John's small smile when Keitel is threatening him with a burn to the face from his cigar. He doesn't have to say anything - his face shows his pleasure at managing to bring out the worst in the cop. Kind of scary.

I think this could have been a very good movie - the story is disturbing, the actors are excellent. Somehow the end product comes out looking rather low budget though. Think you have to blame the director for that.

Joan

[seasidegrl]

I agree...lack of cash showed in the lighting but not in the acting. I really liked the cigar scene smile as well. A lot of subtext there especially if you know that John's character is the killer. The scene plays like both men are getting off on it and also as if the cop is losing control and at that moment the "victim" has just gained the upper hand.

I like the idea of the good and bad halves. I thought the same of John's character being maybe more of a take on Kitels subconcious. Telling him he has to "kill the woman," and having him delve deeper into his own subconcious. It is a very interesting phycological thriller.