{"id":76264,"date":"2021-09-19T13:40:40","date_gmt":"2021-09-19T20:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=76264"},"modified":"2021-09-19T13:40:40","modified_gmt":"2021-09-19T20:40:40","slug":"death-wish-1974","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=76264","title":{"rendered":"Death Wish (1974)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;What about the old American custom of self-defense? If the police don&#8217;t protect us, we ought to do it ourselves.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Poster-201x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-76266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Poster-201x300.png 201w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Poster-685x1024.png 685w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Poster-86x128.png 86w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Poster-181x270.png 181w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Poster.png 743w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn architect (Charles Bronson) whose wife (Hope Lange) is murdered and daughter (Kathleen Tolan) traumatized by a trio of sociopathic thugs (including Jeff Goldblum) becomes a vigilante in New York City, murdering criminals after dark on the streets.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charles Bronson Films<\/li>\n<li>Hope Lange Films<\/li>\n<li>Jeff Goldblum Films<\/li>\n<li>New York City<\/li>\n<li>Vigilantes<\/li>\n<li>Widows and Widowers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary writes, this &#8220;blockbuster film that exploited public paranoia over urban crime&#8221; &#8220;fed on the reactionary&#8217;s fantasy of wiping out young thugs who are after their money and women&#8221;; &#8220;visualized the white, middle-class pacificist-liberal&#8217;s <em>fantasy<\/em> of being a gun-toting hero; and pandered to the movie audience&#8217;s desire for strong violence.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Violence2.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary adds that it&#8217;s &#8220;no wonder&#8221; Bronson&#8217;s &#8220;liberal New York architect Paul Kersey&#8221; became &#8220;a hero to millions of moviegoers,&#8221; given &#8220;how director Michael Winner stacks the deck to make vigilante justice the only recourse against widespread crime.&#8221; He further notes that the film &#8220;makes the absurd assumption that every person who demands money from Kersey is planning on killing him and, therefore, must be killed instead of just being scared away.&#8221; (I actually don&#8217;t think this assumption is being made &#8212; rather, Bronson is sick and tired of criminals getting their way, and doesn&#8217;t really care what their motive is.) Peary adds that the &#8220;film&#8217;s most interesting aspect is that Kersey gets physically ill from his initial killings&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Ill-Toilet.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He notes, &#8220;I wish this had been emphasized a bit more and that someone other than Winner had directed (Robert Bresson would be the dream choice).&#8221; While Peary asserts that Bronson &#8220;was the right person to play Kersey, who would reprise his character in Winner&#8217;s two atrocious sequels,&#8221; I find his one-note performance distinctly lacking: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Bronson.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Why doesn&#8217;t this guy react with even a little bit more emotion after the death of his beloved wife? (Poor Hope Lange&#8217;s role is throwaway at best.) <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Lange.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re led to believe that he&#8217;s simply channeling his grief into vengeance, but where&#8217;s the grief itself? See the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/death-wish-1974.htm\">&#8220;Every Wrong with Death Wish in 13 Minutes&#8221; video clip<\/a> for affirmation about all the other inconsistencies and inanities littering this film. There are a couple of &#8220;notable&#8221; cameos to be on the lookout for: Jeff Goldblum has an embarrassingly awful role as one of the three thugs asssaulting Bronson&#8217;s family: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Goldblum.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and Ghristopher Guest shows up as the policeman who finds Bronson&#8217;s gun: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Guest.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fine cinematography and location shooting in New York<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-76268\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Death-Wish-Cinematography.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Herbie Hancock&#8217;s unique score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but it&#8217;s worth a one-time look for its historical relevance. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0071402\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=3\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/death-wish-1974.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/-2fmOkN6KH4\">&#8220;Everything Wrong With Death Wish in 13 Minutes&#8221; video review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What about the old American custom of self-defense? If the police don&#8217;t protect us, we ought to do it ourselves.&#8221; Synopsis: An architect (Charles Bronson) whose wife (Hope Lange) is murdered and daughter (Kathleen Tolan) traumatized by a trio of sociopathic thugs (including Jeff Goldblum) becomes a vigilante in New York City, murdering criminals after dark on the streets. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Charles Bronson Films Hope Lange Films Jeff Goldblum Films New York City Vigilantes Widows and Widowers&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=76264\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=76264"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76279,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76264\/revisions\/76279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=76264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=76264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=76264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}