“A lot of strange things happen in this world. Things you don’t know about in Grand Rapids. Things you don’t want to know about. Doors that shouldn’t be opened.”
Welcome to the seedy world of “Hardcore.” This riveting thriller from 1979 stars George C. Scott as a religious man from Grand Rapids who heads to Hollywood to search for his missing teenage daughter.
This is a rough, rough movie – that exposed very real XXX-locations in Los Angeles. Here is the trailer, which makes it clear you are in for a provocative movie experience:
“Turn it off! Turn if off! TURN IT OFF!”
Of course, the father is stunned when he finds out what happened to his daughter, and this moment in the movie theater, when he see the stag film she’s in, is shocking.
Now of course in this modern era of the internet, this scene was shared for a very different reason a few years ago: someone posted it claiming that it was showing the reaction of a viewer watching the new Adam Sandler film “Jack And Jill!” Bravo, internet, bravo!
“Hardcore” Goes Hardcore!
The production filmed on-location at actual real-life sex shops, strip clubs, porno theaters, massage parlors and adult film studios in LA and San Francisco in the late 70’s – all of which are seen in the movie.
“Oh my God, that’s my daughter!”
That is certainly a compelling movie poster – powerful, controversial, shocking. Except that George C. Scott NEVER SAYS THOSE WORDS IN THE FILM!
Great ad though!
Director Paul Schrader Gets Dirty!
The Director of “Hardcore” was Paul Schrader, who wrote “Taxi Driver” about the very seedy streets of New York. This film continued his look at the seamy side of the 70’s.
According to the great movie website IMDB.com:
“George C. Scott and director Paul Schrader did not get along, so much so that at one point Scott refused to come out of his trailer and threatened to quit the film. Scott only agreed to come out after forcing Schrader to promise that he would never direct again!”
Schrader did, of course direct again, but how hilarious is that story?
The picture above also shows Actress Season Hubley, who plays an adult movie performer who helps Scott look for his daughter. Here is a very raw scene where he wants to talk to her at her “job”:
He’s in a “peepshow” room with a metal door that slides up to reveal Hubley – once he has paid his money, here is what he sees:
Peter Boyle also stars in the film – it’s not a perfect movie, but it is raw, gritty and fascinating to watch – all of those massage parlors and adult theaters were real!
Twilight Time just released a great Blu-ray – a pristine copy of the film along with a couple of audio commentaries, including one from the Director!
Read a great review of the film, and an in-depth look at the audio commentary with Director Paul Schrader, by clicking here:
http://trailersfromhell.com/hardcore/#.V98UPzv5Pwx
I look forward to watching this again while listening to the commentary…and if you forgot just how provocative Schrader is, remember that he wrote THIS:
The brilliant “Taxi Driver” is forty years old! Read about the great reunion that was held by clicking here:
Schrader continues to make films – in fact, he waded into the “hardcore” pool again:
Schrader directed Lindsay Lohan, along with controversial Adult performer James Deen, in “The Canyons”…check it out here:
https://johnrieber.com/2013/07/15/lindsay-lohan-from-mean-girl-to-the-canyons/
If you want to see 70’s films that are shocking and provocative, here’s another film from that era that was controversial:
Al Pacino cruised New York’s underground gay S&M clubs in the 1980 thriller “Cruising” – see why “Bad Moms” has made it relevant again by clicking here!
Let me know what you think of “Hardcore.”
