Paul Schrader

The life of TV star Bob Crane and his strange friendship with electronics expert John Henry Carpenter. In 1965, Bob Crane, who had achieved some earlier success as a television supporting actor, was working as a successful morning radio DJ at KNX Los Angeles. Despite enjoying his work, photography (especially of the female form) and drumming, Crane wanted to be a movie star. So it was with some reluctance that he accepted the title starring role in a new television sitcom called Hogan's Heroes (1965), a WWII POW comedy. To his surprise, the show became a hit and catapulted him to television stardom. The fame resulting from the show led to excesses and a meeting with home video salesman and technician John Carpenter, with who he would form a friendship based on their mutual interests, namely excessive sex (for Crane, purely heterosexual sex) and capturing nude females on celluloid. His fame allowed Crane to have as much sex as he wanted, which was incongruent to his somewhat wholesome television friendly image, and the way he portrayed himself to almost everyone except Carpenter and his extramarital sex partners. His sex addiction was somewhat known but ignored by his high school sweetheart/first wife Anne Crane née Terzian, but well known by his second wife, Patti Olson, better known as Sigrid Valdis, his Hogan's Heroes co-star. Especially after the end of Hogan's Heroes in 1971, this incongruence and his friendship with Carpenter, with who he would have a continuing love/hate relationship, would contribute to both his professional and personal downfall. —Huggo Capitalizing on his fame as the star of "Hogan's Heroes," Bob Crane dove into the freewheeling spirit of the 60s and 70s with relish, having affairs with numerous women. Eventually, Crane teamed up with video technician John Carpenter to document his exploits, an association that may very well have led to his murder in a Scottsdale, Arizona motel room in 1978, which remains officially unsolved to this day. —Anonymous Bob Crane was a radio comedian when he was offered the part of Hogan on Hogan's Heroes. Also an avid photographer, his favorite subject was the female form. He then met John Carpenter, an electronic technician, who introduced him to the new thing, video equipment. John was also a swinger, who turned Bob into a sex addict. And it's this compulsion that would not only end his marriage but also make Bob virtually unhireable. —rcs0411@yahoo.com

This complex 1996 drama directed by Harold Becker (Sea of Love) attempts to explore big-city corruption and the flexibility of what's right and wrong in the political arena. John Cusack plays the senior aide to mayor John Pappas (Al Pacino), a popular and seasoned politician whose administration is threatened when what seems to be an accidental shooting of a child reveals a nest of corruption and lifelong personal debts. This tests Cusack's loyalty to the man he thought he knew. Pacino turns in a finely textured performance as a man who has his own lofty ideals, but whose pragmatism sets in motion a series of events with tragic results. Cusack admirably captures the essence of someone polished and savvy at his job but must cope with fundamental disillusionment. This political thriller suffers at times from a lack of focus, but still offers an insightful and poignant treatise on the quagmire of politics in the modern age and the human toll it sometimes exacts.

A fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. A fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese author Yukio Mishima. Three of the segments parallel events in Mishima's life with his novels (The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko's House, and Runaway Horses), while the fourth depicts the actual events of the 25th Nov. 1970, "The Last Day". —Nick Lopez <ntlopez@fas.harvard.edu> Is a highly stylized dramatization of the life and work of ultra-nationalistic Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. Beyond the four chapters mentioned in the title ("Beauty", "Art", "Action, "Harmony of Pen and Sword"), it is separated into three interspersed components, each with its own distinct visual cue: "present day", November 25, 1970, which is presented in a naturalistic light; flashbacks to his past which provide some history to what led to present day, and which are presented in muted black and white; and dramatizations of three of his written works, in order "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion", "Kyoko's House", and "Runaway Horses", which are meant to provide some insight into his beliefs, and which are presented on stark sets stating its artifice, and in bold color palettes. The final chapter consists solely of present day, which brings together all the components presented in the previous three chapters. In the actions of that day, he, with a handful of members of a "private army" coined the Shield Society by his side, tries to bring back what he considers the purity of Japanese culture which has long been missing in his opinion. —Huggo

An emotionally self-destructive boxer's journey through life, as the violence and temper that leads him to the top in the ring, destroys his life outside it.

Julian Kay (Richard Gere) is a gigolo, a young man who makes a living as a wealthy ladies' escort. His official pimp/employer, Anne (Nina Van Pallandt) realizes that he is her star prostitute despite not being faithful to her. A small 'chauffeur' gig is planned for the next day, but Julian looks more interested in getting a higher percentage of the profits than in the practical contact details. After bargaining some more, Julian leaves and refuses to suntan with other two girls (Michele Drake and Linda Horn). We learn that Anne has been carefully preparing a highly-paid job with a Swedish woman who is about to arrive in Los Angeles. Julian trains at home to keep in good shape when a gay pimp, Leon James (Bill Duke) calls to ask him to act as a sub for an urgent gig to be played the next day in Palm Springs, some 110 miles - 2 hours drive from Los Angeles. Reluctantly, Julian finally accepts for 90% of the fees agreed with client. Leon chokes but has no other choice than greedy Julian... Julian does his chauffeur gig for a rich widow. He looks forward to meet the lady again for more and so reports to Anne afterwards. Sometimes, Julian tries to find his own clients, so he makes a pass at Michelle Stratton (Lauren Hutton), who is sitting alone at a high-end restaurant. In the ensuing conversation, Michelle sees Julian for what he is, although he claims to be only hired as a guide, a translator or a chauffeur. No deal is closed that night, and Julian leaves alone. Later in Palm Springs, Tom Rheiman (Tom Stewart) wants Julian to beat his wife Judy (Patricia "Patti" Carr) while making love to her from behind. Although Julian does not like that kind of jobs (S&M and bondage), he's already been paid, and he's already there, so it's understood that he complies. Two nights after that, Julian learns in the papers that Judy Rheiman was assaulted and murdered in Palm Springs. He later goes with Lisa Williams (K Callan) at Sotheby's Parke-Bernet to choose the bric-a-brac needed to redecorate her mansion. They have fun and laugh together. There is then an incident when Julian pretends to be gay in front of a casual, embarrassing acquaintance of Lisa (Faye Michael Nuell) and he almost breaks a valuable porcelain into pieces in the attempt to quickly get rid of the lady. Right after that, Julian and Lisa leave the place laughing. Michelle appears at Julian's apartment. Many people know who he is and where he lives, so she only had to ask. At first, he says to her that he doesn't work in his own apartment, but she talks to him and they end up going to bed together. Afterwards, Michelle talks about how her marriage to politician Charles Stratton (Brian Davies) is void of love or emotion. He advises her to start thinking about herself, because it looks that the only reason for the marriage to stay together is because it would be damaging to Stratton's political career. The next day, LAPD Detective Joe Sunday (Hector Elizondo) arrives at Julian's apartment in Los Angeles to question him about the death of Judy Rheiman in Palm Springs. She was killed, and Julian says (quite arrogantly), that she was with Lisa Williams choosing the decorations at the time of the crime. Detective Sunday leaves without arresting Julian, but warns him not to leave town for he may return to ask more questions. Julian keeps on seeing his clients. For example, Mrs Laudner takes him to a political party where the main guest is Stratton. He greets him and his wife, pretending not knowing her (and vice-versa). When Julian inquires about gossips concerning the Strattons, Mrs Laudner says that Michelle is very sad. As Michelle keeps on meeting Julian whenever she can, something which gets noticed by her husband, Julian starts being followed by a political aide of Stratton. Julian decides to face the beat and talk to Stratton directly. Charles Stratton tries to buy him up with $5,000 to stop seeing his wife, which Julian refuses, as he has begun to feel really interested in Michelle. Stratton warns him about the good graces of his small HiSo supports to end soon, if he persists to see Michelle. Another day or two later, Sunday follows Julian to his usual shoeshine parlor. He says there were handcuff marks over previous handcuff bruises on Judy's wrists, meaning Julian lied when he said he never handcuffed her during the gig done for Leon. Since Lisa Williams had said to the detectives that Julian left her at 7:00 pm in the evening, not later, and basically denying that they had a sexual relationship together, Sunday states there was enough time for Julian to drive to Palm Springs back and forth plus commit the crime... Julian has to go to the police station for a line-up, but the witness is not sure about him being the person who went to Judy Rheiman's home earlier that day. Julian feeds a protestation from a fellow inmate obliged to participate in the line-up. Sunday and Lt. Curtis (David Cryer) later talk with Julian again at the LAPD. Sunday laughs at the situation, because in his previous visit Julian had given him some advice to be more attractive to ladies and he is trying to improve his overall appearance. Julian stays free after the key witness could not formally identify him during the line-up. Julian begins to get worried. He needs an alibi for the night of the crime. Next, he goes to the Williams' house, but Lisa doesn't want to acknowledge that she ever met him: the police has been to her home with a restraining order against Julian. Mr. Williams (Richard Derr) also appears, and he coldly dismisses Julian saying that on the night of the crime Lisa was with him all the time. Julian meets Leon at a gay disco and asks him to give him an alibi, what he finally seems to agree. Leon even suggests that Rheiman is the real culprit, as he is a 'freak'. The police search Julian's apartment during his absence, leaving it in a total mess. Julian later meets Michelle in a botanical park; she must leave for two months in Europe on her husband's orders, until the polls are over. Julian states the news are hard to stand. Once back home, Julian recognizes Leon's blonde boyfriend (Gordon Haight) leaving quickly the garage in his vintage Porsche 911. Julian gets really paranoid and he creates havoc in his apartment to find the jewels who have been said stolen at the Rheimans' in Palm Springs and are still missing. He finally finds them hidden in his luxurious car - a car he had to tear to pieces in order the find the jewels. He grabs the plastic pouch and decides to leave quickly for downtown, where he rents a plain Ford Pinto to pursue his quest for help. Julian calls Anne for help and accepts a short notice rendezvous at the Perino's. Calling Jill (Jessica Potter) at his reception, he learns that the police are sitting there waiting for him and that Michelle tried to meet him urgently. Showing dirty and jacketless at the Perino's, he is rebuked by the maître d'hôtel (Harris Weingart) because of his untidy look. There, Anne does not want to know anything about him: Julian forgot about picking the European lady at the airport, destroying a big deal arranged months ago. Anne gets really mad at him, and she does not want to work with him again nor help him through. As she has always been disappointed with Julian, who got clients on his own, and worked for other bosses sometimes now it's her opportunity to let him go. Julian, who had told Jill about the place he would be, notices Michelle at a table near. They meet shortly in the restroom and Julian requests from Michelle that she forgets everything about him, since he is framed and lost. Julian stalks Leon in the red light zones, but to no avail. He waits until the dawn near his home and finally sees him arriving along with his blonde BF. He shows up at Leon's flat, is granted access while his blonde boy hides then leaves discreetly; Julian argues again about the alibi he needs now. But Leon states that some things from the Rheimans' house, linked to the murder, have appeared at Julian's apartment and have being seized by the police; that the 'bitch' from Palm Springs reviewed definitely her eyewitness report about Julian having been seen at the Rheimans' house... So that Julian is obviously the ideal culprit and thus will fall alone. Julian throws the jewels pouch at Leon who ignores the thing. Julian tries to explain the case: blonde boy may have killed Judy Rheiman during a hardcore gig, then the husband arranged with Leon to frame him. Leon does not say anything. Julian offers to work for Leon the way he wants, to break in new boys, do any tricks... As this doesn't work, he offers to pay Leon a great deal of money, but Leon says that the person who's framing him will always rise the bet higher than him. As an answer to Julian's "why me?" question, Leon reveals he was precisely the lonesome, self-centered and toe-crushing guy ideal for the role. Leon then asks Julian to leave while he greets the blonde boy from the balcony. In an ensuing rage, Julian runs after him, pushes him so Leon ends up falling down the balcony; but he is grabbed at the latest moment by Julian who holds tight Leon's legs - but his feet slip out of his boots and he falls many floors below. Julian remains stunned in Leon's apartment, all his hopes to escape the frame being lost. Since a maid who happened to be around testified that Julian tried to pull Leon to safety, he goes to prison on the sole charge of Judy Rheiman's murder. There is a great deal of media interest on Julian's case, as his profession has been disclosed. Michelle visits Julian in prison to inform him that she is willing to give up everything to be with him. Feeling that all has been lost, Julian asks Michelle not to see him again. However, Michelle pays for Julian's defense who changes his old-time lawyer (Peter Turgeon) for a new one (William Dozier). However, Julian will not be freed until Michelle finally faces Lt Curtis. The detective already knows that she's paying for Julian's defense lawyer. She says that doing so, she wants to show Julian's innocence, because she was with her that night of the crime. In the final scene, Michelle has already revealed her secret, and media immediately has set camp in front of the Strattons', so she cannot go back anyway. Although they are still talking through a glass, it's implied that Julian will soon be freed and that they will be together.

A devoutly Calvinist businessman from Michigan ventures into California's adult entertainment industry, where he desperately searches for his runaway teenage daughter. Jake VanDorn is a businessman from the American heartland who shares strong Calvinist convictions with most of his countrymen. When his teenage daughter goes missing from her church youth convention, VanDorn hires a private investigator to find her, and the investigator spots the girl in a cheap X-rated movie. VanDorn decides to bring her back personally and during the quest he becomes familiar with the pornographic underworld. —Dragan Antulov <dragan.antulov@altbbs.fido.hr> A few days after seeing his only daughter, quiet teenage Kristen, off on her youth group's trip to California, Grand Rapids businessman and strict Calvinist Jake VanDorn receives the worst phone call a father could ever get: Mysteriously, his beloved Kristen has disappeared. As the police seem unable to help, desperate Jake hires private detective Andy Mast to trace his daughter. Instead, the investigator returns with an 8mm hardcore porn movie in which the missing minor is performing. Jake has no choice but to delve deeply into South California's obscure underworld of prostitution to bring her back. But who knows where she is? —Nick Riganas

When three automotive factory workers who're struggling financially try to steal from their own labor union, they discover corruption, and reluctantly decide to use this information for blackmail. Three workers, Zeke (Richard Pryor), Jerry (Harvey Keitel), and Smokey (Yaphet Kotto), are working at a car plant and drinking their beers together. One night, when they steal away from their wives to have some fun, they get the idea to rob the local union's bureau safe. First they think it is a flop, because they get only six hundred dollars out of it, but then Zeke realizes that they also have gotten some "hot" material. They decide to blackmail their union. The best reason for that is the union itself. All three are provoked by the fact that the union claims to have lost ten thousand dollars by their robbery. —Oliver Heidelbach Three auto workers at a car factory in Detroit rail against the injustice they see and their lot in life. They are barely getting by and factory management are always hounding them and generally making their life a misery. Their union should be looking out for them but does nothing. They then decide to rob the union's head office but find something much more valuable: evidence of shady dealings by the union. However, what should have been their ticket to a reasonable amount of money turns into a life-threatening situation. —grantss

In 1973, at a San Antonio, Texas, airport, a crowd celebrates the homecoming of Vietnam prisoners of war, Major Charles "Charlie" Rane (William Devene), Sergeant Johnny Vohden (Tommy Lee Jones), and their two colleagues. After Charlie reunites with his wife, Candy (Cassie Yates), and his son, Mark (Jordan Geler), he is escorted home by a police officer named Cliff (Lawrason Driscoll). That evening, Charlie inspects a shotgun given him by Mark and realizes his son does not remember him. Candy confesses that she had an affair with Cliff and has accepted his proposal of marriage. Finding makeshift quarters in a garden shed, Charlie is disturbed by flashbacks of his imprisonment, and when he complains of insomnia to Air Force psychiatrist Dr. Maxwell (Dabney Coleman), he vows to retain custody of Mark. At another celebration of his return, Charlie is given a Cadillac convertible and "Texas Belle" Linda Forchet (Linda Haynes) presents Charlie with a box of $2,555 in silver dollars from a local department store, each coin representing a day of his imprisonment. That evening, Cliff visits Charlie in the shed with a bottle of whiskey, hoping to resolve their predicament, and Charlie demonstrates a method of torture used by his captors, explaining that he learned to love their abuse. One day, Linda Forchet spots Charlie at a gas station and invites him for a drink at the bar where she works. Although he accepts, he quickly leaves to attend Mark's baseball game, but the boy is indifferent to his presence. Arriving home, Charlie is held at gunpoint by a band of four outlaws, headed by a nameless Texan (James Best), who demand his silver dollars. Remaining silent, Charlie has flashbacks of prison and is unresponsive when the Texan's henchman, Automatic Slim (Luke Askew), mangles his hand in the kitchen sink garbage disposal. When Candy and Mark return home, they are taken captive also by the other two thugs, T-Bird (Charles Escamilla) and Melio (Pete Ortega). Mark discloses the location of the box to save his father. However, as the outlaws leave with the money, revealing that they are on their way to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Automatic Slim shoots Charlie, Candy and Mark so as not to leave any witnesses. Candy and Mark are both dead, but Charlie is revealed to be alive. Convalescing in a hospital, Charlie is visited by Linda and Johnny and is outfitted with a prosthetic arm. Intent on revenge, Cliff begs Charlie for information about the assailants, but Charlie claims he is unable to remember. Returning home, Charlie sharpens the hook on his prosthetic arm, saws off the barrel of the shotgun Mark gave him, and packs a suitcase with ammunition. He heads to Mexico but stops on the way to pick up Linda. Across the border in Nuevo Laredo, Charlie goes to a bar and instructs Linda to ask for Fat Ed. A bar patron named Lopez (James Victor) leads Linda into the kitchen, claiming to know the man, but when he attempts to assault her, Charlie comes to her rescue and pins Lopez's hand to a table with his hook. Holding Lopez at gunpoint with his good hand, Charlie learns that Lopez lied about knowing Fat Ed. When Charlie inquires about the Texan and his henchmen, Lopez advises him to look for Billy Sanchez in Acuña, Mexico. As Linda and Charlie drive away, Linda is enraged to learn that her companion is going after Candy and Mark's murderers and scolds him for lying to the San Antonio police. Back in Texas, Cliff discovers the sawed off shotgun barrel in Charlie's shed and asks his colleague to locate him without informing the police department. Charlie's Cadillac is soon spotted and Cliff rushes to Mexico. Meanwhile, at an Acuña bar, Linda finds Billy Sanchez, who reports that Fat Ed is in El Paso. When Charlie joins Linda, he is confronted by Automatic Slim and a fight ensues. After stabbing Slim in the crotch with his hook, Charlie escapes with Linda. Although the couple fights, they spend an intimate evening together in the back seat of the Cadillac. In the morning, Linda demonstrates her shooting skills, explaining that her father is in the Army, and Charlie shows her his stockpile of weapons in the trunk. At an El Paso hotel, Linda suggests that Charlie forget his vendetta and they run away together, but he is unresponsive. Meanwhile, Cliff arrives at the bar where Charlie confronted Slim, and a boy who witnessed the fight leads him to Lopez. After demanding money, Lopez runs away. Giving chase, Cliff is guided to an abandoned building where a gunfight ensues with Slim and his henchmen. Cliff is shot dead. Back at the El Paso hotel, Charlie dresses in his Major's uniform and places a stack of cash next to the bed before he leaves. After staking out the Texan and his gang at a brothel in Juarez, Mexico, Charlie visits Johnny at his El Paso home and asks for help. Dressed in uniform, Johnny excuses himself from a family dinner and returns to Juarez with Charlie. Inside the brothel, Johnny picks up an American prostitute and follows her to a room while Charlie climbs up the fire escape with his shotgun. After hearing a signal from Charlie, Johnny grabs his gun and Charlie shoots the Texan dead in an adjoining room, unleashing a gun battle in the brothel. From behind the bar, Slim beckons the men downstairs, and they are barraged with bullets as they descend and are all killed including T-Bird and Melio. Although Charlie is hit in the stomach, he shoots a gun out of Slim's hand and kills the murderer with his last two bullets. Helping Johnny to his feet, Charlie tells his friend that the battle is over and they both stagger out of the brothel together.

Harry Kilmer (along with friend George Tanner) were in Japan after the war in the Pacific ended. During this time Kilmer met and fell in love with a beautiful Japanese woman named Eiko Tanaka. But for some reason Kilmer cannot fathom and which Eiko will not tell him, she will not marry him. Finally he leaves Japan and returns home to the USA where he does some police and detective work to earn a living. Tanner continues a business relationship with some very shady underworld figures in Japan (the Yakuza) and in particular with the local boss Tono. In fact he is selling guns to this mafia like organization, but on one transaction he fails to deliver. As a consequence the Yakuza kidnap Tanner's daughter and Tanner turns to Kilmer to help him try to recover his daughter safely. So Kilmer returns to Japan to do what he can for his then friend. He visits Eiko of which their mutual love is quite apparent but who will still not marry him. We also meet her brother, Ken Tanaka who once was a Yakuza himself but resigned and became a respectable swordsman instructor in the ancient tradition of Japanese warfare by the sword. Ken is a master swordsman. Ken is a strange man ("he who never smiles"), and only reluctantly helps Kilmer to rescue Tanner's daughter. He does so because of the totally Japanese concept of obligation or rather burden called "giri", a social tradition of the old world of Japan. It is by this tradition, in fact, that Ken is bound to assist Kilmer since Kilmer did in fact, save Eikos life during those terrible days after the war. It is then that Ken takes up the sword once again to actually fight (rather than teach), and joins Kilmer in the rescue. The result is a bloody battle to (successfully) rescue Tanners daughter. Unfortunately two of the Yakuza men guarding the captive are killed in the fight, so now the Yakuza, and in particular the boss Tono put a price on heads of both Kilmer and Ken. And while Kilmer can just get on a plane and fly home where the Yakuza will not bother him, Ken is a different story and will definitely die at Tonos bidding. Kilmer decides he cannot do this after what Ken has done for him. He seems to feel the "giri" himself and, in fact, feels he is obligated to Ken. They talk it over and decide there is no choice but to try to kill Tono. It is either Ken or Tono, they figure. Kilmer and Ken then undertake the most dangerous venture, to break into and attack the secure Yakuza compound where Tono hangs out along his henchmen. This could be a form of suicide especially since Japanese (and Yakuza) tradition require that Tono die by the sword and not by a gunshot (Kilmer has two or three guns but Ken only his sword). As a Yakuza Ken can only use a sword. They break in and hold the mob at bay briefly. Ken says I come (only) for Tono, but this makes little difference to the mob and a battle ensues where between Ken's master swordsmanship and Kilmer's threatening (and sometimes deadly) gunfire they succeed in wiping out this mob. (Note that the Yakuza gangsters have only swords, no guns.) At some point earlier in the movie we learn of another strange Yakuza custom concerning the custom of "giri". If the person who is obligated cannot repay his burden he may make a symbolic offering by severing the one of his small fingers (his pinkie) at the joint and giving it to the person to whom he is indebted. If the person accepts the token of forgiveness of burden then the matter is resolved. We see this ritual twice as Ken offers this "giri" to his older brother (who is actually only a brother in the Yakuza sense), but who is socially a prominent businessman and one of enough influence to have covered up the massacres. (NOTE: The following is a serious spoiler-do not read it if you plan to see the movie): Ken (much against) his Yakuza brothers will, performs this ritual and is unhappily forgiven his burden by this brother. Kilmer on the other hand learns something from the brother he could never have imagined. It turns out that the reason Eiko could never marry Kilmer is that she is married to Ken. Ken is actually her husband, not her brother. He had hid in a cave after the war and only several years later found his wife, now comfortably set up with a small tea house business bought for her by Kilmer. Thus when Ken returns this totally torn man must honor Kilmer for saving and then helping his wife because of his "giri" and so tells Kilmer that he is her brother. In the end Kilmer takes a taxi to the airport but is himself torn by his "giri" to Ken. He tells the cab driver to turn around and goes back to see Ken. Kilmer tells him he came back because there is something important he must talk to him about. This is true, but while Ken goes for tea Kilmer himself performs the ritual of severing his pinky and in the tradition, putting it in a handkerchief, offers it to a shocked, but an emotionless Ken when he returns. Kilmer asks Ken to accept his token of apology for what HE HAS DONE (to Kens life however unwittingly), and asks him to please forgive Eiko as well. Ken, of course accepts, and says the words which seem to be the traditional response "no man has a greater friend." Finally the two men with bandaged pinkies go to the airport for a final goodbye and Kilmer leaves, very emotionally, for home.