VHS : Repo Man [1984]

Rating: - You're a white suburban punk just like me.
There's no doubt that this film is worthy of cult status, and to many this is one of those all-time-classics. For me though, it's a good film, but doesn't quite hit the mark as a great film.

Some elements of the film are beautifully done; the generic packaging of food products, the bleak urban feel, and the seemingly apathy to violence and death make for a great dystopian atmosphere. This means that although the film is filmed/set in the 1980's, it has a futuristic look to it, almost like Mad Max.

The dystopia is developed further as the main characters have little or no ambition, whenever someone discusses what they want from life it's never anything more than committing crime or becoming a `fry chef' in a fast food place. The masses are pacified by television, brainwashed into giving money to the TV Evangelists. The radiation affected Parnell launches into an insane tirade, during which he mentions a friend who worked on the neutron bomb and how working on something so immoral can drive a man insane. This is dark, it's also a prod in the morals.

Other than Otto and Bud, the characters seem pretty two-dimensional, but they are entertaining. At one point there's a good camaraderie between the two, but the pathos seems to get lost somewhere and by the end of the film I cared little for any of the characters.

In a nutshell: Well worthy of a watch - you'll either love this film or you'll feel pretty neutral to it. I'm in the latter camp. There are some fantastic ideas, and these are often implemented in an understated way so as not to seem gimmicky or obvious. I appreciated what is being said, and I tend to agree, but I think it could have been said better.

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Rating: - "Life as a Repo Man is always intense."
A very young but convincing Emilio Estevez along with Larry Dean Stanton are both excellent this film. The story follows a (somewhat!) unlikely plot involving car thieves, drugs, a lobotomised scientist, the CIA and, of course, aliens. There is some romantic interest as well. And some great punks.

I can never get bored of this film and still squirm with glee at the best bits. The sound on the DVD isn't crystal-clear, and some of the humorous dialogue is easily missed. The Iggy Pop opening number is a proper stomper though.

I lent this to some friends who said they couldn't follow it and had to switch it off after 15 mins, so It's not for everyone.

But if you like wierd (and wonderful) stuff like Being John Malkovich, with a plot which there to be enjoyed rather than analysed, then this might just be up your alley.

"You know what kid? -You're all-right"

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Rating: - Disappointing
I really wouldn't bother with this if you're after plot or character development. It's also not much cop as science fiction. Basically it's way too selfconsciously quirky without any of the charm needed to pull it off. I think Amazon recommended this to me because I bought the (very wonderful) "Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai across the Eighth Dimension"; I reckon if you like Banzai you won't much care for this. Maybe it was the fact that the words "cult hit" occurs in the reviews of both that made their mindless automated search suppose that the two films would appeal to similar audiences. I think "cult" in this context means "most people don't like it". In this case I can see why.

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Rating: - If you want a definition of cult-classic, 'Repo Man' is it!!
I grew up watching the fantastic BBC-TV programme 'Moviedrome', which was basically director Alex Cox introducing favourite films in his own quirky style including 'Something Wild','Carnival of Souls' & 'Django Kill!' I enjoyed Cox's own films, 'Sid and Nancy','Highway Patrolman' & the classic 'Walker' - but it's 'Repo Man' that remains my favourite work of his thus far...

The only film as odd as this to come out of a major Hollywood-studio was the same year's 'The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension'- which makes an ideal double-bill with this! 'Repo Man' is science-fiction, though science-fiction in a manner not unlike Jean-Luc Godard's 'Alphaville' (1965). As Godard's film used contemporary Paris as a future dystopia, so you get the feeling that Cox did the same to downtown-LA (the locale of its setting is often noted as an infleunce on 'Pulp Fiction', as well as Dennis Hopper's underrated 'Colors' & the charming 'Falling Down').

'Repo Man' offers an 80s-take on dystopia, a post-Reagonomic consumer-hell where dope-smoking baby-boomer parents are hypnotised by the TV, where nihilistic punks steal & where a strange man drives around with a neutron-bomb in the boot of his car, that the FBI are after as part of a wider UFO-conspiracy! Amid all this is Otto, your average punk-loser, who after his girlfriend cheats on him and he gets sacked from his supermarket job (note the way the products are labelled 'beer','london gin' etc- a conceit John Lydon nicked for PIL's 'Album' in 1986)- crossing paths with Bud (Harry Dean Stanton), who is a 'Repo Man'...

The film is an absolute trip from there, nodding to scientology, apocalypse, 'A Clockwork Orange'(the speeded-up sex scene in the car nods to another rapidly delivered sex scene in Kubrick's film), US-punk (The Circle Jerks appear as a band in a bar-scene), UFOs (pre-X-Files & Men in Black), 'Kiss Me Deadly' (the glowing mystery in the boot- another thing that turned up in 'Pulp Fiction'!)& William Burroughs (listen out in the hospital scene for a reference to Dr Benway, a major character from 'The Naked Lunch'!) There's also a great tunnel-shot that would recur in Jim Jarmusch's 'Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai'- probably as it shared the same cinematographer Robby Muller (most famous for his work with Wim Wenders).

There's not a film like 'Repo Man', which is charmingly odd and improves with every viewing like the aforementioned 'Buckaroo Banzai', Godard's 'Weekend', Rafelson's 'Head' & Linklater's 'Slacker.' It also belongs to an interesting breed of US-filmmaking - ironic, post-modern, alternative, and should be regarded alongside 'Suburbia','The Decline of Western Civilisation','Rumble Fish','Stranger Than Paradise','River's Edge','Out of the Blue' & 'Heathers'. Noy one for fans of the Brat Pack, though ironically the lead is best known for 'The Breakfast Club' & 'St Elmo's Fire' (what went wrong???)Look out for a cameo from former Monkee Mike Nesmith, who also produced it...

"I blame society..." !!!!!

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Rating: - Repossess this ASAP!
A DVD version of this grossly underrated cult film is long overdue. I managed to get my hands on an advance copy last week & I've watched it four times since.

Anyone reading this review is probably a fan so I wont go into too much detail about what happens, but for those new to the film here is a rundown of the events: The story follows geeky no-hoper Otto, a disenfranchised teen punk in 1980's America who takes a job as a car repossessor because he's broke. He ends up on the trail of a Chevy Malibu along with a host of other irreverent & interesting characters, the very people who give this film it's deadpan humour.

The film is intended to reflect the feeling of loneliness and alienation that a whole generation of Americans suffered under the Reagan administration and it is a complete success. Director Alex Cox uses distant camerawork & large sets, along with bizzare country & Western style music to great effect.

Emilio Estevez is perfect for the role of Otto, he acts with a real flippancy that many actors would struggle with. He is completely believable as the obtrusive and uncaring repo man and he tackles the role with the neccessary lack of enthusiasm. It is Harry Dean Stanton though who steals the show as the bitter and strung out Bud, a time-seved Repo Man who takes Otto under his wing. The supporting cast also add to the experience and provide many a good gag.

The DVD extras are the reason that this doesnt get 5* here. I was dissappointed with what was on offer, but dont let that put you off what is a brilliant film experience.