THE SHOOTER / Hidden Assassin (Ted Kotcheff, 1995)

[Jox]

The cover and article below are from two different magazines:

[Tom]

The version on Amazon Prime in the UK is the long one and 1080p. It's not the best transfer but a lot better than the German Blu. Basically, it's the best looking version I've seen of it. Once again, after watching it, it stands as one of Dolph's most undervalued films for me. A very solid Euro thriller. It feels vintage, like 60's/70's, in a good way, and it might be the only Lundgren film to have an interesting female character.

[Jox]

Cool, I wish I could get access to an HD version of the long version...

The film definitely benefited from the years passing.

When it came out late 1995-96 it felt really outdated compared to what was in cinemas then, and not as "deep" as it wanted to be. I remember the French reviews were some of the worst for a DL film, the film had a small theatrical release and was trashed everywhere (unlike MOW which was raved a year before).

But the free-falling quality of the DTV / low-budget action titles in the past 10-15 years also now makes THE SHOOTER pass for quite a good one.

Based on my interviews, it was very much in the intentions of the filmmakers to make THE SHOOTER in the vein of the 1960s and '70s thrillers or John Le Carré's novels.

I wish I could get my hands on the original script by Yves André Martin and Meg Thay that was set in Paris, before the last minute production rewrite by Billy Ray. I bet it was quite different even...

[alex.sp89]

here u go Jox ! Enjoy - I DON'T KNOW IF U UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE, BUT STILL CAN COMPARE THE VIDEO QUALITY
https://www.pikniktube.net/video/10232/ ... a-hd-720p/

or direct youtube link but nee to sign in confirming your age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fJsBqk ... &index=580

[Jox]

That seems like a "compressed by Youtube" rip of a 720p version that aired on Hungarian TV, you can't compare anything from that.

[alex.sp89]

Anyway at first looking this is the greatest transfer of longer version of SHOOTER. I am pretty sure

[bomaz]

I watched it again last night (the long version) and despite some flaws here and there (the music is not always great, Dolph is not always at his best as an actor ...) the movie stands out as a solid thriller, with solids stunts and pace. Detmers is a talented actress, and the Prague settings are charming (even the "soviet" outskirts shown here and there). Good movie overall.

[Jox]

Dolph is not always at his best as an actor ...)

I partly blame the hair cut (and the wardrobe), which does not work here. But more seriously, I'm pretty sure he worked quite hard on this one.

This was following MEN OF WAR and JOHNNY MNEMONIC, in the two years (1994-95) he was doing theater workshops and performing one-act plays in NYC with his troupe "Group of Eight" (see the "WATCHING FIRE" thread) and he was determined (not that he wasn't before) on working on his craft as an actor.

And everybody else, from director Ted Kotcheff to producer Silvio Muraglia (who would next pair him with Russell Mulcahy on SILENT TRIGGER), all wanted to make a character-driven thriller that would elevate Dolph above his usual action vehicles (it's not by chance that they cast "serious" European actresses such as Maruschka Detmers and Assumpta Serna to support him). The intentions were there. Same with the creative choice to attempt a '70s musical score, while composer Stefano Mainetti would make a much better impression with his drastically different SILENT TRIGGER soundtrack...

And yet somehow the cooking just didn't take, sadly...

By the time it came out between late 1995 and 1996, the timing was also way off and years too late for the genre and its approach. And it closed the theatrical era of Dolph Lundgren films in Europe (minus ST in Italy).

[Jox]

THE SHOOTER world-premiered in UK cinemas 25 years ago today (in its long version)...

[Scorpio]

The version of "The Shooter" that contains this edition, is it the cut edition (88 minutes) or is it the full version (104 minutes)?

https://www.ebay.es/itm/BLU-RAY-NEU-OVP ... Swvg9XT-~j

[Jox]

That's a good question, I assume it would be the 104 min version but that is to be confirmed, plus the back cover, if correct, lists German only as a language. Also to be considered, the quality, if this is the same version as the one released as a single movie... But if you check it out please let us know!