I added a bunch of 70s "neo-noir" to my queue from recommendations in Criminal -- that's what led to Charley Varrick. I know Pelham is somewhere in there as well. (I've seen it. but it was a very long time ago. And probably on commercial TV.)

The Taking of Pelham 1/2/3 is being remade.

Correction: it is being remade again.

I flipped on the TV last night after getting Matilda and Emmett to bed and The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3 was on. What a great cat and mouse, crime caper, gritty 70s movie. I got totally sucked in and had to watch it until the end.

I went through a whole 70s caper/heist phase when living in Brooklyn: Pelham, Hopscotch, the original Thomas Crown, and, my favorite, Hot Rock, which had both a heist at the Brooklyn Museum right near my apartment and amazing shots of the WTC under construction.

Another movie I caught on TCM recently was an odd romantic fantasy titled Portrait of Jennie with Joseph Cotton and Jennifer Jones. Anybody seen it?

It had very dreamy quality, though it was set in Manhattan.

What film isn't at this point?

Eraserhead?

Pelham was a really good book, too. I've never seen the movie, but maybe I should--except I know the last scene and the thrill wouldn't be the same.

I've never seen the movie, but maybe I should--except I know the last scene and the thrill wouldn't be the same.

I think you'd still enjoy it. It's a very taut movie, with a famous soundtrack and great perfomances (Robert Shaw, Matthau, a young Hector Elizondo, Jerry Stiller).

ToP - 1, 2, 3 was a lot of fun. Also one of the many inspirations for Reservoir Dogs (i.e. the naming of the thieves and the matching outfits).

Robert Shaw, Matthau, a young Hector Elizondo, Jerry Stiller

And Martin Balsam.

The look on Matthau's face at the very, VERY end is priceless.

Oo, Robert Shaw. Yum.

How'd I miss that?

The look on

It's so great because it's so underplayed.