19 replies to this topic

[Dr. Tynan]

I have this movie on DVD, it's one of the most savage movies I've ever seen. I highly recommend it.

Go buy it on Video or DVD.

"It's a ride along Porter. You see, your piece of the pie just got a little smaller, but don't worry I'll leave you some crust"

[1q2w3e4r]

Porter to me is how i see Fleming's Bond in the 50s. Awesome movie, cold, cruel and likeable character.

[Dr. Tynan]

Originally posted by 1q2w3e4r
Porter to me is how i see Fleming's Bond in the 50s.  Awesome movie, cold, cruel and likeable character.

"Porter looks to me like the type who likes to resist arrest"

It's probably not a patch on Die Another Day but it's up there, this movie.

"He's probably ****ing her"

"He's taking long enough"

"Maybe the dog too"

"Do you think so?"

[WarBird]

What's this movie about?

[Dr. Tynan]

Payback stars Mel Gibson (Porter is played by Mel Gibson). It also stars Lucy Lui, Kris Kristofferson, Bruce Devane.

Porter is a hoodlum, he and his friend Val Resnick steal some money of a bunch of Chinese/Japanese gangsters. Not long afterwards, Resnick betrays Porter and takes all the money they stole.

It's about Porter trying to find Resnick and get his share back (70,000 US $). Porter also has to avoid the Chinese/Japanese guys who want him dead and he gets blackmailed by two crooked Police Officers who tell him that if he doesn't give them the money they'll have him put in jail.


"It's our money Porter, me and my partners money. You be a good boy we'll give you a piece"

"Crooked cops. Do they come any other way? If I'd been just a little dumber, I could've joined the Force myself"

[walther]

Porter rules, and I really love this movie. Brutal as hell though.

"This little piggy went to the market..."

But my favorite sequence of the film is the talk between Devane, Kristofferson, and Gibson.

Porter: My money, yes or no.
(Kristofferson's character, forgot name): No.
(single gunshot)

[walther]

I just remembered.

I absolutely love the way they play Dean Martin's "Your Nobody Till Somebdoy Loves You". It's really funny how they play it in the trailer.

[Rich Douglas]

That is a great film .

Rich

[WarBird]

Sounds interesting, I'll try to rent a copy.

[Turn]

I saw this on cable, edited for television last summer and still liked it. Normally, I can't stand something that has themes like this and they chop it up, but it really didn't matter. It made me only want to see it uncut.

[Dr. Tynan]

Originally posted by WarBird
Sounds interesting, I'll try to rent a copy.

Watch it and tell me what you think

Walther, Kristofferson's character is called Mr Bronson

I've only seen it on DVD and the DVD version seems to have a lot of bits cut out.


"Then it's your knees Porter, you can guess where we go from there. Where is he?"

[TGO]

Ah, but that must have been the UK DVD. The BBFC have a nasty habit of editing headbutts and such.

[Dr. Tynan]

Originally posted by TGO
Ah, but that must have been the UK DVD. The BBFC have a nasty habit of editing headbutts and such.

Aye it was the UK DVD

Does someone get headbutted in the American version (I've not seen that one)

Who gets headbutted and who does the headbutting



"Yeah that's Porter he has **** for brains"

"I'm on the ****ing phone"

"Go get it Porter, go get our money"


Resnick: "So what did this guy look like?"

Stegman (talking about Porter): "Well he had dark hair, blue eyes, he was like a real Cro-Magnon looking bastard"

[Bryce (003)]

A fine, fine film...and one of the most appropriately titled ones to roll out of Hollyweird in a while.

Now, watch it on DVD and play some Bond music over a few scenes.....

Yeah, 10 years ago...maybe...Mel could have been 007...maybe....

[Dr. Tynan]

Is it true that Gibson once said he wouldn't want to play Bond because he thought it was too boring?



"Get in Porter. Close the door. Now set the Rosco on the floor. Slow. See I am going to turn you into the Outfit for a reward and maybe they'll be so impressed that they'll ask me to join and I'll be on easy street. Medical. Dental. I'm just... I'm going to walk you right in. Porter on the hoof. Unless you get rambunctious, then I'll just have to take care of you myself"

[Turn]

Originally posted by Dr. Tynan
Is it true that Gibson once said he wouldn't want to play Bond because he thought it was too boring?



"Get in Porter. Close the door. Now set the Rosco on the floor. Slow. See I am going to turn you into the Outfit for a reward and maybe they'll be so impressed that they'll ask me to join and I'll be on easy street. Medical. Dental. I'm just... I'm going to walk you right in. Porter on the hoof. Unless you get rambunctious, then I'll just have to take care of you myself"

He may have said that. He was always being mentioned for the part clear back to when he was a rising star from his Road Warrior movies. I read somewhere he said he would do maybe one film and that EON would pay out the nose for his services. I don't think he said the last part, but it was mentioned. I also remember polls that said he would be the ideal Bond (even over Brosnan) a couple times. I just don't think he was interested in commiting to a series.

[Ambler]

I found Payback somewhat disappointing given Brian Helgeland's involvement, but was unaware at that point that he had been sacked from the film.

Since the last post in this thread Helgeland's cut has been released, but 'Payback: Straight Up' seems to have divided critics, with many preferring the theatrical release.

Has anyone here seen both versions and, if so, which do you prefer?

[tdalton]

I found Payback somewhat disappointing given Brian Helgeland's involvement, but was unaware at that point that he had been sacked from the film.

Since the last post in this thread Helgeland's cut has been released, but 'Payback: Straight Up' seems to have divided critics, with many preferring the theatrical release.

Has anyone here seen both versions and, if so, which do you prefer?

I've seen both versions, and I'd have to say that I quite enjoyed both of them.

It's hard to really recommend one over the other or to really compare the two films because they're almost completely different films. Some events of the first half of the theatrical version of the film make up the first half of the director's cut, but the second half of each film is so wildly different that it almost constitutes them being entirely different movies with very few similarities.

I thoroughly enjoyed the theatrical version of the film, and still find it to be one of my favorite Mel Gibson films. The "Straight Up" cut, however, is a fantastic film as well, although a much darker film (if I'm remembering correctly) and, in some cases, a more brutal one.

[00Twelve]

The real movie to see is the original, POINT BLANK.

[Safari Suit]

For what it's worth, Payback is actually closer to the spirit of "Richard Stark's" (i.e. Donald E. Westlake's) Parker novels than the artier (and superior) Point Blank.

Am I right in thinking the Straight Up cut removes the beginning with the back-alley abortionist tending to Porter's bullet-wounds with whiskey? I always thought that was a fantastically sleazy beginning to a movie especially for a homogenised, basterdised movie like Payback. Does it also cut the rather cool bit where Mel escapes from the boot of a car by breaking through the back seat?