Twilight Time has released two police dramas, The New Centurions, directed by Richard Fleischer (1972), and The Seven-Ups, by first-time director Philip D’Antoni (1973).
Centurions was based upon the novel by Joseph Wambaugh.
They make an interesting pair.
Both are worth viewing, while neither is a great film.
New Centurions for its cast, inclusive of George C. Scott and Stacy Keach, and The Seven-Ups as the wannabe sequel to The French Connection, for which D’Antoni had served as producer.
One of the stand-out sequences in Seven-Ups is a massive car chase — remember, there was one under the elevated tracks in French Connection? — that begins on Manhattan’s East side, heads west, over the GW Bridge, then north, ending somewhere in mid-Westchester in the Briarcliff Manor area.
As to quality, The New Centurions is the better looking film, presumably processed at Technicolor, Hollywood, while Seven-Ups, a New York based production, was processed at TVC, which became known for their Chemtone process.
I’m presuming that’s what I’m seeing, as contrast is down, shadow detail is more open, and blacks in some shots are non-existent.
Not a problem, as that’s the way the production was filmed and processed.
Both are beautiful image harvests from Fox (Seven-Ups) and Columbia (Centurions).
Image – 5
Audio – 5 (monaural)
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD – Yes
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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