Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

As I watched this film, I kept thinking how the plot devices very much resemble those of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. As in NOTLD, we see a group of strangers in a structure desperately trying to survive the deadly attackers that are attempting to break in and kill them. Both movies show the principle players going through their doubts, fears and angst between each other as the story unfolds. Also, I felt that there were parallels between Ethan Bishop's (Stoker) and Ben's (Jones in NOTLD) characters as they both took on an important leadership role and kept things 'on track' for all of the other players. NOTLD was released in 1968 and AOP13 was released in 1976, so this would have given Carpenter the right amount of time to allow NOTLD to percolate in his consciousness. Anyway, it makes sense to me.Overall, I liked the film. But I personally prefer Carpenter's films containing supernatural overtones. I believe that he did a great job considering the budget that he had to work with. I thoroughly enjoyed the DVD extra of an audience participation interview with Carpenter and Austin Stoker after a screening of AOP13 (Special Edition DVD release). This is a must-see!

Precinct 13 is what Carpenter considers to be his first real film. Despite being so, it contains some very impressive camera angles and use of shadows, as well as a score that, although technically simple, epitomises the word 'cool'. Made on a shoestring budget, it was unfairly gnawed at by critics and yet eventually cemented itself as a cult classic (which is a sentence that can be attributed to half of Carpenter's filmography) The plot, like all the best Carpenter movies, is a simple one – A group on inhabitants in an abandoned police station find themselves under attack from an unstoppable street gang. The lack of funds available meant that coverage of scenes had to be played out from a single angle longer than normal. This gives the movie a straightforward, brutal and almost documentary-like approach. Pretty violent for its time, Precinct 13 grips you as you will for the goodies to make it out of this sticky situation alive. You also don't need to be a genius to see all the nods and reverences to Carpenter's favourite westerns. The acting quality varies between cast members, but the dynamic duo of Police Officer Austin Stroker and anti-hero Darwin Joston make up for the relatively sub-par supporting cast. The tension present in the film is just one of the many Carpenter trademarks that he would be later known for. Not much is known about the huge, almost cult-like, street gang – they are as enigmatic as any Carpenter villain, and the tautness of the movie is improved because of this. Best Scene: That ice cream truck scene, which completely shocked me. A young girl who looks around only seven walks to the truck to replace her ice-cream but unbeknownst to her it have been boarded by the street gang. One member, without even looking, just points her gun at the sweet girl and blows her away. There's no dramatic music or anything; it's done in a matter-of-fact kind of way, which makes it all the more disturbing.

This early Carpenter classic remains a cult item and contains many of the things we associate with him such as a spooky atmosphere and some catchy synthesiser music. I'm finding myself liking a lot of Carpenter's films and this is no exception. It runs like a hybrid of THE BIRDS, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and a crime thriller, with birds and zombies replaced by faceless gang members. The similarities to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD in particular become very apparent when you think about it: an isolated building under siege from an ever-increasing horde of enemies; a black hero; a finale which sees the survivors retreating to the basement.The tension here is created by a deliberately slow start which gently eases the suspense up to breaking point, finally bursting the bubble with a sudden bust of graphic violence - that of a young girl getting shot to death. From then on it turns into an increasingly desperate life or death battle between the inhabitants of the abandoned police station and the hordes of gang members. The acting is actually very good here, a surprise as most of the cast were never heard of to begin with and never seen again afterwards. Stoker and Joston in particular are excellent as the opposing cop and convict who join forces. The charisma between these two tough guys is something to see and they really hit it off together. Joston has the showier role as a mild-mannered murderer but Stoker's subtle performance adds the depth needed to the film.The music is quite simplistic and yet still very effective, although not as exceptional as Carpenter's classic score for HALLOWEEN. After recently watching an uncut, pristine and widescreen print on DVD I was able to appreciate this film in all its real glory. If you like some of Carpenter's other films then check this one out, you won't be disappointed, and action and thriller fans should definitely spend a night with this one to see what exactly can be achieved on just a small budget.

Assault On Precinct 13 is a very good grindhouse action flick combining elements from western classic Rio Bravo and George A Romero's classic Night Of The Living Dead. John Carpenter did not have too much money to play around with on this production, but had total creative freedom and the end result is pretty remarkable. Austin Stoker is the lead in this film. He is a cop in an abandoned police station that is under attack by a vicious gang called Street Thunder. Street Thunder has taken a blood oath on the police for their fallen homeboys in a recent shootout. Against all odds, Stoker joins forces with his two convicted death row felons to repel the attackers. One of the convicts, Napoleon Wilson is sort of a precursor to the Snake Plisken character. Actor Darwin Jostin does great in the antihero role and plays it real cool and tough, much like Charles Bronson. John Carpenter also did the score as well and is very dark and brooding, bringing great atmosphere and building tension and suspense. The film moves at a slow pace and is gritty,dark and violent. Both direction and performances are excellent. Assault On Precinct 13 is a very tough film with hard hitting action sequences, but also has great suspense is very moody, dark ambiance and dread. The film is great and holds up. The modern remake of this film is complete doo doo and as much as I recommend this film, I recommend just as strongly to avoid the remake.