Across 110th Street was released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber Studio Classics on Sept 9.
110th Street. Border to Harlem; Dividing line between worlds. Across 110th Street, in a dilapidated Harlem apartment building, violence erupts. A group of gangsters, including members of both black and Italian gangs, is gunned down in the middle of a huge cash transaction. Three black men, two of them wearing police uniforms, flee the scene with $300,000, also shooting a couple of cops as they make their escape.
This movie. So good. So good, and it’s all because of the rich characters, wonderfully played by a magnificent cast. Two detectives lead the case, Capt. Mattelli (Anthony Quinn), a hardened veteran Italian-American who lets his fists do the interrogating, and Lt. Pope (Yaphet Kotto), a younger black cop who does things by the book and shuns brutality — and is gunning for the old man’s job. This is no buddy-cop picture. Mattelli is threatened by a younger officer who he perceives as a politically-placed black figurehead rather than a competent detective, and Pope sees Mattelli as a relic of the pre-Civil Rights era: outdated, morally corrupt, and probably racist. These guys are worlds apart and constantly frustrated by each others’ methods and a mutual perceived lack of respect — I say “perceived” because it’s clear that they do have a certain admiration for each other. It’s a compelling relationship, because even though they clash frequently, when it comes down to it they’re still both cops and quick to back each other up, even when they feel the other is in the wrong.
The robbers aren’t so simply reduced to “bad guys”, either. One of them (Antonio Fargas) is brash and obnoxious, and plays the most closely to a “blaxploitation” stereotype, using his windfall to live large and surround himself with booze and hookers. The other two are much more nuanced, though: poor, working class men who want to escape their menial existence. The disheveled Jim Harris (Paul Benjamin) emerges as the primary character among the robbers; a former convict who can’t get a decent job and sees this big break as his only way out of the grip of poverty. He delivers a pretty heart-breaking speech to his wife about why he did it, and his arc is perhaps the most compelling story in the film. His last action, which I dare not spoil here, hit me like a freight train and provides both his character and the film with tremendous depth.
Rounding out the cast are various gang leaders who, like the cops, are chasing down the three robbers. Both the Italian mafia and the black gangsters in Harlem are out to find and punish the culprits and get their money back. While a mafia enforcer played by Tony Franciosa is a brutal and menacing killer, it’s gravelly-voiced Richard Ward who steals the show. His growl has so much character, lending everything he says — threats, insults, and shocking revelations — a ton of dramatic weight.
Across 110th Street frequently gets lumped in with the genre of blaxploitation films, probably because of the cast and era in which it was created. I’m a big fan of that genre, just as I am of this movie, but I don’t think the connection is an apt one. The film is “black”, certainly, but despite starring genre regulars like Yaphet Kotto and Antonio Fargas, it’s not exploitation. This is a crackling police drama that deals with race, social justice, and crime in a fairly serious and emotionally engaging fashion, lacking the flippancy and cartoonishness that are the hallmarks of blaxploitation.
Whether or not you consider it a blaxploitation film is ultimately unimportant. It’s an excellent 70’s NYC crime picture and that alone should pique your interest. There’s so much to this film — not just to love, but to really chew on. I hate to be cliché in tying this to current events, but it’s so obvious that even now, over 40 years later, the kinds of racial struggle that this film was tackling — police against blacks, blacks against whites — are still a reality.
THE PACKAGE
The picture looks pretty soft, but these instances seem to originate from the source rather than any transfer issues — some shots are simply out of focus. By direct comparison, the Blu-ray is clearly a moderate step up from the DVD, though it appears to my eye to be struck from the same print.
While I’m glad that the new KL Studio Classics line is putting out such a remarkable array of classic titles, I’m not especially impressed by my first purchase. This relatively high-priced disc delivers a lean experience: the movie, its trailer, and no frills. The disc lacks even subtitles, which are a basic necessity of accessibility that should be demanded of all new releases these days. Even a slipcover or booklet would raise its profile. The KL Studio Classics line has the potential to be the next Scream Factory, Raro, or Criterion, but if this release is any indication, even the rarity-oriented Warner Archive provides a better value-for-price ratio.
Special Features
Theatrical Trailer (2:58)
Classic trailer presented in widescreen HD.
The barebones disc bums me out, but the film itself is a powder keg, quite possibly my favorite discovery this year. Across 110th Street is an absolutely phenomenal achievement in gritty, urban storytelling, and highly recommended.
A/V Out.
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Across 110th Street — [Blu-Ray] | [DVD] | [Instant]
Originally published at old.cinapse.co on September 15, 2014.
