Before John Carpenter became a horror movie icon for his 1978 classic “Halloween” he made a low budget crime thriller that wasn’t well received at first but eventually blossomed into a cult classic. Since then “Assault on Precinct 13” has gained wider appreciation from critics and huge respect for its impressive accomplishments with a shoestring budget.

Producer J. Stein Kaplan approached Carpenter about making a crime exploitation thriller with only $100,000 to work with. Carpenter would be given full creative control including handling the script. It only took him eight days to finish the story which he stated was heavily influenced by Howard Hawks’ “Rio Bravo” and George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”. You see those influences in a number of places. Casting an African-American in the lead role was significant. The plot itself features several callbacks to those classics.

It takes place in a Anderson, California, a crime-riddled suburb of Los Angeles. After six members of a street gang are killed by cops their leaders form a blood pack to avenge their deaths. A series of events brings groups of people together in Anderson’s closing police precinct building. As night falls this group of policeman, prisoners, secretaries, and civilians must survive waves of attacks from heavily armed gang members until help can finally arrive.

Carpenter shot “Assault” in 20 days, meticulously planning his scenes to best utilize his limited funds. When watching the film there is no denying its minuscule budget. You see it in numerous places. But the sheer quality of the suspense trumps nearly every budget limitation. Carpenter demonstrates some of same bubbling tension that would later make “Halloween” so effective.

Carpenter also handled the score, writing the music in only three days. While performing the music he relied heavily on synthesizers and drum machines. The score hops back and forth between surprisingly catchy hooks and tense minimalist chords. While it is absolutely a product of its time, Carpenter’s score does the most important thing – it serves the story well.

“Assault on Precinct 13” made its mark as a griping crime thriller that was never hampered by its low budget. John Carpenter’s violent tale taps into themes of racism, gender roles, personal responsibility, and inner-city violence while also being a groundbreaking action picture. Perhaps it hasn’t aged well in certain areas, but in terms of what I care about the most – high quality storytelling – it hits nearly every right note.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Operation Anthropoid was the code name given to the 1942 attempted assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, Hitler’s third in command and one of the chief architects of the Holocaust. The secret mission took place in Prague and was carried out by agents of the exiled Czechoslovakian government. It’s also the subject of Sean Ellis’ new film “Anthropoid”.

“Anthropoid” isn’t the first movie to share this remarkable true story, but it is the first since 1975’s “Operation Daybreak”. Ellis directs, shoots, co-writes, and co-produces this taut wartime thriller that moves from methodical and restrained to intense and explosive in the snap of a finger. This unique shift in pace seems to have been a problem for some people. For me it represented two very different sides of a story that are intrinsically tied together, so much so that their eventual clash was inevitable.

Jozef Gabčík (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubiš (Jamie Dornan) are Czech secret agents tasked with carrying out Operation Anthropoid. The two covertly slip into the Nazi-occupied city of Prague where they meet up with the dwindled Czech resistence led by Jan Zelenka-Hajský (Toby Jones). The early part of the film focuses on preparation and reconnaissance. They meet up with the rest of their team and begin planning their mission.

Ellis adds several layers to these early scenes. First is the layer of fear that blankets everyone Jozef and Jan encounter. Heydrich’s brutal presence in Prague has left the resistence in shambles and sympathizers terrorized. So many moments, even quiet ones, are soaked with anxiety and stress. This everpresent tension leads to bouts of distrust, uncertainty, and debates over the consequences of their potential actions.

Jozef and Jan do get vague refuges of normalcy through their relationships with two women sympathetic to the resistance, Lenka (Anna Geislerová) and Marie (Charlotte Le Bon). Both are intriguing characters particularly Lenka who hints at a deeper disdain for the Nazis. Romances spring up which don’t feel forced or out of place, but that are underserviced and I wish they were given more time.

Ellis’ pace shifts and the intensity only gets thicker as the assassination attempt gets closer. The final act is edge-of-your-seat thrilling while also being perfectly (and violently) harmonious with the earlier slow-burning buildup. Ellis’ camerawork in the final act offers up some of the most visually gripping sequences of the year.

One of my favorite things about “Anthropoid” is that it feels grounded and authentic. There is no stilted dialogue or grandiose verbiage. There is no sign of Hollywood formula, overwrought melodrama, or heavy sentimentality. It feels genuine and true to the story it’s telling. And while some may struggle with Jozef and Jan’s lack of backstory, I was drawn to their humanity and invigorated by their valor and conviction. And it is all conveyed without a flashy coat of studio gloss.

“Anthropoid” is refreshingly earnest and subtle. It has confidence in the compelling strength of its story and feels no need to embellish it or the characters. That same confidence allows Ellis to put more of his focus on an accurate historical portrayal. Sure, it may not be a common crowd-pleasing approach, but when it comes together this potently I can’t help but love it.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

1956’s “A Man Escaped” was the fourth feature from French cinema pioneer Robert Bresson and a showcase for his focused minimalist filmmaking. Considered by many to be Bresson’s masterpiece, the film brims with his signature stripped down presentation, free of any visual or narrative embellishment. In fact the film opens with a message from Bresson that reads “The following is a true story. I present it as it happened, without adornment”.

Bresson’s low-key style is also seen in his aversion to using movie stars in his films. He believed professional actors, much like special effects, drew attention to themselves and away from the story. He also believed professional actors conveyed too much emotion in their performances instead of letting the audience deduce it on their own. Therefore Bresson preferred to cast people to be models instead of performers.

His chosen model for “A Man Escaped” was François Leterrier. He plays a French Resistance soldier named Fontaine. It’s 1943 and the film begins with a captured Fontaine being transported by Nazis to Montluc military prison in German occupied Lyon. The film is based on the true story of André Devigny and his attempt to escape Montluc prison before he is to be executed.

The story is as simple as they come yet so enthralling. With the exception of two brief scenes the entire film takes place within the walls of the prison. Fontaine is our eyes and ears. When he is in the cell so are we. When he is allowed out to wash we are with him. Then back in the cell we go. Everything we learn is from his perspective – from his brief interactions with other prisoners in the washroom, from what he sees from his cell window, or from the sounds he hears.

The sound element is crucial to Bresson’s film. As mentioned it often provides information. A good example is the disturbing sounds of echoing machine gun fire each time the Nazis perform an execution. There are no common cutaway shots to visualize it for us. Instead it is spoken to us through the sounds. Bresson also focuses on every sound Fontaine makes as he prepares for his escape attempt. He secretly uses the few things in his room as tools and every sound he makes could tip off the guards.

Fontaine’s narration may be the most vital component in Bresson’s feeding of information. In some films narration can be a crutch. Here it cleverly unveils Fontaine’s feelings and thought processes while adding a surprising amount of depth to his character. It also serves as an important source of time. As we hear Fontaine’s reflections he often alludes to the passing of time – days, sometimes months. Every bit of narration is succinct and has purpose. It doesn’t romanticize the story or character in any way.

Bresson frequently channeled much from his personal experiences into his movies. In the case of “A Man Escaped” it’s the cruelty he experienced from Nazis as a prisoner of war during World War 2. Certainly the bulk of his inspiration came from Devigny’s true account, but you clearly sense a personal connection between director and his cinematic canvas.

Robert Bresson was one of the most original and influential filmmakers in cinema history. “A Man Escaped” is an exhibition of his unique style and approach. Spiritual undertones, personal influences, and a minimalist focus are just some of his characteristics highlighted in this brilliant 1956 classic.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS