tbyrne369

Operatic film based on Hubert Selby's controversial book. They actually filmed it in Germany, believe it or not. German director Uli Edel (Christiane F.) creates a vision of Brooklyn in the 50s that feels like something straight out of a Bosch painting. Against blazing summer heat and a bitter labor strike we see incredible random violence, casual cruelty, male and female prostitutes, bullying pimps, crooked labor leaders. The gutter is full

Interestingly, the movie is nowhere near as disturbing as the book. The two central characters, closeted queer labor leader Harry Black and doomed prostitute Tralala have been softened considerably from Selby's book where Harry was a vile jerk with no redeeming qualities and Tralala was heartless and predatory. For a movie I think this was necessary.

Beautiful score by Mark Knopfler. I had a relative who used to drag me to the opera a couple of times a year and this film does have an operatic feel to it, I have to admit. Because they filmed it in Germany it has a strange other-wordly quality about it. It feels a dark fairy tale version of Brooklyn.

Great movie but only watch it if you have a strong stomach.

This bizarre, Florida-shot, psychotronic chestnut stars Shatner as a sleazy and disturbed space coast con man with a troubling past who makes his living swindling rich women out of their money and then killing them.

After disposing of one woman in the very beginning he re-locates and meets a widow who runs a souvenir store and slowly sets about trying to swindle her so he can run off to Jamaica.

Only problem is the widows' daughter, who has a hair-trigger temper and is insanely jealous of anyone trying to replace her late father. It's all pretty basic really.

Lots of hilarious details. This movie features some of the tackiest 1970s fashions I have EVER seen. Shatner's wardrobe alone! Not since Al Pacino was forced to accessorize in flip flops, a sombrero, and a ladies purse in Serpico has a leading man had such a ridiculous wardrobe. He goes everywhere in this these horrible polyester leisure suits with bell bottoms so flared you could shoplift an entire liquor store out in them.

And Shatner's performance here is possibly one of his craziest. I actually like the guys' acting typically. But here it's really out-of-control.

In spite of the general sleaziness the film actually looks pretty good, especially considering it was shot in the 1970s on a limited budget.

It's actually a very entertaining movie. Its a classic "so bad its good" type movie.

Fascinating movie. Auto Focus is about sex addiction but the movie never comes out and tells you its about sex addiction because the main character never goes into recovery. If you didn't know any better you'd watch it and think "what the hell did i just watch???" Because its just degradation after degradation after degradation. It just gets worse and worse. Whats the point?

These were the facts of Bob Crane's life sadly. He was a sex addict. It seems a strange story to tell because he seemed like such a straight arrow dude but apparently it wrecked his marriages and ultimately his life.

Greg Kinnear does a great job as Bob Crane. He's like human Teflon. Equally good is Willem Dafoe as John Carpenter, Crane's electronics whiz buddy and the main suspect in Crane's murder.