Customer Reviews

Electra Glide in Blue [VHS]

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Electra Glide In Blue" is easily one of my favourite "unknown" films of the 1970's. This was the first (and only) movie directed by rock producer James William Guercio, and in my book it is a top class effort.

Robert Blake ( from TV's "Baretta" ) plays ex-Marine now Arizona motorcycle cop, John Wintergreen, desperate to trade his Harley Davidson Electra Glide police motorbike in for four wheels and join the Stockman Motors detectives division. That opportunity presents itself soon enough, when Wintergreen comes across a gunned down corpse in an dilapidated shack and the puzzle of was it just suicide, or was it murder. Blinded by the supposed granduer of the detective's role, Wintergreen becomes sorely disheartened to find out that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill. Exposed to bigotry, hate and injustice, his lofty opinions of his police superiors quickly crumble as he realises the brutal and impersonal nature of their personalities.

The talented and versatile cast is what makes "Electra Glide in Blue" really crackle....Billy Green Bush plays Wintergreen's partner "Zipper" Davis...an abusive and arrogant police officer who is ultimately so insecure and lonely. The talented actor Mitchell Ryan plays head of detectives Harve Poole, another bombastic and narcisstic man seething with resentment and insecurities wracking his life. Jeannine Riley is the lonely, heartbroken waitress ?Joelene"....seeking warmth and affection in the arms of the local police officers....and the wonderful character actor, Royal Dano, is the tired and irritable Coroner. Plus, I can't leave out veteran character actor, Elisha Cook Jr., as the half witted desert loner, Willy. In the early 1970's, Guercio had produced several albums for rock group "Chicago" and he cast several band members in minor roles in "Electra Glide"....trumpeter Lee Loughnane is "Pig Man", singer/bassist Peter Cetera plays biker "Bob Zemko", guitarist Terry Kath is "Killer" ( Kath died tragically in Jan. 1978 from a gun accident ) and session musician David "Hawk" Wolinski as the harassed VW minibus driver.

Add to this fine cast some spectacular cinematography of the stunning Arizona landscape and a haunting and somewhat foreboding soundtrack...and you have an interesting, thought provoking and powerful film that keep's surprising you right up until the final frames.

A worthy addition to your collection of great 1970's films.....

Robert Blake plays a diminutive motorcycle cop in the middle of Arizona. His ambition is to make detective, and wear "that brown suit and hat that says 'you get paid to think.'" When he discovers a suicide that may be a murder, he gets his shot at the bigtime. I haven't seen every movie Blake's done, but this is probably his best role, and he really makes the most of it. Director Guercio (who, to my knowledge never directed another movie) paints a beautiful, poignant picture of this little man surrounded by an awesome landscape. In a way the desert represents Blake's situation. He's this tiny guy who wants to play by a code of honor and to do the right thing, but all around him is this vast wasteland crawling with people who want to bend the rules. The final shot of this film, along with the beautiful closing song (written by Director Guercio) is one of the saddest, most awe-inspiring moments in the history of filmmaking. This movie's not a thrill-a-minute chase flick, but a thoughtful, sad and inspiring story of duty, honor, decency, and the price those virtues bear.

I had vague memories of seeing this film years ago when I was probably sixteen that had haunted me for the following sixteen years of my life. Having just seen this gem again on cable I remembered why. The acting in this film is so far beyond most of the junk that is released today that the phrase, they don't make them like they used to should be changed to , they can't make them like they used to. While some aspects of a movie of this age might seem a little dated who could reasonably deny that the final scene of this film is the most stunning thing ever exposed to film. Hell I could watch that ending every day for the rest of my life and always be awed by the beauty and sadness of it.

This film is a disjointed, unfocused, cynical, at times brilliant look at the life of a motorcycle cop in Arizona. Robert Blake plays John Wintergreen, a sympathetic loner and dreamer who aspires to be a detective. The suicide of an old drifter in the desert is quickly seen by Blake as a murder and his attempts to convince his superiors to investigate is met at first with derision. Through Blake's eyes we see a country torn apart: apathetic, neurotic, berift of dreams, lonely, capable of frightening acts of violence. An examination of the mindset of the early seventies and a film that is sometimes know as the "anti Easy Rider." Blake has rarely been better.

Aaahhhh ... the memories this brings back! I have always wondered why this movie died away instead of being hailed as a classic. It has only been since Robert Blake's trouble with "that thang he married" that this movie has gotten back into the public's eye.

I remember standing in a block-long line to get into our tiny theatre to see this one. I didn't get in the first night and had to go back the next night. It was so worth the wait! I would stand in line again to watch it today ... if I didn't already own it on VHS.

I loved the character Willie, the crazy old desert rat. But Robert blake was just out of sight with this performance. It was his best ... without competition. He just really got into this role to the max.

The ending is haunting! It has stayed with me all these years. Each time I watch it, I get chills. If you have not seen this movie, order a copy today.

I really believe this movie holds a special place in every motorcycle rider's heart. Most 'Nam vets that I know can tell you all about this movie. Obviously it touched a special spot with them too.

Get it today and join our cult following of this forgotten classic.

This episodic and leisurely paced crime thriller/character study was one of the last of the true "60's" films (even though it was released in 1973). The twist here is that the existential anti-hero isn't riding a chopper or racing across America in a Challenger to keep one step ahead of "The Man" but in fact IS "The Man" --a motorcycle cop! One-shot director James William Guercio, previously known for producing the band Chicago and creating the Caribou Records label, does an admirable job (and leaves one wondering why he didn't continue to pursue filmmaking). Robert Blake delivers his second-best ever perfomance ("In Cold Blood" remains his highest watermark) as a highway patrolman yearning for a more glamourous (to his perception, at least) posting as a homicide detective. All the supporting actors are superb, and the expansive cinematography recalls "Vanishing Point" and "Badlands" with its sweeping vistas of the American West. A sleeper worth a look.

Set in early 70's Arizona near Phoenix, this panoramic story of an ambitious but reflective motorcycle cop trying to break the case is truly unique. Blake's character, "Big John" Wintergreen, finds a body in a remote desert shack. Was it a suicide or murder? A very realistic film, immersed both in its location (Arizona) and its time (the end of the Vietnam War and the hippie drug culture). It's much more than a detective story or a motorcycle movie. It's about idealism, mentorship, betrayal, original thinking, brutality, and the end of old American frontier values. Good music, breathtaking scenery, real human characters, and dialog as memorable as Pulp Fiction's.

I have to agree with all the other reviews about this film. It was and remains to this day to be my favorite film of all time. I saw it the first time in 1973 during it's first run in the theater when I was 10 years old and now I'm happily employed in law enforcement because of it (kinda the way TOP GUN inspired many to join the military). I've been waiting since that time for a chalk full of commentary DVD to get released.

For some reason, they ignored this movie until Robert Blake (a damn good actor, I might add) got into all this stuff with B. Blakeley. When I finally heard it would be released on DVD, I wasn't surprised. Why wouldn't a distributor capitolize on the whole murder mess. What did I care? I was finally going to get my DVD. When I first saw the DVD cover on amazon, the blatant capitolization on the murder trial was hard to ignore. The tagline read "He's taking justice into his own hands". What the hell was this? As a fan of this film and all it's memorabilia, this tagline never existed. In fact, it had more to do with Roberts court dealings than with the movie. THAT WAS WRONG!! But...moving on.

I went out the day of it's release and purchased it. The first thing I viewed was one of it's original previews, part of the special features. That was cool. Another very cool item was the intro to the movie (option) by James Guercio, the director. That was also nice and set the precedent for what was coming. Or.....did it? James fell into the rut that most directors do when they record their commentary. He's gets lost watching his own film and either stays silent for long periods of time or, when he finally snaps to, he states the obvious, basically explaining the scene that you're viewing. What's the point? You're viewing the scene!! The scene shows a bar with pictures and posters all around of Jeannine Riley. You don't need the director saying "In this scene, there are posters all around of Jeannine Riley" 5 times.

I don't mean to be hard on Mr. Guercio. It's just that I've waited 32 years for certain shots and scenes to be elaborated on, but wasn't satisfied with his commentary. He did reveal some things, but fell way short of a commentary that stands up to, let's say Gary Marshall on the Pretty Woman DVD or Cameron Crowe. They should require directors to take DVD commentary 101 before allowing them to mess up the commentary track for all time. I mean, they're spending time doing it so why not try and do it right. We deserve that much. With that said, I'm still glad to have it and thankful for the insights he did bring to this classic film.

P.S. - He also never explained why the movie came back to the theater the following year under the title "Big John and Zipper". I would have loved to know the back story on that.

This film is a must for your collection for three reasons:
1. The best cop film ever made.
2. One of the best films in American cinematic history.
3. It shows Robert Blake as one of the true great actors.

Before I get down to details, a complaint. When is this movie going to be available on widescreen DVD format? I bought the video and anxiously await the DVD release.

In 1973 Electra Glide In Blue was released to a big yawn. It has since become an American cult classic. If I told you where the interesting title comes from, I'd be giving away a major plot point.

Robert Blake plays a small-town desert motorcycle cop with dreams of grandeur. He seemingly gets his wish when he's promoted to detective and becomes involved in a homicide investigation. The investigation centers around a hippie commune where Blake identifies more with the hippies than with his fellow officers.

There are three truly great American actors: Marlon Brando, James Dean and Robert Blake. Electra Glide In Blue shows Robert Blake at his very best. And that's the name of that tune.

As a 10 yr veteran cop in the 70's and 80's, this classic was an inspiration for all motor-cops. It sets the pace of law enforcement. Slow days combined with mystery, love, and deadly action. It shows why cops are so clickish, and about how friendship cop bonding is the most important ... except honesty. When your partner dies it's bad enough, but when it's you who does it ..... it's the end of the world. Then when you are finally on your way out of the rut and do a nice thing for someone .... it's your turn .... five stars for storyline, beauty, truth about the "job", and the love/hate we all experience.