Dirty Harry (1971)

For those of you who do not know the dirty Harry movies they are an iconic American crime thriller directed by Don Siegel. Clint Eastwood plays the wickedely dangerous and yet humourus cop "Dirty" Harry Callahan whom often forgets how to follow proper police procedure at the best of times making him a force to be reckoned with, hence the name "dirty".

This movie is truly a Hollywood classic, it show cases the best that 1970's San Franscisco has to offer. With Classic cars, long forgotten slang and fashion that will nock your socks off (Flares, Afros, Turtle necks, Male shovernisim, what would you expect!!!!), all set against the backdrop of a  long forgotten time.
The basic plot of this movie involves the very sickening chase for a serial murderer nicknamed the "scorpio" whom kills women in the most gruesom of ways whom leaves gruesom clues for Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwoods character) at every crime scene, the first clue being along the lines of my next victim will be a catholic priest or a worse. ( I know, this movie is not for a young audience).

The cinematics and the way this movie is shot and acted just isnt done in this day and age, it is an older classic style of acting that a younger audience namely Generation Y would not be familiar with, it's a style that is very straight forward and predictable but it is delivered in such a way that it evokes so much emotion that the fact the movie is 40 years old it still stands the test of time and holds up really well, it keeps you guessing untill the end.         

The first Dirty Harry movie is perhaps best known for the following scene with Clint Eastwood standing over a scared punk that has just robbed a diner:

"I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?


This no noncense straight talking style of acting which Clint Eastwood pulls off so well in Dirty Harry really gives the movie as potrayed in the above scene a dark air, with an undertone of humour. Although we know as the audience that Harry Callaghan, played by Clint eastwood, has a skewed moral compass we end up really enjoying him nail the bad guys, in Clint Eastwood style.

Genre: Crime Thriller (at times can also be a bit of a physological thriller)
Cinematics: old school
Overall rating: Not for the faint hearted ( But this is my kinda movie!! and definately not for a younger audience)