Cinema This Week: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

A few weeks back, I was biking home over the Manhattan Bridge, when I noticed the bridge was closed to car traffic. There was a movie shoot occurring. It’s not uncommon to see film and television shoots around the city, but one that has the permission to shut down a major river crossing is somewhat rare, so I actually stopped. That’s when I noticed Denzel Washington performing a scene from the re-make of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, directed by Tony Scott and set to be released this year.

Denzel noticed me watching his performance, and in a surprise move, he came over to where I was leaning against the fence that divided us, and he bowed to me, and then told me I had been an inspiration to him. Lastly, he shocked me by informing me that it was MY face that HIS wife had been picturing while making love to him. Wow! I guess we were even.

Whether the last paragraph is true or not, the scene that I had witnessed on the bridge had me excited. I loved the original 1974 book-turned-movie The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, and actually felt that an updated version could be both warranted and interesting. Pelham 123 refers to the origins of a subway train, so this one left Pelham Parkway at 1:23pm. It is mysteriously hijacked by gunmen, who make nearly impossible demands from the police.

The movie provided the inspiration for many of today’s most well-known thrillers and hijack movies. The Die Hard movies all follow a similar hijack pattern, with Die Hard 3 itself being a somewhat direct homage to One Two Three. Reservoir Dogs steals the concept of the bad guys using colors as names (Mr. Brown). But none of these movies have really been able to capture what 123 did when it comes to NYC. In the original version we see a grimy Subway system filled with agitated riders and cynical workers. The movie captures the New York City of the time — graffiti, cynicism and crime.

Filmed partially on the old Court Street line in Brooklyn, which now serves as a track that links to the New York City Transit Museum, the movie also features a reconstruction of the Transit Authority Control Center, down to the smallest detail. When you finish the movie, you will feel like you’ve actually learned something about the inner workings of the subway system. You’ll almost be as smart as the old people who refer to the subway lines by the companies that used to own them (“take the IRT downtown to 14th and cross over to the BMT” What!?)

It will be interesting to see what this re-make will be like. The trailers already show how it will be different in many ways. The new one promises more action, more explosions, BIG NAMES. Denzel Washington plays the lead character that Walter Mathau played beautifully, and John Travolta takes on Robert Shaw’s role. Travolta plays the heavy, seemingly taking the character from a reserved one to someone more diabolical. Also in the re-make are John Turturro, James Gandolfini and Luis Guzman.

So, as I watch the MTA stumble and crumble through debt and recession, I will be looking to see what the new The Taking of Pelham 123 tells us about the New York City we live in. And I have some recommendations of movies that have captured the essence of the MTA in its modern history:

 #5 Money Train (1995)

I’ll never forget one evening when my co-workers and I came back from a Staten Island Yankees game and after leaving the ferry and entering the subway platform, an intern from (let’s say) Iowa  yelled “What’s that?” He was pointing at a train passing through the station with bars on the windows, filled with NYPD carrying shotguns and semi-autos, all wearing full body armor. I coolly replied “That’s the money train. Haven’t you ever seen the movie?” “Holy shit! That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! I loved that movie!” he exclaimed. I have to admit that keeping cool at that moment was not easy. I’d never seen anything like it before either!

Starring Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Lopez and Robert “Oops! Forgot my gun at the table!” Blake, Money Train is a Pelham One Two Three inspired heist film. Snipes and Harrelson reunite (for the 2nd time; they met each other in production for Wildcats) after their big Success in White Men Can’t Jump. Look, this isn’t a very good movie, but there are many interesting things about it. The irony of all of these lead actors playing police for one, especially Berretta! Here are two interesting facts:

1. The film was vilified for its portrayal of a man setting fire to a ticket booth, a crime that was repeated in real life after the film’s release.

2. The New York City subway system retired its money trains in 2006; the introduction of the MetroCard and computerized vending machines that allowed fare payment by credit card have dramatically reduced the number of coins stored in subway stations.

 #4 Subway Stories: Tales From The Underground (1997)

It began as a contest among New Yorkers who submitted stories of their experiences within the New York City Subway. HBO picked ten of the stories and cast mostly well-known or accomplished actors, writers and ten well-respected directors.

 #3 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

 (See decription above)

The last two movies are documentaries on the mole people, the people who live in the subway tunnels and underground cracks and crevices located underneath New York City. Some people will tell you the Mole People are an urban legend — that is definitely not true, and the two movies below prove that in a compelling and frightening way by peering into the darkness and meeting the denizens of New York City’s netherworld.

 #2 Voices In The Tunnels: In Search Of The Mole People (2008)

#1 Dark Days (2000)

 Cinema This Week appears every Friday at noonish.

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