Night of the Juggler

Columbia went far over the top with NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER! This has got to be the biggest raunchiest production ever released by them! Late-night junkies who saw this on TBS, listen hard! Go out and find the REAL uncut video release starring James Brolin. You'll see what I mean because all the explicitness of its violent subject matter were heavily cut on TV, making it mediocre by comparison. Brolin is an ex-cop searching for his kidnapped daughter (and some answers!), but he faces both urban gangs and the cops at the same time. This may have been his most ambitious role yet as an actor, as he roughs up almost anybody he encounters! Plenty of mean, dirty, and exciting action keeps boredom away. Its urbanized setting and mystery elements make up for a too simple plot. Surprisingly, it's worth a look....if you can find it!

This is a film that I remember very well. I saw it sometime in the early '80s on British TV, and it is the first film that I ever saw on television with the F-word in it. I was truly shocked!! But then again, I have lived a sheltered life.

The film depicts New York at the time it was made, as a very sleazy sweaty and dangerous place (Which I've heard it was until Mayor Guilliani 'cleaned' it up via zero tolerance. Much to to the detriment of minorities civil rights I might add). James Brolin gives a fine performance as a truck driver who's daughter is mistaken for a politician's daughter and kidnapped by a cross-eyed psycho, who takes her to his underground lair based in the ruins of a empty tower block. After seeing his daughter abducted, then giving chase, but later losing them both in the New York crowds, Brolin's character despairs at the incompetence of the police at trying to track the kidnapper, and sets about finding his daughter himself. This enables us all to see the delights, now no more, of New York's Time Square; The Peep Shows, The Hookers, The Low-Lifes. There's also plenty of swearing, and over the top Gang action just like another movie produced at about the same time, The Warriors (Walter Hill, director)

I quite like this movie, and have a copy on tape which I occasionally slip into the VCR once in a while. I'd definetely like to see the uncut version.

Night of the Juggler (Robert Butler 1980) is an interesting watch. It's not only a tense thriller with good performances, but it's also one of those movies that give a great impression of New York City before the Disneyfication. Not only that: the deterioration of the city is a major theme in the movie.

You see, Gus (Cliff Gorman) is a psychopath who blames City Hall for the squalor he lives in, and the real estate magnates for the destruction of the old neighborhoods. He lives in a derelict building in The Bronx, which was once owned by his family. Now it's a pile of rubble. 'This used to be real nice up here', he says while he walks past mountains of rubble with his young kidnap victim. He's not thinking of moving. 'I'll always live here. No matter how many *racial slur* they send in to burn the place down'.

Gus has come up with a plan: kidnap the daughter of a real estate magnate, take his money and teach him a lesson. But there's a mix-up and he ends up kidnapping the kid of an ex-cop (James Brolin), who starts a frantic manhunt through NYC's underbelly to track down the kidnapper and get his daughter back. Highlights include a brawl in a peep show, a confrontation with some genuine 'Bronx warriors' and Brolin's constant fights with his former colleagues.

It's a good movie. Not a classic by any means, but I liked the fact that the depressing state of the city was not merely a visual backdrop, but also a theme in the picture. For this reason, Night of the Juggler could make for an excellent double bill with the fascinating Wolfen (Michael Wadleigh), which was made the same year and has a similar theme running though its horror story.

This was an excellent action/adventure flick that somewhat unfairly depicted NY City. But, it was the late 70's, the city was broke, and in reality, in near chaos at the fringes (like the south Bronx as shown in the movie--that was REAL). Exciting, on-the-edge-of-your-seat action takes over, along with first glimpses of some actors who would be staples on TV (Dan Hedaya & Cliff Gorman). My favorite in the movie was Richie Castellano as Tonelli. He turned out to be the comic relief in the film, and I think it was among the last things he did before he passed. James Brolin did little if no feature film work before this, but it is arguably his best. It far surpassed anything he did for TV. Look for this movie as a used VHS tape wherever you can. You won't be disappointed.

Brolin stars as an ex-cop turned trucker driver who has to track down a psycho extortionist after the guy mistakenly kidnaps Brolin's daughter. Along the way he encounters pimps, prostitutes, crooked cops, youth gangs and, worst of all, his ex-wife. Ouch! Despite the horrible title (exactly what is that supposed to mean?), this is a great little thriller that captures NYC at its sleazy best. There are two great car/foot chases courtesy of stunt coordinator Chris Howell (who even had his preteen son C. Thomas Howell doing stunts on this!). Unfortunately the Media VHS I have is so dark during the last 15 minutes that it is hard to make out exactly what is happening (it is a chase through the sewers). Also featuring Julie Carmen, Dan Hedaya, Mandy Patinkin and porn star Sharon Mitchell (who also appeared in William Lustig's MANIAC).