Horror shockmeister John Carpenter's (Halloween) second film (after 1974's Dark Star), Assault on Precinct 13 is a low-budget, engaging 1976 cult classic that offers an urban update on Howard Hawks' 1959 western classic Rio Bravo. Austin Stoker stars as Lt. Ethan Bishop, an officer assigned to spend the night with a skeleton crew in an old Los Angeles precinct station about to be shut down. Bishop's mettle is severely tested when a pair of near-concurrent incidents make Precinct 13's final bow anything but quiet and routine: 1) a busload of maximum security prison inmates--including the notorious killer "Napoleon" Wilson (Darwin Joston)--make an impromptu stop when one of the cons becomes violently ill, and 2) a man stumbles into the station in a state of shock. What Bishop doesn't know is that the man's daughter was killed by gang members and he initially fought back, earning the gang's wrath--which is then focused on Precinct 13 in a relentless barrage of bullets and broken glass, forcing Bishop to make some hard choices about those new temp inmates. Low on personnel, low on firepower, and completely cutoff from communications, Bishop ultimately enlists the aid of Wilson and other cons who have no desire to die like rats in a cage…but aren't exactly L.A.P.D.'s finest either. Like other early Carpenter action/horror flicks, this one is economical in its narrative line, quickly establishing plot and character, and then ratcheting the nail-biting suspense up scene by scene as the conflict escalates. Boasting a new, reasonably sharp-looking transfer, this "special edition" also includes an interesting commentary track by writer/director/composer Carpenter, interview footage of Carpenter and Stoker, and an isolated track of Carpenter's pulsing score. Recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—Mar. 3, 2009—Image, 91 min., R, $19.98—Making its third appearance on DVD, 1976's Assault on Precinct 13 (Restored Collector's Edition) boasts a great transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. DVD extras include audio commentary with director John Carpenter, an interview with Carpenter and star Austin Stoker (23 min.), a production gallery montage (17 min.), two radio spots, an isolated track of Carpenter's score, and trailers. Bottom line: a technically superior edition of the B-movie classic, although the extras package is identical to the “special edition.”]
Assault on Precinct 13: Special Edition
Image, 91 min., R, DVD: $19.99 June 30, 2003
Assault on Precinct 13: Special Edition
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