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Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
5 November 1976 (USA) moreTagline:
L.A.'s deadliest street gang just declared war on the cops. morePlot:
The lone inhabitants of an abandoned police station are under attack by the overwhelming numbers of a seemingly unstoppable street gang. full summary | add synopsisNewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Ogre and still more “final” guests added to La Fango con (From Fangoria. 12 April 2009, 7:31 AM, PDT)
Lost Boys singer G Tom Mac w/ Corey Haim at L.A. Fango Con!
(From Fangoria. 11 April 2009, 8:35 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Neat thriller from John `Claustrophobia' Carpenter moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Austin Stoker | ... | Bishop | |
| Darwin Joston | ... | Wilson | |
| Laurie Zimmer | ... | Leigh | |
| Martin West | ... | Lawson | |
| Tony Burton | ... | Wells | |
| Charles Cyphers | ... | Starker | |
| Nancy Kyes | ... | Julie (as Nancy Loomis) | |
| Peter Bruni | ... | Ice Cream Man | |
| John J. Fox | ... | Warden | |
| Marc Ross | ... | Patrolman Tramer | |
| Alan Koss | ... | Patrolman Baxter | |
| Henry Brandon | ... | Chaney | |
| Kim Richards | ... | Kathy | |
| Frank Doubleday | ... | White Warlord | |
| Gilbert De la Pena | ... | Chicano Warlord (as Gilbert De La Pena) |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13The Anderson Alamo (USA) (working title)
The Siege (USA) (working title)
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Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
91 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:16 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2008) | Australia:R | Canada:18A (Manitoba) (re-rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) (original rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 (cut) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2005) | Norway:18 | South Korea:15 (cut) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:18 (original rating) (1976) | Iceland:16Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The assault takes place on Precinct 9, Division 13 moreGoofs:
Continuity: In two police radio conversations the dispatcher refers to the unit he is talking to by one call sign; they reply identifying themselves by an entirely different call sign. moreFAQ
Is this film a remake?more
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Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| title music | wabsnazm2007 |
| Why Precinct 13? | td_burns |
| Wells makes this movie epic | jjb_053 |
| Films like this? | jiggy_1 |
| Orignal ,Remake and French version | kamikaze-4 |
| aspect ratio | alvokiscica |
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`Assault on Precinct 13' shows Carpenter in the fine creative form of his earlier days, when he produced such thriller and horror gems like `Halloween', `The Thing' and this little movie. As usual he eschews a complex plot in favour of a great little central concept - in this case a group of civilians, prisoners and police trapped in a deserted police station under siege from a mysterious gang who want to get at one man inside.
The acting in these movies is generally bland, but Carpenter at least breathes some dimension into his characters. The lead role goes to Lt. Ethan Bishop (Austin Stoker), the cop in charge of minding the building for the night. Naturally he's honourable but there's also a good sense of pragmatism to his character. Similarly the prisoner Napoleon (Darwin Joston) isn't just a criminal - there's something quite human to him. The same goes for the civilians caught up - despite their disparities the characters become a relatively cohesive unit that's quite believable, enjoyable without veering into grating sentimentality ever. Naturally a lot of them are cannon fodder but the loss of individuals in such movies is one of the anticipations you expect in the genre.
Carpenter did a great service by making the protagonists of the piece silent. They never utter a word. They have nothing in common, hailing from all races. We have no motivation for their actions and thankfully we're spared weak, and frankly pointless, excuses. Instead their blank faced determinism, and the manner in which they mete out death, lends them a horrific cold bloodedness that is far more memorable than typical thriller character building. There's not so much a sense of palpable evil but a much more terrifying sense of complete inhumanity. Carpenter also uses his great skills with claustrophobia - even the outdoor scenes are deserted, lonely, isolated. The actual station under siege is well designed - we're made aware of the layout quickly, before the action starts, so that the action sequences make sense without confusing us on issues of location. The darkness of the proceedings - pale lighting and so forth - add to the edgy mood of the characters. And Carpenter once again has a nice musical score accompanying his movie - it may sound dated, but it suits the ambience and atmosphere to a tee.
`Assault on Precinct 13' is hardly clever. It's not claiming to be. It's a low budget work with a central `siege' idea. It works because of the claustrophobic element, the feeling of desperation in the characters, some neat villains and fairly well fleshed characters. It may not be the pinnacle of its type, but it sure is enjoyable while it lasts. 6.8/10.