Cop, Crime, Detective, Survival movies and books

[Mexistrat]

The Serpico thread got me interested in looking for other good movies and books of the kind. Any suggestions? Examples of movies I like:

No Country for Old Men - I like most Cohen Bros. films. This one is my favorite. Great characters, doesn't spoon feed the viewer.

End of Watch - Good LA Cop movie. A bit gratuitous at times, but I ended up liking when I thought I wouldn't.

Collateral - Tom Cruise is not my favorite, but he is actually really good in this. Youtube the training he received for the fight scenes in this movie. Pretty Hollywood at times, but still good.

The Edge - Cool survival flick. I like Anthony Hopkins' character in this one.

The Dark Valley - Maybe my current favorite movie. A western style German movie set Austria. The main character wields a Winchester lever action rifle. This movie might be a bit slow if you are used to Hollywood. It is subtitled, which I always thinks increases the intensity.

All of the above seem to have pretty accurate portrayals of firearms and physics, which I appreciate in movies.

I just read a pretty good detective book The Gollem Of Hollywood. Currently I am just starting The Blue Labyrinth which is also looking good. The main character carries a Les Baer Thunder Ranch.

 

[labworm]

Books

Lorenzo Carcaterra

 

[Dennis The B]

I still enjoy "Heat", starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, et al. Great flick!

I'll also add HBO's first season of "True Detective". I didn't think Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson would work, but they really hit it.

 

[ohioseabee]

I've been reading (and re-reading) all of "Andy McNab's" books featuring his "Nick Stone" character. Good reading, with lots of violence and some loving.

 

[Arik]

Training Day.

LA Confidential

 

[Mexistrat]

LA Confidential... forgot about that one. That was an excellent movie.


I'll checkout True Detective if I can find it streaming somewhere, or if they have it on DVD at the library.

 

[Mexistrat]

LA Confidential... forgot about that one. That was an excellent movie.


I'll checkout True Detective if I can find it streaming somewhere, or if they have it on DVD at the library.

 

[the ringo kid]

The one I think should be tops on any list is: Last of the Breed, by: Louis L'amour. American indian jet pilot shot down over Russia,spends years in a gulag, finally escapes and makes his way to safety. His upbringing was what he used to survive.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I just finished " The King's Trumpeter" a detective story written by our own Saxon Pig. It's a good read. He has another one "The Quest for the Green Dragon" going to press in a few days. I am looking forward to it.

Give it a shot and also support a member.

 

[Mexistrat]

Good suggestions all. I will check out the one's I haven't seen or read.

I got Chinatown, The Maltese Falcon, and Hunted from the library tonight.

 

[Texas Star]

I just finished " The King's Trumpeter" a detective story written by our own Saxon Pig. It's a good read. He has another one "The Quest for the Green Dragon" going to press in a few days. I am looking forward to it.

Give it a shot and also support a member.

Who's the publisher, and will it be in Barnes & Noble and on Amazon?

Is it set in the present, and where?

 

[Texas Star]

Movies include: Basic Instinct, Wild Things, and, The Silence of the Lambs. Add, Manhunter and its parallel about the same book, Red Dragon. I don't know why, Manhunter changed the title from the book ,Red Dragon, but it is the better of the films, although both are good. Look for, Manhunter, starring Wm. Petersen before he went to TV's, CSI.

Most of David Lindsey's detective books set in Houston and published in the 1980's and 1990's are superb. I especially suggest, Mercy, Spiral, and, A Cold Mind. We attended the same university at the same time, but didn't meet until much later, at a book signing. He is a tremendously talented, articulate author. But I don't think he's had any new books in years. He seems not to know guns well, like most authors. But he can cite brands and you can fill in the logical model. E.g., Sgt. Stuart Haydon uses a "Beretta". Judging from when the books were written, it's almost surely a 9mm M-92SB. Sgt. Carmen Palma in, Mercy has a SIG-Sauer. Figure out which one you like that'd fit in her purse. I visualize the book from words into mental images as I read, and I "see" her with a P-239 or P-228 9mm.

"Spiral" is more detailed about guns, and those cited were very logical choices, inc. the MAC 10's used by ruthless Mexican assassins operating against an expatriate former govt. minister who stole millions from the Mexican treasury.

I know that some of you are very prim in your tastes and may be uneasy about reading or viewing gritty, dark tales. All of the works cited, films and books, are for those with a higher tolerance for dark fiction. For instance, in, Spiral, one of the Mexican minister's bodyguards earned a reputation for tethering an ant to a large nail, driven into the skulls of his victims. And if you read, Red Dragon by Thos. Harris, some of the forensic and other details are not for the shy or easily troubled.

These titles are classics and the movies should be sold or rented where you live or on Amazon, etc. If you have young children, you may wish to view the movies when they're asleep or visiting elsewhere. They carry an R rating for a reason.

I wouldn't waste time locating the DVD for, Mercy. It changed the characters too much and was filmed in Canada, not in Houston. It was too PC and avoided some of the aspects of the book that made it an outstanding novel of its kind. The only character who rang more or less true to the book was Peta Wilson as Vickie Kittrie. And she wasn't ideal, either. I suspect that Lindsey was very disappointed in what the movie did to his book. Check libraries, used bookstores, and Amazon for his books. I found that some, like, In the Lake of the Moon, may not appeal to general audiences. They are too cerebral and slow paced for many who want more heavy action. But the others mentioned here are terrific.

Finally, I was a major fan of Peter O'Donnell's books about Modesty Blaise. (1965-1996) I also have a few of the bound comics, sold as graphic novels. Modesty ran as a comic strip in some 57 countries as well as in a series of really good novels. Avoid the movies and the ill-fated TV show that moved Modesty and pal Willie Garvin from London to Los Angeles. It was a disaster.

Search the Net for info on Modesty and the author. You'll find a lot of good data, inc. some comics and artist's drawings of Modesty from those comics. Also summaries of the books and O'Donnell's background, from his service as a sergeant in British Army Intelligence in WWII to his career as an author and writer of the captions for the comics, which were drawn by three separate artists. All were good. BTW, the gun knowledge in the books is remarkable for an author, despite the man being British. Note that all the books were in print before the awful 1997 UK gun law. Not that Modesty and Willie were very mindful of weapons laws wherever they operated. Nor, of course, were the villains.

 

[mauser9]

Thought the movie Red Dawn about youths fighting invading communist troops was a great flick.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Who's the publisher, and will it be in Barnes & Noble and on Amazon?

Is it set in the present, and where?

You know as much as I. That's all he told me in his PM. I downloaded his book from Amazon. Hopefully his new one will pop up there.

 

[mauser9]

Yeah downloadin on a Kindle or Nook is a great money saver. Paid under ten bucks for my latest one on Lenningrad by Anna Reid. Book not based on topic here but some truly factual and grizzly reading on the 900 day siege.

 

[the ringo kid]

Good suggestions all. I will check out the one's I haven't seen or read.

I got Chinatown, The Maltese Falcon, and Hunted from the library tonight.

Speaking of Maltese Falcon,I just watched a season III episode of: Have Gun Will Travel--which had a story taken diretly from the movie--as some kind of homage to it.

 

[the ringo kid]

Thought the movie Red Dawn about youths fighting invading communist troops was a great flick.

I havent and most likely will never watch the remake.I heard it sucked prune pits in the least.

 

[walkin jack]

One of my all time favorites is a book written by Michael Connelly titled "Bloodwork" It was made into a movie with Clint Eastwood playing the lead roll.

Connelly is an excellent writer and, well, I don't guess I need to explain what a great actor Mr. Eastwood is, eh?

 

[M1A]

I did like "Dark Valley".
"Inspector Rebus" is a book series, set in Edinburg, Scotland, by Ian Rankin.
"Wallander" Swedish TV series available on Netflix.
"Inspector Morse" and "Foyles War" now on Netflix.
Of course "Longmire".

 

[Mexistrat]

I did like "Dark Valley".
"Inspector Rebus" is a book series, set in Edinburg, Scotland, by Ian Rankin.
"Wallander" Swedish TV series available on Netflix.
"Inspector Morse" and "Foyles War" now on Netflix.
Of course "Longmire".

Excellent, I will look into those. I did watch an episode of Longmire. I was not super impressed, but many on this forum seem to like it so maybe I'll give it another chance. It just had that "Made for TV" feel to it. I'd love a series with similar characters and in that setting with the grit, edge, and honesty of The Wire.