Precinct 13 is what Carpenter considers to be his first real film. Despite being so, it contains some very impressive camera angles and use of shadows, as well as a score that, although technically simple, epitomises the word 'cool'. Made on a shoestring budget, it was unfairly gnawed at by critics and yet eventually cemented itself as a cult classic (which is a sentence that can be attributed to half of Carpenter's filmography) The plot, like all the best Carpenter movies, is a simple one – A group on inhabitants in an abandoned police station find themselves under attack from an unstoppable street gang.
The lack of funds available meant that coverage of scenes had to be played out from a single angle longer than normal. This gives the movie a straightforward, brutal and almost documentary-like approach. Pretty violent for its time, Precinct 13 grips you as you will for the goodies to make it out of this sticky situation alive. You also don't need to be a genius to see all the nods and reverences to Carpenter's favourite westerns. The acting quality varies between cast members, but the dynamic duo of Police Officer Austin Stroker and anti-hero Darwin Joston make up for the relatively sub-par supporting cast. The tension present in the film is just one of the many Carpenter trademarks that he would be later known for. Not much is known about the huge, almost cult-like, street gang – they are as enigmatic as any Carpenter villain, and the tautness of the movie is improved because of this.
Best Scene: That ice cream truck scene, which completely shocked me. A young girl who looks around only seven walks to the truck to replace her ice-cream but unbeknownst to her it have been boarded by the street gang. One member, without even looking, just points her gun at the sweet girl and blows her away. There's no dramatic music or anything; it's done in a matter-of-fact kind of way, which makes it all the more disturbing.
The lack of funds available meant that coverage of scenes had to be played out from a single angle longer than normal. This gives the movie a straightforward, brutal and almost documentary-like approach. Pretty violent for its time, Precinct 13 grips you as you will for the goodies to make it out of this sticky situation alive. You also don't need to be a genius to see all the nods and reverences to Carpenter's favourite westerns. The acting quality varies between cast members, but the dynamic duo of Police Officer Austin Stroker and anti-hero Darwin Joston make up for the relatively sub-par supporting cast. The tension present in the film is just one of the many Carpenter trademarks that he would be later known for. Not much is known about the huge, almost cult-like, street gang – they are as enigmatic as any Carpenter villain, and the tautness of the movie is improved because of this.
Best Scene: That ice cream truck scene, which completely shocked me. A young girl who looks around only seven walks to the truck to replace her ice-cream but unbeknownst to her it have been boarded by the street gang. One member, without even looking, just points her gun at the sweet girl and blows her away. There's no dramatic music or anything; it's done in a matter-of-fact kind of way, which makes it all the more disturbing.