That could be considered a mistake. Yet it doesn't overturn the ideas and analysis presented. Can you people deal with that too? There's a challenge for you: to use your intellect and overlook an erratum. Logically, one of those mistakes overturns nothing else in the video. I'd like to know where you complainers are coming from. Where are you finding this video, and who is sending you to complain about the soldiers/sailors gaffe? Because this has turned into an event for you all, but I'm not convinced you all have anything else to say. You'd complain about one spelling mistake in a piece of writing but would entirely overlook the vision and argument. Does the Navy not teach you to use your intellect? Does it teach you that one minor mistake does not subvert the entire whole, in this case the video? Or do they not teach logic anymore to sailors? I'm leaving this response up here for you all to see. Go away if you feel "killed," a ridiculous overreaction if there ever was one.
Well the Navy taught me to learn about a subject before speaking about it. I never stated that your error destroyed your well thought out observation and critique of the movie. It's just that the error shows a lack of depth to you knowledge of what you are observing. Imagine if a farmer was giving you a critique of beautiful tomatoes that he had been served for lunch, but the whole time he was showing images of potatoes. Wouldn't that show a lack of preparedness, know what you are speaking of? It's like when the President (not Biden so relax) had a powerpoint showing images of the US military might and power. But someone included images of Russian Navy destroyers and Russian aircraft.....Attention to details. Oh and if you can't stand the heat why are you on RUclips?@@LearningaboutMovies
@@LearningaboutMoviesthis movie for Navy veterans touches on subjects near and dear to us. I speak as a twenty year veteran. Your points are spot on with the exception of calling them soldiers instead of sailors and Randy Quiad’s character is being taken to the Navy brig and not a political prisoners camp. Details that are important to the narrative of the film. Getting details like this wrong will turn people off to sharing your review the film. Veterans and active duty personnel get very chuffed when civilians such as yourself get these details wrong. Again no disrespect to you just the truth. I wish you would redo this video and correct these mistakes. I for one would like to share it but because of these mistakes I’m hesitant to share it. Again most of your comments are spot on about the film. It’s damn shame what happened to Hal Ashby’s career due to the studio’s blackballing him. The movie ends where the books next to last chapter. In the book Budinsky and Mule are so disgusted at what they’ve done that they go UA(Unauthorized Absence) and are picked up by Shore Patrol. Budinsky is clubbed to death and Mule ends up in the brig for the same eight year sentence that Meadows got.
Heard 'Soldiers' followed a couple of sentences later by "Political Prison" and burst out laughing. Dropped down to the comment section to see who else caught that. Then clicked off.
You forget about the excellent "Five Easy Pieces." Such a spectacular piece of work. Nicholson was in top form as Bobby Dupea you he classically trained pianist who lives a rootless blue collared existence. Heartbreakingly beautiful.
This film is a 'lost'/'hidden'/'forgotten' gem. I prefer it even over Cuckoo's Nest. Definitely one of the best examples of what made the New Hollywood era so great at times.
Few points of clarification that some wont understand without context about sailor life. Quaid's punishment. When a sailor commits a crime he is subject to a non judicial punishment (NJP) passed to him through what is called a captains mast. That is where the commanding officer of the offending sailor passes judgement. For Randy's character who stole from the CO's wife's charity fund box. So two things happens here. One the CO has a personal tie to the crime and two he wants to make an example to deter others feom commiting the same crime. That is why his punishment is so severe. Second point. Which is adamantly an interpretation by me. Nicholsons character isn't over the top. I've known E6's (his rank) with that exact personality and it comes from both being jaded from the military politics and also knowing he can get away with it. Thats why when Otis' character chews him out his demeanor changes for a portion of the movie. He knows he has to be more serious at least for now. Third. Inter branch fighting is a thing but it isnt from a place of hate most times. Its closer to sibling rivalry. Which does include fighting. But if any civilian in that bathroom tried to jump in or bad mouth any of the other branches l, both parties would have teamed up against them.
I watched the opening scene, and I love that you know its cold because the actor is hunched up like he's trying to get as much of his body as possible inside his coat. That few seconds sold me on watching this movie.
Omg I love the last detail!! It’s so stark. In the end when he just gets taken away into the cells, even though you know that’s coming all throughout the movie, is so heartwrenching.
It was a great performance by Nicholson, and his character seemed very close to Randle McMurphy in 'Cuckoo's Nest'. Almost like he was just warming up to get that role.
I saw this movie when it was released, and loved it. When Jack was cast as McMurphy, I had doubts, but he defined that role in Cuckoo's Nest. This review was a great reminder.
They are sailors not soldiers. They are "chasers", escorting the prisoner to Portsmouth Naval Prison. Great movie, the bathroom scene with the Navy & USMC is awesome.
One of my very, very, favorites of all time, All shot on location, no fake studio shots like so many films , plus you got 'JACK'..... One of the best up there with De Nirro and Pacino, Penn and Duvall....
This great movie had slipped my poor little brain. Thanks for reminding me. As I remember, less about the plot than characterizations. Your take is that it's not a tragedy. Hunh.
Always loved this movie. Not shown very often but always liked the authentic settings of the east coast cities. The train and bus trip and walking in the cold. Very visceral sense of being alive at that time. I was 19 when this movie came out. The cast is great. Not too showy and strong performances.
I've lived in the Philly area my whole life so I also liked the east coast locations in the movie. The park scene at the end, where they're grilling hot dogs, had an early 70's feel to it for me. You described it best as that "visceral sense of being alive at that time". The cold, snowy, and overcast weather along with the music that starts at 1:45 (sad and haunting) perfectly set up the mood of the scene. Here's a link to the scene: ruclips.net/video/ybscgqXxR9Y/видео.html
Much the meandering around America in The Last Detail is meandering around Canada. Toronto and southern Ontario where a number of scenes were shot. The diner, coffee house and train scenes were all shot in Toronto. There were some more but I am not sure of the details.
I'm 74 years old and saw this movie when I was 23. I've always thought the movies you see in your late teens and early 20's have the biggest impact on you. This one surely did, it's one of my all-time favorites. It's part of the "New Hollywood" era (late 60's - early 70's) where many films were more character driven than plot driven: think "Midnight Cowboy", "Five Easy Pieces", and the highly underrated "Scarecrow". Acting chops were an absolute requirement in those films. Nicholson and Quaid had that in spades in The Last Detail. Then you combine Robert Towne's great script and Hal Ashby's brilliant direction. The fact that Ashby insisted on using Quaid for the Meadows character was pure genius. It's hard to imagine another actor playing the part (John Travolta was considered for the role). The movie is 50 years old now but it still holds up great. The classics always do.
You guys are clearly aware that laypeople call you soldiers. You should give them grace and quit fussing about it, because the video gives you a hundred insights into the movie, and yet this one hiccup is what you complain about. I even put a comment at the top of the comments to clarify. Please look at that.
Yeah it really is a complex film, isn’t it. The mixture of ambivalence, and kindness in these characters is so fantastic. It feels like a great a film about America in a particular contemporary window of time, like Shampoo, or some of the great Altman films in the 70s. Gosh the ending of the film is just pitch perfect, just definitely true to those characters, and yeah it had me thinking, what is the movie saying; what is the point of their journey?
Hal Ashby loves to play with that balance between meaningful and meaningless. Chance in Being There is either a highly advanced, enlightened individual, or he's what they would have called a 'simpleton'. Meadows is like this too. He is easy going about his fate which may show how enlightened and 'Zen' he is, or it shows he's so dim, he hasn't the wherewithall to grasp his situation! Is the journey they take a journey to enlightenment, or just 3 guys out for 'shits and giggles'?! The fact Meadows has to climb a stairs at the end may be a classic metaphorical ascent, or it may just be a bloke climbing a stairs before he enters prison.
@@davidlean1060 I love that. Is he enlightened or just dim witted. I feel like when someone climbs stairs at the end of a movie you’re not going to see them for a long time.
@@RonaldsframesOften, movies will use well worn tropes as a short cut to explaining sub text. Andy emerging from the water after he makes his escape from Shawshank is a classic 'baptism' or rebirth metaphor, for example. The shot at the end of TLD is so specific, it at least begs the question. The fact the trio visit a Buddhist prayer meeting and Meadows learns how to chant also suggests enlightenment, so Hal Ashby wants us to wonder. He just never lets on whether the story is one or the other!
I've just seen this movie for the first time last weekend. I really enjoyed it! Have you seen Linklater's The Last Flag movie? I've read somewhere it's connected to The Last Detail. At least via source material (the book). Cheers
Are you going to have an analysis of the new remake of "In Westen Nicht Neues" ("Nothing New in the West", i. e., "Business as Usual") ("All Quiet On the Western Front", doesn't capture the spirit of the German title, IMHO)? An absolute modern masterpiece.
You are killing me! The are not soldiers they are SAILORS! They are in the Navy not the Army
That could be considered a mistake. Yet it doesn't overturn the ideas and analysis presented. Can you people deal with that too? There's a challenge for you: to use your intellect and overlook an erratum. Logically, one of those mistakes overturns nothing else in the video.
I'd like to know where you complainers are coming from. Where are you finding this video, and who is sending you to complain about the soldiers/sailors gaffe? Because this has turned into an event for you all, but I'm not convinced you all have anything else to say. You'd complain about one spelling mistake in a piece of writing but would entirely overlook the vision and argument.
Does the Navy not teach you to use your intellect? Does it teach you that one minor mistake does not subvert the entire whole, in this case the video? Or do they not teach logic anymore to sailors?
I'm leaving this response up here for you all to see. Go away if you feel "killed," a ridiculous overreaction if there ever was one.
Well the Navy taught me to learn about a subject before speaking about it.
I never stated that your error destroyed your well thought out observation and critique of the movie.
It's just that the error shows a lack of depth to you knowledge of what you are observing. Imagine if a farmer was giving you a critique of beautiful tomatoes that he had been served for lunch, but the whole time he was showing images of potatoes. Wouldn't that show a lack of preparedness, know what you are speaking of? It's like when the President (not Biden so relax) had a powerpoint showing images of the US military might and power. But someone included images of Russian Navy destroyers and Russian aircraft.....Attention to details.
Oh and if you can't stand the heat why are you on RUclips?@@LearningaboutMovies
@@LearningaboutMoviesthis movie for Navy veterans touches on subjects near and dear to us. I speak as a twenty year veteran. Your points are spot on with the exception of calling them soldiers instead of sailors and Randy Quiad’s character is being taken to the Navy brig and not a political prisoners camp. Details that are important to the narrative of the film. Getting details like this wrong will turn people off to sharing your review the film. Veterans and active duty personnel get very chuffed when civilians such as yourself get these details wrong. Again no disrespect to you just the truth. I wish you would redo this video and correct these mistakes. I for one would like to share it but because of these mistakes I’m hesitant to share it. Again most of your comments are spot on about the film. It’s damn shame what happened to Hal Ashby’s career due to the studio’s blackballing him. The movie ends where the books next to last chapter. In the book Budinsky and Mule are so disgusted at what they’ve done that they go UA(Unauthorized Absence) and are picked up by Shore Patrol. Budinsky is clubbed to death and Mule ends up in the brig for the same eight year sentence that Meadows got.
Heard 'Soldiers' followed a couple of sentences later by "Political Prison" and burst out laughing. Dropped down to the comment section to see who else caught that. Then clicked off.
And it wasn't a "political prison" Where's this guy getting his info?
Wouldn't it be great if Hollywood was still making smart, oddball, character-driven movies like this. If only.
Check out 2023s The Holdovers which basically mirrors Last Detail which was the inspiration for it.
@@ndogg20 It felt long. I love Giamatti. Even so. OK. I will re-visit ❤
Last Detail is the best Nicholson flick of that decade. One of my 3 favourite films he has ever done.
A great vehicle illustrating what I believe to be his great talent. Dare I suggest, "genius"?
You forget about the excellent "Five Easy Pieces." Such a spectacular piece of work. Nicholson was in top form as Bobby Dupea you he classically trained pianist who lives a rootless blue collared existence. Heartbreakingly beautiful.
This and The Passenger are two great back to back performances from Jack!
This film is a 'lost'/'hidden'/'forgotten' gem. I prefer it even over Cuckoo's Nest. Definitely one of the best examples of what made the New Hollywood era so great at times.
Widely regarded as one the most accurate movies portraying the US Navy for that time period.
I had just got out of the navy after 4 years service in October 1972 - loved this flick.
Few points of clarification that some wont understand without context about sailor life.
Quaid's punishment.
When a sailor commits a crime he is subject to a non judicial punishment (NJP) passed to him through what is called a captains mast. That is where the commanding officer of the offending sailor passes judgement. For Randy's character who stole from the CO's wife's charity fund box. So two things happens here. One the CO has a personal tie to the crime and two he wants to make an example to deter others feom commiting the same crime. That is why his punishment is so severe.
Second point. Which is adamantly an interpretation by me. Nicholsons character isn't over the top. I've known E6's (his rank) with that exact personality and it comes from both being jaded from the military politics and also knowing he can get away with it. Thats why when Otis' character chews him out his demeanor changes for a portion of the movie. He knows he has to be more serious at least for now.
Third. Inter branch fighting is a thing but it isnt from a place of hate most times. Its closer to sibling rivalry. Which does include fighting. But if any civilian in that bathroom tried to jump in or bad mouth any of the other branches l, both parties would have teamed up against them.
Thank you, great comment
I watched the opening scene, and I love that you know its cold because the actor is hunched up like he's trying to get as much of his body as possible inside his coat. That few seconds sold me on watching this movie.
Omg I love the last detail!! It’s so stark. In the end when he just gets taken away into the cells, even though you know that’s coming all throughout the movie, is so heartwrenching.
The "Old Man" is reference to a Captain
It was a great performance by Nicholson, and his character seemed very close to Randle McMurphy in 'Cuckoo's Nest'. Almost like he was just warming up to get that role.
I saw this movie when it was released, and loved it. When Jack was cast as McMurphy, I had doubts, but he defined that role in Cuckoo's Nest. This review was a great reminder.
They are sailors not soldiers. They are "chasers", escorting the prisoner to Portsmouth Naval Prison.
Great movie, the bathroom scene with the Navy & USMC is awesome.
Reality movies with no smoke n mirrors..just good characters ..and some moving music...my favorite
One of my very, very,
favorites of all time, All shot on location, no fake studio shots like so many films , plus you got 'JACK'..... One of the best up there with De Nirro and Pacino, Penn and Duvall....
Best of the 'BEST'
It becomes appearant that the two "lifers" are in self imposed prison, as much as Meadows is.
This great movie had slipped my poor little brain. Thanks for reminding me. As I remember, less about the plot than characterizations. Your take is that it's not a tragedy. Hunh.
pleeeeeeez dont ever call a sailor a soldier !
This movie is on my top 10 of all time movies.
The title is played out in the original book as Nicholson’s character is killed and it truly is his last datail.
I wondered about that. The title had me thinking someone was going to die at the end
Always loved this movie. Not shown very often but always liked the authentic settings of the east coast cities. The train and bus trip and walking in the cold. Very visceral sense of being alive at that time. I was 19 when this movie came out. The cast is great. Not too showy and strong performances.
I've lived in the Philly area my whole life so I also liked the east coast locations in the movie. The park scene at the end, where they're grilling hot dogs, had an early 70's feel to it for me. You described it best as that "visceral sense of being alive at that time". The cold, snowy, and overcast weather along with the music that starts at 1:45 (sad and haunting) perfectly set up the mood of the scene.
Here's a link to the scene:
ruclips.net/video/ybscgqXxR9Y/видео.html
If you have Prime Video it’s streaming free now
@@BookClubDisaster I do have Prime Video. Thanks for the heads up. I'll be watching it.
@@thepakidd5647 No problem
This is a good summary of a great movie but there's an error and it's a glowing one. These men are not soldiers, they are sailors.
Glowing indeed.
Much the meandering around America in The Last Detail is meandering around Canada. Toronto and southern Ontario where a number of scenes were shot. The diner, coffee house and train scenes were all shot in Toronto. There were some more but I am not sure of the details.
I'm 74 years old and saw this movie when I was 23. I've always thought the movies you see in your late teens and early 20's have the biggest impact on you. This one surely did, it's one of my all-time favorites. It's part of the "New Hollywood" era (late 60's - early 70's) where many films were more character driven than plot driven: think "Midnight Cowboy", "Five Easy Pieces", and the highly underrated "Scarecrow". Acting chops were an absolute requirement in those films. Nicholson and Quaid had that in spades in The Last Detail. Then you combine Robert Towne's great script and Hal Ashby's brilliant direction. The fact that Ashby insisted on using Quaid for the Meadows character was pure genius. It's hard to imagine another actor playing the part (John Travolta was considered for the role). The movie is 50 years old now but it still holds up great. The classics always do.
I’m 74 also I had just gotten out of the navy in October 1972 - loved this movie.
Totally agree. I am 70 and love the movies from that period of time. Read my own comment please.
Funny looking soldiers....
No, you mean sailors.
I was in the Navy and I was never called a soldier.
You guys are clearly aware that laypeople call you soldiers. You should give them grace and quit fussing about it, because the video gives you a hundred insights into the movie, and yet this one hiccup is what you complain about. I even put a comment at the top of the comments to clarify. Please look at that.
My favorite Nicholson movie
Yeah it really is a complex film, isn’t it. The mixture of ambivalence, and kindness in these characters is so fantastic. It feels like a great a film about America in a particular contemporary window of time, like Shampoo, or some of the great Altman films in the 70s. Gosh the ending of the film is just pitch perfect, just definitely true to those characters, and yeah it had me thinking, what is the movie saying; what is the point of their journey?
Hal Ashby loves to play with that balance between meaningful and meaningless. Chance in Being There is either a highly advanced, enlightened individual, or he's what they would have called a 'simpleton'. Meadows is like this too. He is easy going about his fate which may show how enlightened and 'Zen' he is, or it shows he's so dim, he hasn't the wherewithall to grasp his situation! Is the journey they take a journey to enlightenment, or just 3 guys out for 'shits and giggles'?! The fact Meadows has to climb a stairs at the end may be a classic metaphorical ascent, or it may just be a bloke climbing a stairs before he enters prison.
@@davidlean1060 I love that. Is he enlightened or just dim witted. I feel like when someone climbs stairs at the end of a movie you’re not going to see them for a long time.
@@RonaldsframesOften, movies will use well worn tropes as a short cut to explaining sub text. Andy emerging from the water after he makes his escape from Shawshank is a classic 'baptism' or rebirth metaphor, for example. The shot at the end of TLD is so specific, it at least begs the question. The fact the trio visit a Buddhist prayer meeting and Meadows learns how to chant also suggests enlightenment, so Hal Ashby wants us to wonder. He just never lets on whether the story is one or the other!
Most realistic Navy movie of life in TDY and on the beach!
I've just seen this movie for the first time last weekend.
I really enjoyed it!
Have you seen Linklater's The Last Flag movie?
I've read somewhere it's connected to The Last Detail.
At least via source material (the book).
Cheers
One of my favorite movies...Excellent.
We need a review of Harold and Maude!
SAILORS!
Something is wrong with your caps lock.
@@LearningaboutMovies NOPE!
Tied with The Shining as my favorite Jack movies. Interesting that both end with Jack chasing a guy in the snow.
on my list to see
Bravo Yankee Bravo Yankee
Bye bye
Are you going to have an analysis of the new remake of "In Westen Nicht Neues" ("Nothing New in the West", i. e., "Business as Usual") ("All Quiet On the Western Front", doesn't capture the spirit of the German title, IMHO)? An absolute modern masterpiece.
I did a review when it came out, though not really analysis.
Classic guy film. One of Nicholson's best.
Randy Quaid looks like Eminem
He is great in it
saw this a couple years back when i was on a 70s kick
...and??
Just whatched it again. Great flick