1979 • Written and directed by Paul Schrader
With George C. Scott, Peter Boyle, and Season Hubley
Released by Columbia Pictures
Three years after enjoying success with 'Taxi Driver,' Paul Schrader revisited one of his favorite themes - pornography - in 'Hardcore,' this time doubling as screenwriter and director. Made when adult films had a sizeable mainstream presence, 'Hardcore' delves into issues that many filmmakers are reluctant to lay hands on. The film draws from experiences in Schrader's own life, including the religious conservatism of his youth, his encounters with the oversexed mass media, and the trauma faced by men outside of their usual environment.
'Hardcore' focuses on Jake Van Dorn (George C. Scott), a furniture company owner based in the heavily Christian city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The divorced Jake lives in this tightly-knit community with his daughter Kristen (Ilah Davis), a quiet, unassuming teenager. While at a youth retreat in California, Kristen suddenly becomes missing and Jake, with brother-in-law Wes (Dick Sargent) in tow, visits law enforcement to begin a search. He hires slimeball private investigator Andy Mast (Peter Boyle), who soon discovers Kristen in a cheap 8 MM sex film that has been distributed to porn shops.
After months without a lead, Jake runs out of patience and fires Mast, who hobnobs with members of the sex trade. Jake takes it upon himself to search the Los Angeles underground and find his daughter, posing as an auto parts investor looking to finance adult movies. Eventually, he connects with Niki (Season Hubley), an actress and prostitute who may know of Kristen's whereabouts. The search moves from Los Angeles to San Diego to San Francisco, whose underbelly rears a truly depraved head. The lingering question is what shape Jake's daughter will be found in, if found at all.
Building on issues first seen in 'Taxi Driver,' Schrader's portrayal of the American sex trade is caustic. From the moment that Jake arrives in downtown L.A., he is engulfed by adult book stores, sex parlors, pick-up bars, and the unseemly people who fill them. The adult film industry, in particular, is brimming with lowlifes who recruit vulnerable men and women. Schrader, who was raised by strict Calvinists in Michigan, creates an edgy melodrama that outlines the duplicity of American life. The U.S. is home to both a large Christian population and a massive sex industry that remain at odds with one another but somehow manage to coexist. The strange link between Jake and Niki represents this paradox, two completely opposite ways of life that exist side by side. They discuss (or argue) life issues while traveling, but already understand that both are rooted in his or her ways and will never tolerate the opposing view.
While Jake is a smart and resourceful man, he is also volatile and laughably na�ve. He has an isolated life in Middle America, oblivious to goings-on in other parts of the country. Jake shows disbelief over how such a personal act as sex can become a public fixation; he is obviously not a man of the world and has shielded himself from changes in American society. But the love that Jake carries for his daughter is unwavering and he will go to vast extremes, even if it means swamping himself in the people and material he finds offensive. Ironically, Jake's righteous attitude may have played a role in driving out Kristen and his wife, although Schrader leaves this issue unresolved. A conversation between Kristen and her cousin Marsha (Karen Kruer) also suggests a budding sexuality that the porn business could take advantage of, whether Kristen feels loved by her parents or not.
George C. Scott gives a solid performance and makes Jake Van Dorn quite believable. His work with Season Hubley is nicely thought out and defines the impulse of his character. Hubley is startling in her role as a sex-obsessed woman who is running from an abusive childhood and never has a true chance at stability. Peter Boyle is an appropriately sleazy investigator who rescues young women but likes porn and hookers just as much as the next guy. Schrader gets strong acting out of his cast, despite an antipathy that Scott felt for him by project's end. Giving further life to 'Hardcore' is music by Jack Nitzsche that pits the conservative leanings of Grand Rapids (folk, hymns) with the funky, chaotic vibe of Los Angeles (synthesizers and electric guitar).
We will never see Schrader's true vision of 'Hardcore,' since his overhead at Columbia Pictures demanded an upbeat ending. The result is a tacked-on finale that doesn't fit what preceded. Schrader, who wanted a tragic ending, hated this alteration and it shows; the final scene between Jake and Kristen is poorly made. This, however, fails to change Hardcore's effectiveness. As a work of social commentary, 'Hardcore' easily ranks with 'Taxi Driver' and 'Autofocus' in dealing with this unpleasant issue.
'Hardcore' will celebrate its 30th birthday next year and as of now, there is just a bare-bones DVD in circulation. Columbia Pictures' 2004 release offers nothing special; it presents 'Hardcore' without supplementary items. 'Hardcore' is shown in widescreen with English mono and subtitles in English, Japanese, and Spanish. The only extras (if you want to call 'em that) are trailers for upcoming Columbia films. There is no trailer offered for 'Hardcore,' nor is there a commentary or interview with Schrader.
The film has a clean visual transfer with distinguishable colors; grain is visible on occasion but actually enhances the film's seedy atmosphere. Columbia bombs in the sound department with its poor control of dialogue, background, and music; Jack Nitszche's score blasts at key moments and spoken words are often muffled. For a film of this quality, its DVD is greatly lacking. Still, 'Hardcore' rates as one of the 1970s' better films and is worth the cost of admission.
