Dirty Harry DVD Boxset - Click here to buy from Play.com
Anyone who has seen the original Dirty Harry movie of 1971 can not claim with a straight face that they have never tried ‘that’ speech. They can’t say they haven’t curled their lip and snarled, possibly into a mirror to observe the effect, “Just ask yourself this one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?” then span round to make sure no one was watching. Just me then? Liars.
Luckily for those of you like me, the complete collection of the classic Dirty Harry movies is now available in a 5-disk set, some of which contain extra features. The Dirty Harry films are classics of the police thriller genre and have been influential in many spheres, from the comic books of Frank Miller to the thriller films made today. The set consists of the following.
Dirty Harry (1971)
This is the first outing for the grumpy, streetwise San Francisco Police Department detective Harry Callahan, who is on the case of a deranged serial killer sniper calling himself Scorpio. Scorpio is terrorising San Francisco and holding it to ransom, and it is up to ‘Dirty’ Harry (the reason for his nickname is explained by the man himself in the film) to bring him to justice. This action classic was directed by Don Siegel and set the gritty, realistic tone for the other films to follow. Even now, this movie is classed as one of the finest police thrillers ever made.
Included on this disk are two documentaries, “The Original” and “Celebrating 30 years of an American hero” and the original trailer for the film itself.
Magnum Force (1973)
This sequel sees Callahan fighting a completely different type of criminal-one that carries a badge. A group of vigilante policemen have set about enacting their own type of justice on the street against those who they feel have escaped just punishment in the courts. Due to Callahan’s own rough, anti-establishment methods you might imagine he condones this, but coldblooded murder does not sit well with Dirty Harry and he sets out to find those responsible and bring them to justice.
Directed by Ted Post, this film further perpetuated the Dirty Harry legend. There are extra features on this disk too, with another documentary entitled “The Hero Cop” as well as the original trailer.
The Enforcer (1976)
Directed by James Fargo, this film makes a departure from previous films by teaming Harry up with a female partner, who assists Harry in attempting to stop a terrorist group calling themselves “The People’s Revolutionary Strike Force”. The group then rob an arms warehouse and set out on a bloody path of extortion, which Harry and his new, wary partner must stop.
The Enforcer was a huge hit in its time and can be enjoyed again here. This disk has a documentary called “Something Special in Films” and, again, the original trailer.
Sudden Impact (1983)
In this film, an aging but still tough Callahan is dispatched to an out-of-town location as his methods start to come under scrutiny by the powers that be in the city by the Bay. Here, he is tracking a rape victim so traumatised that she has taken to slaying her attackers. This film was a gritty yet brilliant example of the Dirty Harry films, and gave the world the other famous catchphrase from Harry, “Go ahead, make my day”. This film is also notable for being directed by Eastwood himself. There is the requisite original trailer as an extra feature.
The Dead Pool (1988)
Directed by Buddy van Horn, this final (as of now) instalment in the series sees Harry taking on a killer who is murdering celebrities. This is done to rig a macabre game called the ‘Dead Pool’ where people bet on the demise of celebrities. This chase becomes even more dangerous when Harry learns that his name is also on the Dead Pool list.
Exciting and fast-paced, and starring a young and unknown Jim Carrey (credited as James Carrey) in a supporting role as a slain rock star, this film is an apt bookend to the Dirty Harry series. As ever, there is the option of viewing the original trailer as a special feature.
This boxset is a must for any Dirty Harry fan, and for any fan of excellent, gritty thriller making. The Dirty Harry series has had an undoubted influence on other films of this type, making the tough, brooding, not-doing-things-by-the-book type of policeman an iconic figure in film history. These films also made the .44 magnum an iconic and popular weapon due to its status as Dirty Harry’s number one gun. The latter also ensured that the magnum enjoyed increased sales at the time and still remains a popular gun today. Though there have been rumours of further Dirty Harry films, it would appear that these five classics are truly the ‘canon’ Harry, and as such any classic film collection would be incomplete without them.








