The Lords Of Flatbush of 74 is the first film in which Sylvester Stallone had a role with words and, as stated by Sly in an interview in 2006, Richard Gere is still offended by him for a quarrel on the set of this particular film. By the way, they quarreled really seriously: Richard Gere left the project as a result, and Perry King took his place. Plus, they say that Stallone received 25 T-shirts as payment.
So, what can you take off when you pay actors with T-shirts? Well, the closest the film is to The Wanderers, released five years later. The Lords of Flatbush have a completely different message and a much smoother narrative, but they are definitely shot in the same style. You can also compare it with the movie The Wild Gang of 2002: the same theme, similar style. So if you like these movies, you can safely watch this movie.
Personally, I found The Lords of Flatbush a bit boring and drawn out to me, and I would put The Wanderers above them. However, this matter is absolutely subjective, and I personally know a person who thinks exactly the opposite. Anyway, the film is an absolute average and does not stand out in any way, but there are three things that get into my head.
Firstly, this is a general message. He is quite depressing, and this type of movie is rare. Secondly, the main scene of this film, the dialogue between the two main characters on the roof, which takes place near the end of the film. This is a conflict between a realist who does not want to put up with the gray reality, and between a dreamer who, however, has completely got into everyday life, and this really gets into my head for a long time, because I watched the film about a year ago.
Well, the third thing is the best carjacking scene in the world, which sets the tone for the whole movie, like a carpet. It’s just an incomparable scene, but, I must say, being taken out of context and without understanding the characters in general and their motivation in particular, it fades somewhat, so I’m ready to advise everyone to watch this movie at least before the hijacking scene, but… on the other hand, it’s not far from the end, and the ending is good. But a little boring, yes…
In general, it’s up to everyone to decide for themselves whether to watch this movie. If you are attracted to such a topic – feel free to come to us. If not, realize all of the above and think. But most importantly, just in case – this is not an action movie. Yes, Sylvester Stallone in his early roles did not shoot left and right all in a row, but tried on a very calm and somewhat philosophical, quite vital role. So there are no murders here, just a narrative. Enjoy watching.
