Dirty Harry
I was a little unsure of what I would think of Dirty Harry upon rewatching it. I mean it has been nearly 40 years since this hit the big screen and society has changed so much since then.
But I have to say in a day and age when police procedurals run on TV ad-nauseum, Inspector 71, Harry Callahan, SF Homicide division, holds up pretty well. The films are not nearly as over-the-top as I remember them, and are in fact quite believable, almost understated compared to today's cop movies.
That's not to say that Dirty Harry isn't also a window onto it's time. This first film has Harry going after 'Scorpio' a serial killer who writer John Milius no doubt based on the Zodiac Killer and the Tower Sniper (two then-recent killers who were in the media).
Overall Dirty Harry is an excellent, fast-moving, action piece with a strong protagonist. One of the best of its kind.
Magnum Force
For my money, Magnum Force is the best Dirty Harry film ever made. While the original Dirty Harry had a very direct plot, Magnum Force has a much more complex plot about a secret hit force within the SF Police Department that Harry has to uncover (while confronting his own views on the appropriate use of force). It's a little reminiscent of David Goodis' novel Night Squad.
Maybe it's the distinct lack of Dirty Harry one liners in this film that has made it the least well known of the series. If so, that's a shame, because it deserves to be remembered whenever cop films are discussed.
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