As an auteur, Walter Hill's 1975 film Hard Times is a perfect example of what to expect from him. It is uniquely his film made evident by the economy of dialogue, the simplistic, uncomplicated narrative, and numerous tough guy moments that are all trademarks of his. It was Walter Hill's first film as a director, and set the stage for much of his later work. Hill's unique style, tone, and his vivid, mythic characters are thematic elements that he would keep constant for the majority of his career, and it is all clearly evident in his first film. From the start of the piece Walter Hill sets a tone that clearly reflects the title. He creates an uncompromising view of the 1930's Depression. We see the run down buildings, the rust and grit covering everything in sight. This is where one of the director's trademarks comes in. It is evident from his later works, such as Last Man Standing or Wild Bill that Walter Hill has always had a soft spot for the American western, or more accurately the western ideology. His films consistently uphold the system of beliefs associated with the American western. His films contain constants of the western such as a stoic leading man, a realistic setting, and a showdown at the climactic scene between his heroes and villains. Hard times contains all these things. The lead up to the climactic fight scene near the end of the film is written shot and executed like an old western showdown. All the elements that are associated with such as scene are in play. The ticking clock, the hero's friend in the clutches of the enemy, and the doubt of the hero's return all fall well within the western aesthetic. Chaney's grand entrance from the shadows into the old abandoned warehouse is a visual homage to countless similar scenes in American westerns where the hero appears at the last second to save the day. The warehouse is a stand-in or metaphor for an old western battleground, similar to the O.K. corral in the Wyatt Earp stories. Is it a coincidence that three of his principal actors, Bronson, Coburn, and Martin are best known for the westerns they made in earlier years such as The Magnificent Seven, and The Wild Bunch? Hill knows what he is doing and the casting of his leads was no accident. Like most of his films Hard Times could have been set in the old west with gunfighters in place of street fighters and all the basic elements of the story would still be there. Hill uses the conventions of the western to create mythic character archetypes that are easily identifiable like Bronson's stoic stranger, and Coburn's colorful gambler. He uses the conventions of the genre to shape the world of his film. The lone figure of Charles Bronson as Chaney, strolls assuredly into town not unlike an old western gunslinger. It is a great deal of screen time before we actually hear Chaney speak his first lines of dialogue, and keeping with the conventions of the western Chaney is a man of few words. On the opposite side of the spectrum James Coburn's character, Speed, never seems to shut his mouth, and is portrayed as Chaney's sly, witty opposite. One is a character of economy while the other is a character of excess. Both give off the sense that they have complete histories outside the confines of the film, and both would be perfectly at home in a western setting.
Hard Times is less visually mobile than Walter Hill's later works, most notably The Warriors which was the first film where he made a conscious effort to create a dynamic visual style. Hill takes the less is more approach in this film and whether it was out of caution since this was in fact his first film or whether it was born out of the stark realism of the story he does it effectively. The minimalist style works very well for this film, and is perfectly in line with the 1930's tough guy aesthetic. The characters in the film reflect the sensibilities of Tough Guy literature by showing as little emotion as possible.The cynicism of the 1930's is inherent in the film's period dialogue which is replete with tough guy witticisms. The film is thematically consistent in both its visuals and dialogue since both are concise and to the point. The action is close and brutal. He does not want the audience to miss a thing, and in numerous point of view shots the director allows the audience to see from the character's perspective. Each fight sequence as an intimate dance of violence choreographed to be as realistic as possible.
Like his other action oriented films the fighting is nothing fancy, just fast and brutal. With Hard Times Hill does not indulge himself with gratuitous violence. There is no making fun of violence. He simply shows violence as something that is a part of life for both the characters and the world in which they inhabit. Typically in a film by Walter Hill, the world that the characters live in is symbolic of violence, and he came about at just the right time to tell the kinds of violent, uncompromising stories that interest him most.
Walter Hill is a director who has definite ideas about what he intends to show the audience and what impact it will have. His sensibilities are perfectly evident in what was only his first film, and he has kept them consistent throughout the duration of his career. Hard Times is a fine film by a fine director. It is brutal and uncompromising in its depiction of violence, but rich in character, atmosphere, and subtext. Walter Hill has made a quite a name for himself by creating vivid characters and populating them within a detailed, realistic context. As an auteur Hard Times is a definitive product of his unique vision.
Hard Times is less visually mobile than Walter Hill's later works, most notably The Warriors which was the first film where he made a conscious effort to create a dynamic visual style. Hill takes the less is more approach in this film and whether it was out of caution since this was in fact his first film or whether it was born out of the stark realism of the story he does it effectively. The minimalist style works very well for this film, and is perfectly in line with the 1930's tough guy aesthetic. The characters in the film reflect the sensibilities of Tough Guy literature by showing as little emotion as possible.The cynicism of the 1930's is inherent in the film's period dialogue which is replete with tough guy witticisms. The film is thematically consistent in both its visuals and dialogue since both are concise and to the point. The action is close and brutal. He does not want the audience to miss a thing, and in numerous point of view shots the director allows the audience to see from the character's perspective. Each fight sequence as an intimate dance of violence choreographed to be as realistic as possible.
Like his other action oriented films the fighting is nothing fancy, just fast and brutal. With Hard Times Hill does not indulge himself with gratuitous violence. There is no making fun of violence. He simply shows violence as something that is a part of life for both the characters and the world in which they inhabit. Typically in a film by Walter Hill, the world that the characters live in is symbolic of violence, and he came about at just the right time to tell the kinds of violent, uncompromising stories that interest him most.
Walter Hill is a director who has definite ideas about what he intends to show the audience and what impact it will have. His sensibilities are perfectly evident in what was only his first film, and he has kept them consistent throughout the duration of his career. Hard Times is a fine film by a fine director. It is brutal and uncompromising in its depiction of violence, but rich in character, atmosphere, and subtext. Walter Hill has made a quite a name for himself by creating vivid characters and populating them within a detailed, realistic context. As an auteur Hard Times is a definitive product of his unique vision.