The Laughing Policeman [Blu-ray]

Director: Stuart Rosenberg Stuart Rosenberg

Overview

Stuart Rosenberg's taut police thriller, based on the Martin Beck novel by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahlöö, concerns a serial killer who is targeting bus riders. When a bus full of innocent commuters are killed on a San Francisco street, Jake Martin (Walter Matthau) is assigned to track down the killer. Jake has a personal stake in the killings because his partner was one of the victims. Teamed up with new partner Leo Larsen (Bruce Dern), Jake investigates the back alleys of San Francisco to find the serial killer. The trail leads to a tour of the underbelly of the city's gay subculture.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/18/2016
UPC:	0738329206598
Original Release:	1973
Rating:	R
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound]
Language:	English
Time:	1:52:00

Special Features

Audio commentary by Lee Pfeiffer, publisher of Cinema Retro Magazine with film historians Eddy Friedfeld and Paul Scrabo; Interviews with actor Paul Koslo; Animated image montage; Trailer gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Walter Matthau	Sgt. Jake Martin
Bruce Dern	Insp. Leo Larsen
Lou Gossett	Insp. James Larrimore
Albert Paulsen	Henry Camerero
Anthony Zerbe	Lt. Steiner
Val Avery	Pappas
Cathy Lee Crosby	Kay Butler
Mario Gallo	Bobby Mow
Joanna Cassidy	Monica
Shirley Ballard	Grace Martin
William Hansen	Schwermer
Jonas Wolfe	Collins
Paul Koslo	Havgood
Louis Guss	Gus Niles
Lee McCain	Prostitute
David Moody	Pimp
Ivan Bookman	Rodney
Clifton James	Maloney
Gregory Sierra	Vickery
Warren Finnerty	Ripple
Lavelle Roby	Receptionist
Matt Clark	Coroner
Joe Bernard	Avakian's Brother
Joseph E. Bernard	Avakian's Brother
Melvina Smedley	Maydola
Leigh French	Porno Cashier
Jim Clawin	Fowler
Anthony Costello	Dave Evans
John Francis	Russo
John Allen Vick	Terry
Wayne Grace	Brennan
Cheryl Christiansen	Nurse
James V. Christy	Avakian
Dave Belrose	Ralph Martin
Dawn Frame	Debbie Martin
Ellen Nance	Receptionist
Lavelle Robey	Receptionist
Hobart Nelson	Jail Guard
Gus Bruneman	Squad Captain

Technical Credits

Stuart Rosenberg	Producer,Director
Jerry Jost	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

In many ways, The Laughing Policeman is the antithesis of the kind of cop-movie action thriller Clint Eastwood was perfecting with his Dirty Harry film series during the 1970s. This film is an entirely different ball of wax, downplaying action sequences and escapist thrills in favor of a realistic portrayal of police work. The storyline presents an unusually plausible detective scenario that is filled with dead ends, unexpected strokes of luck, and plenty of sleazy individuals trying to make a tragedy work in their favor. Screenwriter Tom Rickman presents the episodic scenario with skill, peppering it with plenty of profanely witty dialogue and believable street-level characters. Walter Matthau and Bruce Dern do an excellent job of creating flawed but humane policemen who often sacrifice the quality of their personal lives in their quest to solve crimes. Louis Gossett also turns in strong work an especially streetwise fellow cop. Stuart Rosenberg directs the film with a non-obtrusive sense of style, keeping the overall story low-key and gritty but bringing some flair to standout sequences like the opening machine-gun mass murder. All in all, The Laughing Policeman might be a bit too grim and languid for viewers who prefer action-oriented police dramas, but genre aficionados are likely to appreciate the film's no-nonsense portrayal of police work.

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