I’ve always considered the late George C. Scott to be one of the elite actors of Hollywood. He often appeared to be larger than life physically, but was able to play certain roles with a quiet intensity that distinguished him amongst his peers. Though his list of films and theatrical projects is a mile long, he is probably best remembered for his powerful performance as General George S. Patton in the film “Patton.” He won an Academy Award for that role, but as he often eschewed the public eye, chose to stay home and watch television on the night of the event. He had also been previously nominated for Academy Awards for some of his earlier roles, but alwys turned downed the nomination. Of all the roles he’s played, the one that sticks out in my mind has to be that of businessman Jake VanDorn in the rarely heard about “Hardcore.” I saw the film when it first hit theatres in 1979, and I remember being rather shaken by Scott’s powerful performance. VanDorn is a proud, but distant family man from the Midwest.

He has strong religious convictions and expects those around him to live up to his standards. When his daughter runs away, he enlists the aid of a private detective (Peter Boyle) but decides to take matters into his own hands when he feels the job isn’t getting done fast enough. He starts his own investigation and finds himself pulled into a world far removed from his home. Early in the film there is a scene where he finds out what his daughter has been involved in that is particularly powerful and heart-breaking, due to Scott’s very human reaction.

I hadn’t seen the film for years, but often spoke of it when conversations with friends included Scott’s work. It wasn’t until a few days ago that I finally had a chance to revisit the movie. Sony / Columbia Tristar is releasing it on DVD this week, and I have to say it is very welcome, if not a bit hard to watch. The audio and video is perfect, but the subject matter is still a bit strong. Written and directed by Paul Schrader, “Hardcore” is not for the squeamish. The film isn’t necessarily bloody or anything like that; it’s just the matter of what VanDorn has to put himself through to find his daughter. You feel for him every step of the way, and cannot help sharing his anguish, revulsion and despair, which soon becomes pure, unadulterated hate.

Scott’s is not the only great performance in the film, however. Peter Boyle also stars as Andy Mast, the private investigator that is originally hired to track the girl down. It’s actually rather strange to see him looking so young after seeing him so often on “Everybody Loves Raymond.” (Of course, I’ve always had a hard time looking at him without makeup after seeing “Young Frankenstein” so many years ago!)

The film also stars the very lovely Season Hubley (though she looks incredibly trashy in this film), Gary Graham (who most people will remember from TV’s “Alien Nation”) and even features Marc Alaimo who sharp-eyed viewers will recognize from the many… MANY… roles he played on the various “Star Trek” series.

I am glad to see this film finally seeing the light of day after so many years, but I was a bit put off by the lack of extra features. I would have strongly welcomed a commentary or interview from Schrader, or any of the members of the cast for that matter. Unfortunately, this is a bare bones release.

“Hardcore” is an amazingly powerful film, and I highly recommend it. You just need to be prepared for the subject matter, which is quite dark and sleazy.

Directed by: Paul Schrader
Starring: George C. Scott, Peter Boyle, Season Hubley
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Stereo
Studio: Sony / Columbia Tristar
Release Date: 9/14/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R
Website

We'll give Hardcore an A.