The Pusher Trilogy — The Pusher Trilogy( UHD/ Blu Ray)
From Second Sight Films, here is either a Blu-ray/ UHD box set bringing together the three films from Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher series. Each is an athletic/ often edgy example of the crime genre- utilising authentic settings, real drugs, and actual criminals in their making. Each film is given a new 4k restoration, with new commentary tracks/ other extras for each film.
Pusher was the first film by Nicolas Winding Refn, appearing in the year 1996, and it’s pretty impressive in a few ways. First off, the film's kinetic, often close-up, and shifting quality still retains its freshness and visual punch. Secondly, the lead character Frank ( Kim Bodnia) manages to shift between a character whom we are rooting for, to one whom we are appalled by. Lastly, the film's script/ storyline is full of crude charm, rewarding twists, and a wholly enduring flow.
The picture runs for one hour and forty-eight minutes. At first, the film slowly hooks you into the world of small-time drug pusher Frank( Bodnia)- who lives and works on the outskirts of Copenhagen. He’s a thirtysomething man, with a receding hairline, fairly heavy set, stubble-faced, grubby hoodie, and track suit trousers.
We see him & his skin-headed sidekick Tonny(Mads Mikkelsen) dealing with addicts/clients, having crude banter in the car, and hanging out with his short brunette-haired nightclub dancer girlfriend, Vic ( Laura Drasbæk), who lives in an apartment with her Alsatian dog
Then Frank bumps into a man who claims he was in jail with him- he needs a large amount of drugs, which are beyond the Pusher's level. So he approaches the suave, seemingly friendly, always eating, bobbed, sleek-haired Milo (Zlatko Buric). From here, pulse & pace builds. With things getting more/ more difficult for Tony- as he ends up being chased/ then arrested, visits a selection of shifty characters, and tries his damnedest to collect his growing debt.
Bodnia's acting is wonderful, natural/, and you truly see his steadily unfolding/ growing violent tendencies. The rest of the cast is good, but special mentions go to Buric and his towering, skin-headed right-hand man, who again at first seems charming/ friendly.
Along the film's length, we find thrown around the shop bar fights, sudden brutal attacks, shifting loyalties & running out of patience- as each of Bodnia's attempts to fix things just makes things worse & worse. The film doesn’t really have a formal score, though there are moments of pumped-up rock, intense death metal, and hard-hitting dance music occurring throughout the film.
The film's ending is wonderful, with a very tense/ taut, what will happen next finale. Pusher truly is one of the great/ impactful debut films of the 1990s, with Winding Refn creating one of the more believable, impactful crime films of that decade.
On the extras side, we get two things- first off, we get a commentary track with Nicolas Winding Refn and The Guardian's chief film critic Peter Bradshaw. They begin by talking about the shadow-faced character credits, and find out the ideas for these came about late in the film's production. We find out that Refn’s career in film started when he worked for his uncle, who was a film distributor in Copenhagen. We find out he was just twenty-four when he made the film, which he shot on Super 16, getting its funding from the government, with influences going from The Battle For Algiers, Mean Streets, and Bad Lieutenant. He talks about how two per cent of the film was improvised, and the rest was scripted. We find out that he wanted everything as real as possible- for example, all the cocaine in the film is real. Later on, they discuss how it didn’t get good press reviews in Denmark, and it wasn't until the film was taken to the UK it took off. They discuss how the film does not have explicit sexual elements, though the characters do discuss sex in an immature way. All in all a decent track.
The other extra here is the 1963 film Mellem Venner( Days of Sin and Nights of Nymphomania) directed by Copenhagen-born Poul Nyrup. It regards a gang member being released from Prison, and was one of the influencers on the directors' influence on the Pusher films.
Pusher II appeared eight years after the first film in 2004. It runs at one hour and forty minutes, and the film's focus is not Frank, but his skin-headed buddy Tonny(Mads Mikkelsen).
We meet Tony inside prison, first talking about borrowing money from one of the place's criminal kingpins, before being beaten up in the prison yard.
He’s released from the slammer soon- returning to see if he can get work with his father, Smeden aka The Duke(Leif Sylvester)- who is an unsmiling, large-framed, thick black haired man- who likes to belittle/ put down Tony, as much as he possibly can.
As things unfold, Tony becomes involved with stealing cars to order, gets told he’s the father of a baby of a highly promiscuous/drug-taking woman, and gets involved with a few foolhardy ventures with local whorehouse owner Kurt aka Cunt(Kurt Nielsen).
As with the first film, the different storylines/ dodgy dramatic encounters start to tie together as the film moves towards its brutal/ sort-of-hopeful resolve. I guess the film is more button-pushing/ edgy than the first film, as we move from a darkly comic visit to a whorehouse, smoking/ drug taking with babies nearby, and throttling a woman
Acting-wise, Mikkelsen really comes into his own as the unlucky & often belittled criminal, who, like Frank from the first film, is easy to both dislike and feel sorry for. Otherwise, Nielsen is most effective as the rather bumbling/ messing things up whore house owner, and Sylvester as Tony’s cold, uncaring, and manipulative father. There are a few other faces from the first film- most notable/ neat to see again being Zlatko Buric as the suave/friendly on the surface drug dealer Milo.
The film's pace is not quite as tight/ taut as the first film, with moments of lull/ bleak reflection. However, we do get some great edge-of-the-knife tension moments. All in all, Pusher II is a decent sequel/ second story from this universe.
New extra wise on this disc, we get another commentary track- with Refn being joined by Catherine Shoard, The Guardian’s film editor. They begin by talking about the pre-credits horrifying story, and we find out these opening scenes were all shot in a real prison, with actors mixing with real prisoners. With Refn talking about how, with the film, he had an obsession for authenticity, with many of the supporting actors coming from a criminal background. He talks about how, with all three films, he never wanted to glorify crime, as it/ all that surrounds it is sad/ tragic. We find out that the area around the film's waterside garage location was known for smuggling. The script was written in just two weeks, and once again, it was funded by the government. They discuss the film's theme of impotence and how it differs from the first film. Later on, they discuss the lead actors in each of his films. Talk about the use of red and green light, with the director talking about his colour blindness. They also discuss social media and the director's thoughts. All in all, a decent track- with Shoard asking some great questions.
Otherwise, on the archive side, we have two feature lengths- the first is 2006’s Gambler, a documentary focusing on Nicolas Winding Refn and his efforts to pay a 5.5 million crowns debt from his film Fear X (2003). And there is 1964’s Villa Vennely, Home of Copenhagen Call Girls- another film by Poul Nyrup, regarding an erotic guesthouse.
Pusher III is the third and ( to date) last film in the series. It appears a year after part 2, and this time around, the focus is on ageing drug dealer Milo( Zlatko Buric) – who of course, appeared in the other two films.
Once again, the film has a runtime nearing two hours, and to start with comes off as a mix of family drama, coming-to-terms with old age dark comedy, and gangster film. When we first meet Milo, he’s getting ready to celebrate his daughter's twenty-fifth birthday- with a big party. He’s been off drugs for a short period of time and is going to 12-step meetings to finally break his cravings. So he’s trying his best to be a normal family man
Though he still is involved in dealing, as we see him, with his men stripping down a motor caravan, where drugs are meant to have been hidden. They finally locate something, but it’s not the expected heroin- instead, it’s ecstasy, which Milo has no experience in. He runs a rundown sort of club/ dinner where he prepares food- and early on he causes a few debilitating stomach issues, with toilet humour touches. So for a big chunk of the film- Milo is on his own, trying to stay calm/ off drugs- as more issues/ problems are thrown his way.
I’ll have to admit for the first thirty or so minutes, I wondered where the film was going- as the crime elements were quite sparse. But the film is very much about growing in edge/ tension, and just like the other two films the issues mount up & up- until you're not sure what the lead character can/ will do.
Buric is once again good as the seemingly charming/ loves to cook drug dealer, as things start to amp up, he starts to become somewhat unbalanced/ falling apart. Otherwise, the surrounding cast is all fairly good too- notable mentions are Ilyas Agac, as the cocking/ up & coming dealer Lille Muhammed. And sleek, neatly bearded, and later nasty piece of work Luan played by Kujtim Loki. We also get the reappearance of a few old faces- one of whom is particularly neat to see
For the first half or so of the film, the score is sparse/non-existent- but as things amp up, we first get this sudden stabbing electro tone element, then later this really nice slice of sour/disquieting drone matter appears.
Pusher III is a good enough second sequel. Yes, it takes a little time to find its feet, but stay with it, and it slowly but surely starts to amp things up, with more violence, some of it quite stomach-churning.
Extras-wise, on this disc, we get a commentary track featuring Refn and respected genre critic/ author Alan Jones. It starts off with the director admitting he has rather ambivalent feelings about commentary tracks in general. We find out that all the of other members of the AA session were real addicts, and the stories they told were their own/ real. Refn talks about how the scripts for the second two films were written back-to-back, with once again funding coming from the government to make this one. They discuss how lead actor Buric enjoyed the more spontaneous elements of shooting scenes. We find out that after finishing writing the third film, Refn had ideas for more stories featuring lesser characters in the trilogy. The director talks about how Milo was his favourite character of all, as he had humanity and a moral compass, so ultimately, this third film was his favourite of the trilogy. Later on, they discuss the reasoning behind using his daughter's party as a backdrop to the story. They talk about using different nationalities of actors in the film, and why this was important. And how much improvisation was involved in the filming. This track is fine, though it does cover quite a few questions/ topics covered in the previous tracks.
Finally, we get another Poul Nyrup film, 1965’s Stenbroens Helte (City Street Heroes), which regards a juvenile gang and murder.
Both the UHD and Blu-ray editions of the box come presented in a rigid slipcase featuring new artwork by Thomas Walker. With a one hundred and twenty-page book with new essays by Jamie Graham, Justin LaLiberty, Janine Pipe, Ariel Power-Schaub, Alison Taylor and Nadine Whitney, plus an excerpt from Scandinavian Blue by Jack Stevenson on the films of Poul Nyrup . And five collectors' art cards.
Considering all three films date back twenty-plus years, each picture still retains urgency, edginess, and provocativeness, though at their bases, each has both emotional intensity and honesty. Another excellent box set from the folks at Second Sight, which is a must for those who enjoy gritty/realistic crime cinema.