[Brian Shima]

I would like to introduce a fairly popular cult classic trilogy to the forum entitled Pusher. All three were directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, who did Drive with Ryan Gosling, and take place in the criminal world of Copenhagen.


Pusher gives the audience a week in the life of heroin dealer Frank. His world gets turned upside down after a snitch informs cops about a drug deal and he owes his dealer the money that was fronted in the form of heroin. He starts turning on friends, violence ensues and ends up on his final mission alone. An ending could not have been sweeter than what Refn gave us.


Pusher II: With Blood on My Hands stars Tony, Frank's partner in crime from the first film. He is fresh out of prison and gets right to work for his father, a big shot in the under world. His father treats him like a dog with no respect and Tony finds out he has a kid with a prostitute mom. He is belittled by everyone and is considered a fuck up but he only wants love from his dad at the end of the day. This isn't as fast paced and action packed as the first but is considered by many to be best in the series, including me.


Pusher III: I'm the Angel of Death has us following Milo, the drug dealer from the first film who Frank owed money to, for 24 hours. He is cooking dinner for 50 guests that will be in attendance at his daughter's birthday party that night all while attempting to stay clean off of heroin and trying to figure out how to deal with a mix up drug order that has him with a handful of 10,000 ecstasy pills instead of his usual heroin. Milo is getting to old for the drug game and we slowly watch his blood boil when younger immigrants demand a piece of the action.


These films are gritty and dirty and the fact that they were shot with mostly handheld cameras makes it even better. There's no nice cars, mansions or crazy parties. People are ugly, out of shape, and have small apartments. It is semi successful dealers who are hooked on their own products. The lifestyle and work is not glamorized here, it would be a good trilogy to show to bad kids so they WONT go down this road. There is never a dull moment and each movie holds its own. Check it out now and let me know what you think!! Dont get the remake from a few years ago that's set in London, just dont do it.

[OGNorCal707]

Pusher Trilogy is legit, I give it my seal of approval, and I've seen most of the good gangster flicks out there.

Edit: Want to add that Part II is by far my favorite of the three.

[The_CEO]

There is a reason why both the director, and one of the stars of these films have gone on to big careers. It started with these movies...

[Brian Shima]

Inspiration

[Brian Shima]

[xxMarco]

Just watched all 3 this weekend. Really liked them. The third was my favorite but the second one was good as well. Kind of disappointed there is only 3.

I like how they were very simple movies but yet very intense and similar to real life.

[Quintus Curtius]

^^^
I liked all of them too. Each one is special in its own way.

[Brian Shima]

I wonder if Tony really snitched? That's one thing that I wish the director answered!!

[Quintus Curtius]

I've seen all three of these movies multiple times. I love them all.

What is not often appreciated is that these movies are great windows into the dark world of Eurotrash culture. It's not widely known, but it is definitely there. And these are great stories.

Each installment is special in its own way.

But to me, the Serbian character, Milo, emerges as the focus of the trilogy....

[Brian Shima]

Favorite parts of each

I - Frank at the gym and collecting a debt with Milo's bodyguard

II - Tony with the 2 whores and sitting on the couch at the end

III - Milo causing problems for his guys and taking care of business with his friend

[Quintus Curtius]

My favorite scenes of each:

I. Frank going to Milo and Radovan to apologize for not having the money yet. ("Frank, Frank, you're my friend, Frank...").

II. Tony trying to visit the big-titted whore and not being able to perform.

III. Milo fighting with his bitch daughter in the kitchen.

[berserk]

(02-12-2015 06:11 AM)The_CEO Wrote:  

There is a reason why both the director, and one of the stars of these films have gone on to big careers. It started with these movies...

For some reason Winding Refn went on to only make crap arthouse movies afterwards. There is no doubt the guy is supremely skilled at visuals and atmosphere but his movies since (Valhalla Rising, Driver, Only God Forgives), were barely scripted enough to be called film, more like displays of technical cinematography. Should have teamed up with a real director who can actually use a script and then have stuck to visuals.

(02-26-2015 05:21 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  

I've seen all three of these movies multiple times. I love them all.

What is not often appreciated is that these movies are great windows into the dark world of Eurotrash culture. It's not widely known, but it is definitely there. And these are great stories.

Each installment is special in its own way.

But to me, the Serbian character, Milo, emerges as the focus of the trilogy....

True, this is a very real look into Northern-Euro crime and lower class mentality. Not at all only Wonderful Copenhagen. Good reminder to stay away from guys looking like Frank and Mads if you visit.

[Brian Shima]

I need to check out Bleeder with the guy who played Frank. Driver was boring and Valhalla was strangely entertaining.

Other good scenes...Kurt the Cunt taking a dump and snorting lines then getting freaked out and flushing his bricks I couldn't stop laughing when Kurt popped up in the third film with his Krusty the clown horse shoe haircut LOL. It was cool how Milo gradually gets bigger in each one, he was a pretty skinny guy in the first and looks obese in the last.

[Quintus Curtius]

I liked how Milo's daughter was revealed to be cold, ruthless, conniving bitch. She was haggling drug deals with her own father. And I liked how she sent him out for Chinese food and then he threw it all away when she rejected it. Even drug lords are weak for their daughters.

I liked how Frank and Radovan (in Pusher I) forced that junkie loser to rob a bank for them, as a way of debt collection. He couldn't handle it and turned the gun on himself.

More I think about it, Radovan was the only normal, cool guy in the whole series.

[Brian Shima]

Indian remake

[Brian Shima]

I just realized that Tony is a little slow and dead looking in part two because of the brain damage he probably suffered from Frank beating him with a bat..