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“A horror film’s job is to scare you, is to get your pulse going, is to make you scream and yell. It’s to make you be afraid. That’s its main purpose, and creeping you out. And that can be an enjoyable experience.” --- John Carpenter ::::::::::::: MY CRITERIA FOR DISCUSSION ENCOMPASSES THE HORROR GENRE AND BEYOND, SO I USE THE TERM "NIGHTMARE MOVIES". SPOILERS CAN OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT WARNING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

The Red Riding Trilogy (1974, 1980, 1983)

October 27th 2009 00:58
The Red Riding Trilogy poster art
Based on a series of novels by David Peace, The Red Riding Trilogy: 1974, 1980, 1983 (2009), is an exceptional crime drama, scripted by Tony Grisoni (who penned the big screen adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and made for British television, that unfolds over the period of time that the infamous Yorkshire Ripper was committing his serial killings. It paints a tragic picture of a corrupt police force and ultimately reveals an even darker evil that lurked beyond the capture and incarceration of Stuart Sutcliffe.

The first part, in the year of our Lord 1974, is directed by Julian Jarrold and was shot on 16mm. It’s the best of the trilogy in terms of its stunning visual style (the grainy 16mm focus and close-ups gives the story a heightened sense of gritty poetry). Andrew Garfield plays tenacious investigative reporter Eddie Dunford for the Yorkshire Post who gets in way over his handsome head when the deaths of several prostitutes and a young girl reveals some very dirty dealings within the Yorkshire homicide department. His character is fictional, as are the rest of the characters and the story, but the Ripper did exist, and it anchors the movie in a nightmarish realism.
Red Riding 1974 Andrew Garfield
Andrew Garfield as Eddie Dunford
The entire cast is all excellent, but especially David Morrissey as Maurice Jobson, one of the Yorkshire senior policemen trapped by the crushing walls of corruption, Rebecca Hall, who plays Paula Garland, the distraught mother of one of the victims, whom Dunford becomes involved with, Sean Bean, the nasty wealthy real estate property developer John Dawsen, and Robert Sheehan, as lost soul BJ, an emotionally disturbed rentboy whose true relevance is not revealed until the third part of the trilogy.
Red Riding 1974 Rebecca Hall
Rebecca Hall as Paula Garland
1974 stands out from the trilogy, being strong enough to stand alone as a psychologically and emotionally powerful indictment of brutality and cover-up, of fear and retribution.

The second part, 1980, is directed by James Marsh. Unlike the first part this was shot on 35mm so it looks more conventional. It deals with detective Peter Hunter (Paddy Considine) who is in to head a covert operation into the ongoing Yorkshire Ripper investigation. He brings on board to top notch associates (one of whom he’d had an affair with years earlier). Further dirt is unearthed and the West Yorkshire police are further tainted. Hunter remains stoic and committed to justice, but how long before the long arm of betrayal taps him on the shoulder and slaps him in the face?
Red Riding 1980 Paddy Considine
Peter Hunter (Paddy Considine) is intimidated by a Yorkshire police thug
Paddy Considine is, as usual, terrific, and so is Maxine Peake as Hunter's ex and associate Helen MArshall. David Morrissey returns, as do several others from the first part of the trilogy. Overall the pacing and drama is well-handled, but it’s the weakest of the three movies.
Red Riding 1983 David Morrissey
David Morrissey as Maurice Jobson
The concluding part, 1983, is directed by Anand Tucker and brings everything to the boil, but on a low heat. Much of the narrative is told as flashback from Jobson’s perspective. The weight of guilt has pushed down heavily on his conscience, and with the disappearance of a young girl, the beginnings of the Ripper case come flooding back. Sutcliffe, the serial killer culprit, has been caught, but it seems evil is still prevalent in Yorkshire.
Red Riding trilogy Yorkshire policeman
The dark force of good lurks and peers
An overweight lawyer, John Piggott (Mark Addy) struggles to set some wrongs right, and bring to the surface some dreadful truths, but his quest is hampered by the perpetual tweaking from the West Yorkshire police who do not want their past coming back to haunt them, which it invariably does. BJ, the troubled shell of a young man is now compelled to commit his own form of justice against the men who did him wrong. But just who is the wolf in sheep’s clothing? The elusive red riding evil of the title …?
Red Riding 1983 Sean Bean
Sean Bean as John Dawsen
I didn’t see it coming, and it packs a punch. Red Riding: 1983 is a fittingly intense, if somewhat confusing third part to one of the best television dramas to come out of Britain in the past twenty years. Ridley Scott is being courted to direct a Hollywood remake which will condense all three parts into a single feature to be called simply Red Riding. The action will be re-set in America. Somehow, as good as Scott is as director and realist, I don’t think it will possess the same gritty tenure, tone and temperament that makes the British version so convincing as urban nightmare (even if the events – outside of the serial killings - portrayed in the trilogy didn’t actual happen). The dark grey clouds of the bleak Yorkshire skies have never appeared so ominous.

Here's the teaser trailer for the whole trilogy (warning: not work safe):


For a great 3-minute promo-piece featuring clips from the three movies and the lead actors plugging the production click here

The Red Riding Trilogy DVD set is courtesy of Madman Entertainment, many thanks!

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews
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