Breathless (1983)

 

When Jesse Lujack steals a car in Las Vegas and drives down to LA, his criminal ways only escalate - but when will it end?

From memory: Disappointing, superfluous remake of the Jean-Luc Godard classic reduces to the original's story into a fast-paced superficial crime story, all modern-looking and shiny colorful, but without any substance whatsoever (which may have been Jim McBride's intention, but still isn't anymore exciting).

Halliwell (no star): "Fashionable amalgam of sex and violence, borrowed from A Bout de Souffle but far too long after the event." 

Maltin**: "Remake of landmark 1960 Godard film...but lacks its sociological potency. Gere's kinetic performance is something to see, but his character...soon grows tiresome."

 

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)

The sensuous wife of a lunch wagon proprietor and a rootless drifter begin a sordidly steamy affair and conspire to murder her Greek husband.

From memory: Steamy adaptation of Cain's novel is not really better than previous versions, but Lange and Nicholson's performances are excellent as well as Nykvist's cinematography.

Halliwell**: "Not otherwise any better, but an interesting measure of the times."

Maltin*1/2: "Exceedingly unpleasant adaptation...David Mamet's screenplay may be more faithful to Cain than the 1946 version, but who cares? Despite its much touted sex scenes (more violent than erotic), it's dreary and forgettable...Moodily photographed by Sven Nykvist."