My Dad died from cancer at 86 years old two months ago. We loved watching old Western movies together. Sorry for your loss. I feel so sad and lonely now.
@@remogatron1010 Thanks. My dad died in 2001 from multiple myeloma and heavy drinking at the age of 64. I was 34. I was just beginning to try to get him to use cannabis instead of so much alcohol. But it was illegal. I worked very hard to get it legalized in Illinois, and it finally was in 2020... almost 20 years too late. In the after life, I'll watch Repo Man with my dad many times. I believe that we can choose to redo times in this life, and even make those times feel like new again. I am training to become a Mental Health Technician. I want to help people in crisis.
Duke:"The lights are growing dim Otto. I know a life of crime has led me to this sorry fate, and yet, I blame society. Society made me what I am." Otto:"That's bullshit. You're a white suburban punk just like me." Duke:"Yeah, but it still hurts." Otto:"You're gonna be ok, man" Duke: ... Otto:"Mebbe not"
I was a teenager when this movie came out. We all loved it. There was nothing else reflecting a punk sensibility in mainstream media. Glorious movie. Still funny, still fresh.
In 1984 I would go dancing at a club in San Francisco named EARL'S at the corner of Pacific and Battery. It was on a corner and in a subbasement. It was magic. The DJ would play New Wave and Punk and Pop songs. And every weekend for a while, he'd play a one two song punch of REPO MAN by Iggy Pop followed by INTO THE SUN by the March Violets. Or maybe it was the other way around... I'm not sure anymore, even though I just spent a few minutes listening to the songs and trying to remember! Anyway, they go so well together. Good memories from your movie analysis! THANK YOU
Every time I watch this film I get something new out of it. For a ninety three minute film, it is so dense with stories, mysterious characters, information, and ideas. And some genuine laughs. Remember, only an asshole gets killed over a car.
This movie is specific to the vibe of Generation X and the Punk Rock era. It encapsulates the whole punk rock ethos of nihilism, teen anger, mercenary motivations, and not giving a damn about anything. My favorite line (when a cop asks the secret agent woman what could have happened to a burned up body) "It happens sometimes. People just explode". Any other generation would not understand this kind of attitude. But it makes perfect sense to a Gen X punk. BTW: Did you notice all the repo men (except Otto) are named after beer? Bud, Miller, Lite, etc...
Saw it in the theatre when it first came out. A friend of mines brother played the security guard (Luis Contreras). I acted with the woman that maces Emilio in a short film made by Solomon Emquis which also had Denise Crosby in it. Fox Harris (the mad scientist) is also quite good in a film called Dr. Caligari.
I watched this a number of times in the late 80s and early 90s, still a favorite and one line changed my life - "the more you drive, the stupider you are!"
I agree with you, Repo Man is one of my favorites. Did you know that Michael Nesmith, of The Monkees, was one of the producers of the film. 1984 was interesting year for films besides Repo Man there was The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eight Dimension, Broadway Danny Rose, Gremlins, Paris Texas, Amadeus, The Terminator, Blood Simple, Star Trek The Search For Spock, Ghostbusters, This Is Spinal Tape, Dune, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and of course 1984.
Stanton came out with a line in this movie I've always treasured....''See them, Ordinary people? I fucking hate them''. That, to me, was the essence of this film.
This movie came out when I was in college in LA. My friends and i practically worshipped it. To this day, I still drop lines from the movie into conversations, despite the fact that 99.9% of people didn't get the references. 🙂
as a teen in the late 80's i watched (with a gang of stoners and punks) mainly for the classic soundtrack. recently i rewatched (the criterion) and got a lot more out of the film as a film. your insights add to that feeling. more people should see this!
Sounds interesting! For some reason I never got around to watching this one. I'll give it a watch. Another "L.A." favorite of mine is "To Live and Die in L.A." Also, with a great soundtrack!
Yes! "To LIve and Die in L.A' by William Friedkin is underrated. The entire soundtrack was by Wang Chung, and stars the very underrated William Peterson.
I saw this movie at the second run theatre on the campus of UConn back in the mid 80s. It was my roommates' idea - I would never have gone myself. But it is a statement - it did not connect with my world, but it was a window to another. It was stark and campy at the same time, and it was my introduction to Emilio Estevez. I want to thank Snake and Werm (reminds me of Kavanaugh's friends' nicknames LOL) for dragging me to it. :-)
Got this movie on Criterion as a birthday present. I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not so thank you for this video. It sold me and I'm excited to watch (and keep) it now
In the opening scene, not only did the alien in the trunk vaporize the cop, it also changed the license plate! And what other movie has a song with the line, "Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole"?
Thanks for reviewing repo man, I haven't seen it since back in the day but I remember how much I loved it! Definitely going to give it a watch this weekend!
The weird guy, Miller, reminds me of the Igor character in a Frankenstein movie. He is the gatekeeper who welcomes Otto into the repo yard, just like Igor is the doorman who always welcomes people into Frankenstein's castle.
Mostly shot in Wilmington port district of LA. I grew up there in the 70's and 80's I was a punk . . . It was tuff cuz choose and the brothers fought you everyday on the bus or the streets.
''Look at them'' ''Who?'' ''Them over there. Ordinary fuckin' people, I hate them'' That's how I will always remember Harry Dean Stanton. May you Rest In Peace, Sir.
For me, this whole movie is about authenticity v hypocrisy. Almost every character betrays him or herself - or at least their outward projection - in some way during this film, except Miller and Otto. One of the first scenes is Otto’s friend played by Dick Rude in bed with his girlfriend. His punk friends want to get sushi (but not pay). Lite fires blanks into the house and uses fake rats. “The Rodriguez Brothers don’t approve of drugs”… while smoking marijuana. Miller and Otto reclaim - or repossess - their own souls through their authentic actions and ascend into heaven. The ironic meta is that the film appears to be against Christianity and mock it, but is actually betraying it’s natural form as a Christian salvation allegory!
I have been championing this film since I was 14 or 15! (I'm 44, now), watching it go from obscure B-Movie to One of the jewels in the crown of the Criterion Collection! Everyone who I've ever met knows that I love this movie; and have envisioned a universe from around a blockbuster/franchise, but recently, Writer/Director Alex Cox told me not to pursue it as a sequel, since he's already written one. The reason I'm telling you all of this is... Hmm...Actually, I'm not too sure. My assertion is that this is the greatest American Film ever made!
The quotable dialogue. It's unreal. It's like the entire movie was written specifically to be memorized. "Beautiful night. You can almost see the stars."
There is another entire factor in this movie that you have to watch this film multiple times to notice. Miller talks about the "lattice of coincidence" that occurs in life, and this happens multiple times in the film. It seems like if it happens once it happens twice. Foe example Miller talks about "plate of shrimp", and later on, when the Rodriguez Brothers get the car stolen from them while getting food, if you look at the front window of the store, there's a sign that says "today's special, plate of shrimp". There are two instances of those old smiley face badges. No way to notice this stuff on first or second viewing.
The smiley face badges signify membership in the United Fruitcake Outlet. Remember when Leila's being chased by the Feds as a passenger in Otto's car? They call her Happy Face, and she's also wearing the smiley face badge 🙂 Another thing that got me was the character Marlene, the secretary of the repo men as well as the handler for the Rodriguez Brothers - I like to believe she is a Central American secret agent or similar. It must've taken me about twenty viewings before I noticed this low key character was one of the only characters who understood the overall shape of the situation regarding the Chevy Malibu (other than the metal-handed federal Agent Rogersz, or the lobotomised nuclear physicist J Frank Parnell)
@@gazbot9000 I think Marlene just worked for the credit holding companies that sent the repo men out for the cars. She didn't care which outfit brought the cars in. That's why she works with the Rodriguez brothers and the helping hand acceptance company. I'm an auto mechanic and when I was at the dealership there were people there, that had offices, but did not actually work at the dealership.They worked for warranty and loan companies at the dealer but their paychecks weren't from the dealership.
@@alberto9594 Dianetics was mind over matter. In Repo Man, it's Dioretix and matter over mind (it's a play on the word "diuretic", which is a medicine that relieves fluid buildup in the body).
I've been a huge fan of this movie since its original release & *_totally failed_* to see the connection between _Repo Man_ & _Close Encounters_ . It's painfully obvious now.
1:03 i always thought the inspiration for the glowing trunk came from the Heavy Metal animated movie, the cabbie with the all-purpose security device. then again, it could have come from almost anywhere; the special effects setup is super cheap and simple.
Every single line is quotable, and most can be used in real life applications.
My dad and I watched this move 20 times. I miss my dad.
My Dad died from cancer at 86 years old two months ago. We loved watching old Western movies together.
Sorry for your loss. I feel so sad and lonely now.
@@remogatron1010
Thanks.
My dad died in 2001 from multiple myeloma and heavy drinking at the age of 64. I was 34.
I was just beginning to try to get him to use cannabis instead of so much alcohol. But it was illegal.
I worked very hard to get it legalized in Illinois, and it finally was in 2020... almost 20 years too late.
In the after life, I'll watch Repo Man with my dad many times. I believe that we can choose to redo times in this life, and even make those times feel like new again.
I am training to become a Mental Health Technician. I want to help people in crisis.
@@remogatron1010 "The Magnificent Seven" and "Repo Man".
I've been enjoying this movie for 40 years now. Repo Man is always intense!
Come on! Let’s go get a drink!
Duke:"The lights are growing dim Otto. I know a life of crime has led me to this sorry fate, and yet, I blame society. Society made me what I am."
Otto:"That's bullshit. You're a white suburban punk just like me."
Duke:"Yeah, but it still hurts."
Otto:"You're gonna be ok, man"
Duke: ...
Otto:"Mebbe not"
I love that scene! Otto subverts the “dying friend” trope; goes back to the trope; then subverts it AGAIN - all in about 15 seconds!
The Circle Jerks doing lounge is golden!
My top 5 all time.
This flick is hilarious , a must see , even better if you're baked
first time i watched it was on 4/20 i was so high and so confused by the end
Yeah watching Repo Man baked is probably better. I watched it sober and it was just incredibly unfunny. This movie fails on so many levels
I was a teenager when this movie came out. We all loved it. There was nothing else reflecting a punk sensibility in mainstream media. Glorious movie. Still funny, still fresh.
In 1984 I would go dancing at a club in San Francisco named EARL'S at the corner of Pacific and Battery. It was on a corner and in a subbasement. It was magic. The DJ would play New Wave and Punk and Pop songs. And every weekend for a while, he'd play a one two song punch of REPO MAN by Iggy Pop followed by INTO THE SUN by the March Violets. Or maybe it was the other way around... I'm not sure anymore, even though I just spent a few minutes listening to the songs and trying to remember! Anyway, they go so well together. Good memories from your movie analysis! THANK YOU
Every time I watch this film I get something new out of it. For a ninety three minute film, it is so dense with stories, mysterious characters, information, and ideas. And some genuine laughs. Remember, only an asshole gets killed over a car.
It's like plate or shrimp, or Plate o Shrimp.
This movie is specific to the vibe of Generation X and the Punk Rock era. It encapsulates the whole punk rock ethos of nihilism, teen anger, mercenary motivations, and not giving a damn about anything. My favorite line (when a cop asks the secret agent woman what could have happened to a burned up body) "It happens sometimes. People just explode". Any other generation would not understand this kind of attitude. But it makes perfect sense to a Gen X punk. BTW: Did you notice all the repo men (except Otto) are named after beer? Bud, Miller, Lite, etc...
Saw it in the theatre when it first came out. A friend of mines brother played the security guard (Luis Contreras). I acted with the woman that maces Emilio in a short film made by Solomon Emquis which also had Denise Crosby in it. Fox Harris (the mad scientist) is also quite good in a film called Dr. Caligari.
I watched this a number of times in the late 80s and early 90s, still a favorite and one line changed my life - "the more you drive, the stupider you are!"
"I do my best thinking on the bus." It's true for me!
" the more you drive, the less intelligent you are"
@@NormAppleton Also, "put it on a plate son, you'll enjoy it more".
Kills me everytime!
Miller
@@chrisg1031 There's room to move as a fry cook, you could be king, God!
I agree with you, Repo Man is one of my favorites. Did you know that Michael Nesmith, of The Monkees, was one of the producers of the film. 1984 was interesting year for films besides Repo Man there was The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eight Dimension, Broadway Danny Rose, Gremlins, Paris Texas, Amadeus, The Terminator, Blood Simple, Star Trek The Search For Spock, Ghostbusters, This Is Spinal Tape, Dune, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and of course 1984.
blood simple!
HD Stanton was also in Paris Texas.
1984 was the year of Harry Dean Stanton. He did this, which he was great in, and Paris Texas where he was Oscar-worthy.
yes!
those two movies also had the same DP, Robby Mueller
Once he finished filming Repo Man he went straight to shooting Paris, Texas.
@@LearningaboutMoviesMust watch Michael Mann’s 1986 “Manhunter,” with Actor William L. Petersen.
Stanton came out with a line in this movie I've always treasured....''See them, Ordinary people? I fucking hate them''. That, to me, was the essence of this film.
This movie came out when I was in college in LA. My friends and i practically worshipped it. To this day, I still drop lines from the movie into conversations, despite the fact that 99.9% of people didn't get the references. 🙂
as a teen in the late 80's i watched (with a gang of stoners and punks) mainly for the classic soundtrack. recently i rewatched (the criterion) and got a lot more out of the film as a film. your insights add to that feeling. more people should see this!
Sounds interesting! For some reason I never got around to watching this one. I'll give it a watch.
Another "L.A." favorite of mine is "To Live and Die in L.A." Also, with a great soundtrack!
Yes! "To LIve and Die in L.A' by William Friedkin is underrated. The entire soundtrack was by Wang Chung, and stars the very underrated William Peterson.
"L. A. Without a Map" is my kind of movie.
Both movies have car chases in the "river"
If you like that you will LOVE Repo Man.
The glowing briefcase troupe repurposed by Tarantino was in direct reference to the film noir film Kiss Me Deadly
I saw this movie at the second run theatre on the campus of UConn back in the mid 80s. It was my roommates' idea - I would never have gone myself. But it is a statement - it did not connect with my world, but it was a window to another. It was stark and campy at the same time, and it was my introduction to Emilio Estevez. I want to thank Snake and Werm (reminds me of Kavanaugh's friends' nicknames LOL) for dragging me to it. :-)
thank you
Got this movie on Criterion as a birthday present. I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not so thank you for this video. It sold me and I'm excited to watch (and keep) it now
In the opening scene, not only did the alien in the trunk vaporize the cop, it also changed the license plate!
And what other movie has a song with the line, "Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole"?
Thanks for reviewing repo man, I haven't seen it since back in the day but I remember how much I loved it! Definitely going to give it a watch this weekend!
The weird guy, Miller, reminds me of the Igor character in a Frankenstein movie. He is the gatekeeper who welcomes Otto into the repo yard, just like Igor is the doorman who always welcomes people into Frankenstein's castle.
Shrimp, or plate of shrimp.
Sorry I was trying to manifest some shrimp.
Good old lattice of coincidence. No explanation, no point in looking for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconsciousness.
@@russellmurray3964 "lattice of coincidence" is one of the funniest lines ever
Mostly shot in Wilmington port district of LA. I grew up there in the 70's and 80's I was a punk . . . It was tuff cuz choose and the brothers fought you everyday on the bus or the streets.
''Look at them''
''Who?''
''Them over there. Ordinary fuckin' people, I hate them''
That's how I will always remember Harry Dean Stanton. May you Rest In Peace, Sir.
Repo man is about repossession of yourself and who you are.
For me, this whole movie is about authenticity v hypocrisy. Almost every character betrays him or herself - or at least their outward projection - in some way during this film, except Miller and Otto. One of the first scenes is Otto’s friend played by Dick Rude in bed with his girlfriend. His punk friends want to get sushi (but not pay). Lite fires blanks into the house and uses fake rats. “The Rodriguez Brothers don’t approve of drugs”… while smoking marijuana.
Miller and Otto reclaim - or repossess - their own souls through their authentic actions and ascend into heaven. The ironic meta is that the film appears to be against Christianity and mock it, but is actually betraying it’s natural form as a Christian salvation allegory!
What makes this movie great? EVERYTHING!
There was a time when I watched this movie on an almost daily basis.
I have been championing this film since I was 14 or 15! (I'm 44, now), watching it go from obscure B-Movie to One of the jewels in the crown of the Criterion Collection! Everyone who I've ever met knows that I love this movie; and have envisioned a universe from around a blockbuster/franchise, but recently, Writer/Director Alex Cox told me not to pursue it as a sequel, since he's already written one. The reason I'm telling you all of this is... Hmm...Actually, I'm not too sure. My assertion is that this is the greatest American Film ever made!
Repo man 2 was just announced with Cox as director. I'm looking forward to see if they can recreate the magic of the original.
Doubtful
Wouldn't want modern hollywood to do a sequel
@@DazedandInsane You never saw Casablanca 2 starring Lee Majors? Yes, it exists.
Sorry, my Bad. It was High Noon 2
The quotable dialogue. It's unreal. It's like the entire movie was written specifically to be memorized.
"Beautiful night. You can almost see the stars."
April 2024
Repo Man is available on Netflix in the US.
What's that introductory classical piece used for the short opening sequence. Its great but I can't seem to ID it
Mozart's Symphony 41
The Music sound track rules. Iggys the Best.
The Plugz really did the soundtrack and it was amazing and unique.
Excellent excellent commentary
There is another entire factor in this movie that you have to watch this film multiple times to notice. Miller talks about the "lattice of coincidence" that occurs in life, and this happens multiple times in the film. It seems like if it happens once it happens twice. Foe example Miller talks about "plate of shrimp", and later on, when the Rodriguez Brothers get the car stolen from them while getting food, if you look at the front window of the store, there's a sign that says "today's special, plate of shrimp". There are two instances of those old smiley face badges. No way to notice this stuff on first or second viewing.
Also Scientology and the 80's media campaign of the book dianetics(the science of mater over mind)
The smiley face badges signify membership in the United Fruitcake Outlet. Remember when Leila's being chased by the Feds as a passenger in Otto's car? They call her Happy Face, and she's also wearing the smiley face badge 🙂
Another thing that got me was the character Marlene, the secretary of the repo men as well as the handler for the Rodriguez Brothers - I like to believe she is a Central American secret agent or similar. It must've taken me about twenty viewings before I noticed this low key character was one of the only characters who understood the overall shape of the situation regarding the Chevy Malibu (other than the metal-handed federal Agent Rogersz, or the lobotomised nuclear physicist J Frank Parnell)
@@gazbot9000 I think Marlene just worked for the credit holding companies that sent the repo men out for the cars. She didn't care which outfit brought the cars in. That's why she works with the Rodriguez brothers and the helping hand acceptance company.
I'm an auto mechanic and when I was at the dealership there were people there, that had offices, but did not actually work at the dealership.They worked for warranty and loan companies at the dealer but their paychecks weren't from the dealership.
@@alberto9594 L.RON gets seriously mocked in this movie. The dipshit Secret Service agents are all reading Dioretics.
@@alberto9594 Dianetics was mind over matter. In Repo Man, it's Dioretix and matter over mind (it's a play on the word "diuretic", which is a medicine that relieves fluid buildup in the body).
1:12 There were aliens in the trunk.
I've been a huge fan of this movie since its original release & *_totally failed_* to see the connection between _Repo Man_ & _Close Encounters_ . It's painfully obvious now.
Brilliant movie, must have watched it 15 times.
"They look like sausage."
USING MY HEAD FOR AN ASHTRAY
it really captured the feeling of being young, dumb and angry
The generic, white label/blue lettering, products were a real thing in the early-mid 80's.
Still are, but never called FOOD or DRINK
@@NormAppleton Come on. Lets go get something to drink.
Otto, ie its homonym, auto, short for the autonomous self.
Have some toot, dude!
Bute! Butyl Nitrate
Thanks ! Good Movie.
I've just seen it for the very first time two days ago, it was awesome!
I love such smart stupid movies :)
The best of all the dreamy haze aesthetic 80s cult hits.
we still live in a world of haves and have nots
It’s so bizarre,wow
Gen X
Its a fucking masterpiece
❤
1:03 i always thought the inspiration for the glowing trunk came from the Heavy Metal animated movie, the cabbie with the all-purpose security device. then again, it could have come from almost anywhere; the special effects setup is super cheap and simple.
I deal with a lot of real repo men and not one has ever seen this movie.
I love the connections and themes you mentioned
glad to help out!