Underrated great performance Williams. I don't know why Sly seemed to not mention him in the interviews quoted here,they were an excellent team. I can only speculate some sort of competitiveness.
Sly is a massive star but somehow some of his best stuff went off the radar, when I mention this one and Cop Land to others most of the time it does not ring a bell at all, it is something curious.
I couldn't hit PLAY fast enough!!! Nighthawks is and has been a fave of mine for yeeeears!!! It's one of those movies that I watch several times a year and never get tired of it! Thanks for this, maaaaan!!!!!!!!! "This is Shakka. Do not underestimate her because she is a woman. She has no maternal instincts." That line sent chills through me when I saw this movie as a child, lol!
I love this movie, discovered it at the video store in the mid 90's when I was a teenager and really enjoyed it, Rutger Hauer gives a really good performance as the bad guy especially in the scene where he's running from the cops in the subway, you can see in his performance him panicking and sweating. Sylvester Stallone and Billy Dee Williams give stellar performances as well. Top notch movie.
I was in high school when it was filmed and got to see the subway scene filmed. Stallone and Billy Dee took a break and chatted with us. It's a favorite of mine even without the experience.
I bring good news, some of the deleted scenes can be seen mix in various VHS realized around the world (is a common practice back then to re cut movies for various markets), much of the Stallone scenes are in the Japanese laser disc release for example, this way is technically possible reassemble the movie
@@BigFilmProductions not anymore, vhs and laserdiscs don't have long life span, this is why backups are important, there's a platora of movies that are now lost forever
I hope so too. Or at least an explanation of the scenes that were cut, apart from showing stills of them. One of which (with Stallone and Wagner) appeared in the cover art of the score for Nighthawks.
A lot of people just think of guys like Stallone and Arnold as simple meathead-esque action fare characters, and certainly, the bulk of their movies do not dispute that idea. But they can get into the more subtle sides of acting when given a proper chance.
robel tsegaye He was good as Mickey Hargitay in The Jayne Mansfield Story. The Conan/Red Sonja movies were great, Predator too. For what he lacks in other areas he makes up for in physicality because he plays to his strengths.
I loved it back then and it's still just as compelling now. Thank God for the return to the original soundtrack. Dumbasses altering made zero sense. The brown sugar seen was so powerful, it was almost the greatest in the movie.
What do you mean, “Best Movie I Never Saw?" I saw Nighthawks dozens of times on VHS and cable TV back in the 1980s. It was even featured on the ABC Sunday Night Movie. And Stallone's character is named Deke DeSilva, not “DeSilvia."
I saw it in the theatres when it came out, and fell in love with it right away. For the next 35 years afterwards, every time a new Stallone movie came out in which he was playing some kind of a hitman or detective (like Cobra, Tango & Cash, The Specialist etc.) I was hoping it would be in the tradition of Nighthawk. Alas, Stallone has never made another film like this. To this day my dream action thriller would take place in a grimy/seedy place like Nighthawk''s (or the French Connection's) NYC, and would include Stallone playing this character. He is too old now to ever make that dream come true. Sic transit gloria mundi...
The death at the end is super memorable. I saw it as a little kid on TV without knowing what movie it was from. Didn't see the whole movie until much later.
I'm glad that the new Blu Ray version restored the music from the original version of the film. The previous DVD versions not only cut out The Rolling Stone's Brown Sugar, they also cut out and replaced Keith Emerson's cover of I'm A Man during the epic stare down between Stallone and Hauer in the nightclub scene.
I saw it when it came out and to this day one of my all-time favs. Especially since I grew up in NYC and not far from the tramway which had a big scene in the film.
I have enjoyed this film for many years. For me it is easily one of Stallone's most underrated performances. At the time I was unaware of such factors as the number of directors involved in the project and it being subject to a number of cuts. I admired its score. While I was in the dark as to why Wagner and Williams had relatively few scenes, I thought Hauer was a great nemesis. And the scene where Stallone confronts him on the sky tram is easily one of the best moments as DeSilva (not DeSilvia as the commentator refers to the character) realizes he is in a tight spot that he might possibly not survive. And Stallone looks scared. To me that is a necessary trait in one being a believable actor. Dare I say I long had high regard for this role before I ever saw the first Rocky.
I also saw it on ABC as a kid, and I've always wanted to see the unrated version. I thought this was an underrated psychological thriller/action film. One of the better Stallone films.
Lindsay Wagner's scenes got trimmed down, the surprise ending involving her character turning out to be her stand in ( not spoiling who) works ironically in favor the suspense of the closing scene!
I would probably not ever have seen this movie, except...I took a film class my senior year in high school. We were required to see a current movie at the cinema and write a review of it. So I saw Night Hawks, which turned out to be surprisingly good! First time I ever saw Rutger Hauer in anything and I became quite a fan, especially a year later when Blade Runner came out. The original soundtrack had "Road Fever" from the Foghat Live album, which also scored points with me.
This isn't one of my favorite Sly movies but it has one of my favorite Sly moments: when he screams out in the subway to Haur that he's gonna get him. I even saw this on spanish tv and laughed at hearing it that way lol.
I grew up with this film. My parents opened a world of cinema to me, and more obscure gems like this and Manhunter have always held a special place for me.
I remember Nighthawks when it came out. I don't know how producers could think the plot "far fetched." I remember watching, and seeing the news reports of what was going on in Europe at the time, and easily saw how this kind of thing could happen in New York. It ranks high in my movie collection, because Billy Dee Williams, Sly Stallone, and Rutger Hauer were all FANTASTIC in this film. It was, literally, Stallone's BEST dramatic film. The whole movie is non-stop tension and action, and there is, literally, never a dull moment. If this film got hacked to pieces, I frankly couldn't see it. And the soundtrack being written by Keith Emerson - I am a huge ELP fan - just put it over the top for me. My favorite part in the film is when Stallone bends down to listen to a bandaged Williams as he lies on the gurney, and Williams tells him, "You should have taken the shot." It's poignant, and Stallone's acting is perfect for the character. Detached but stunned - a hard-guy all the way. And that final scene where Wufgar gets his? Between Rutger's facial expressions, the music, and Stallone s-l-o-w-l-y pulling back that wig, it was probably one of the better twists in film history.
Saw Nighthawks in the theater when it first came out, and on video several times after. Great movie. I think it is currently on Netflix, I watched it there a month or two ago.
A great and underappreciated movie. I liked the symbolism that the villain's name is Wulfgar, and as a decoy cop, DaSilva is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
First saw it as a young kid on TV as well, I didn't know Stallone very well at the time, but did know Hauer and he made the most impression on me at the time.
Nighthawks (1981) and Code of Silence (1985) are great police films and were one of the great movies for Sylvester Stallone & Chuck Norris respectively.
Here's a useless trivia fact: The director of this film, Bruce Malmuth, did a small favor for his friend director, John G. Avildsen back in 1984 by taking a minor acting role in the first Karate Kid film. He played the announcer at the All-Valley Karate Tournament. ("Daniel LaRusso's gonna fight? Daniel LaRusso's gonna fight!")
Saw this movie for the first time in the early 90s. Loved it the first time I saw it. Great ending. Suspense throughout the film. Joe spinell is great in it. Ruther Hauer is great. Sly and Billy dee work great together. Love the gritty new york scenes. Just a great overall film
I have seen this film on Netflix not too long ago (it’s not there anymore) and it was really good. I enjoyed it without expecting too much of it. Stallone, Williams, and Rutger Hauer did really great jobs in their roles and I am very impressed. Rutger Hauer will always be remembered as Roy Batty from Blade Runner to me but he does a great job playing the villain called, “Wolfgar”. I do not know how to spell his character’s name, sadly. RIP Rutger Hauer 😔 Nighthawks definitely doesn’t get any recognition and I’m glad I watched it with zero expectations as it it really had me on the edge of my seat. Thriller films like this are so exciting and cool, in my book. I wished there was a Director’s Cut for this film, that would be pretty interesting to see. I did hear some talks or rumors that there will be a Director’s Cut for Rocky IV, if I’m not mistaken. I need to see more retro movies like Blind Fury (starring Rutger Hauer) and even Cop Land (starring Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta) because I have no idea of what I am missing. Retro movies, FTW! Awesome Sauce! 👍
Outside of Rocky and Rambo this is one of Stallone's best films and to me its not obscure as I've seen the film many times, and you're right about the music it fits the movie well my favorite scene is the disco club when Stallone and Hauer give each other the staredown.
i'm surprised that Sly with his post-Rambo star clout didn't get the studios to release a more complete cut of this movie. i'm already a big fan of the movie just as is...but, considering the existing of all the amount of cut scenes I'd be interested in seeing em now...hopefully cut as a complete version.
I recall one of Stallone's Rambos where the female lead says something like, "What bring you luck, Rambo?" He holds up the knife he has in his hand and says, "This." Rutger Hauer's line near his death was brilliantly improvised to end something as, "Like tears in rain..." as his replicant body shuts down. I hated that we lost him for real, not too long ago.
When I was a kid, I saw the ending. Just the ending, and it stuck with me all these years. I didn't even know what movie it was from until I saw it on Netflix, unable to pass up Stallone and Williams starring together. The night shots of New York and the subway chase are incredible!
I saw it as a kid in the 80's (on Showtime or Cinemax, I think), but had totally forgotten about it until now. I remember the high points, but don't remember the details. I do remember that I liked it a lot.
This movie was a staple of HBO way back when. I remember watching it with my wife and friends. I clearly remember Sylvester Stallone yelling, "Wulfgar" as the standout moment in this film.
Hi Chris, totally agree that this is an underrated film and and underrated Stallone role. I saw this first during its short cinema release in London in 1981 as a teenager and was blown away. Loved the gritty squalid NY locations (similar to another film from that era - 'Wolfen') and the performances - also worthy of mention is the British actor Nigel Davenport, who played the Counter Terrorist officer who briefs the American cops. As you say, Rutger Hauer, who was unknown outside the Netherlands, gives a standout performance as the charismatic and psychotic Wulfgar. The script was ahead of its time in addressing urban terrorism - the bombings and also when, in the cable car scene Wulfgar refers to his comrades in international terrorist groups while dictating terms. I was really interested to hear about the deleted scenes, deleted soundtrack and that Stallone had a hand in directing the film. Hopefully there will one day be a complete cut on DVD / Bluray.
Good work! I've always loved Nighthawks. You mentioned Tango And Cash and it's interesting how that Sly Cop movie also had a troubled production with a swing door of directors, inc allegedly Sly again. It also has Sly dragging up again!
I liked NIGHTHAWKS a lot. I don't think Sly could look any more stylish than he did in that movie. I liked his understated acting, and I thought he worked especially well with Billy Dee. But after his last Rambo movie, man, he looks more like a horror show now.
I always liked this movie...i always was fascinated with the city of New York City...I just watched this about a month ago on Netflix, never knew there was a director cut...
Agree with this highly, the chemistry of Stallone and Hauer make this a great watch. One of Sly's underrated gems along with Death Race 2000 and Lords of Flatbush.
Love stumbling on reviews of what are old and obscure films in the midst of today's reality when a bewildering number of hundreds of new films inundate streaming sites like Amazon every week it seems. New films which I have no idea if avid film fans even see or knew to have even existed. These new unseen films end up being contemporary obscure films themselves. Too many films to watch, and most are not worth watching is my guess. I love watching films shot in actual film more than digital ones so I gravitate towards older films. Reviews like this one is a real gem, THANK YOU!
This movie is actually in rotation on one of the movie channels (forget which). Turned my tv on after work last week and there it was...first time in YEARS I got to see it
Haven't seen this one since it came out when I was a kid. I think I was just old enough to understand much of what was going on. Unlike what I was accustomed to seeing on TV back then, I recall thinking that anyone could get killed at any time; women, children, priests, nuns, good or bad, guilty or innocent. Anybody! I seemed particularly brutal and intense for the day. I'll have to check it out again. Hope it holds up.
I remember watching this movie when it came on HBO back in 1983. Okay, I had a teen crush on Billy Dee Williams (seriously, what red-blooded woman DIDN'T?!?!?). I was thirteen when I watched this movie and I LOVED it! Maybe I didn't understand it as well as an adult would have, but the sense of right and wrong, good vs bad, and walking a fine line between all four resonated with me. Some people didn't like this film because it was too violent and gory; but I argue if you want a bad guy redemption film, go watch a Disney movie. So sad to hear there may never be a Director's Cut with the ending this movie deserves, but at least I know it's out there.
I watched it today. I've always loved it. In a writer's aid for writing criminals the author put Hauer's Wulfgar's character as an example for writing for a terrorist. In some ways both the good guy and bad guy have a symbiotic thing going on here. Both crave action which is why they do what they do, but their polar opposites in how they regard humanity. Deke is capable of killing but is a protector, whereas Wulfgar is cold-blooded to the point where he'll flirt with a girl at a counter he knows is going to get killed by his own bomb. Very well acted.
I totally forgot this movie existed. I only saw it once on cable back in the late 80s, at least I think I did. Stallone's epic beard sticks out in my mind. I guess I'll have to revisit it. Or visit it for the first time.
The released version is a mess but Stallone has never been cooler on film. Overall, it's just a cool little film that doesn't quite work. Gary Nelson would've been a great director on _Nighthawks_ , _The Black Hole_ being oddly violent, atmospheric, & kinda nuts.
I love this movie so much I've watched it for an entire month, day by day, last year xD Wulfgar's theme is so sinister. I cannot understand why it's not on the OST.
People appreciate Sylvester Stallone for either Rambo or Rocky but he has made many good movies like Cobra, Nighthawks, Tango and Cash, Lockup and Daylight and many more
This is one of my favorite movies and it's never on. It's one of Stallone's best. And Rutger is awesome as the bad guy. Great cast. I'm going to have to get it on DVD.