COLORS 1988
by
Dennis Hopper
#primevideo
#SeanPenn #Robertduvall
There was a time when there were 70000 gang members in Los Angeles enjoying possession of one million automatic assault rifles and shotguns. Dennis Hopper-directed Colors is the story of two LAPD-CRASH (Community Resources against Street Hoodlums) cops manning these dangerous streets, precincts and neighbourhoods, busting heavily armed malcontents, trying to cap the sales of rock-crack and coke, while aiming to enforce semblance of peace. But all that is not to be for guns can easily be bought, violence is seductive and proliferates by its own logic.
Late 1980s saw hundreds of gangs in action in LA. The recruits came from all social groups, but primarily from among African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and some even from among Whites. Some of these gangs chose specific ‘colours’ to wear, hence the name of the film. The Crips preferred Blue, whereas the Bloods wore Red. Parents in the hoods tried to clothe their youngsters in neutral colours to advertise their non-affiliation. But a hood dealer selling coke on the driveway totted an automatic, drove a Mercedes, hobnobbed with the big and the mighty, while a hot dolly held his arm, was an obvious inspiration for most underprivileged youngsters. Not just LAPD, but civil society and OGs (Original Gangsters, now reformed) were also active, brokering ceasefires, pleading restraint and begging gangs to not indulge in ‘drive-away’ shootouts- the sudden and incessant spraying of bullets which resulted in many a bystander losing their lives.
Robert Duvall plays Bob Hodges aka Uncle Bob, a veteran LAPD police-officer, who is just one year away from his pension but gets sent back to the field to establish order. Bob is an experienced cop, who knows who to book and who to let go, who to befriend, remembers his IOUs, advocates building ‘rapport’ with the ruffians, doesn’t think twice before making selectively leaks or ultimately pulling the trigger. He finds himself saddled with a rookie, Danny McGavin, played admirably by Sean Penn. The latter is in top form, full of youthful idealism, bubbling with adrenaline, building himself up as Rocky VI and the ‘guardian of masculinity’. He is cocky, eager and loaded, has twinkle in his eye and keeps watching himself in the mirror all the time while brushing back his fluffy hair- a deliberate caricature of macho vanity. After he bangs their new car gang during a helluva chase, the department replaces it with a line-yellow sedan, resembling the symbol of Pac-man, which is how Danny gets addressed to by the fellow cops and gangsters. After some initial reluctance, bumps and hiccups, the buddyship blossoms, and the duo end up forming a solid team. Bob once quotes from ‘The Great Santini’ to explain his policing method to Danny-
Two bulls are sitting on a grassy knoll, overlooking a herd of grazing cows. The baby bull says, “Hey pop, let’s say we run down and fuck one of these cows.”
“No son, let’s walk down and fuck all of them,” contradicts the papa bull.
Bob ends up playing a game one too many, and bids the final farewell. Danny learns his lessons well, wizens up to the fuckin’ reality, and towards the end is seen mentoring a rookie, who plays as cocky as Danny had once been. Everyone gets eventually replaced by his ward, son, pupil or protégé. Everyone ends up playing their own dad, guru, boss or mentor one day.
Don Cheadle plays Rocket, the Crip gang-leader, who wants to take down McGavin, but is himself slain in a drive-away shooting. Frog, the leader of Hispanics, and High Top- two gang-members also assumed cult status. Sean Penn was sentenced to jail for 33 days during the filming for punching an extra who was taking his photos without seeking permission. The very beautiful Maria Conchita Alonso plays Louisa, who has a brief fling with Danny, but turns out to be a call girl.
Colors can be classified as a ‘police procedural action crime’, as well as a ‘hood’ film, for it is a rare one which focuses on the characters, philosophy and relationship of the cop-duo, as well as on gangsters running amok in lanes and by-lanes of LA. Crash (2004) took further the narrative began by Colours (1988), and built upon the premise and added to its legacy. Both these films are set in LA.
The film boasts of the quintessential Hollywood manner and style- with plethora of lights over the roof conveying official business and loud police hooters announcing extreme urgency, gliding sedans chase each other at mind-blowing pace. They apply brakes with screeching abandon and swerve madly, the hind rolling around on front tyres. During these chases-to-the-kingdom-come, cars jump over to sideways in throes of bloody passion and blast away whatever happens to lie before them. At some point, the sedans converge, standoff ensues and then begins the indiscriminate shootout- cops take cover and shoot with caution, whereas gangsta breathe fire like rock n’ rolla from their automatic assault rifles in each hand, showing zero concern for lives their own or others’. There is sheer desperation for glorious death, almost as obvious as death-wish. There is formulaic masala as well in Colors- reluctant partners gradually become buddies, the senior cop’s wife wants to meet the younger partner who gets invited along with a date, the wiser man gets shot so close to superannuation, and many such tropes. The film has all this, as well as exceptional performances by Penn and Duvall to boot. This is a compulsive-enough invite for any film-buff.
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