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Dirty Harry:The Movies #2
Magnum Force
Vintage movie tie-in
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 8, 2008
As far as novelizations go, Mel Valley's Magnum Force can't hold a candle to Phillip Rock's Dirty Harry. Part of this is due to the more episodic, plot-driven nature of the second Dirty Harry film. Unlike Dirty Harry, which was more impressionistic and had a simple, order vs. chaos/good vs. evil narrative arc, Magnum Force is cluttered with characters, subplots, and asides. Since none of this is really fleshed out in the novel version, it's not a terribly satisfying reading experience, but it's OK for a quick, pulpy read.
July 27, 2019
3.3/5
THE KILLERS THAT LOOK LIKE COPS ARE AFTER HARRY BECAUSE HE KNOWS TOO MUCH!
The trailer for the movie on which this novelization is based on has got to be one of my favourite trailers of all time. Not because it's spectacular in any way, but because it's very quotable, and incredibly bad. Hilariously so.
Somehow it fits the mess that is Magnum Force, my favourite of the Dirty Harry sequels despite its shortcomings. With the release of the original, people decried it as an exercise in Fascist brutality, claiming Harry Callahan to be nothing more than a vigilante with a badge. What better way to respond to audience complaints than have Harry go up against actual vigilantes with badges, and explore the differences between their methods and his in the sequel?
It's in this switch from far-left to far-right villainy that makes Magnum Force such an interesting companion piece to the original. Harry is, in his own ways, a bit of both, but neither at the same time. He has the restraint and moral center that Scorpio in Dirty Harry and the vigilantes in Magnum Force do not possess.
The book itself is competently written, although my biggest complaints were the misspelling of Harry Callahan's last name, spelled only with one L throughout the book (at least Valley was consistent with it, which leads me to believe that it wasn't a purposeful mistake); also, at one point early on, Valley describes Harry's brief married life in a bit of expository prose and says that Harry and his wife eventually separated--which is not true, since Harry explicitly states in the first one (book AND movie) that she died in an accident before the events of either novel. So, that continuity error was a bit distracting.
Nonetheless I enjoyed the novel and I enjoyed some of the additional scenes and alterations not found in the film. Characters are only slightly more human because the prose medium allows us to look into their minds and read their thoughts, while films are strictly limited by its audio-visual presentation. That's not the film's fault, and honestly, it doesn't make the book any better or worse than its film counterpart.
The book is, in the end, a serviceable tie-in to the movie, longer and more jumbled than the original, with a plot that is at times messy and unfocused, with numerous subplots and clashing philosophies. There's also a line that tries to capitalize on the original iconic line from the original: "Are you feeling brave, punk?" that I'm glad was kept out of the movie, because the whole monologue is just... silly. Even for this mess.
THE KILLERS THAT LOOK LIKE COPS ARE AFTER HARRY BECAUSE HE KNOWS TOO MUCH!
The trailer for the movie on which this novelization is based on has got to be one of my favourite trailers of all time. Not because it's spectacular in any way, but because it's very quotable, and incredibly bad. Hilariously so.
Somehow it fits the mess that is Magnum Force, my favourite of the Dirty Harry sequels despite its shortcomings. With the release of the original, people decried it as an exercise in Fascist brutality, claiming Harry Callahan to be nothing more than a vigilante with a badge. What better way to respond to audience complaints than have Harry go up against actual vigilantes with badges, and explore the differences between their methods and his in the sequel?
It's in this switch from far-left to far-right villainy that makes Magnum Force such an interesting companion piece to the original. Harry is, in his own ways, a bit of both, but neither at the same time. He has the restraint and moral center that Scorpio in Dirty Harry and the vigilantes in Magnum Force do not possess.
The book itself is competently written, although my biggest complaints were the misspelling of Harry Callahan's last name, spelled only with one L throughout the book (at least Valley was consistent with it, which leads me to believe that it wasn't a purposeful mistake); also, at one point early on, Valley describes Harry's brief married life in a bit of expository prose and says that Harry and his wife eventually separated--which is not true, since Harry explicitly states in the first one (book AND movie) that she died in an accident before the events of either novel. So, that continuity error was a bit distracting.
Nonetheless I enjoyed the novel and I enjoyed some of the additional scenes and alterations not found in the film. Characters are only slightly more human because the prose medium allows us to look into their minds and read their thoughts, while films are strictly limited by its audio-visual presentation. That's not the film's fault, and honestly, it doesn't make the book any better or worse than its film counterpart.
The book is, in the end, a serviceable tie-in to the movie, longer and more jumbled than the original, with a plot that is at times messy and unfocused, with numerous subplots and clashing philosophies. There's also a line that tries to capitalize on the original iconic line from the original: "Are you feeling brave, punk?" that I'm glad was kept out of the movie, because the whole monologue is just... silly. Even for this mess.
March 16, 2024
This isn't a patch on Philip Rock's Dirty Harry novelisation - it's kind of all over the place, whereas Dirty Harry read like an actual novel and was a pleasurable experience. This reads like it was adapted from a first draft screenplay, and only near the end does it come good.
I'm going to tackle the novelisation of the Enforcer that I bought at the same time as this, though, because I'm intrigued and I'm hoping that it's gonna be worth my time.
Still, at least this one was short, even if it was a bit rough around the edges.
I'm going to tackle the novelisation of the Enforcer that I bought at the same time as this, though, because I'm intrigued and I'm hoping that it's gonna be worth my time.
Still, at least this one was short, even if it was a bit rough around the edges.
August 2, 2021
It mostly followed the movie.
September 11, 2008
This is actually my favorite Dirty Harry movie. I guess because it's so pulpy. Anyway, this shows Harry as much more of a detective and not so much as a guy that shoots first and lucks in evidence later.
I've actually happened upon some stills that suggest that some of this was actually filmed, but cut out. I guess I'll break down and get the new version that's just come out on DVD. It has a commentary from John Milius. (Ghost writer on Dirty Harry and Co-writer along with Michael Cimino-who would later write and direct Clint in 'Thunderbolt and Lightfoot'-of this little ditty.)
I've actually happened upon some stills that suggest that some of this was actually filmed, but cut out. I guess I'll break down and get the new version that's just come out on DVD. It has a commentary from John Milius. (Ghost writer on Dirty Harry and Co-writer along with Michael Cimino-who would later write and direct Clint in 'Thunderbolt and Lightfoot'-of this little ditty.)
September 18, 2016
Good book if your a fan of Dirty Harry, I think the films are slightly better but Harry comes across the same. Nice quick read with not much thinking needed although the twists are easy to guess!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews