Synopsis
A screwball tragedy!
A self-help guru's televised teachings inspire a down-and-out businessman to pursue his dream of making a movie.
Search and Destroy
1995 Directed by David Salle
Cast
Griffin Dunne Rosanna Arquette Illeana Douglas Ethan Hawke Dennis Hopper John Turturro Christopher Walken Robert Knepper David Thornton Angel David Jason Ferraro Martin Scorsese Linda Wahl Laurie Godet Randy Pearlstein Vincent Angell Nicole Burdette Tanya Pohlkotte Karole Armitage Dan Hedaya Kenneth Simmons Frank Girardeau Tahnee Welch Joli Julianna Sergio Kato
Director
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Executive Producers
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Original Writer
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Cinematography
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Art Direction
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Makeup
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Alternative Titles
Cerca e distruggi, Buscar y Distruir, The Four Rules, Cercar e Destruir, Да се намери и унищожи, Rechercher et détruire, Etsi ja Tuhoa, Erevniste kai exolothrefste, Kutass és rombolj, サーチ&デストロイ, Ktoś tu kręci, Busca y destruye
Releases by Date
Premiere
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USAR
Source: IMDB (USA Film Festival)
Releases by Country
USA
23 Apr 1995
- PremiereR Source: IMDB (USA Film Festival)
Popular reviews
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A weird mix of Altman’s The Player and the post-Pulp Fiction cinema crime wave, Search and Destroy is a movie I had never heard of until recently and after watching it, I know why.
The pacing is terrible. Griffin Dunne’s main character is obnoxious and unlikeable. John Turturro gives a jittery, hopped-up performance (perhaps he was paid in cocaine?) while wearing one of the worst movie wigs ever. The filmmakers give Christopher Walken a song and dance routine but make the baffling decision to confine it to the tiniest stage ever constructed, limiting his range of movement to “jazz hands” and a couple of unseemly wiggles. And worst of all, Dan Hedaya is cast as “Tailor” and barely gets a…
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Is it too late to start a cult following for this movie? Directed by the artist David Salle, whose own paint and collage work is heavily inspired by cinema, this is a beautifully shot movie that one of my better film school teachers used as an example of excellent framing, editing and use of color. Unfortunately, such things are rarely considered that important by your average movie-goer, and even critics at the time didn't seem that enthused about it, though the writing and acting are top-notch as well (I mean, look at that cast). It's kind of an art movie, but it's also kind of a comedy, which I think is a combination that continues to confound many critics. It's the kind of movie that fans of Laurie Anderson will appreciate, if that makes any sense.
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I like hanging out with this cast!
Always assumed this was another Pulp Fiction-sploitation, but actually has more in common with The Player. Solid entry into the loser cinema cannon. Forever in love with Illeana Douglas.
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Almost a forgotten movie, by the look of it-it's a shame that David Salle never made other films, despite the fact that the story here plays out mostly like a joke at the expense of filmmaking--he's got a good eye, and individual scene construction is strong, although it doesn't add up to enough to really make it anything more than predictable, and Griffin Dunne is so good at playing a largely dislikeable character that it can be a bit of a slog, despite a running time of 90 minutes. There are some pretty great scenes though, including what feels like a closing visual gag at (a very game, based on his opening cameo) Scorsese's expense, the scene where Illeana Douglas (who's generally terrific here) describes her movie to Dunne, and especially for Walken fans. the kareoke scene and the scene where he gets Dunne to tell him he's a drug dealer.
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“My advice is whatever you do, act, write, how old you are, your dreams, whatever you do, do it with passion. That’s all that counts.”
Not a very good movie but the cast is kickass. Really drags until Walken and Turturro inject some life into it.
Might have to be my all-time favorite Johnny T line: “Ah out on the island huh. Hofstraaa!!!”
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This was totally unexpected. Mainly because I'd never heard of it and the director is painter David Salle, who never directed again. But it is a real treat. Starring Griffin Dunne, bringing equal elements of sleaze and innocence to his role as wannabe movie producer, caught up in financial hard times, and desperate to make a movie from motivational speaker/novelist Dennis Hopper's book "Daniel Strong". The film twists and turns as Dunne fails to get anywhere until he recruits a friend he met at a party; Christopher Walken.
This is one of those great unseen Walken performances where he lights up the screen with his rampant craziness. "It isn't an adventure without a gun". That is until John Turturro turns…
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The artist's first and last movie is an affable 90s indie, typical of its ilk, about a Boca Raton schlub (Griffin Dunne) attempting to produce a film from a bestseller by an Ayn Rand-ish writer (Dennis Hopper). But that takes cash, and the would-be providers (Christopher Walken and John Turturro) are problematic at best. With Illeana Douglas as Dunne's girl Friday, and cameos by Martin Scorsese and others on the scene at that time. Some good laughs (Walken does a song and dance routine) and painterly touches, but too lightweight to really click.
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Look at the cover. You expect some kind of mafia comedy...not an art house comedy about the pursuit of an artistic and personal dream. Griffin Dunn isn't even on the cover yet he is the off kilter protagonist of this strange stepchild to After Hours. Honestly, this might be his tour de force, playing a character who is constantly lying to others and himself as he sets out on a delusional odyssey to make a life changing movie (art) and a lot of money (business).
I have never seen a movie quite like this....its tone is so earnest yet deluded. It is hilarious and sort of tragic. Its characters present fronts and then slowly strip them away. Christopher Walken tells the lamest joke of all time and follows it up with possibly his worst dancing of all time. The last five minutes might not quite hold up but its well worth the first 85.
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"Why don't you go to New York?"
Here's a fun and surprising mid-90s black comedy that an After Hours fan might deem a hidden gem. Griffin Dunne is the goal-seeking protagonist, an aspiring film producer (and loser) named Martin Mirkheim, who is essentially Paul Hackett with a mustache. Moreover, Rosanna Arquette plays Mirkheim's wife, and Martin Scorsese makes a cameo, as a tax accountant, in an early scene in which all three appear together, in other words, a cool little reunion on screen. Of course Martin Mirkheim meets an assortment of quirky, oddball characters during his peculiar quest, my favorite being Illeana Douglas' Marie, with some moments that make it feel like her name could be added to the list of After Hours ladies. I'm glad I finally coupled this flick with Scorsese's '80s masterpiece.
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Independent 90s cinema produced and starring by one of the GOATs, Scorsese. A oddity/buried treasure. Felt surprised and joyful throughout and one of the best casts of all time doing impressive scene work. Long Live Dennis Hopper.
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I feel like this film was made for me. Absolute perfection, with one of my favorite Walken performances in the history of great Walken performances.
I need this on Blu Ray. I guess I'll have to accept DVD for now. I wish it weren't so forgotten.