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veteran, proclaims that
Anthony has forgotten his values and shouldn't use the Vietnam War as an excuse for his actions, sentencing him to fifteen years to life. Anthony, furious at his sentence, throws a chair at the judge before being escorted away by bailiffs. The final scene shows Anthony looking
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Jose plants an explosive device on the escaping truck to blow off the door, but instead it destroys the entire vehicle. Delilah saves
Anthony's life by killing one of the guards. A second guard appears and shoots Delilah multiple times, killing her. As the group collects what cash they can from the
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gave the film a mixed 2.5 star review, and explained that the directing duo "have a sure sense of the camera, of actors, of the life within a scene. But they are not as sure when it comes to story and meaning, and here is a film that feels incomplete, as if its last step is into thin air. Scene by
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called the film "both expected and surprising, familiar and yet somehow different. Made with fluid skill and a passion for storytelling, its tale of how the
Vietnam War and American society affect a black Marine remains accessible while confounding expectations."
484:(NYPD) officer who unknowingly stumbles upon the robbery, leading to Kirby being shot in the arm and Skip killing the officer. At the same time, Anthony and Jose are spotted by the truck's driver, causing a shootout with the security guards.
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burning wreckage, they flee and split up to escape the police. Jose gets cornered in an alley by an approaching police car. When he shoots the officer, he is hit by the car and killed as the car crashes into a wall.
503:. As Kirby and Anthony prepare to flee to Mexico, police raid the bar. Kirby tries to distract the officers to allow Anthony to flee, but it is to no avail, as multiple officers corner Anthony and arrest him.
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The next day, the group strategically position themselves around the street, armed with weapons and disguised with face paint, ready to ambush the truck. The plan goes awry when Cleon is approached by a
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scene you feel its skill, but you leave the theater wondering about the meaning of it all." The early scenes were the best, according to Ebert, and the film "goes off the rails" in the final act.
495:. Anthony drives over to Cleon's church to speak to him, only to find him being led out the front door in handcuffs by two detectives. Cleon gives up the other robbers as part of a remorseful
1113:"MOVIE REVIEW : A Bronx Tale Written in Vietnam : 'Dead Presidents' Is an Unsettling Tale of a Black Marine Who Returns From the War and Finds His Home and Himself Forever Changed"
659:
Principal photography commenced on
October 31, 1994. The production filmed through the remainder of the year and into early February across a variety of locations, including location shoots
667:, New York. Sound stages in Queens and Los Angeles served as interior locations. All Vietnam scenes were shot in Florida, with former celery farm Lee Ranch serving as the outdoor sets.
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The film depicts the struggle of returning war veterans of color who are neglected by the US government and the mistreatment of
Vietnam veterans. Many black and Latino veterans of the
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felt the film "takes on much more than it can handle." Comparing the film with the Hughes
Brother's previous film James said, "The Hugheses obviously knew the world and generation of
510:. Anthony also pleas for leniency, expressing remorse for the deaths of those involved, and that he did what he did out of desperation and hardship. However the judge, a Marine and
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400:. Once in Vietnam, Curtis and his squad lose several fellow Marines during combat, and commit several atrocities of their own, such as executing enemy prisoners and beheading
388:, leaving behind his middle-class family, his girlfriend Juanita, and small-time crook Kirby, who is like a second father. Anthony's close friend, Skip, later joins Curtis'
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may eventually box itself into a narrative dead end, but its muscular engagement of weighty themes and explosive situations makes it a powerful drama."
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is based partly on the real-life experiences of
Haywood T. Kirkland (aka Ari S. Merretazon), whose true story was detailed in the book
356:. Certain characters from the film are based on real acquaintances of Kirkland, who served time in prison after committing robbery in
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457:) or his infant daughter. After an argument with Juanita, Anthony meets her sister, Delilah, who is now a member of the "
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gave the film a positive review stating, "In all respects an extremely ambitious follow-up to their crackling debut,
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In court, Anthony's lawyer pleads for a fair sentence, noting that he served his country in the
Marines and earned a
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When
Anthony returns to the Bronx in 1973, he finds returning to "normal" life impossible. Skip is now an
1221:"#83: Mark and Jack Howard compare their top 5 most underrated films - Part 2 - Kermode on Film on Acast"
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they trusted the audience more, immersing them in a violent world the film explained without condoning."
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Not long after the heist, Kirby hears that Cleon has been giving out $ 100 bills and purchased a new
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924:"'Dead Presidents' Precedent: The Heist Is Only Half of the Story, Says the Man Who Pulled It Off"
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were denied benefits, compensation, and recognition for their efforts in serving their country.
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1149:"Dead Presidents (1995) FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW; The Evolution of a Very Confused Young Man"
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reports that 49% of critics gave the film a positive rating, based on 35 reviews with an
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placed it at number two in his countdown of top five underrated films of all time.
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group. Anthony, Kirby, Skip, Jose, Delilah and Cleon devise a plan to rob an
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After being laid off from his job at a butcher shop, on the verge of
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In 1969, Anthony Curtis, a soon-to-be high school graduate in
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Bloods: An Oral
History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans
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received mixed reviews from critics. Film review aggregator
454:
1001:"A Strong Cast Lends Support To Wobbly 'Dead Presidents'"
16:
1995 film directed by Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes
326:. The film chronicles the life of Anthony Curtis (
431:, and Cleon, the squad's religious but homicidal
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396:. His other friend, Jose, is drafted into the
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739:, but that is only part of the problem. In
1536:Films about post-traumatic stress disorder
1516:Films about the United States Marine Corps
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954:Evans-Pfeifer, Kelly. American Veterans.
322:co-written, produced and directed by the
72:Learn how and when to remove this message
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969:"Dead Presidents | Miscellaneous Notes"
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894:
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1161:from the original on December 19, 2013
1481:Films directed by the Hughes brothers
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1231:from the original on October 15, 2023
1201:from the original on December 2, 2013
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1125:from the original on October 15, 2023
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1089:from the original on December 3, 2013
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446:, and suffering from heavily induced
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338:. As he returns to his hometown in
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1546:English-language crime drama films
1049:from the original on July 12, 2022
515:out the window of his prison bus.
472:making a stop at the Noble Street
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936:from the original on May 22, 2022
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241:Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
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21:Dead Presidents (disambiguation)
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981:from the original on 2022-07-25
956:Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War
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435:, is now a devoted minister in
415:addict; Jose, forced to wear a
1185:"Dead Presidents Movie Review"
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999:Boyar, Jay (October 6, 1995).
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561:Rose Jackson as Juanita Benson
384:rather than go to college. He
1:
974:Turner Classic Movie Database
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366:Brink's armored truck robbery
1531:1990s English-language films
1476:Films scored by Danny Elfman
815:Released: September 26, 1995
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392:squad after dropping out of
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1073:"Review: 'Dead Presidents'"
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627:as Attorney Salvatore Rizzo
380:, chooses to enlist in the
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1471:American crime drama films
1385:Knights of the South Bronx
482:New York Police Department
404:corpses for war trophies.
382:United States Marine Corps
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735:better than the past of
429:James A. Farley Building
231:Underworld Entertainment
44:may need to be rewritten
1511:American neo-noir films
1319:Albert and Allen Hughes
856:Released: April 2, 1996
850:Dead Presidents, Vol. 2
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371:
1526:Films about alcoholism
1491:Films set in the 1970s
1486:Films set in the 1960s
1466:Caravan Pictures films
1456:1995 crime drama films
1147:(September 29, 1995).
556:Freddy Rodríguez
1496:Films set in Brooklyn
1195:Sun-Times Media Group
779:Peak chart positions
512:Battle of Guadalcanal
362:Black Liberation Army
1541:1990s American films
1461:American heist films
1393:New York, I Love You
922:(October 15, 1995).
474:Federal Reserve Bank
19:For other uses, see
1183:(October 4, 1995).
1111:(October 4, 1995).
1071:(October 2, 1995).
929:The Washington Post
621:as Officer Spinelli
615:as Lieutenant Dugan
601:Elizabeth Rodriguez
461:Cadre", a militant
318:is a 1995 American
129:Michael Henry Brown
117:Michael Henry Brown
108:The Hughes Brothers
1317:Works directed by
1227:. April 30, 2020.
1154:The New York Times
882:List of hood films
728:The New York Times
398:United States Army
386:deploys to Vietnam
224:Hollywood Pictures
1521:Vietnam War films
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1190:Chicago Sun-Times
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1033:"Dead Presidents"
902:"Photo Galleries"
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589:Michael Imperioli
577:James Pickens Jr.
567:as Delilah Benson
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1233:. Retrieved
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1205:November 23,
1203:. Retrieved
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1181:Ebert, Roger
1175:
1165:November 23,
1163:. Retrieved
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1145:James, Caryn
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1129:November 23,
1127:. Retrieved
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1093:November 23,
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1011:the original
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409:Agent Orange
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299:$ 10 million
271:Running time
248:Release date
209:Danny Elfman
199:Dan Lebental
189:Lisa Rinzler
161:Chris Tucker
139:Allen Hughes
127:Allen Hughes
68:
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48:Please help
43:
41:lead section
1420:Albert only
1401:Broken City
766:Soundtracks
747:Roger Ebert
723:Caryn James
686:of 5.8/10.
649:Vietnam War
619:Tony Sirico
609:as "Cowboy"
532:Keith David
526:Larenz Tate
508:Silver Star
470:armored car
463:Black power
419:hand, is a
411:victim and
332:Vietnam War
328:Larenz Tate
275:119 minutes
156:Keith David
151:Larenz Tate
134:Produced by
104:Directed by
1451:1995 films
1445:Categories
1377:Allen only
985:2022-07-25
888:References
655:Production
635:uncredited
603:as Marisol
597:as "Cutty"
459:Nat Turner
451:nightmares
444:alcoholism
421:pyromaniac
417:prosthetic
320:crime film
304:Box office
259:1995-10-04
216:Production
1358:From Hell
906:USA Today
671:Reception
552:as Martin
402:Viet Cong
378:The Bronx
358:facepaint
340:The Bronx
218:companies
195:Edited by
62:July 2022
1326:Together
1229:Archived
1199:Archived
1159:Archived
1123:Archived
1087:Archived
1047:Archived
1043:Flixster
1017:July 25,
979:Archived
940:July 25,
934:Archived
876:See also
661:Brooklyn
546:as Cleon
534:as Kirby
501:overdose
493:Cadillac
288:Language
205:Music by
144:Starring
122:Story by
1235:May 20,
1078:Variety
1053:May 13,
958:. 1996.
820:Capitol
818:Label:
749:of the
712:of the
695:Variety
540:as Skip
466:Marxist
427:at the
425:postman
291:English
280:Country
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1404:(2013)
1396:(2008)
1388:(2005)
1369:(2010)
1361:(2001)
1353:(1999)
1345:(1995)
1337:(1993)
837:: Gold
776:Album
741:Menace
643:Themes
413:heroin
296:Budget
1428:Alpha
844:1996
803:1995
773:Year
390:Recon
334:as a
1260:IMDb
1237:2021
1207:2013
1167:2013
1131:2013
1095:2013
1055:2022
1019:2022
942:2022
789:U.S.
663:and
519:Cast
455:pimp
448:PTSD
372:Plot
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