Cult Director Abel Ferrara is one of the kings of neo-noir. He got his start in gritty, low-budget films in the 1970s, including the grindhouse classic The driller killer. He followed it with Ms 45a cult revenge film, before moving on to more serious crime dramas in the 1990s, including bad lieutenant and king of new york. These Films Explore Complicated Characters Living Outlaws, With Stars’ Career-Best Performances Harvey Keitel and Christopher Walken.
In addition, Ferrara dabbled in science fiction (Body thieves), a vampire movie (Addiction), and several documentaries. His work is defined by provocative subject matter, with a particular focus on morality and religion, alongside tons of violence and harsh urban settings. He remained an independent filmmaker at heart throughout his career. Although not always flawless, his work is never boring. As a result, he was praised by many directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and Edgar Wright.
‘Fear City’ (1984) – IMDb: 5.7/10
city of fear centered on a cop (Billy Dee Williams) and former boxer (Tom Berenger) investigating the murders of several exotic dancers. It is one of Ferrara’s earliest films, and far from his best. It does a good job with the action and the visuals, but the story lacks the complexity or moral ambiguity of its later films.
Nonetheless, Ferrara still manages to deliver 80s trashy goodness, including an abundance of over-the-top fight scenes. There is even a serial killer who is a martial arts master. The right kind of exploitation fan will come out of it.
‘Pasolini’ (2014) – IMDb: 5.9/10
Willem Dafoe stars in this biopic about the Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, one of Ferrara’s greatest influences. Pasolini is probably most famous for his horror art Salò or the 120 days of Sodom. Pasolini tells a fictionalized version of the director’s life since the end of filming Salo until his murder in 1975.
“[Pasolini] is an expression of freedom, an expression of the individual. He is part of the tradition and at the same time he created a tradition,” says Ferrara. “Pasolini was a good guy in the truest sense of the word. He treated people well; he lived with compassion; he lived his whole life with energy and a desire to write, to paint, to act, to direct, to create.”
‘Body Snatchers’ (1993) – IMDb: 6.0/10
Body thieves is Ferrara’s free remake of the 1956 classic Invasion of the Body Thieves. It takes place on a military base in Alabama, where clones replace personnel as part of a massive plot. Steve (Terry Kinney), an EPA agent sent to the base, seeks to find out more alongside his teenage daughter (Gabrielle Awar). At only 87 minutes, Body thieves is a lean, well-made sci-fi game with interesting themes around conformity and freedom.
Ferrara was pushed to make the film because of his love for the author’s original story Jack Finney. “It’s just a beautiful work of fiction, man,” he said. “[It’s about the] spirituality of the writer. Him trying to accept the possibility that the world could explode in his face.”
“Naples, Naples, Naples” (2009) – IMDb: 6.2/10
Napoli, Napoli, Napoli is one of three documentaries directed by Ferrara, the others being Chelsea on the rocks and sports life. It explores the seedier side of Naples, Italy’s third largest city. Ferrara interviews various locals, particularly several inmates at a women’s prison. They talk about their life before and after their incarceration. The interviews are interspersed with fictitious scenes.
The film is an interesting exploration of the causes of urban decay and crime. Ferrara draws connections between the city’s current issues and its history and tries to draw lessons that apply to the world as a whole. Not to mention, it ends with a bizarre but fascinating rap from the director himself, recounting what he learned while making the doc.
“Chinese Girl” (1987) – IMDb: 6.2/10
girl from china is the neo-black version of Ferrara Romeo and Juliet. It follows the relationship between Tony (Richard Panebianco) and Tye (Sari Chang), whose brothers are members of rival gangs. As usual, Ferrara’s mastery of on-screen violence is on full display here. The film is also lightning-paced, clocking in at just 89 minutes.
Additionally, Ferrara manages to deliver a distinctive neon-lit vision of New York’s Little Italy and Chinatown. Tarantino sprang from the film in an episode of The Rewatchables podcast, naming it one of his favorite films of 1987.
“The Addiction” (1995) – IMDb: 6.4/10
Addiction focuses on philosophy student Kathleen (Lili Taylor) who is bitten by a vampire and begins to crave blood. She meets Peina (Christopher Walken), an older vampire who says he’s overcome his blood addiction and offers to help her do the same.
“He’s addicted to everything, not just drugs. He is addicted to alcohol, gambling, casual sex. Power. The power of the badge,” Ferrara said, speaking of Walken’s character. It is one of three collaborations between Ferrara and Walken. “[Walken’s] Giving, intelligent, he is committed to his work, committed to his craft,” says Ferrara. “He gets involved in everything he does, and that gives things a whole new life.
“The Funeral” (1996) – IMDb: 6.6/10
Funerals is a melancholic gangster film about a New York crime family in the 1930s. Using the funeral of one of the brothers as a framing device, the story jumps back and forth in time to tell their story. The two remaining brothers embark on a quest for revenge.
The cast includes several notable ’90s crime actors: Walken, Benicio Del Toro, Chris Penn, and Vincent Gallo. Supposedly, the shoot was pretty raucous. “Abel Ferrara was so crack when I did it Funerals“, said Gallo. “He was never on set. He was in my room trying to steal from me.
‘Mrs. 45’ (1981) – IMDb: 6.8/10
Ms 45 is one of Ferrara’s greatest cult films. It’s a revenge thriller about Thana (played by a frequent collaborator Zoe Tamerlis), a mute woman who is raped twice in the same day. She is traumatized and goes on a killing spree, killing several men.
Ms 45 has since become an influential exploitation classic, echoes of which linger in films like Kill Bill. He succeeds thanks to the excellent performances of Tamerlis. “The film is her and embodies her,” says Ferrara. “The beauty of a film is that it captures a moment in time, and this film captures her as a 17-year-old student at Columbia.”
“The King of New York” (1990) – IMDb: 6.9/10
Walken gives a menacing performance here as a drug lord recently released from prison. He tries to restore his power in the city, while becoming legitimate. Other drug dealers threaten to undermine him, and a team of sleazy cops are determined to send him back to prison.
It’s one of the rawest, grimiest crime movies of the early 90s.”king of new york made scarface look like Mary Poppins“, joked Ferrara. The director filmed it in the heart of New York to give the film an authentic feel. “We shot this so deep in Brooklyn that it took a passport to get there,” he said. “Everyone takes the subway, and you just hope they don’t get lost or mugged on the way.”
‘Bad Lieutenant’ (1992) – IMDb: 7.0/10
Ferrara’s finest film is this gritty drama about sin and redemption. Harvey Keitel stars as the titular crooked cop. He is violent, drug addicted and unstable. After thieves break into a church and rape a nun, Keitel sets out to bring justice to a vigilante. He catches the criminals, takes them prisoner, and then talks to the nun they assaulted. To his surprise, the woman tells him that she has already forgiven her abusers. This triggers a spiritual crisis within Keitel’s character.
Keitel gives one of the darkest and most complex performances of his career. His commitment to the role is truly impressive. It nails the character’s internal struggle with what’s left of his consciousness. The result is a sophisticated exploration of several important themes: religion, justice, and whether true forgiveness is possible. Unsurprisingly, Scorsese loved bad lieutenant and listed it as one of his five favorite films of the 1990s.
10 Best Abel Ferrara Movies, According To IMDb – CNET – ApparelGeek