In a sense, it is still a miracle that Hoffman was ever able to get the film made at all. The late 70s were starting to show cracks in the “director as king” theory that permeated the decade and with each non-commercial flop there was, there seemed to be a Star Wars or a Jaws that made studio executives see dollar signs and amusement park rides instead of true art.

 

Straight Time would be one of the very last films that would be made simply because of a star’s desire (Hoffman) to get the material made no matter the lack of commerciality.Straight Time, after nearly 30 years, has lost none of its impact and still remains the most authentic, realistic portrayal of a criminal ever put on screen. It ranks along side the best of the less popular / heralded 70s films that portrayed working class people or people outside the boundaries of contemporary society (i.e. criminals) in a gritty, raw and  uncompromising way that had never been seen before or since including Paul Schrader’s Blue Collar, Arthur Penn’s Night Moves and Jerry Schatzberg’s Scarecrow.  

 

Here’s hoping now that Straight Time is on DVD and available to a larger audience, that this masterpiece will be discovered by a new group of fans. This is as raw and unsettling a film as you are likely to ever see.  You may never want to see it again but YOU MUST watch it once.Straight Time is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.