Films that influenced Potsy Ponciroli’s ’Motor City’

As Potsy Ponciroli’s Motor City lands in US theaters this Friday, the director shares a list of films that influenced his revenge crime actioner. Read more for his accompanying notes for each pick. Drive I was chasing the mood of this film hard. The lonely nights, the sodium vapor glow, the way the city seems to breathe after midnight. It’s a film that understands atmosphere can tell as much of the story as dialogue. I wanted Detroit to feel the same way. Beautiful, dangerous, and quietly heartbroken. Bullitt Steve McQueen! One of the coolest dudes who ever lived. Effortless. He had to do so little to command the screen. Bullitt is a masterclass in confidence, restraint, and silence. It shows subtle looks can be far more powerful than speeches. The French Connection I’ve always loved how The French Connection makes every chase feel like it could fall apart at any second. There’s no polish to it, just momentum and danger. That crunch and real, rawness became the base for the action in Motor City. The Goonies The one that started it all! This is the movie that made me want to become a filmmaker. I (like almost everyone) must have watched it a hundred times growing up. The way it captures the spirit of adventure and wonder. The bravery and friendships… It’s something that has stuck with me and always will. True Romance At its heart, True Romance is a story about two people who believe love is worth risking absolutely everything for. That idea found its way into the DNA of Motor City from the very beginning… only Motor City offers a different look at love through the love triangle. The Count of Monte Cristo I’ve always loved that beneath all the revenge and adventure, this is really a story about a man trying to reclaim his life. More important… the woman that was stolen from him. Sun City Sun City embraces pulp storytelling in the best way. Every character is iconic, every image feels heightened, and it never apologizes for being larger than life. It reminded me that cool and style can take the forefront in a story. Iconic imagery is everything. Get Carter Get Carter is one of the great revenge films because it didn’t romanticize revenge. It’s showed it as cold, methodical, and to a degree… procedural. Michael Caine moves through that world with a quiet determination. The Crow Such a badass movie. The imagery sticks with you. It’s a revenge movie wrapped inside a tragic love story, and somehow that makes both more powerful. The myth, romance, and violence. Blue Ruin Such a great film! It tackles revenge without the glamour. The violence is awkward, painful, and irreversible. It’s a heightened story with painfully real consequences.