Taps (1981)

[The Great Owl]

Apologies if there is already a thread for this disc, but I could not find one in the searches.



After 141 years of molding young men into soldiers and instilling them with the values of honor and discipline, the prestigious Bunker Hill Military Academy is on the verge of closing its doors, in light of a decision by its board of trustees to sell the property for real estate. The school’s commandant, Brigadier General Bache, played by George C. Scott, has no intention of going quietly, and, during a meeting with the newly promoted Cadet Major Brian Moreland, played by Timothy Hutton, he rails against the soft nature of civilians, and states with conviction that, after a lifetime of distinguished service in the armed forces, he is determined to win the battle to keep the institution open. After an unexpected tragedy, however, the General is removed from the campus and suffers a heart attack. Under the leadership of Moreland, the cadets take matters into their own hands to protect their home. After assuming control of the weapons and ammunition in the school armory, they barricade the academy walls and set up patrol stations around its perimeter. With the reasoned and hesitant Alex, played by Sean Penn in his first feature film role, and the recklessly gung-ho Shawn, played by Tom Cruise in his second movie appearance, at his side, Moreland prepares for a fierce standoff as the local police, concerned parents, and the National Guard gather outside the gates.

The 1981 drama, Taps, which was directed by Harold Becker (The Onion Field, Vision Quest) and based on a 1979 novel by Devery Freeman, had quite an impact on me when it aired on HBO during my childhood, and I was not prepared at my young age for its unrelentingly bleak conclusion. Like Hutton’s serious-minded protagonist, I was awed and inspired by the dignified manner of George C. Scott’s elderly General, but the story provided me with my first clue that I may not be destined for the strict regimens of a military life. These days, when I revisit this movie with the scrutiny of an adult perspective, I find certain aspects of the narrative to be laughably contrived and cloyingly earnest. Nonetheless, I believe that it is a masterfully affecting tale of what could happen when impressionable children, who are brought up in an austere academic setting to embrace unyieldingly idealistic concepts of honor, are left to their own devices in a volatile scenario.

Hutton, who was fresh off of an Academy Award win for his acting in the 1980 Robert Redford film, Ordinary People, conveys the perfect blend of toughness and conflicted resolve. Scott, who could play this type of character in his sleep after his acclaimed work in Patton (1970), makes the most of his limited screen time. Cruise shines in an early example of his more zealous dramatic tendencies. Penn, however, steals the show at every turn in a performance that would pave the way for marvelously intense parts in subsequent movies.

Be on the lookout for Ronny Cox (Deliverance, Robocop) as a National Guard colonel who attempts to diffuse the situation.

This 20th Century Fox Blu-ray delivers a pleasant transfer, although I would not be surprised if an updated presentation were to come down the pipes in the future. A couple of retrospectives, featuring input from Hutton, are engaging and informative, as is the director commentary track.

[balthazar_bee]

Just saw this for the first time yesterday -- had no idea what it was about, just threw it on.

Was not prepared for Tom Cruise's nascent ownage, particularly in the final act.

[bonehica]

Wow, this has fallen off my radar over the years. Thanks for the review and for bringing it back to my attention.

[The Great Owl]

After watching the Kino Lorber Blu-ray of Losin’ It this past weekend, I decided to go down Tom Cruise memory lane by revisiting All the Right Moves and Taps.

Talk about a flood of nostalgia...

[SeanJoyce]

I disagree with you that Penn steals the movie...I think Cruise owns it and I echo a previous poster, his final scene is glorious.

[OneWayFilms]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

After watching the Kino Lorber Blu-ray of Losin’ It this past weekend, I decided to go down Tom Cruise memory lane by revisiting All the Right Moves and Taps.

Talk about a flood of nostalgia...

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

I disagree with you that Penn steals the movie...I think Cruise owns it and I echo a previous poster, his final scene is glorious.

Oh course, Tom's VERY first motion picture was a small cameo role in ENDLESS LOVE where he is a friend at school who talks about his experience of lighting a stack of wet newspapers on fire and how much smoke it made. Of course, this discussion influences David, the main character to do the very same thing for a very different purpose.

[CelestialAgent]

Picked up a used copy for £5 (!) recently, not watched it yet but looking forward to it

[The Great Owl]

It all started to fall apart when somebody changed the channel while they were watching Star Trek on the school television.

[jmspls72]

Sweet will be keepn an I on this one. Day one for me

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jmspls72

Sweet will be keepn an I on this one. Day one for me

This is an older Blu-ray, and it can be purchased from Amazon for eight dollars and change.

There’s no existing thread for it, though, to the best of my knowledge, so I started one. This release should not fly under the radar.

[Batmon77]

TAPS is classic and predates the Brat-Pack of The Outsiders, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, etc.

Even if Penn and Cruise do their thing, Hutton is the anchor of that film.

[Rzzzz]

Saw this in the theater with some friends when it came out. Yeah, we were blown away. I bought the dvd when it first came out and it's one of my earlier blu ray purchases. It's a film I can never forget....

[SpaceMind]

Love this movie. It's time for a re-watch!

[yellowcakeuf6]

This film was released with a Dolby A-Type 4-track magnetic soundtrack, which was relatively rare by the 1980s. I see there is a Dolby Digital 4.0 option on the disc.

[Torgon]

Loved this movie since I was a kid. Saw it on HBO at my aunt's house (she always let us stay up and watch HBO (which we didn't have)) when we visited. Good stuff through out this flick. I would love to see it released on 4K disc someday.

[Ky-Fi]

Yep, always liked TPS.

"What's 'TPS'?"

"Taps."

"...why don't you just call it 'Taps'?"

[Show spoiler]

[anchor_man]

I think this movie holds up very well at over 40 years old. One interesting theme to me is how the authorities control the narrative through media to influence the outcome, and makes me wonder how the portrayed events would unfold differently today. Of course the greater tragic irony of the cadets' own limited and naive worldview is not lost on me either. And what an epic ending with Tom Cruise - loved it!

[Rzzzz]

Agreed. A timeless classic and a break out performance by Tom Cruise. It deserves to be seen by every generation...