Sunday, BBC2, 10:00pm
Mike Hodges’ Get Carter (1971) is a brutal, no-nonsense slice of British noir, with Michael Caine at his coldest and most lethal. Playing Jack Carter, a London gangster who returns to Newcastle to investigate his brother’s suspicious death, Caine exudes a chilling efficiency as he cuts through the seedy underbelly of Britain’s industrial north. The film’s grimy realism, stark cinematography, and unapologetic violence make it a landmark of British cinema—far removed from the glossy capers of the Swinging Sixties. If James Bond had an evil twin, this would be him, minus the cocktails and charm.
Now, let's talk about the music—because Get Carter is as much about its sound as its smog-choked visuals. The score, composed by jazz pianist Roy Budd, is nothing short of genius. The main theme, built around a hypnotic Wurlitzer electric piano riff, a relentless bassline, and sinister harpsichord flourishes, sets the film’s tone perfectly—cool, eerie, and effortlessly menacing. Budd, an astonishing talent who composed scores for Fear Is the Key and The Stone Killer, recorded the soundtrack on a shoestring budget with just three musicians, yet it remains one of the most influential British film scores ever. It's been sampled, covered, and reinterpreted countless times, proving that menace never goes out of style.
For soundtrack collectors, an original pressing of the Get Carter LP is a prized possession, fetching a pretty penny on the vinyl market. Thankfully, various reissues have made Budd’s masterpiece more accessible, and its influence lingers in contemporary cinema—any time you hear a pulsing electric piano in a crime film, you can bet someone had Get Carteron their turntable at some point. As for the film itself, its influence is immeasurable, even if the 2000 Sylvester Stallone remake tried (and failed) to capture its essence. Some things should just be left alone—like a properly mixed whisky, or Michael Caine with a shotgun.
- Daisy Rae