“Oh my God, that’s my daughter.” According to John Milius, Paul Schrader visited all sorts of adult attractions and BDSM bars like the ones featured in the film for work and for attempted pleasure. It’s that openness towards, and genuine curiosity for, these taboo practices which serves Schrader as a storyteller, informing the vulnerability of his lead character: a deeply religious Mid-westerner (a moving and tremendous George C. Scott) who searches the L.A. porno underworld for his runaway daughter. This is an odyssey into every parent’s nightmare and one God-fearing man’s heart of darkness.
“4 Stars … contains moments of pure revelation.” – Roger Ebert
Kim Morgan discusses Hardcore on the New Beverly blog.
