Make Your Day

When the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema screens the ’70s rogue-cop classic Dirty Harry as part of its On the Case series of crime cinema, it will be more than just a chance to see one of Clint Eastwood’s defining roles on the big screen. The movie is a veritable history lesson...
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When the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema screens the ’70s rogue-cop classic Dirty Harry as part of its On the Case series of crime cinema, it will be more than just a chance to see one of Clint Eastwood’s defining roles on the big screen. The movie is a veritable history lesson in cops on film.

Dirty Harry is the first rule-breaking cop, the one who throws the book out the window and does his own thing to get the bad guys,” says Elisabeth Rappe, the Alamo’s social-media maven and an Eastwood expert who will introduce the film.

“Everyone thinks of John McClane and Martin Riggs and the cops from Bad Boys, but it’s Dirty Harry that started that ‘lone-wolf cop on the hunt for a killer’ that’s become such a pop-culture staple.”

Even if the cinematic roots of the “rogue cop on a mission” trope don’t interest you, there’s always Eastwood’s classic flinty-eyed performance and the ripped-from-the-headlines plot about the pursuit of a serial killer who’s a barely fictionalized version of the infamous Zodiac Killer — not to mention swag-eriffic commemorative buttons.

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See Dirty Harry tonight at 7 p.m. at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 7301 South Santa Fe Drive in Littleton. For more info and tickets, $10.50, visit drafthouse.com/denver.
Sun., March 16, 7 p.m., 2014

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