Some great tension is piled on, which is relieved by bits of humor from the cast. I love the claustrophobic setting, also how it's such a time capsule of 70s New York.

When it comes to original vs remake always go with the original. More often than not you end up with the better picture.

The dialogue and acting are the strongest aspect of this film. I would argue to say the dialogue is what makes this film hold up. Not only do I enjoy the New York accents, but a lot of the hostages and co-workers had a lot of personality shine through their dialogue. Maybe it's also in tandem with they're acting, but overall I felt invested with these characters. Clearly the technology is outdated in the subway control room, but it's still well paced.

It's a great, tight little film - 1hr 44 minutes and few of them wasted. Walter Matthau was the biggest name in the film, but the man who steals the show is Robert Shaw whose icy intelligence and cynicism shines through in every role he plays. The twist that apparently surprised the police was completely obvious to me from the start, but perhaps only because the movie itself is a minor classic so I probably heard about how it goes somewhere. Also I am fairly sure the basic premise has been stolen subsequently in a few movies... One of the most atmospheric film invocations of gritty New York in the 1970s (though of course NY may not have been quite like it at the time!)

so much of the DNA for 1994's Speed is taken from this.