*SPOILERS?* Notable for having one of the most disastrous getaways of any heist film, the most distracting Welsh-disguised-as-New-York-accent I've ever seen, a truly impotent and therefore a real short-tempered henchman who Connery has to give a little glove slap to. I think, at one point, Connery doesn't even rough him up, he just pushes him by the burlap mask until he stumbles over like Porky Pig in a jumpsuit. I don't know. Dog Day Afternoon, Reservoir Dogs, or the lesser known Friends of Eddie Coyle are better if you're actually interested in the psychology of the thief instead of them trying to look badass and smoke cigarettes and slap chicks after they bang them. Its what got rich 70's directors like Sidney Lumet boned up enough to film it at least once a decade until his death, and God bless him, why shouldn't he? That being said, as a heist film, its probably only inferior to those that I named. For every Anderson Tapes, there are a dozen Bank Jobs, Snatches, Lock, Stocks, and Smoking Barrels, and Things to Do in Denver When You're Deads. That last one probably doesn't roll off the tongue quite as smooth. But its a pathetic film with guys pointing guns before swapping opinions on pop-culture. You get the idea. Anderson Tapes on the other hand, has Sean Connery pre-hair loss, great direction, and Christopher Walken looking emotionless about the things that make normal humans have to pop a couple Xanax before doing. Or maybe its because he was told "You're playing the part of bad guy number 3. Your name is the Kid and you wear a mask and drive a Volkswagen for the gang."

The 2nd of the Sidney Lumet/Sean Connery collaborations is an early entry in the 70s surveillance/paranoia genre combined with a fairly standard heist storyline as a con having only just got out of sing sing decides there is a killing to made from a New York town-house full of wealthy types. Featuring an interesting score from Quincy Jones and superbly crisp editing Joanne Burke (ever notice how often editors are women?) Lumet as usual doesn't waste a moment with everything moving a clip as the plan is hatched, takes shape and is executed. There are one or two style touches that are very much of the era esp the tape playback moments early in the film and brief flash forwards during the burglary sequence.As for the tapes in the title ah well....that would be telling.Christopher Walken makes his debut and you have to wonder why it would be another six or so years before his career took off, cos he's obvious star material. Everyone else is good value for their efforts esp veterans Margaret Hamilton and Judith Lowry as the bickering "spinster" couple in one of the apartments.

The extent to which unauthorized and illegal bugging is practiced by Government Agencies in the USA is the subject of this crime thriller. The crime itself is not so much ingenious as audacious. But this one has a twist! Although the pre-planning sequences are somewhat slow and over-talkative, once the robbery itself gets under way, our interest is fully captured, and it is resolved in a thrillingly staged climax. Like many of director Sidney Lumet's productions, the film was made entirely in New York City. Our interest is also enhanced by some ingratiating portrayals, particularly Martin Balsom's study of a phony antique dealer. Sean Connery fills the main role adequately but with little of the distinction he brought to James Bond. However, Dyan Cannon makes an attractive female lead. Nevertheless, the whole film would benefit considerably by at least twenty minutes of deft trimming. Even some of the climactic scenes need speeding up, but most of the slow passages occur in the first half of the movie.

Duke Anderson (Sean Connery) is an unrepentant thief just released from prison after 9 years. He reconnects with his old girlfriend Ingrid (Dyan Cannon) living in a rich apartment building. He plans to rob the entire building on Labor Day weekend. What he doesn't know is that there is surveillance everywhere, and his crew is surrounded.This director Sidney Lumet movie is trying to say that we're being monitored all the time. I don't think it was effectively inserted into this basic heist movie. I think the movie works a lot better without this over the top aspect. I also didn't like the clinky annoying sound effects, or the flash forward inserts. They keep breaking up any tension from the heist and the cops surrounding the building. It could have been a lot better.