Shaw is every bit mean as the hyper, uptight, tattooed, profane character played by Travolta in the new film. But as played by Shaw, he is also the center of calm in a hijacked subway car full of fretting passengers. While waiting for their demands to be met, the three edgy partners pace around with cradled firearms and itchy trigger fingers. But Shaw casually works crossword puzzles.

The cast of the original "Pelham" includes an array of memorable supporting parts embodied by New York actors, quite a few of them recognizable character players who would become better known later.

And unlike the new movie's use of Washington and Travolta's star power, this one feels no need to have Matthau and Shaw on camera every moment, as scenes frequently play out with secondary characters in a most satisfying way. Each of Shaw's three partners in crime is well defined and memorable, and several transit-authority employees leave impressions, as do a few of the passengers, the mayor and his deputy, and some of the NYPD cops.

In the new version, James Gandolfini comes across well as the mayor, but Turturro has little to do, and as one of the hijackers, Luis Guzman might as well not be in the film. No one else is in the least bit memorable. (And both films have roughly the same running time; the new version is two minutes longer.)

Washington and Travolta are both quite good, but the new movie is just another flash-and-dash job by Scott, who hasn't made a really great picture since "Crimson Tide." City streets are walked in herky-jerky motions, a car doesn't just crash and flip over (as happens in the first film) but spirals through the air, and during quiet conversations, the camera spins around so much I began to worry that the lens operator might get motion sickness. (Then there's the loud, obnoxious music score peppered with nerve-wracking songs.)

And perhaps worst of all, in the cynical 21st century, Washington can't just play an honest everyman thrown into unintended heroics; he has to be "flawed." Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with flawed (see "Die Hard" or "Dirty Harry" or numerous others), but here, Washington's transit worker has committed a serious crime for which he never shows remorse. Does the main character's moral compass have to be this far out of whack?

Washington's commission of a felony supposedly adds depth and allows him to "bond" with Travolta over the radio. But it's unnecessary and makes it a bit harder to identify with this "hero."

In the original, Matthau's character — whose personal life is never addressed — is offered a bribe by Shaw at the end of the film. "No thanks," he quips, "my accountant says that I've accepted enough for this fiscal quarter." What a difference 35 years makes.

And the final scene of the original film is a classic. Without giving the end away, suffice it to say that Matthau's last word of dialogue, and then a "look" that only Matthau could give, offer a hilarious and fitting climax.

No such luck in the new version.

By now, hopefully, you are asking, is the original film available? Yes, it's rentable or can be purchased on DVD. And it's also available for free at Fancast.com, where it can be watched on your computer.

Trust me. The original "Taking of Pelham One Two Three" is what a summer movie should be. And it beats getting a headache at the multiplex with the new film.

E-MAIL: hicks@desnews.com