The Warner Archive Collection released "The Wild Rovers" director's cut on dvd. Once again, it's far superior to the butchered studio release. Now we finally see what happened to Karl Malden's character. It even has an overture and intermission interlude of Goldsmith's classic western theme.
This one is definitely worth a look.
We deal in lead, friend.
Criterion has restored Ang Lee's "Ride With the Devil", a little known 1999 film set in the Civil War. I had seen it before, but this version, with restored scenes, blows the original one away.
If you haven't seen it at all yet, or if you've only seen the original cut, rent the new one. It's a much richer experience.
We deal in lead, friend.
The Duke would wash out my ears with lye soap. I just watched all three seasons of "Deadwood" while my wife was out of town for a week.
I feel a bit *$%##@& soiled myself.
We deal in lead, friend.
With the wind chill below zero and the yard looking like a set from "Ice Station Zebra", I just finished watching "The Professionals", another Mexican desert set film. It warmed me just to watch those four magnificent actors mesh together in the title roles (Claudia Cardinale didn't hurt either).
Remember that final line?
We deal in lead, friend.
Spent yesterday afternoon watching John Milius' "Rough Riders". Wasn't sure to list this under Westerns or Non-Westerns but landed it here.
This is a 1997 four hour TNT production with a dream cast and with about the last hour depicting the assaults on Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill. Totally absorbing, informative and entertaining.
We deal in lead, friend.
It's been so cold here in upper New York State I threw on "Duel at Diablo" and cranked up the thermostat. Great cavalry western - dusty, sweaty and pretty graphic for 1966. Love that music.
We deal in lead, friend.
"The Last Hard Men" with Charlton Heston and James Coburn. My good wife thought it was a porno film title.
It could have been much better, but Coburn played against type by never flashing his toothy grin and the music score is a temp track cobbled from Jerry Goldsmith westerns.
Give it a shot if it's new to you
We deal in lead, friend.
The WB Archive restoration of "Yellowstone Kelly". Unimpressive restoration job, but Claude Akins, Warren Oates and John Russell are always worth a look.
We deal in lead, friend.
Just picked up "Hannie Caulder" on DVD. Ernest Borgnine, Strother Martin and Jack Elam are outstanding as homicidal versions of The Three Stooges.
Not great, but it's short and amusing and Robert Culp gives a nifty performance as a bounty hunter.
We deal in lead, friend.
TCM, God Bless 'em, ran the restored "The Big Sky". There's a scene in which Kirk Douglas has to have his finger amputated that is quite funny. Howard Hawk's had originally had the scene for "Red River" but Wayne didn't think that Hawks could pull it off and Duke refused to play it. After seeing it in this movie, Duke never doubted Hawks again.
We deal in lead, friend.
I've got another obscure one that is actually pretty good - "Cannon For Cordoba" with George Peppard and a rousing Elmer Bernstein score. It was on MGMHD and I doubt it's on dvd.
We deal in lead, friend.
ZS, I think "The Sheepman" is a great, unknown western. If I recall, it was written by William Roberts who is also credited with "Magnificent Seven" even though Walter Newman did most of that one.
I just finished an obscure one - "Catlow" - with Yul Brynner, Richard Crenna and a surprisingly sinister Leonard Nimoy. Not world class, but a fun watch.
We deal in lead, friend.
"The Glory Guys" with Tom Tryon, Harve Presnell, Slim Pickens and James Caan. MGM has some new to DVD titles and I had to see this one again. It's a take off of Custer's last stand that was written by Sam Peckinpah after he was deemed untouchable when "Major Dundee" tanked. Oddly enough, Senta Berger and Michael Anderson, Jr. are in both titles.
We deal in lead, friend.
"Rio Conchos", one of the best '60s westerns. Richard Boone and Stuart Whitman are the leads. It was Jim Brown's first movie and Tony Franciosa steals the show as a colorful Mexican. Jerry Goldsmith's music in this one is magical.
It's not on dvd, but Fox Movie Channel aired it last year in letterbox format and I copied it to dvd.
We deal in lead, friend.
Ralph Nelson's ultra controversial "Soldier Blue" on DVD. Found it to be not horrifying at all, but it had obviously trimmed. Candice Bergen acts so woodenly that one suspects Charlie McCarthy was her real brother.
Skip it and watch Nelson's "Duel at Diablo".
We deal in lead, friend.
The "extended" version of "Major Dundee" on DVD. This is one flawed epic that I am compelled to keep re-watching. Simply fascinating.
We deal in lead, friend.
Some guys party or cheat when their wife is out of town. Me, I watched "The Wild Bunch". The Warners dvd has sub par sound and it's not a proper 235-1 ratio, but still worth it.
We deal in lead, friend.
Watched a Warner's Archive dvd of "Mail Order Bride". Nice work by Buddy Ebsen, Warren Oates and Denver Pyle.
We deal in lead, friend.
"The Shootist" was on TCM last night. What a great, sad film.
We deal in lead, friend.
