Western Movies

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Excellent review of a brilliant film, Dem

Thank you.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

My RUN MAN RUN arrived today -superb package!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Passion (1954)

Starring Cornel Wilde as a young rancher seeking vengeance for the murders of his wife (Yvonne de Carlo - here playing two roles) and his parents. The killers are a ruthless band of land grabbers led by Salvador Sandro, who Wilde, now a fugitive from justice himself thanks to sheriff Raymond Burr, intends to kill one by one.

One of those films that you'd never guess how it would play out from the first twenty minutes.

Passion is a western that's as surprising as it is ludicrously titled. Sounding like a romantic drama, it comes across as very misleading. What we actually have is a brutal revenge thriller set in Mexican ruled Spanish California that seems to pre-empt the Spaghetti western genre by several years, not only that. The final third leaves the sweltering desert towns and plunges us into a chilly snowbound chase across the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Not as low budget as many RKO westerns, the film features some nice photography and the script is quite gripping featuring numerous shoot outs. Wilde's knife fight with Lon Chaney Jr is as savage as you'd see in the early fifties.

Recommended, but the dvd from Screenbound isn't the sexiest print you'll find.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Passion (1954)

Recommended, but the dvd from Screenbound isn't the sexiest print you'll find.

I hadn't heard of Passion, let alone seen it, but your fine review has intrigued me enough to put it on my wishlist and begin researching reviews and different DVD releases.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Day of the Outlaw (1959)

Starring Robert Ryan and Burl Ives. Ryan's rancher, in town to kill the man who married the woman he loves, ends up a hostage along with the townsfolk of Burl Ives band of cut throats who are being trailed by the cavalry. Realising the outlaws will kill everyone in the small town Ryan offers to take them over the thick snow covered mountain to safety before the cavalry arrive.

A memorable, even revisionist western whose protagonists are as cruel and unforgiving as the bleak isolated wintry landscapes of Wyoming. Stark black and white photography maximizes the impact of the brutal uncompromising weather conditions as does the brooding score from Alexander Courage - a name perhaps not as well known as Elmer Bernstein or Ennio Morricone when it comes to westerns but most famous for scoring the theme to the original Star Trek series in 1968.

The dialogue is beautifully written and not a line is wasted as the 93 minutes positively fly by. The tension ramps up from the moment Ryan rides into town complaining about barb wire fences on his land and never lets go until the final climactic gunfight which is truly remarkable and unlike one i've ever seen before or since.

Day of the Outlaw is a western that ignores the usual genre cliche's and is sure to make you turn up the heating too.

Eureka's Masters of Cinema Blu-ray looks and sounds terrific.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Day of the Outlaw (1959)

Starring Robert Ryan and Burl Ives. Ryan's rancher, in town to kill the man who married the woman he loves, ends up a hostage along with the townsfolk of Burl Ives band of cut throats who are being trailed by the cavalry. Realising the outlaws will kill everyone in the small town Ryan offers to take them over the thick snow covered mountain to safety before the cavalry arrive.

A memorable, even revisionist western whose protagonists are as cruel and unforgiving as the bleak isolated wintry landscapes of Wyoming. Stark black and white photography maximizes the impact of the brutal uncompromising weather conditions as does the brooding score from Alexander Courage - a name perhaps not as well known as Elmer Bernstein or Ennio Morricone when it comes to westerns but most famous for scoring the theme to the original Star Trek series in 1968.

The dialogue is beautifully written and not a line is wasted as the 93 minutes positively fly by. The tension ramps up from the moment Ryan rides into town complaining about barb wire fences on his land and never lets go until the final climactic gunfight which is truly remarkable and unlike one i've ever seen before or since.

Day of the Outlaw is a western that ignores the usual genre cliche's and is sure to make you turn up the heating too.

Eureka's Masters of Cinema Blu-ray looks and sounds terrific.

Great review Dem. I enjoyed Day of the Outlaw immensely and its long overdue a rewatch. So many films so little time

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

[Prince_Vajda]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

High Plains Drifter (1973)

A classy western about a mysterious stranger who basically takes over a frontier mining town that's terrified of three outlaws fresh out of jail who are returning to mete out their own brand of frontier justice on the corrupt town. Taking advantage of the towns folk's fear the stranger takes what he wants and does what he wants whilst the frightened citizens can do nothing about it.

Clint Eastwood daubs the word 'Hell' over the town of Lago's sign but it could quite easily have been 'Retribution' as the great man plays the vengeful spirit of a marshal whipped to death in the street by the three criminals whilst the towns folk stood by watching doing nothing to help the stricken law man.

Depending on which i've watched the most recently this vies with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) as Eastwood's greatest western. It's a stylish, brutal allegory with jet black humour and paranoia to the fore.

One of those films that's once seen, never forgotten.

Fine wording, Dem.

One of my favourite (Western) films.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

Great review Dem. I enjoyed Day of the Outlaw immensely and its long overdue a rewatch. So many films so little time

Thanks. I think last night was my fourth time of watching. It's a film that never feels tired and i tend to pick out little things each time i watch that i'd not seen before.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Day of the Outlaw (1959)

Day of the Outlaw is a western that ignores the usual genre cliche's and is sure to make you turn up the heating too.

Eureka's Masters of Cinema Blu-ray looks and sounds terrific.

Great review, Dem

Day of the Outlaw is another highly western I haven't seen but, because of your review, have added it to my wish list and will keep a lookout for the Masters of Cinema release. (I still haven't bought The Man from Laramie)

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Amazon are showing The Naked Spur as a release on Blu for 3rd April.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Naked-S...A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

This would be very welcome. It's already available on demand from the Warners store but i'm pleased it's getting an official release.