Sam Peckinpah

I got this on a cheap full-screen crappy DVD edition but don't care to watch it 'til another respectable edition comes out.

First of the classic westerns from Peckinpah, also the swan song of Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. Beautiful westerm with a meditative and nostalgic touch, where Peckinpah already imposes his usual themes that will show up all along his career, minus the violence.

Historic western from wich Peckinpah lost the final cut at the time, leaving the thing butchered a lot. Now available with some of the cut footage back, it still lacks a bit from the narrative point. But it has some great moments with a definitive epic feel. Heston is ok but Richard Harris was way better, and watch for some of Peckinpah's regulars like James Coburn and Warren Oates.

The most representative of Bloody Sam's westerns, THE WILD BUNCH is still one of the greatest in the genre. Here, Peckinpah reveals his bitter comment and nihilistic approach and still that light nostalgic feel at times. Top of the icing : some of the best shootouts ever to be filmed on camera (in the western genre). Everybody in the cast his brilliant, especially William Holden and Robert Ryan as former gangsmates turned against each other.

I saw this first a while back when I was about 20 years old, and boy wasn't it what I was expecting. I expected some kind of follow-up to THE WILD BUNCH and I got some kind of humourous western with a burlesque flair and even a musical moment (yes, a musical moment), but it's still rather enjoyable for everyone with an open mind. Great job by Jason Robards in the lead role.

In a filmography filled with disturbing movies, this one tops 'em all. A most virulent study on violence, the violence wich lurks in human nature and everyone's mind. Here, Dustin Hoffman gives us one of his most memorable roles as an american math teacher having to toss aside his usual amiable self in order to take a stand against some local bullies. Still as stirring today as it was at the time.

Psychological drama about a down-on-his-luck rodeo horseman that returns to his hometown to see his folks. A rather quiet flick for Peckinpah but still interesting, especially for it's depiction of the rodeo competition and to top it all : Steve McQueen. Enough said.

Great crime flick and a solid adaptation of Jim Thompson's novel, even if a bit different. Still this one is one of the best showcases of Peckinpah's talent and style with lots of action and suspense. It sometimes drags a little bit especially with the standard romance between the two main characters but it stills packs a good punch, and McQueen shows his usual King of Cool stuff.

Last western from Peckinpah, it's not perfect but still very good, with some very powerful and yet poetic images. Great soundtrack from Bob Dylan and Kristofferson and Coburn are fine in the leads.

One of the strangest adventure movie's I've seen and probably the one where Peckinpah shows the most his pessimistic and nihilistic nature. The cinematography has that very raw and dirty look throughout the film, and what a powerful performance from Warren Oates !

Standard espionage thriller that is saved by Peckinpah's expertise with some decent action scenes and a good pairing of James Caan and Robert Duvall. I would have left out those ninjas though...

A story of a German batallion during the fall of the Russian front in WWII. This is one of the most underrated of Peckinpah's movies. Raw, dirty amd gritty look as usual, and a very disillusioned tone. One of the most relentless war movies of the 70's, with a great cast uniting James Coburn, James Mason, David Warner and Maximilian Schell, perfect in the part of the cowardly officer.

Least favorite of Peckinpah's for my sake. Trucker movie with a goofball comedy side to it. Kris Kristofferson looks like he's fully bloated and Ali McGraw seems bored as hell. For those who love T & A... and country music.

After a five year hiatus, Peckinpah revisits the espionage world with this Robert Ludlum adaptation. Sometimes slow and some scenes seem to be out of place but it's still an honorable flick. Great depiction of a sense of paranoia and anxiety, the tension is well managed, has a great opening scene and some anthological action scenes that proved that Peckinpah was still a master action director. It was to be unfortunately his last film before his death in 1984.