Maybe one of the best "hey, gang, let's save a village from desperate bandits" pictures ever made. Film made a star of Steve McQueen, of course, and launched the careers for Robert Vaughn and James "The Knife Slinger" Coburn.
Based of course on the classic Akira Kurosawa film "Seven Samurai" (1954) with Tirshiro Mifune. Kurosawa was so impressed with this American version that, according to film critic Robert Osborne, he sent director John Sturges an authentic samurai sword as a gift.
Seeing these clips and hearing that great Elmer Bernstein music again, I don't know whether to rent the movie again or go out and buy a pack of Marlboros.
Great! Great! Great movie!! They definatly do not make them like that anymore. Oh no I just sounded old!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many people remember this was also the theme to the old Marlboro cigarette commercials?
ReplyDeletecrabbyman: Totally agree. Maybe not the absolutely best Western ever made--but it sure as heck was the coolest.
ReplyDeleteAnd just remember, if you even think you're old, remember...I'm even older.
astroguy: Yes, I wondered that myself. They stopped running cigarette ads on television in the early 70's as I recall, so I am dating myself there. But I imagine a few younger folks have seen those ads reprised on documentaries. Some of those "Marlboro Men" unforetunetly came down with lung cancer.
I am not sure which Western I liked best, There were so many good ones
ReplyDeleteDon't know if i could pick one either. Off the top of my head: "High Noon", "The Searchers", "Butch Cassidy...", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", et al
ReplyDeleteAll would be good choices. Ialso like True Grit, Pale Ride, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Silverado.
ReplyDelete"Josey Wales" is a very authentic western, the beginning of a more mature phase in Eastwood's films--still shooting a lot, but more as a vengeful anti-hero, and less as a laconic hell-riser. This new style reached its peak in the grim despair of "Unforgiven".
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