Saturday, Sept. 10, 1955. America's top-gun cowboy star had a few words for CBS viewers. "My name's Wayne. Some of you may have seen me before. I hope so. I've been kicking around Hollywood a long time. I've made a lot of pictures out here. All kinds. Some of them have been westerns, and that's what I'm here to tell you about tonight. A western. … [Read more...]
‘Major Dundee’: Peckinpah’s messy misadventure
The history of Sam Peckinpah's "Major Dundee" remains every bit as messy as the film itself. Sony's "Extended Version" of the renegade director's 1965 cavalry western aims to make things as right as they can be, but it's clear that whatever Peckinpah had in mind will never be seen. The restored "Dundee" -- which had a brief pre-DVD theatrical … [Read more...]
‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ on DVD
Sergio Leone proudly served up his finest Spaghetti Western to a Roman audience in the final days of 1966. The premiere print of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" sprawled over three hours in telling its tale of three desperados in search of gold amidst the chaos of the Civil War. Leone, a volatile Italian who brought his sensibilities as an art … [Read more...]
