Wagon Tracks

Starring:William S. Hart, Jane Novak, Robert McKim, Lloyd Bacon, Leo Pierson, Bert Sprotte, Charles Arling
Director: Lambert Hillyer
Studio: Unknown Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
Not your typical western, this is a tale of the wagon trains that rolled west through scorching deserts and hostile Indian territory. It's got a twist: there's a murderer in this wagon train, and it's up to expedition leader William S. Hart to find him!

There's a great sequence here in which Hart coerces a confession from the killer. Think of the climactic scenes of "Greed", add a dash of frontier justice, and you'll get the idea. And the movie only builds from there... the wagon train hasn't even met the Indians yet!

This is just the kind of film that made Hart the leading western hero of the World War I era. Here he's rugged and tough, and there's barely a trace of the weepily over-sensitive persona that would diminish later films like "Wild Bill Hickok." Practically all of "Wagon Tracks" takes place on location, giving it a gruelingly authentic feel never found in your typical horse opera. Organ score by Bob Vaughn.

Amazon.com

According to a revelation, Pacifica, the heroine of the broadcast series Scrapped Princess (2003), will cause the end of the world on her 16th birthday. What exactly that prophecy means isn't clear, and the narrative falters amid a welter of characters, who multiply like coat hangers in a closet. Shannon, Pacifica's older brother-protector, meets a mysterious girl-spirit named Zefiris who announces that he is her master. She gives him the magical powers needed to defeat Galil, one of a cadre of powerful beings known as Peace Makers, who are bent on killing Pacifica before she turns 16. A secondary plot involving a sinister baroness, her adopted son/agent, a corrupt cardinal, and the god Mauser only adds to the confusion. The filmmakers are so busy introducing and discarding characters, they seem to have lost track of the story. (Rated 13 and older: violence, brief nudity) --Charles Solomon

Description

The journey continues as they successfully evade the forces of Mauser. But a bounty on Pacifica's head is now set and a bounty hunter aims to collect using poison to end her life. Raquel and Leo must now set out on a dangerous journey to try and find an antidote before it is too late. Powerful beings called the "Peacemakers", who claim it is their destiny to rule humanity can no longer wait and observe as time is running out and as prophecy predicts, "the world will be destroyed when the Princess turns 16."

Customer Reviews:

One Step Up and Two Steps Back.......2006-10-24

One would think that our party might catch a break after leaving town. But, instead they are attacked by an unusual assasin, which causes a crisis for Pacifica's friend Leopold, and reunites her with the man who first tried to kill her as a baby. Later, an abandoned girl attaches herself to Shannon, ultimately resulting in tension and heartbreak amoung the siblings. More clues are provided as to the truth of what's happening, and Shannon gains a powerful ally(?) as this unusual story moves forward.
There's alot more going on here than is evident at first glance, and the writers are careful to build things slowly. As before, the animation is superb, and the whole thing works very well from a technical standpoint, though I find myself relying on the captions instead of the recorded dialogue. It's a small price to pay for a great story.

The Best Anime Ever !! ^_^.......2006-09-22

After watching the first volume, there was no doubt in my mind to watch the rest of the series and buy all of the DVDs. Scrapped Princess is definitely the best anime I have ever seen!!

In volume II, the main characters encounter a musician who uses deadly bugs that try to kill Pacifica, the Scrapped Princess. Afterwards Shannon, Pacifica's older brother, proclaims his desire to protect Pacifica from any harm:
"You're right, I swore I would protect her. I promised that I would protect her from anything that tried to take her away from us.
I want power. The power to save her. Enough power to change destiny. Power to fight, even if it makes the whole world and God himself my enemy."
The delimma between protecting an innocent girl or saving the world continues in this volume.

The English voice cast is wonderful. Sometimes they performed better than the Japanese voice cast. The animation and action is a lot better than the first volume. This anime series just keeps getting better and better!!

Bandai did a wonderful job recreating the world of Scrapped Princess for the US audience.

MISREAD PROPHECY?.......2005-09-05

One thing that you know in the world of Scrapped Princess is that you never truly know the real intentions of anyone you encounter. For example in the first episode on this dvd, what seems a chance encounter with a mediocre minstrel, leads to a battle when he reveals himself as a bounty hunter able to control swarms of poisonous insects! And with his big mouth he just might reveal Pacifica's secret to Leo! And there are other more powerful forces moving against the Scrapped Princess. Peacemakers, powerful beings that claim they are servants of God, who can control humans, attack once again. Behind the scenes, Christopher, the assassin from Volume 1 has been sent to investigate the true meaning of the prophecies concerning Pacifica.

Once again this series great strength is in the love between Pacifica, Shannon, and Raquel which allows them to stand against an entire world! While Pacifica wonders whether she would be better off dead, her brother and sister are always there to help her. It seems like most of the people that try to kill them are won over by their kindness and dedication to each other. Hopefully, the prophecies are wrong.

The extras are pitiful with the only one being a textless ending. To me, the picture quality is not as good as it could be, especially when there are dark backgrounds. The Japanese voice acting is superb.

Good series, bad doll.......2005-07-15

Well, if you are looking for a synopsis of the series, look at disk 1.

This is probably one of my faovrite animes, and it's about time they brought it to the USA.

Well now the important notes. This series DVDs as with most anime series DVDs are being released every other month. The doll that comes with the set has her feminine features far to over accentuated. I think mile long legs are great, but 2-3 mile long legs. Just get the regular DVD and save yourself a 10 spot.

Average customer rating:

More than just Cowboys and Indians

Wagon Tracks
Starring: William S. Hart , Jane Novak , Robert McKim , Lloyd Bacon , and Leo Pierson
Director: Lambert Hillyer
Manufacturer: Unknown Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006PWM7S
Release Date: 2004-11-22

Description

Not your typical western, this is a tale of the wagon trains that rolled west through scorching deserts and hostile Indian territory. It's got a twist: there's a murderer in this wagon train, and it's up to expedition leader William S. Hart to find him!

Customer Reviews:

More than just Cowboys and Indians.......2005-04-12

This is quite a good DVD featuring the silent era's two greatest Western stars: William S Hart in the feature film, "Wagon Tracks" and G M Anderson, the first real Western star in a 2-reeler called "Naked Hands". Both are powerful dramas with superb acting performances by both Anderson and Hart, and together they make this DVD great viewing. G M Anderson became famous as 'Broncho Billy' in a staggering 350+ 1 and 2 reel films from the early 1900s to 1916, when William S Hart took over the reigns as the screen's Cowboy hero. Although "Naked Hands" was originally made as a 5-real feature length film, it was later shortened to 2 reels, as presented here. It is a sad and stirring little drama with some surprising and very good scenes, and despite many missing parts, this condensed version still packs a powerful punch. It serves as a great introduction to the feature film, "Wagon Tracks" in which William S Hart is the expedition leader of a wagon train across the western deserts to Santa Fe. Much more than just a story of pioneers braving the Wild West, "Wagon Tracks" is mainly about a murder, finding the real killer and serving justice. The victim is expedition leader Hart's own younger brother whom he wanted to meet and escort to Santa Fe, but the actual events of the murder are covered up to appear as an accident. Hart is very good in these emotional and dramatic scenes, and the story moves along at a steady pace with an interesting twist at the end when justice is done. Some parts of this film reminded me of Paramount's 1923 production of "The Covered Wagon", and "Wagon Tracks" is of a similar high standard, even the picture quality on this DVD is very good overall. There is also a nice bonus slide show of about 80 pictures, mainly color posters of Hart's many Westerns, as well as some nice portrait photographs. All up, a good and entertaining DVD for lovers of good silent films, not just of Westerns.

Scrapped Princess - Melancholy Wagon Tracks (Vol. 2) + Series Box and Figure

Average customer rating:

One Step Up and Two Steps Back
The Best Anime Ever !! ^_^
MISREAD PROPHECY?
Good series, bad doll

Scrapped Princess - Melancholy Wagon Tracks (Vol. 2) + Series Box and Figure
Starring: Kari Wahlgren , Crispin Freeman , Bridget Hoffman , Sayaka Oohara , and Liam O'Brien
Director: Soichi Masui
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Anime | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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