Wild Bill

Starring:Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin, John Hurt, Diane Lane, Keith Carradine, David Arquette, Christina Applegate, Bruce Dern, James Gammon, Marjoe Gortner, James Remar, Karen Huie, Steve Reevis, Robert Knott, Pato Hoffmann, Patrick Gorman, Lee de Broux, Stoney Jackson, Robert Peters, Steven Chambers
Director: Walter Hill
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

One of the best action movies ever made, in a cleaned-up print restoring crucial parts of the story. No cavalry ever rode in with more epochal impact than the Wild Bunch in the legendary opening scene. Their steel-eyed leader, Pike (William Holden), and his robbers in stolen army uniforms help an old lady across the street, and then spark a massacre led by Pike's old crony Thornton (Robert Ryan), sprung from jail to hunt down his old gang. In just a few minutes, Sam Peckinpah sets the scene--a dusty Texas town in 1913--sketches a dozen vividly individualized characters, and choreographs one of the most realistic, influential, brilliantly photographed shootouts under the pitiless sun. The cast is superb (even Ernest Borgnine!), the dialog crackling, the bitterly ambiguous moral of the story hard-earned. It's the deeper, dark flip side to 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Consider buying the letterbox Wild Bunch, the review collection Doing It Right, and the Peckinpah bio "If They Move... Kill 'Em!" --Tim Appelo

Description

Outlaws on the Mexican-U.S. frontier face the march of progress, the Mexican army and a gang of bounty hunters led by a former member while they plan a robbery of a U.S. army train. No one is innocent in this gritty tale of of desperation against changing times. Pump shotguns, machine guns and automobiles mix with horses and winchesters in this ultraviolent western.

Customer Reviews:

Bloody eye candy.......2007-07-03

This bloody extravaganza made Sam Peckinpah's reputation. A kind of fantasy of machismo set along the Texas-Mexico border around 1913--yes, very late for a Western--The Wild Bunch has thrilled adolescent boys and twentysomethings for almost four decades. The slowmo shots of horses falling awkwardly, of bodies squirting blood as they fall off of roof tops or cliffs, of tough hombres talking tough while they grab loose women and bottles of booze replete with numerous other bits of acrobatic mayhem amid some fantastic scenery makes this a non-cerebral feast for the eyes. The stars, William Holden (Pike Bishop), Ernest Borgnine (Dutch Engstrom), Robert Ryan (Deke Thornton), Edmund O'Brien (Freddie Sykes), etc. are first rate and on form. The plot is a variant of the old "one last job" story which begins with Pike's not-quite over-the-hill gang doing one last bank robbery.

Needless to say something goes wrong. Interspersed between the opening credits we see Pike's gang ride into town dressed as members of the US Army Calvary. On roof tops are some rascals and scallywags with rifles, missing teeth, and murderous gleams in their eyes. They are led by Deke Thornton, who it turns out is working for the railroad. What follows is a good old fashioned shoot 'em up of rather unlikely proportions as Pike's gang exists the bank with bags of loot, dodging and slinging bullets with abandon.

Turns out...well, no I won't say because I don't want to spoil the surprise. Suffice it to say, they need to do another job, this one a good old-fashioned train robbery with a few tricks and extras, like blowing up a bridge and running a locomotive at full throttle backwards. And then across the border into Mexico and some fun and games with Mexican generals, senoritas, banditos and such.

Been there, done that. But Peckinpah's colorful yarn has a few things you might not have seen before, and some of those things that you have seen, he did first and better. The Mexican color with a lot of authentic-looking extras doing authentic-looking Mexican activities was good. The fact that the Spanish spoken was not translated (and didn't need to be translated) was good. General Mapache (Emilio Fernandez) as the drunken, power-hungry warlord bandito was good. The kids feeding scorpions to the ants and then burning them was good. Edmund O'Brien as a degenerate Gabby Hayes kind of character was a hoot and a holler. But mostly this was about grim-faced men, toughened by long hours in saddle under the hot sun who, after decades of outlawing, finally ride gloriously into that last battle. Next stop: boot hill.

I watched the "original director's cut" that runs 145 minutes. At no time was my brain involved, but my eyes couldn't stop watching.

The Wild Bunch.......2007-07-02

Maverick director Sam Peckinpah released this blood-soaked western ballet in 1969, at the height of the Vietnam War, igniting protests over his graphic depiction of violence. Yet some images, like the opening sequence of children watching a nest of fire ants attack a scorpion, have a cruel poetic force. Boasting a powerhouse veteran cast and virtually non-stop action, this mesmerizing film is not for the squeamish, but fans of pure western action and gunplay should cherish this pounding, hard-edged film.

It's all been done before........2007-05-27

The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)

I will readily admit that my confusion over the prominence of The Wild Bunch in the annals of film criticism probably stems from my having bought into the hype. When I hear people wax poetic about the movie, one thing always comes to the surface sooner or later--the previously unheard-of level of violence in the movie. Here I was expecting something... different; even the tamest giallo lords it over The Wild Bunch in terms of violence. Mario Bava was doing it years before. What makes Peckinpah's opus so special? Not the violence.

The other thing that seems to come up often is that Peckinpah's version of the west is decidedly different than that which had been offered before, but again I head back to Italy, and this time flog the dead horse of Sergio Leone, whose westerns were riddled with grey areas long before this.

Okay, so Peckinpah was the first guy to do it in America. And it got John Wayne pretty mad. (But, really, he was already mad at Clint Eastwood for the Leone movies.) But from every other standpoint--plot, characters, pacing, cinematography, direction--Peckinpah has done better. (The pinnacle came three years later with Straw Dogs.) It's not bad, but don't go into it expecting one of the greatest films of all time, or you're bound to be disappointed. ***

Not As Advertised-.......2007-04-20

For the third time in 10 years, I have purchased another copy of "The Wild Bunch". And for the third time in 10 years, I have been utterly disappointed. I don't know what all of these other reviewers watched in 1969, but what I watched was a much, much wilder bunch with much more grusome footage at the old Majestic Theater in downtown Dallas. Someone, apparently do gooders, had the film cut back to the bland piece of work that you see in this DVD. Someone should sue Warner Bros. for false advertising. I am still looking for the original film and would pay good money for it, if it even still exists. In the killings in the original film the bodies struck by bullets, immediately went to slow motion as a stream of blood shot from the bullet hole in the beginning murderous scene. There is only one brief shot of this type and the rest, a least a couple of dozen were cut out and are still cut out. Save your money, if you think your getting the original.

Much more than just a violent film..........2007-04-06

This is one of the greatest Westerns ever made. Most people talk about its violence level. The violence here is incredible, and it's still strong and potent today. It shocked the living hell out of everyone back in 1969. It made some people vomit because it was so intense. However, while I do like the shootouts of this film, it's the depth that the characters have that really make this film stand out for me. Some of the speeches Pike gives are quite good, stressing that you stand by a man, and if you don't, you're like some animal, you're finished. Pike and the Bunch lived by these words, and in the end, they died by these words. They lived in a time where your word and your honor meant something, and you lived by a certain code that you tried to stay true to. Nowadays, this kind of message is seen as old fashioned and made fun of mercilessly. It shouldn't be. Despite the Bunch being criminals, they retain their sense of dignity at the end. Even Robert Ryan, Pike's former friend who is now chasing the Bunch, has a dignity as well, keeping his word to the bastard railroad men. But when he's finished with the posse, he stays in Mexico with the locals instead of returning to the US. You don't hate Ryan for what he's doing, and Pike doesn't hate him either. They each just want to live, and they got a job to do. The ending is one of the more poignant and brutal endings ever filmed. The Bunch got their bounty, and are whooping it up with the local whores. Angel had made a deal with them to keep one case of guns for his village, and they agreed. They told the general Mapache that they lost it on the trail. Mapache didn't believe them and accused Angel of stealing it, so the Bunch let him keep it. While the Bunch are drinking and partying, they stop and realise what they have to do. They go back and rescue Angel, not because they have to, but because they need to. They didn't want to abandon their friend. They probably knew they would be killed, and they didn't give a damn about it. I find this extraordinarily moving and quite powerful. After a decade of smug "irony", things like dignity and honor are punchlines. I don't think they are, and I never will. I really like the message of brotherhood and honor here, and I think this is a masterpiece....

Major League (Wild Thing Edition w/ Turf Cover)

Average customer rating:

Funniest sports movie ever!
Best Sports Comedy Ever
Top five
Major League
AWESOME!!!

Major League (Wild Thing Edition w/ Turf Cover)
Starring: Tom Berenger , Charlie Sheen , Corbin Bernsen , Margaret Whitton , and James Gammon
Director: David S. Ward
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000M343BM
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Amazon.com

A baseball comedy and slob comedy rolled into one, this one actually works as entertainment, if not as a piece of cinematic mastery. James Gammon is the has-been manager hired to lead the last-place Cleveland Indians whose owner wants them to lose so she can sell them. But the team of has-beens and never-wases that he assembles (including Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, and Wesley Snipes) develops a sense of pride and turns the team around. There's plenty of rowdy humor about sex, race, and whatever else they can make fun of. Look for Rene Russo (in her first film role) as Berenger's romantic interest; Snipes also had his first showy role as Willie Mays Hayes, the team's base-stealing ace. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Funniest sports movie ever!.......2007-06-27

This movie is my all time favorite sports comedy. I have watched this movie over and over with the same results, tears coming out of my eyes. I was happy to find it on Amazon after going to Blockbuster and being told it was only available on VHS and not DVD. If you like baseball then you will love this movie.

Best Sports Comedy Ever.......2007-06-09

This movie is a classic. They don't make good movies like this anymore. Great story line, great casting, and a happy ending. Baseball fan or not, you need to check this out. If you've already seen it, buy it anyway. I've seen it 100 times and could watch it 100 more.

Top five.......2007-06-08

I'd place this comedy in the top five of good baseball movies (probably at #5). Everyone in it seems to be having fun, and that always helps the audience to have fun, too.

Major League.......2007-06-03

Funny movie. It had been years since I had seen it and it was great to see it again.

AWESOME!!!.......2007-05-24

Always loved this movie and will continue to love it. A true classic!

Average customer rating:

Wild Things (Unrated Edition) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Donald Churchill , Janet Henfrey , Tusse Silberg , Stuart Wilson , and Karen Young
Director: Rob Walker
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
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Basic Instinct [Blu-ray]

ASIN: B000PAAJVU
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Product Description

The scheme is far from tame. But whose scheme is it? Assume nothing as you venture beyond Blue Bay's elite beach communities and into the murky waters of the Everglades for a mystery of deceit, sex and greed as unpredictable as a hungry gator. And please, keep your hands inside the boat at all times. Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards and Bill Murray star in a swamp-steamy thriller about two high school students, the guidance counselor they accuse of rape and the detectivewho knows there's more to the story.

Average customer rating:

Wild thriller
Sexy classic thriller!!!
Wild Things
Neve Campbell should act more she's terrific
Two's a Company, THree's a Crowd . Sex Crimes 101 .

Wild Things (Unrated Edition)
Starring: Matt Dillon , Kevin Bacon , Neve Campbell , Theresa Russell , and Denise Richards
Director: John McNaughton
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001GF2D8
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Amazon.com

Wild Things is the kind of lurid, trashy thriller that you'll either dive into with unabashed pleasure or turn away from in prudish disgust; it's entirely your choice, but we suggest the former option since it's obviously much more fun. The plot's so convoluted it's hardly worth describing, except to say that it's set in humid Florida and involves a respected high school teacher (Matt Dillon--yes, Matt Dillon as a teacher!) who is faced with accusations of rape by a student (Denise Richards, from Starship Troopers) who had been giving him the kind of attention most people would consider improper for such a "nice" young lady. Another student (Neve Campbell) raises a similar charge against the teacher, and that's when a police officer (Kevin Bacon) begins to investigate the allegations. Just when you think the movie's gone overboard with its shameless sex and absurdly twisted plot, in drops Bill Murray as an unscrupulous lawyer (of course) to spice things up with insurance scams and welcomed comic relief. As directed by John McNaughton (who has a way of making just the right moves with this kind of film noir melodrama), Wild Things is a bona fide guilty pleasure--the kind of movie you may be ashamed to enjoy, but what the heck, you'll enjoy it anyway. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Wild thriller.......2007-03-15

This is a sleek, erotic and full of unexpected twists thriller. The cast is young, cool and made for these roles. But apert from the obvious sex appeal which help sell this film there is a very clever and fast plot that keeps the viewer interested and guessing. It is a sort of neo-film-noir directed to the young generation and the not so young generation. It all comes together at the end credits in a manner that Agatha Christie used in her own books.
Enjoy it.

Sexy classic thriller!!!.......2007-01-27

Cool, classy, stylish...need i say more? Well, why not...

Rarely is a film worthy of 5 stars - this probably isn't but it certainly is quality.

Love this film. It's just great.

Great cast, great plot, great twist...good script

A film that has both Neve Campbell and Denise Richards in it can't be bad, especially when they have a very 'close' relationship in it. The ladies are ably assisted by Kevin Bacon and Matt Dillon who are both quality geezers.

Certainly unpredictable and well worth watching...but enough about the plot, the ladies are more important

Wild Things.......2006-11-11

The credits include significant actors, so you know the movie has to be good, right? Well, most of the movie elements are fine, except the script which is very light-weight in dialogue. Perhaps this is due to the difficult plot - more time writing to make that work than giving the actors something to say.

Worth watching just to see Bill Murray play a sleeze lawyer and Denise Richards playing herself!

Neve Campbell should act more she's terrific.......2006-08-28

Actually, the whole cast worked well together. Humid Florida wealthy trampy mom ignores daughter she in turn is manipulated by sleazy teacher, girl from the wrong side of the tracks is in on the con. This movie reminded me of "Palmetto" a little seen movie with Woody Harrilson and Elizabeth Shue. It wasen't a big hit but it was the same type of con game being played on some slippery characters. Enjoy!

Two's a Company, THree's a Crowd . Sex Crimes 101 ........2006-08-09

Film Noir at it's Best. Lies, Betrayal, Deception, Sexual Eroticism. All through the movie You dont know who to cheer for, THe Cop, The Dirty Teacher, The Trailer Trash Chic, The Funny Lawyer, THe School Tramp, The Tramp's MOther, THe Cop's Partner, The Tramp's Mother Cuban LOver. You dont know who is who and what is up or down. ONe big Dirty Camp of a Movie..to describe it with only one word it would be....... YUMMY!

Average customer rating:

Just bought this...
A real cute video
Loves the horses
Wild, Wild, West is a hit!
My 15 month old loves this DVD

Elmo's World - Wild Wild West
Starring: Kevin Clash , Bill Irwin , Michael Jeter , Travis Tritt , and Jim Martin
Director: Jim Martin , Victor Di Napoli , and Ted May
Manufacturer: Sesame Street
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005NGA3
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Description

Sesame Street's favorite furry red cowpoke saddles up to learn all about the wild frontier. Join Elmo as he finds out how to ride a horse, kicks up his heels at a hoe down, boards a time-traveling magic stagecoach and more! Featuring classic cowpoke songs, and plenty of fun with his partners the Noodles, Marshall Grover and special guests, country singer Travis Tritt and Broadway's Kristen Chenoweth. Elmo takes viewers young and old on a wonderful ride through the very best of the Wild Wild West! Also, features the brand new Sesame Street segment, Monster Clubhouse!

Customer Reviews:

Just bought this..........2007-03-25

I just got this dvd for my son, and he loves it! Can't go wrong with Elmo's World!

A real cute video.......2007-03-09

My two year old son loves this movie. He has about ten other Elmo videos. This one is really cute and it doesn't drive me crazy when he watches it over and over. My favorite part is when the Noodle gang does a line dance.

Loves the horses.......2007-01-15

My grandson loves watching films with animals as well as Elmo. This one is his absolute favorite. When he wants to watch the horses, we will watch this movie over and over. This is a good picture for the little ones.

Wild, Wild, West is a hit!.......2006-08-29

My daughter received this for her second birthday and she loves it. Once again Elmo fans are delighted with the wonderfully animated puppets and great guest stars. The music is wonderful and the costumes are adorable. This is a great movie to add to your Elmo's World library.

My 15 month old loves this DVD.......2006-08-20

It is hard to find DVD's that hold my 15 month old daughter's attention, but this DVD holds her spellbound all the way through! Whenever I need quiet time or just a minute to breathe, I pop this DVD in and it is instant quiet. Plus there's two bonus mini-shows at the end and my daughter will sit through those as well. So far this is the only Elmo's World I have found to keep her attention, but I'm still looking!

Average customer rating:

Worth many looks
Bad Copy
Silverado
A Very Exciting Western, With A Great Cast
A modern interpretation of the classic western

Silverado (2 Disc Superbit Gift Set)
Starring: Kevin Kline , Scott Glenn , Kevin Costner , Danny Glover , and Marvin J. McIntyre
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007MAO0M
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Amazon.com essential video

Director Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill) clearly set out to make an old-fashioned Western, but he couldn't help bringing a hip, self-conscious attitude to the proceedings. Silverado thus finds its own funky tone--sometimes rousing, sometimes winking. Four cowpokes converge on a little Western burg called Silverado; they're played by Kevin Kline (a distinctly modern kind of Western hero), Scott Glenn, Danny Glover, and the rowdy young Kevin Costner. Kasdan peppers the somewhat generic action with smart dialogue and a parade of quirky supporting players, including John Cleese as a sheriff who seems to have stepped straight from a Monty Python sketch into an Old West saloon. Bruce Broughton supplies the music, a real throwback to the glory days of thundering Western themes. One thing's for sure: Silverado's a lot more fun than the later Kasdan-Costner Western, Wyatt Earp. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Worth many looks.......2007-05-14

Having grow up in the 40's & 50's, I love a good western. (even some bad ones)
But "Silverado" is right up there with the good ones.
Great cast, interesting storyline and the necessary good triumphs over evil ending.
Brian Dennehy is the perfect villain, while Kevin Kline the unexpected hero.
The rest of the cast including Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner and Jeff Goldblum keep this film moving. Never a dull moment!
Love watching it as I do many other horse operas.

Bad Copy.......2007-04-24

This is a terrific movie and is highly recommended. But Amazon advertises this product as "new" and it IS NOT. The DVD with the movie was scratched, and damaged, causing skips and gaps. Amazon does not allow ordinary feedback and has REFUSED to exchange or refund.

DO NOT BUY THIS MOVIE FROM AMAZON.

Silverado.......2007-03-28

I got this DVD as a gift for my Dad. He had it on VHS, but wanted to update his collection. He really loved it.

A Very Exciting Western, With A Great Cast.......2007-01-31

This was a great Western. Very creative and adventerous, and a wonderful cast. Where else would you see a Monty Python alum as a sheriff in a Western?

This movie featured three of my favorite actors: Scott Glenn, Brian Dennehy, and Jeff Goldblum. It also featured one of my favorite actresses, Rosanna Arquette, though she had such a small role even the worst actress couldn't mess that role up. Kevin Costner had a youthful exhuberance that I hadn't seen since from him. And I'm just mentioning my favorites.

I'll stop before I spoil any surprises. If you want a classic western, this is one.

A modern interpretation of the classic western.......2006-12-16

An unbelievable cast, a great story, amazing cinematography, a soundtrack worthy of Aaron Copeland, action, drama, comedy: this movie has it all. I would put this movie up against anything short of a small handful of classic westerns such as the Magnificent Seven.

Average customer rating:

Spotty But Bridges is Great
Wild Bill
Bridges shines, but plot fizzles
Myth vs "history": MYTH wins!
A Psychedelic Look At 'Wild Bill'

Wild Bill
Starring: Jeff Bridges , Ellen Barkin , John Hurt , Diane Lane , and Keith Carradine
Director: Walter Hill
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000056H2G
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Amazon.com

Audiences overlooked this film, one of the better westerns in several years, featuring yet another terrific performance by Jeff Bridges, America's most underrated movie actor. As James Butler Hickock, he captures the sense of a man at the end of his career, one of the first media superstars who discovers that his legend is more burden than blessing. As he heads toward his final hand of poker in Deadwood, South Dakota, he flashes back to his younger days and the events that built his reputation, even as he copes with encroaching blindness caused by syphilis. Walter Hill blends action and elegy, utilizing a screenplay based both on Pete Dexter's novel Deadwood and on Thomas Babe's play Fathers and Sons. Wild Bill features strong supporting performances by John Hurt (as a Hickock sidekick) and Ellen Barkin (as the tough, lusty Calamity Jane)--but the centerpiece is the sad, manly performance by Bridges, who more than measures up to the part. --Marshall Fine

Description

He was a legend in his own time...and for all time. Jeff Bridges portrays Wild Bill Hickok, the hard-drinking, quick-shooting gunslinger who lived on the edge. Hickok's amazing story is told with a stunning visual style and lightning-fast pace, illuminating one of the most exciting heroes of the American West. Wild Bill is "an action-packed masterpiece" (Paul Wunder, WBAI Radio). In the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, Wild Bill must face his most lethal enemy. A mysterious stranger (David Arquette) has arrived announcing that he will not leave until Hickok is dead. Wild Bill finds comfort in the arms of sexy Calamity Jane (Ellen Barkin), but he is haunted by the memory of the one woman he truly loveda longing that could ultimately bring about his downfall. As Hickok andhis opponent near their explosive confrontation, the stage is set for a powerful climax unsurpassedin high drama and edge-of-your-seat excitement.

Customer Reviews:

Spotty But Bridges is Great.......2007-02-08

I have to agree with many of the other reviewers who feel that the movie is "spotty" - but Bridges is great..!

I've read quite abit about Hickok and the movie seems relatively accurate with respect to many of the historical incidents that pre-dated Hickok's arrival in Deadwood. In fact, it's the flashbacks that I enjoyed the most - the gunfight in the main square / street - with Dave Tutt / the accidental killing of his own deputy in Abilene / the "fight" with the soldiers in the saloon/ the gunfight with the McCandles crew and a few others.

I honestly don't know if Hickok really felt murderous when somebody mistreated his hat, but it was a nice touch.

And Jeff Bridges was great in the role. He talked the part and certainly looked the part (kudos to the wardrobe person who "dressed" Hickok - he/ she certainly did his homework - the clothes and hat were perfect..!). And the pearl handled 1851 Navy Colt revolvers tucked into a red sash around the waist was exactly Hickok's setup.

I think the movie captured the absolute fearlessness of Hickok. From everything I've read, the man had ice water running through his veins. His incredible prowess and marksmanship with his pistols - coupled with his complete indifference to the bullets whizzing by him during the gunfights contributed significantly to his legend. He was one of those guys who was truly a legend in his own time.

The movie dragged for me in the middle. The amount of time devoted to jack McCall - the twirp who shot and killed him - just seemed to drag on forever. Jack's inability to decide whether or not to shoot Hickok throughout the movie just seemed to be be stretched out to the point where I felt like grabbing a gun - entering the tv - and putting a windown in Jack McCall's skull.

Three stars might be a bit on the low side but 4 is probably too much - 3 1/2 is what this film is worth.

But if you love westerns as much as me, it's worth watching if only for Jeff Bridge's performance.

Wild Bill.......2007-01-09

It was somewhat of a letdown. I expected a more true to history potryal.

Bridges shines, but plot fizzles.......2006-11-01

The opening scene of 'Wild Bill' is standard. A flashback movie based with an emotional back story; which makes up the majority of the movie. This western truly stands out as different which becomes its major advantage and flaw.

Jeff Bridges plays the main role of James Butler Hickock (a.k.a. Wild Bill) and HE is what makes this movie entertaining. Bridges uses all his tools to show the hindrances of a lost, but determined man. His body language is brilliant, as is his line delivery, but that can't save a flimsy plot which is also horrible inaccurate.

Ellen Barkin does a great job playing Calamity Jane and the rest of the support cast also show their mettle; excluding a horrible performance by David Arquette; who can't work with a skilled actor like Bridges.

All in all, 'Wild Bill' is a different western, but relies too heavily on the lead role with a story that seemed to be written backstage at a 'Doors' concert.

Myth vs "history": MYTH wins!.......2006-05-07

WILD BILL is great...vastly under rated--like Walter Hill's other masterpiece-manque,Jesse James/Cole Younger gang LONG RIDERS
--film. Like few(MagnificentSeven;Tombstone;& The Wild Bunch)westerns(in my estimate Clint Eastwood's are over rated and most parodies)WILD BILL captures the essence of a tough,rare, independent man surrounded by ordinary men who need heroes TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES. The story provides"minor"aside that Hickock fought for the Union;and when later faces a black man who's joined a group of punk thug assassins hired to ambush him pleads his bleeding at ANTIETAM for Emancipation Proclamation, the best the bro can "blow" is a PC "that was mighty white of you!" Highsider Jesse J.and Al(Twana Brawley)Sharpton couldn't have said it better.

Ellen Barkin is fine as Wild Woman Calamity Jane. Ace English thespian John Hurt provides ironic counter as educated narrator who understands need for heroes. Music by Brian Wilson's collaborator Van Dyke Parks accents psychedelic opium-flight
sequences that function as initiation rituals. ACES & EIGHTS Jack McCall,played by David Arquette reeks freaky Freudianism but the final DEADWOOD scene--Hollyweird to the max--cannot tarnish a spectacular American Odyssey that paints in blood,grime and red-eye whiskey one of the West's Heroes with 1000 Faces. Myth wins!

A Psychedelic Look At 'Wild Bill'.......2006-05-03

If there was ever a psychedelic western movie, this has to be it. It's so bizarre, at least compared to most westerns, that it was tough to know where to start in describing this bizarre film.

I just found it great fun, an entertaining film that's always a kick to view, and what more you can ask? Being someone who is very much into visuals, great cinematography and unique approaches to camera-work, this film provided all of that and more, such as an interesting story with whacked-out characters.

I love narration and John Hurt's description of the goings-on here was just great to hear. He played "Charlie," an Englishman with a gentleman's vocabulary that was in stark contrast to the hardened outlaws, led by 'Wild Bill' Hickok himself, played by Jeff Bridges. Ellen Barkin plays "Calamity Jane," and few women of the 1980s and '90s played foul-mouthed, hard-but-sexy women as convincingly as Barkin.

In addition to Hurt, Bridges and Barkin, other fun characters included "California Joe," Hickok's gravel-voiced friend who doesn't say much but when he does, you hear some some of the longest sentences ever uttered. Daid Arquette plays a very strange villain, the man who became famous for shooting Wild Bill. He acts strange and talks as if he has a mouthful of marbles. James Remar, another mean-looking tough guy, is a hired killer. Christina Applegate, Bruce Dern, Margoe Gortner, Keith Carradine and assorted other characters all add to this strange tale, strange in its telling and even stranger in its visual style.

Some of the film is in flashback, which is seen in startling black-and-white and mainly features Diane Lane, who is flat-out gorgeous and maybe the most intriguing person in the film. One of the flashbacks has the film deliberately overexposed with wild dream-like images.

No western "purist" admits to liking this but I love the genre and I put this near the top of my list of favorite westerns. So, sue me!

The Wild Bunch - The Original Director's Cut

Average customer rating:

Bloody eye candy
The Wild Bunch
It's all been done before.
Not As Advertised-
Much more than just a violent film...

The Wild Bunch - The Original Director's Cut
Starring: William Holden , Ernest Borgnine , Robert Ryan , Edmond O'Brien , and Warren Oates
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Outlaws | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Magnificent Seven (Special Edition)
Once Upon a Time in the West
Shane
The Searchers (Two-Disc Anniversary Edition)
The Professionals (Special Edition)

ASIN: 0790731037
Release Date: 1997-05-21

Amazon.com essential video

Here's how director Sam Peckinpah described his motivation behind The Wild Bunch at the time of the film's 1969 release: "I was trying to tell a simple story about bad men in changing times. The Wild Bunch is simply what happens when killers go to Mexico. The strange thing is you feel a great sense of loss when these killers reach the end of the line." All of these statements are true, but they don't begin to cover the impact that Peckinpah's film had on the evolution of American movies. Now the film is most widely recognized as a milestone event in the escalation of screen violence, but that's a label of limited perspective. Of course, Peckinpah's bloody climactic gunfight became a masterfully directed, photographed, and edited ballet of graphic violence that transcended the conventional Western and moved into a slow-motion realm of pure cinematic intensity. But the film--surely one of the greatest Westerns ever made--is also a richly thematic tale of, as Peckinpah said, "bad men in changing times." The year is 1913 and the fading band of thieves known as the Wild Bunch (led by William Holden as Pike) decide to pull one last job before retirement. But an ambush foils their plans, and Peckinpah's film becomes an epic yet intimate tale of betrayed loyalties, tenacious rivalry, and the bunch's dogged determination to maintain their fading code of honor among thieves. The 144-minute director's cut enhances the theme of male bonding that recurs in many of Peckinpah's films, restoring deleted scenes to deepen the viewer's understanding of the friendship turned rivalry between Pike and his former friend Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan), who now leads a posse in pursuit of the bunch, a dimension that adds resonance to an already classic American film. The Wild Bunch is a masterpiece that should not be defined strictly in terms of its violence, but as a story of mythic proportion, brimming with rich characters and dialogue and the bittersweet irony of outlaw traditions on the wane. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Bloody eye candy.......2007-07-03

The Wild Bunch.......2007-07-02

It's all been done before........2007-05-27

Not As Advertised-.......2007-04-20

Much more than just a violent film..........2007-04-06

Average customer rating:

Worth many looks
Bad Copy
Silverado
A Very Exciting Western, With A Great Cast
A modern interpretation of the classic western

Silverado
Starring: Kevin Kline , Scott Glenn , Kevin Costner , Danny Glover , and Marvin J. McIntyre
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Epic | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Westerns | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Tombstone
Wyatt Earp (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Open Range
The Magnificent Seven (Special Edition)
Unforgiven

ASIN: B00000JZI9
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Worth many looks.......2007-05-14

Bad Copy.......2007-04-24

Silverado.......2007-03-28

I got this DVD as a gift for my Dad. He had it on VHS, but wanted to update his collection. He really loved it.

A Very Exciting Western, With A Great Cast.......2007-01-31

A modern interpretation of the classic western.......2006-12-16

Average customer rating:

Wild Things Collection (3pc)
Starring: Matt Dillon , Kevin Bacon , Neve Campbell , Theresa Russell , and Denise Richards
Director: John McNaughton , Jack Perez , and Jay Lowi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000BX0VT6
Release Date: 2006-01-10

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