THE MASTER GUNFIGHTER (1975)

[The Burgomaster]

This forgotten western stars Tom "Billy Jack" Laughlin as a gunfighter who wears ridiculous, floppy hats and sometimes uses a Samurai sword.  Like the BILLY JACK movies, the script is very preachy (we get to see and hear a lot about man's injustice to his fellow man . . . particularly involving Native Americans and Spaniards).  The acting is pretty flat, especially from Laughlin, but some of the shootouts are decent.  Overall, not a good movie, but the DVD extras include cast & crew interviews from 2002, including an old, fat Tom Laughlin and his son Frank (who looks a lot like Tom did in his younger days).  Delores Taylor does not appear on screen, but you can hear her voice if you turn on the commentary during the film.

For Tom Laughlin fans only.  Others, beware!



Post Edited (04-05-05 21:00)

[Scott]

Just searched for some more reviews for this film. Sounds like an interesting made for TV Western Burgomaster. I'll try to pick up a copy somehow.

[The Burgomaster]

Scott:

Actually, this is not a made for TV movie.  It was a widescreen theatrical release Rated PG.  There is a review on IMDB that says it is a TV movie, but that information is not correct.

On the DVD, Tom Laughlin says that it cost $3 million to make the movie and it made $11 million at the box office.  However, the theaters that showed it didn't pay him what they owed him and his film company went bankrupt.

If you go to www.billyjack.com, it says that there is a new Billy Jack movie being produced in 2005 (if you can believe that)!

[Scott]

Thanks for the info Burgomaster. I'll add it to my list.