I didn't get a chance to see these films all the way through this week, because I caught them on TV.
THE BRAVADOS (1960's) This film stars Gregory Peck as a man out for revenge against those who raped and murdered his wife. The film has a twisted ending for a western. Pecks character kills three men and later finds out he killed the wrong men, but is a hero in town anyway. AMC showed this one. Not sure but I think they were doing a special on Gregory Peck this week.
WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH (1971) - This film is somewhat of a surprise for me since I have never seen it or heard of it before. This film had no english words just caveman talk. It was like ONE MILLION B.C. with there own version of Rachael Welsh or maybe more like Jane Fonda in BARBARELLA. The dinosaurs are quite good I thought. FLIX showed this one the other night.
CHEECH AND CHONG: CORSICAN (1980's) - Only caught 15 minutes of this one, but it cracked me up.
"The Bravados" One of the more notable westerns starring Gregory P:eck, even if Joan Collins is eminently forgetable in it.
"When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" A three part trivia question. Name the only film, as far as I know, from Hammer Studios to be nominated for an Oscar? "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" And the Oscar for which it was nominated? "Best Effects, Special Visual Effects" And the film that ultimately won the Oscar? "Bedknobs and Broomsticks."
Haven't seen "Cheech and Chong's the Corsican Brothers," but, if one wants somehting similiar, then watch "Start the Revolution Without Me" from 1970 with Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland in the roles played by Cheech and Chong. Totally hilarious (IMHO) Enjoy!
I'll try to watch out for START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME.
Anonther western that I like alot is ONE EYED JACKS starring Marlon Brando. Of coarse the best western will always be for me THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.
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No way! Terror In Tiny Town!
Haven't seen that one yet JR.
Andrew reviews it on this site. It has a cast made up entirely of dwarves!!
But it's really a blaint rip-off of Akira Kurosawa's THE SEVEN SAMURAI (which, I might add, was released subtitled in the late 50's, then re-released under the new title THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN-which began the idea of reworking it for a Western audience).
Even though THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is okay, you really need to take a look at THE SEVEN SAMURAI to see where where the "insperation" came from.
Oh yea, I have seen SEVEN SAMARAI and loved it, thanks for the imput anyway. Both are very good. Kirwasawa was the best. I seen many of his films. RAN, HEAVEN AND HELL?, DREAMS.
But it's really a blaint rip-off of Akira Kurosawa's THE SEVEN SAMURAI
Hard to really call it a 'rip-off' considering:
1) It gave credit to it's source in the opening credits
2) It was done so well in it's own right
Kirwasawa. Great film maker! RAN...KAGAMUSHA...YOJIMBO...
Ever conciter how well he adapted Shakespear to Japan? Proves the eternal ,common humanity of the Bard's work. And, i respect the transposision of another writers work, as long as the spirit is maintained, and the original touches are parallel to the original.
Case in point?
In Yojimbo, Mafune walks into town, and his first inkling things are wrong...a dog walks by, with a human hand in its teeth....
In A fistfull of Dollars....A horse walks out of town, past the Man with no name...with a dead man tied upright in the saddle.
Same idea, differant execution. Both work.
I think Kurasawa showed that just about any story could be told within the cultural context of any country. Gunslingers are the American version of Samurai and I agree with FF and disagree strongly with Chris K. TM7 is NOT a rip-of of T7S but a western adaptation that, unlike other movis, clearly acknowledges it influence. That it is acknowledged as a classic in its own right just the strength and meaning within the characters and story.
Kurasawa never let perceived cultural differences get in the way of telling a great story...some of his movies were based on western novels/plays
Ran was an adaptation of King Lear, wasn't it?
Yojimbo was an uncredited (i.e. he 'stole'/'ripped-of' Dash Hammett's novel Red Harvest, in fact when Sergio Leone apologized to Kurasawa for ripping him off, Kurasawa shrugged it off, admitting he had taken the story from Hammett)
There was another movie, the title of which escapes me, that was based on one of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels, that translated to cops over to Japan and told the story there. King's Ransom was the novel, I think.
For those who are interested, Stephen King sites The Seven Samurai as the big inspiration in the upcoming 5th novel in the Dark Tower series. For those that are interested.