Deke P
GREAT movie, Great cast, iconic Bob Dylan song. Coburn and Kristofferson very charismatic.
Of course, the title sounded familiar, but I don't remember ever seeing it until now,, on Grit TV 9.10.24.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
09/11/24
Full Review
Allan C
Sam Peckinpah's second-best western after THE WILD BUNCH is arguably his most personal, exploring themes similar to those in his prior films about loyalty, betrayal, and the encroachment of "civilization." It is something of a hippie western, with the great Kris Kristofferson in an early role as Billy the Kid and the equally great James Coburn as Sheriff Pat Garrett, Billy's one-time companion, now turned rival charged with bringing him to justice. Pike in THE WILD BUNCH was the stand-in character for Peckinpah's worldview, and in this film, Garrett is the stand-in for who Peckinpah fears he's now become: a sellout. In an interview, Peckinpah once said, "I'm a whore. I go where I'm kicked. But I'm a very good whore." The film is a highly personal confession by Peckinpah, wishing he was wild like Billy, but knowing deep down he's part of the establishment, even if he has no respect for it and feels horrible about his part in it. PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID has appeared in many forms and versions. The first time I saw the film, it was the theatrical cut on VHS, and I did not really care for it all that much at the time. That version was heavily tinkered with by the studio and taken out of Peckinpah's hands. Later, I bought the film on LaserDisc, which was the "Turner Cut," labeled at the time as the Director's Cut. This cut was a vast improvement and made many critics reappraise the film. This time I watched the new Criterion 50th Anniversary Release, which was supervised by Peckinpah biographer Paul Seydor and one of the film's original editors, longtime Peckinpah collaborator Roger Spottiswoode, making the claim this version is the closest to Peckinpah's original vision. However, this cut omitted what I always thought was the most pivotal moment of the film, which was (SPOILER ALTER!) at the end of the film when Garrett is about to shoot Billy, and a coffin-maker, played by Peckinpah himself, cusses out Garret as a sellout and for what he's about to do. I always interpreted this moment to be Peckinpah cussing himself out as being a sellout to the establishment, and it was an incredibly personal and revealing moment, laying himself bare. It's much like the ending of THE NUTTY PROFESSOR when Jerry Lewis' Julius Kelp apologizes for his awful and rude behavior by alter ego Buddy Love, which at the time most viewers thought was a knock on his old partner Dean Martin, but was really Lewis apologizing for his own off-screen behavior and treatment of others. Part of the scene between the coffin-maker and Garrett remains, but Garrett simply walks off in this version with no shaming from Peckinpah's character. The entire film is a condemnation of selling out to the man and abandoning youthful, independent ways, so the omission of this moment leaves out a very personal confession by the writer/director and a significant moment where the film's overall theme is hammered home. Maybe Seydor and Spottiswoode thought it was too on-the-nose, but I was disappointed by its omission. However, the film is still a masterpiece, and we may never really know which version is the "real" director cut, but for me, I prefer the Turner Cut, even though this version is superior in other ways. Overall, this is a masterpiece of a western, featuring a terrific cast, including a number of Peckinpah stock company regulars (Richard Jaeckel, Katy Jurado, Chill Wills, Barry Sullivan, Jason Robards, Slim Pickens, and Bob Dylan), and a memorable score by Bob Dylan. However, the film's counter-culture sensibilities give it the feel of EASY RIDER-on-the-plains, which may not appeal to all Western fans.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/19/24
Full Review
LAK S
The acting and directing is amazing!!! One of the greatest films of all time
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/20/24
Full Review
Leander S
Everyone operate irrational. The empty and meaningless grinning of Kris Kristofferson is unbearable. I wonder if they wanted to look Billy the Kid like Jim Morrison. It does not work. There is no desperation, not fate, no heat in this movie as should be in a movie with this topic. And why is Bob Dylan in this movie?
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/24
Full Review
Howard D
The critics are brain-dead in their appraisal of this film. Peckinpah is just perfect with this one. Every person I've shown this movie to absolutely loved it. I am a big James Coburn fan so perhaps I'm a bit biased. As with many of Peckinpah's other films the small roles are filled by some fantastic character actors who really add to the genuine feel the movie has. Great soundtrack from Bob Dylan. I don't want to over-hype the film but this is one of my top 5 all time favorites. The critics are dead wrong on this one. The studio already nearly ruined this movie when they forced edits and created a horrific original print that bombed when released, but thankfully this film has been resurrected and saved from the incompetent studio suits.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/08/23
Full Review
Nick F
I have loved this film since the first time I saw it more than 30 years ago and having just watched it again still love it (I think it's the 1988 cut?). It stands apart and well out from other westerns. I can't understand how the Rotten Tomatoes summary can describe such a masterpiece as a durge. It's captivating for those with a normal attention span.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
07/23/23
Full Review
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