Reviews (3)

sweeping epic
Based on Danielle Steel's bestseller, NO GREATER LOVE is a dramatic, often heart rending story of those left behind after the tragic sinking of the Titanic.

Edwina Winfield (Kelly Rutherford), the eldest daughter of a wealthy newspaper dynasty, is travelling home on the Titanic with her family and her fiancee.

The Winfields toast her engagement and the sixth birthday of her sister Alexis. But fate deals Edwina a horrible blow when her parents and fiancee go down with the ship.

Edwina tries to re-build her life and the lives of her younger siblings, while Alexis turns against the family and becomes a teenage delinquint.

For 12 years Edwina puts her romantic life on hold, while she raises her siblings, but on a trip across the Atlantic to rescue a wayward Alexis, she discovers she cannot keep romance at bay, and has an affair with a dashing Englishman, Patrick (Simon MacCorkindale). When Alexis is found, Edwina returns home to marry theatrical producer Sam Horowitz (Chris Sarandon).

At last, Edwina is free from the ghosts of that fateful night on the Titanic.

Romantic, dramatic and very well played out, NO GREATER LOVE is one of the best Danielle Steel movies ever made.

A wonderful movie
I really enjoy this movie, I watch it quite often, as I am a devoted Titanic fan. What I especially enjoy about this movie is the after math of the Tragedy, It shows how Edwina and her siblings cope after such a terrible disaster, and they all finally find the happiness they're so deserving of. I find this movie to be a refreshing change from my other Titanic movies, I view them all very often. One thing I would like to say, is Kelly Rutherford, Looks so much like a Harrison Fisher Lady,She is a very talented actress.If you read the book I believe you will enjoy this movie very much.

Very touching and entertaining film
I've seen this film a couple of times and I really enjoy it. The story is great and easy to follow, as most of Danielle Steel films are. Kelly Rutherford (those who are Melrose Place buffs know that she plays Megan Lewis, Michael's ex)is so great that she really takes care of her brother and sisters when her parents died on that Titanic disaster and sacrifices her life. This story really portrays LOVE, CARING, and UNSELFISNESS towards other people's happiness. This is a must-see film for people of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Watch out, James Bond
Great spy/adventure flick. Bette Davis makes an great villainess. If I didn't know it was Bette Davis ahead of time, I never would have guessed it was her. Great inventions/gadgets on par with anything created for Bond. And the best part? The 'good guys' lose.

She had to pay the bills........
The movie sucked..bette rocked..point blank...! She was awesome as usual adding some star power to an otherwise James Bond wanna-be movie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful performances, dingy denouement
This movie starts beautifully and the first 60-70 minutes actually work very well. Performances are marvelous, particularly Miller and Hawes, and you do get caught up in it.
It seems to be picking up speed and then it becomes a "Law and Order: SVU" episode.
All in all though, not a bad little movie.

Unless you're Scottish-YOI!
Aside from the difficulty in understanding the Scottish dialogue, and what turns out to be a slightly forgettable, muddled plot, the performances are what carry this movie forward. Jonny Lee Miller, as always, is incredible. Though he's lost some of his thin faced freshness, he still has an appeal that remains universal. He and his co-stars do an admirable job with less than great material, but in the end (and at the end) what good's a movie unless you're kept interested. An unexpected, fairly dumb ending. 2 outta 5. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

OK Aussie horror/ thriller in the "Carrie" vein.
Directed & Co-Produced by Richard Franklin who would later go on to direct PSYCHO 2, PATRICK is a watchable but unremarkable Aussie thriller which is loosely in the vein of CARRIE.
As a child Patrick murders his mother & one of her male friends by electrocuting them in the bathtub via telekinesis.
For some reason, after this Patrick is rendered comatose with massive damage to his cerebral cortex (the film doesn't even explain any of this) & for the last 15 years he has been in hospital (Well he wouldn't be surfing at Noosa, would he?).
Kathy Jacquard (Susan Penhaligon) is recently out of nursing school & one of her first patients is Patrick (Robert Thompson- who bears a remarkable resemblance to the US actor Gerrit Graham), described by a doctor as "160 pounds of limp meat hanging off a comatose brain". But Kathy soon discovers that Patrick is fully aware of what is going on around him, & communicates by spitting (once for yes, twice for no). The only problem is Patrick doesn't want the other staff to know he is aware of his surroundings.
To try & prove to her collegues that Patrick can "speak" Kathy has him telepathically type messages on a typewriter, but of course she is unable to use this as proof as well & soon Kathy's friends and family are questioning her sanity. But not for long, as Patrick soon confesses to being in love with Kathy & is not happy to learn she is happily married to Ed (Rod Mulliner).
So from the comfort of his warm, cozy bed the wide-eyed, spitting coma patient uses his powers to murder those close to Kathy, with methods ranging from a messy electrocution to one of the dopiest drowning "deaths" ever caught on film.
PETA will be unimpressed with the scene in which a live frog has a metal rod inserted through its body as part of a medical demonstration. Personally, I'm not sure where I stand on this: the scene didn't bother me, but there's no way I could do a thing like that to a live creature.
While it is mildly watchable, PATRICK doesn't really deliver many genuine chills & thrills, is relatively tame in terms of gore & violence, and isn't terribly memorable. Its still a good movie to watch in the wee hours of the morning if you're suffering from insomnia & need to kill a couple of hours. The only extra on the DVD I watched was the trailer.

Epitome of Suspense
This film is one of the creepiest, most suspenseful films you will ever watch. The "comatose" reviewer below must have been just that, because he needs to change his bong water. I would defy anyone to watch this movie and not be engrossed. Fine acting throughout, this isn't some chessy film by any stretch. If you liked a movie like "Dead Calm", for instance, you'll like this one.

A blast from the past; Franklin's homage to Hitchcock
FINALLY! The complete Australian language version of Richard Franklin's gem from 1978!

An enigmatic young man kills his mother, and winds up in a coma in a private hospital. Enter the pretty nurse who discovers Patrick has capabilities no one seems to know (or admit) about.
For those that are thrill seekers, this film is not a fast-paced action-packed story. BUT, for those of us that appreciate characters over wild thrills, and enjoy careful buildups to a final reveal, this one is nicely done. There IS a reason it was an initial success and has gained a big cult following, people understood Franklin's intentions.

Sure, Patrick is not Citizen Kane, but it is a nice mystery with great performances, a keen sense of humour ("self-referential humour" as it has been described), and some rather strong adult content for what was supposed to be a PG-rated film, even back in 1978. I first saw it theatrically and was surprised by its content, but appreciated the homages to Hitchcock (which Franklin carefully points out in many scenes on the DVD's commentary), and Brian May's score has a nice Herrmann-esque feel. I was only disappointed that it was dubbed with American actors. Finally seeing this film in the original Australian language version on DVD made me like this film a lot more 25 years later.

Elite's DVD has the basic extras: two theatrical trailers, a commentary by Franklin and writer Everett De Roche. There's an easy to find easter egg that features cover art for different soundtrack releases as well. The filmographies are quite thorough, for fans of Australian cinema.

While this film is not extremely original, it still provides enough intrigue for those who look deeper into films that the general public would brush off. Patrick could be considered an acquired taste, so those who are familiar with it and liked it will find this DVD a very satisfying purchase and a nice surprise to see it in its original form. Others be warned, you might stick with more familiar "blockbuster hits."

Comatose
This is a weak Australian horror about a man (Patrick) who has some telekenetic powers after he is put in a coma. Whilst in a coma he lets havoc reign in his hospital.

There is not much more to say about this film. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Dull but entertaining
When I first went to rent this movie, I was expecting a wonderfully portayed old-english love story with one of my favorite actors, Sean Bean. However, after watching it, I feel it falls short of a romance movie and instead makes its way toward a low-budget comedy movie. This movie was entertaining in that it had comical value in one of the main characters, John Ridd and it had some rather funny action scenes. It lost its potential as a romance when the production crew spent all its money on mediocre actors and gave little attention to sound effects and the screenplay itself.

Lorna Doone, the story of an unrequited love!
Lorna Doone is the story of the banished"Doone" clan, and it is a period film that Sean Bean does very well. Sean plays Carver Doone a man who must live by his wits after he and his clan are banished. Its the story of the love also between John Ridd and Lorna Doone, who was married to Carver. Sean's character is masterfully played, he is a man who is a product of his environment, who must hunt, hurt and yes steal in order to have his family survive! Its Sean Bean at his best, and it also stars his castmates from "Patriot Games" Polly Walker and Hugh Fraser, its a period film that should be seen! Its Sean Bean with the walk and the language of a man who is forced to become an outlaw so that he can survive, its a man who does what he hates to do in order to live, and its the story of Carver's love for Lorna as well as John Ridd's love for her. Enjoy the film! Sean Bean does wonderful work for the BBC and English TV.

A little bit of old England
To appreciate this video you must have an intrest in old England and the period around the 'Monmouth Rebellion' It is a tale of Love overcoming barriers in the West of England in the Counties of Devon and Somerset. Realistic shooting captures the era well and avoids Holywood 'glitz'. Worth watching.

Lorna Doone
This movie is centered around a doomed love between two young people from bickering families. The movie is extremely slow with the first five minutes showing two people on horseback. There doesn't seem to be anything pulling the movie together to make you want to watch the ending. The basic theme and plot is an excellent storyline, but there is something lacking. Overall, I was expecting a romantic love story and instead found a dull way to spend 2 hours. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Conan of the West
Without Charles Bronson, this would be a three star movie at best. The plot is simple, like a slasher movie in the Old West. Bronson, ever effective as an Indian (remember Drumbeat as Captain Jack?), kills off a posse one by one. The posse is filled with well-known character actors and of these, Jack Palance stands out. Palance is the leader of the group in name only, and his relations with the others is the most interesting. He was certainly an under-used actor as he matured, but this was a good role for him.
Bronson gets to display probably the best over 50 physique in the world (maybe under 50 too, for that matter). It may have been Frank Frazetta who said that the perfect actor for the role of Conan would be a 6'5" Charles Bronson. With little if any character development for Chato, his impressive physique is necessary to establish him as a force of nature, being more in his element as the land becomes harsher and more unforgiving.
For Bronson fans, this is just what we want: a man of few words, but lots of muscle, whuppin' up on an unjust world.

`Back off, Lawman.'
With those three words of unheeded warning (possibly the longest continuous sentence Bronson has in this picture), the Mimbreno Apache Chato(Charles Bronson) begins an elusive flight from a motley posse of citizens led by an ex-Confederate captain (Jack Palance) seeking to punish him for the killing of a white man into the barren wilderness of the Arizona desert.

This is a great minimalist western with a fine cast (particularly the three villainous Hooker brothers - Simon `the psychologist from Psycho' Oakland, John `Papa Walton' Waite, and Richard `Duncan Idaho of Dune' Jordan). Bronson here is less of a character than a force of nature who, when pursued to his limits (and after giving his hunters ample chances to turn back, slitting their waterskins, running off their horses, and generally discouraging them), turns on the posse and starts eliminating them one at a time.

The strength of this western is the writing. All of the posse members, though most of them are unlikable, are well-fleshed out. The three over-sexed, bickering brothers (whose familial loyalty ultimately leads to their destruction), the silent but apt Mexican tracker, and the two foreigners who are among the first to realize this vengeance quest has spiraled well beyond its origin (`For God's sake, don't call it justice...' says Roddy McMillian's Scottish farmer and `We don't belong here, Gavin,' says Paul Young's Irishman). Palance is a standout as the Confederate captain who seems at first to take pleasure in the hunt and leading men again, but who gradually loses control of his subordinates.

As stated, Bronson is more of a cunning force to be feared when he is shown at all, but he does bring a concrete humanity to his Apache fugitive, particularly in the scene where he is reunited with his family in their desert stronghold. He exudes strength, and his physique and countenance seem to have been cut from the sandstone all around. He seems absolutely inscrutable (as the land is to the white men), but when he dispenses death, there is a cold certainty in his expressions.

Good locations - abandoned wickiups, empty desert, jumbled stone and cavernous arroyos all the washed out color of a bone long in the sun makes it seem as if these men have ridden right into hell (but then this `hell' is Chato's land). There's a great line where Palance observes that `white men see a land where nothing grows...they call it hell and give it no further thought. But to the Apache, this land speaks to him, whispers to him. He expects nothing from it...' (paraphrasing). The tried and true `hunters become the hunted formula' with a meaningful undertone that sets it above the usual fare. Great film with a memorable open ending. Does he or doesn't he? Recommended for Bronson fans. This is one of his better flicks.

Must have for Bronson fans
Excellent Bronson flic. It's not hard to see how Bronson and Winner moved onto the Death Wish story line with a plot like this.

It's an amusing game to spot parallels between scenes in Bruce Lee films and Bronson's. Lee was a huge Bronson fan and copied moves and even clothing from many of Bronson's movies.

It is indeed, Chato's Land
Excellent western which follows a posse on the trail of an Apache halfbreed (Bronson). While he is an omnipresent aspect of the story, Bronson has few lines, and is not on-screen for more than a few minutes in the entire film. The story is primarily about the posse, a mixed bag of local citizens, civil war veterans, and sadistic racists. Their steady deterioration into basal chaos is the real crux of the movie. There are both good and bad men among them, and their interactions make the film compelling, in spite of a few flaws. The skilled cast includes Jack Palance, Simon Oakland, Richard Basehart, Ralph Waite, Victor French, Richard Jordan and James Whitmore. Strongly recommended for fans of gritty action and well-drawn characters. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This extraordinary World War I film concerns themes of heroism, sacrifice, duty, and self-knowledge as profound as any in Saving Private Ryan. The story, taken from Pat Barker's 1991 novel Regeneration and based on true events, is set in a British Army hospital in Craiglockart, Scotland, in 1917. There, a pioneering psychiatrist named Dr. William Rivers (Jonathan Pryce) works with shell-shocked soldiers in a gentle, humane manner that contrasts sharply with the brutality of his colleagues. (The film's most horrifying scene features a mute patient being forced to speak by means of electric shock.)

Among Rivers's patients is a mute, amnesiac officer named Billy Prior (Jonny Lee Miller), as well as the emotionally depleted poet Wilfred Owen (Stuart Bunce) and another poet and war hero, Siegfried Sassoon (James Wilby). Unlike the others, Sassoon is not, in fact, suffering from any disorder but is being quietly punished for writing a pamphlet denouncing the war. The army hopes Rivers can find some basis for mental incompetency in Sassoon, but the thoughtful doctor instead attempts to persuade him to add legitimacy to his criticisms of the war by returning to active duty.

Pryce brilliantly captures the cumulative effects of Rivers's responsibility--of fixing men and sending them back to their possible deaths--on the good doctor's nerves. Wilby is also fine as Sassoon, but the film belongs just as much to actors Miller and Bunce, whose characters are different kinds of men struggling to find their balance, one through a revived sense of duty and the other through his writing. Scottish filmmaker Gillies Mackinnon (The Playboys) is at the top of his form, telling a unique story about the invisible wounds of war while shedding light on the meeting of two visionary poets and one visionary physician. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Well-acted drama presumes too much to itself ...
BEHIND THE LINES, in my estimate, fails to be the powerful commentary on war it aspires to be. Jonathan Price is excellent as the Military Psychiatrist whose duty is to return men to battle. James Wilby is fine as accomplished war hero-poet who comes to self-illumination: war may not be so "dulcet" (sweet/fitting) a path to manhood nor glorious in yielding a "sacramental" death. It's not that the film is hackneyed in exploring these themes. Rather it is too careful and overly "refined". Opening scenes move viewers through Heironymous Bosch-like images of front line horror and chaos. These are effective in IMPLYING the brutally scarred, mental landscapes dominating soldiers' minds. Yet this powerful beginning is squandered. Radical questions of duty, honor and sheer survival are treated like geometry problems rather than spiritual and emotional wounds in REALITY. The fact that the most powerful sequence in the film presents men being tortured (by a stimulus-response fanatic employing SHOCK THERAPY)into "moral" acquiescence as prerequisite for return to war is unnecessary coercion on the part of Director Mackinnon. He seems to finally realize that an abstract "poem-film" won't work.

At least it didn't for me. Existential "crisis" films frequently employ irony, understatement and even boredom to comment on the human conditon. But WWI was one of the most useless wars fought in recorded history (in any Tradition). The one-in-four LOST GENERATION DEATH toll is not a story that does well in drawing-rooms of psychiatric hospitals or tea time T-groups. BEHIND THE LINES Director Mackinnon hedges his bets and makes a clever art film...forgetting(since he has chosen NOT to be entertaining)that war is humanity's frontal assault on itself. Being dulcet( the way the film often affects its own emotional terrain)is deceptive if not false. Therefore,in its own terms, mediocre as art...

a beautiful adaptation of the great novel...
...but why does the american film industry feel the need to change the titles of films. this film is called "regeneration". that it has mutated into "behind the lines" in the united states is ridiculous. that film companies will do anything to the "product" in order to secure an audience means that they will sacrifice anything about the film. the title "regeneration" is an important feature of the story of this book. it is NOT a film about being "behind the lines" (we are rarely behind the lines in this film) but about, as wilfred own put it so well, the pity of war. to make it sound like some gung-ho action movie is to do it an injustice. the director takes barker's orginal narrative - suffering, torment, passificism, objection to war, homoeroticism, class conflict - and turns it into a good depiction. it cannot repressent the book but it repressents something of its own. it is well worth watching for that reason.

Good film, deals efficiently with WW1's secondary effects
First of all (in response to many previous reviews), "Behind the Lines" is a perfectly suitable title for this movie. It directly and accurately conveys the film's focus - literally, on what went on in one particular institution "Behind the lines" during WW1. Being in a military mental hospital certainly qualifies as being behind the lines. Maybe some are reading "behind enemy lines"? Otherwise there is NO reason for confusion here. To think "behind the lines" implies an action movie is silly. If anything it implies detachment from the action.

As for the film, this is a responsible analysis of the effects of trench warfare. Some mute soldiers are treated brutally with electro-shock therapy, but Dr. Rivers takes a more humane approach, all the while questioning his work - is he simply sending soldiers back to die, and is that really noble?

Overall, not terribly exciting, but certianly effective and historical (Owens and Sassoon are principles). A good film.

A great film adaptation
BEHIND THE LINES is a film adaptation of the first volume of Pat Barker's excellent Regeneration trilogy. I was anxious to watch this DVD since I finished reading this book last week, but I had some reservations since film adaptations are often less than par. However, shortly after pressing the play button I was reassured that this DVD did the book a great justice. The directors did a phenomenal job in re-creating the atmosphere of the suffering of the soldiers and the horrific psychological consequences of trench fighting. BEHIND THE LINES follows a group of officers suffering from shell shock who are treated at Craiglockhart War Hospital outside Edinburgh. There is no doubt that what these soldiers experience can disturb even the most strong-minded individual today. The principle psychiatrist is Dr. Rivers, who suffered from his own personal demons and war symptoms. He created strong friendships with many of his patients and cared dearly for their well being. Rivers is a complex, nuanced character. While he portrays an exterior of believing in the War, he holds an internal debate of the War's philosophical warrants.

As stated by a previous reviewer, the original title of this film is Regeneration *not* Behind the Lines. I have no idea why the title was changed when it was released in the United States because the current title doesn't make any sense. Another complaint is that there is a lack of any special features on this DVD. It would have been marvelous to watch a director commentary or behind the scenes footage. It's unfortunate that this is a bare bones DVD. Regardless of these two negative aspects, BEHIND THE LINES is a wonderful and deeply moving film of British soldiers suffering from shell shock during the Great War.

Read Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy and watch this film. Both are highly recommended.

Far, Far Away the Thudding Guns [Regeneration]
Good grief, I finally found a US edition of this film so I can buy it. Can't the original title be put in brackets or something beside the 'nouveau' so you at least find it?! The philistine who came up with the new title didn't even bother to look at a Sassoon or Owens poem, obviously. My suggested title above (which admittedly may be no better as a film title) is from a Sassoon poem and I picked it more or less at random on the first page I opened in my anthology.

The film did manage to get across the awful (British) Imperial jingoism without ramming it down our throats more or less exclusively. The experiences that caused such acute suffering as displayed by the inmates of Craiglockhard were presented well, as was the personal humiliation of succumbing to mental illness or "shell-shock". Less successful however, was the treatment of the worst thing a soldier can do: failing to act with stoicism and diffidence. (Sassoon for example, developed an intense hatred for civilians as a result of this fairytale "let's all pretend we're having a lovely time in Flanders because that's what they want to hear at home, and we can't go upsetting the ladies, now can we, lads?", that at least outlasted the war.)

This was a well-scripted, well-acted,thoughtful and thought-provoking film. This is not a standard "tear-jerker" but if it does not make you shed a tear of sorrow and rage then you must have been multi-tasking.

This film actually rekindled a schoolgirl interest in the history of the First World War and in the extraordinary change in and range of poetry resulting from the experience of those in the foul trenches of France and Flanders. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Conan of the West
Without Charles Bronson, this would be a three star movie at best. The plot is simple, like a slasher movie in the Old West. Bronson, ever effective as an Indian (remember Drumbeat as Captain Jack?), kills off a posse one by one. The posse is filled with well-known character actors and of these, Jack Palance stands out. Palance is the leader of the group in name only, and his relations with the others is the most interesting. He was certainly an under-used actor as he matured, but this was a good role for him.
Bronson gets to display probably the best over 50 physique in the world (maybe under 50 too, for that matter). It may have been Frank Frazetta who said that the perfect actor for the role of Conan would be a 6'5" Charles Bronson. With little if any character development for Chato, his impressive physique is necessary to establish him as a force of nature, being more in his element as the land becomes harsher and more unforgiving.
For Bronson fans, this is just what we want: a man of few words, but lots of muscle, whuppin' up on an unjust world.

`Back off, Lawman.'
With those three words of unheeded warning (possibly the longest continuous sentence Bronson has in this picture), the Mimbreno Apache Chato(Charles Bronson) begins an elusive flight from a motley posse of citizens led by an ex-Confederate captain (Jack Palance) seeking to punish him for the killing of a white man into the barren wilderness of the Arizona desert.

This is a great minimalist western with a fine cast (particularly the three villainous Hooker brothers - Simon `the psychologist from Psycho' Oakland, John `Papa Walton' Waite, and Richard `Duncan Idaho of Dune' Jordan). Bronson here is less of a character than a force of nature who, when pursued to his limits (and after giving his hunters ample chances to turn back, slitting their waterskins, running off their horses, and generally discouraging them), turns on the posse and starts eliminating them one at a time.

The strength of this western is the writing. All of the posse members, though most of them are unlikable, are well-fleshed out. The three over-sexed, bickering brothers (whose familial loyalty ultimately leads to their destruction), the silent but apt Mexican tracker, and the two foreigners who are among the first to realize this vengeance quest has spiraled well beyond its origin (`For God's sake, don't call it justice...' says Roddy McMillian's Scottish farmer and `We don't belong here, Gavin,' says Paul Young's Irishman). Palance is a standout as the Confederate captain who seems at first to take pleasure in the hunt and leading men again, but who gradually loses control of his subordinates.

As stated, Bronson is more of a cunning force to be feared when he is shown at all, but he does bring a concrete humanity to his Apache fugitive, particularly in the scene where he is reunited with his family in their desert stronghold. He exudes strength, and his physique and countenance seem to have been cut from the sandstone all around. He seems absolutely inscrutable (as the land is to the white men), but when he dispenses death, there is a cold certainty in his expressions.

Good locations - abandoned wickiups, empty desert, jumbled stone and cavernous arroyos all the washed out color of a bone long in the sun makes it seem as if these men have ridden right into hell (but then this `hell' is Chato's land). There's a great line where Palance observes that `white men see a land where nothing grows...they call it hell and give it no further thought. But to the Apache, this land speaks to him, whispers to him. He expects nothing from it...' (paraphrasing). The tried and true `hunters become the hunted formula' with a meaningful undertone that sets it above the usual fare. Great film with a memorable open ending. Does he or doesn't he? Recommended for Bronson fans. This is one of his better flicks.

Must have for Bronson fans
Excellent Bronson flic. It's not hard to see how Bronson and Winner moved onto the Death Wish story line with a plot like this.

It's an amusing game to spot parallels between scenes in Bruce Lee films and Bronson's. Lee was a huge Bronson fan and copied moves and even clothing from many of Bronson's movies.

It is indeed, Chato's Land
Excellent western which follows a posse on the trail of an Apache halfbreed (Bronson). While he is an omnipresent aspect of the story, Bronson has few lines, and is not on-screen for more than a few minutes in the entire film. The story is primarily about the posse, a mixed bag of local citizens, civil war veterans, and sadistic racists. Their steady deterioration into basal chaos is the real crux of the movie. There are both good and bad men among them, and their interactions make the film compelling, in spite of a few flaws. The skilled cast includes Jack Palance, Simon Oakland, Richard Basehart, Ralph Waite, Victor French, Richard Jordan and James Whitmore. Strongly recommended for fans of gritty action and well-drawn characters. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must have for Paul Young fans
This video is a nice collection of Paul Young's work from the 80's. If your a fan, this is a great video to own. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Conan of the West
Without Charles Bronson, this would be a three star movie at best. The plot is simple, like a slasher movie in the Old West. Bronson, ever effective as an Indian (remember Drumbeat as Captain Jack?), kills off a posse one by one. The posse is filled with well-known character actors and of these, Jack Palance stands out. Palance is the leader of the group in name only, and his relations with the others is the most interesting. He was certainly an under-used actor as he matured, but this was a good role for him.
Bronson gets to display probably the best over 50 physique in the world (maybe under 50 too, for that matter). It may have been Frank Frazetta who said that the perfect actor for the role of Conan would be a 6'5" Charles Bronson. With little if any character development for Chato, his impressive physique is necessary to establish him as a force of nature, being more in his element as the land becomes harsher and more unforgiving.
For Bronson fans, this is just what we want: a man of few words, but lots of muscle, whuppin' up on an unjust world.

`Back off, Lawman.'
With those three words of unheeded warning (possibly the longest continuous sentence Bronson has in this picture), the Mimbreno Apache Chato(Charles Bronson) begins an elusive flight from a motley posse of citizens led by an ex-Confederate captain (Jack Palance) seeking to punish him for the killing of a white man into the barren wilderness of the Arizona desert.

This is a great minimalist western with a fine cast (particularly the three villainous Hooker brothers - Simon `the psychologist from Psycho' Oakland, John `Papa Walton' Waite, and Richard `Duncan Idaho of Dune' Jordan). Bronson here is less of a character than a force of nature who, when pursued to his limits (and after giving his hunters ample chances to turn back, slitting their waterskins, running off their horses, and generally discouraging them), turns on the posse and starts eliminating them one at a time.

The strength of this western is the writing. All of the posse members, though most of them are unlikable, are well-fleshed out. The three over-sexed, bickering brothers (whose familial loyalty ultimately leads to their destruction), the silent but apt Mexican tracker, and the two foreigners who are among the first to realize this vengeance quest has spiraled well beyond its origin (`For God's sake, don't call it justice...' says Roddy McMillian's Scottish farmer and `We don't belong here, Gavin,' says Paul Young's Irishman). Palance is a standout as the Confederate captain who seems at first to take pleasure in the hunt and leading men again, but who gradually loses control of his subordinates.

As stated, Bronson is more of a cunning force to be feared when he is shown at all, but he does bring a concrete humanity to his Apache fugitive, particularly in the scene where he is reunited with his family in their desert stronghold. He exudes strength, and his physique and countenance seem to have been cut from the sandstone all around. He seems absolutely inscrutable (as the land is to the white men), but when he dispenses death, there is a cold certainty in his expressions.

Good locations - abandoned wickiups, empty desert, jumbled stone and cavernous arroyos all the washed out color of a bone long in the sun makes it seem as if these men have ridden right into hell (but then this `hell' is Chato's land). There's a great line where Palance observes that `white men see a land where nothing grows...they call it hell and give it no further thought. But to the Apache, this land speaks to him, whispers to him. He expects nothing from it...' (paraphrasing). The tried and true `hunters become the hunted formula' with a meaningful undertone that sets it above the usual fare. Great film with a memorable open ending. Does he or doesn't he? Recommended for Bronson fans. This is one of his better flicks.

Must have for Bronson fans
Excellent Bronson flic. It's not hard to see how Bronson and Winner moved onto the Death Wish story line with a plot like this.

It's an amusing game to spot parallels between scenes in Bruce Lee films and Bronson's. Lee was a huge Bronson fan and copied moves and even clothing from many of Bronson's movies.

It is indeed, Chato's Land
Excellent western which follows a posse on the trail of an Apache halfbreed (Bronson). While he is an omnipresent aspect of the story, Bronson has few lines, and is not on-screen for more than a few minutes in the entire film. The story is primarily about the posse, a mixed bag of local citizens, civil war veterans, and sadistic racists. Their steady deterioration into basal chaos is the real crux of the movie. There are both good and bad men among them, and their interactions make the film compelling, in spite of a few flaws. The skilled cast includes Jack Palance, Simon Oakland, Richard Basehart, Ralph Waite, Victor French, Richard Jordan and James Whitmore. Strongly recommended for fans of gritty action and well-drawn characters. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Watch out, James Bond
Great spy/adventure flick. Bette Davis makes an great villainess. If I didn't know it was Bette Davis ahead of time, I never would have guessed it was her. Great inventions/gadgets on par with anything created for Bond. And the best part? The 'good guys' lose.

She had to pay the bills........
The movie sucked..bette rocked..point blank...! She was awesome as usual adding some star power to an otherwise James Bond wanna-be movie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Watch out, James Bond
Great spy/adventure flick. Bette Davis makes an great villainess. If I didn't know it was Bette Davis ahead of time, I never would have guessed it was her. Great inventions/gadgets on par with anything created for Bond. And the best part? The 'good guys' lose.

She had to pay the bills........
The movie sucked..bette rocked..point blank...! She was awesome as usual adding some star power to an otherwise James Bond wanna-be movie. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Conan of the West
Without Charles Bronson, this would be a three star movie at best. The plot is simple, like a slasher movie in the Old West. Bronson, ever effective as an Indian (remember Drumbeat as Captain Jack?), kills off a posse one by one. The posse is filled with well-known character actors and of these, Jack Palance stands out. Palance is the leader of the group in name only, and his relations with the others is the most interesting. He was certainly an under-used actor as he matured, but this was a good role for him.
Bronson gets to display probably the best over 50 physique in the world (maybe under 50 too, for that matter). It may have been Frank Frazetta who said that the perfect actor for the role of Conan would be a 6'5" Charles Bronson. With little if any character development for Chato, his impressive physique is necessary to establish him as a force of nature, being more in his element as the land becomes harsher and more unforgiving.
For Bronson fans, this is just what we want: a man of few words, but lots of muscle, whuppin' up on an unjust world.

`Back off, Lawman.'
With those three words of unheeded warning (possibly the longest continuous sentence Bronson has in this picture), the Mimbreno Apache Chato(Charles Bronson) begins an elusive flight from a motley posse of citizens led by an ex-Confederate captain (Jack Palance) seeking to punish him for the killing of a white man into the barren wilderness of the Arizona desert.

This is a great minimalist western with a fine cast (particularly the three villainous Hooker brothers - Simon `the psychologist from Psycho' Oakland, John `Papa Walton' Waite, and Richard `Duncan Idaho of Dune' Jordan). Bronson here is less of a character than a force of nature who, when pursued to his limits (and after giving his hunters ample chances to turn back, slitting their waterskins, running off their horses, and generally discouraging them), turns on the posse and starts eliminating them one at a time.

The strength of this western is the writing. All of the posse members, though most of them are unlikable, are well-fleshed out. The three over-sexed, bickering brothers (whose familial loyalty ultimately leads to their destruction), the silent but apt Mexican tracker, and the two foreigners who are among the first to realize this vengeance quest has spiraled well beyond its origin (`For God's sake, don't call it justice...' says Roddy McMillian's Scottish farmer and `We don't belong here, Gavin,' says Paul Young's Irishman). Palance is a standout as the Confederate captain who seems at first to take pleasure in the hunt and leading men again, but who gradually loses control of his subordinates.

As stated, Bronson is more of a cunning force to be feared when he is shown at all, but he does bring a concrete humanity to his Apache fugitive, particularly in the scene where he is reunited with his family in their desert stronghold. He exudes strength, and his physique and countenance seem to have been cut from the sandstone all around. He seems absolutely inscrutable (as the land is to the white men), but when he dispenses death, there is a cold certainty in his expressions.

Good locations - abandoned wickiups, empty desert, jumbled stone and cavernous arroyos all the washed out color of a bone long in the sun makes it seem as if these men have ridden right into hell (but then this `hell' is Chato's land). There's a great line where Palance observes that `white men see a land where nothing grows...they call it hell and give it no further thought. But to the Apache, this land speaks to him, whispers to him. He expects nothing from it...' (paraphrasing). The tried and true `hunters become the hunted formula' with a meaningful undertone that sets it above the usual fare. Great film with a memorable open ending. Does he or doesn't he? Recommended for Bronson fans. This is one of his better flicks.

Must have for Bronson fans
Excellent Bronson flic. It's not hard to see how Bronson and Winner moved onto the Death Wish story line with a plot like this.

It's an amusing game to spot parallels between scenes in Bruce Lee films and Bronson's. Lee was a huge Bronson fan and copied moves and even clothing from many of Bronson's movies.

It is indeed, Chato's Land
Excellent western which follows a posse on the trail of an Apache halfbreed (Bronson). While he is an omnipresent aspect of the story, Bronson has few lines, and is not on-screen for more than a few minutes in the entire film. The story is primarily about the posse, a mixed bag of local citizens, civil war veterans, and sadistic racists. Their steady deterioration into basal chaos is the real crux of the movie. There are both good and bad men among them, and their interactions make the film compelling, in spite of a few flaws. The skilled cast includes Jack Palance, Simon Oakland, Richard Basehart, Ralph Waite, Victor French, Richard Jordan and James Whitmore. Strongly recommended for fans of gritty action and well-drawn characters. ... Read more