Evil Dead Junkie at Things That Don’t Suck makes it a hat-trick, following his excellent reviews on ‘Ride the High Country’ and ‘Major Dundee’ with an equally recommended piece on ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’ – essential reading for anyone enamoured of or intrigued by this episodic and elegiac western.
Tommy Salami at Pluck You, Too! (great name for a blog!) writes about ‘The Killer Elite’ with gusto. (I’ve only just picked up your comment, Tommy; thanks for the contribution and apologies for not linking to you earlier.)
The Director’s Chair has an interview with Peckinpah, originally published in Rocky Mountain Magazine in 1982, entitled ‘Last of the Desperadoes: Duelling with Sam Peckinpah’. Writer E. Jean Carroll meets the director towards the end of his career, but still finds him full of fire and brimstone.
‘Eyes Opening Up’ by Michael Sragow (on Salon.com) looks at the intertwined controversies surrounding ‘Straw Dogs’ and ‘A Clockwork Orange’ as well as making a broader comparison of Peckinpah and Kubrick’s careers. Written in 1999 and occasioned by the death of Kubrick shortly after completing ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, Sragow advocates his readers to “flip Sam Peckinpah’s ‘Straw Dogs’ into the VCR after dozing through Stanley Kubrick’s valedictory and it registers like the shock pads on failed hearts in medical shows - suddenly, you can feel again.”
A couple of longer pieces for Peckinpah fans with a bit of time on their hands: either you’ve already finished work for the holidays or, like me, you’re kicking your feet at the office and waiting for them to start. Shooting Down Pictures has an epic piece on ‘The Getaway’, part review, part making-of article, including quotes from cast, crew, critics and anyone in any way qualified to pass comment on this classic ’70s thriller, while John Sanchez’s article ‘Sam Peckinpah – Hollywood’s Last Rebel Director’ (on Associated Content) celebrates Peckinpah’s maverick approach to filmmaking and provides an overview of all the films.
Meanwhile, back at this blog, I’ll be reviewing ‘The Killer Elite’ tomorrow, taking a break on Christmas Day, then storming back on Boxing Day to look at the last few films in the run up to the New Year.
Tommy Salami at Pluck You, Too! (great name for a blog!) writes about ‘The Killer Elite’ with gusto. (I’ve only just picked up your comment, Tommy; thanks for the contribution and apologies for not linking to you earlier.)
The Director’s Chair has an interview with Peckinpah, originally published in Rocky Mountain Magazine in 1982, entitled ‘Last of the Desperadoes: Duelling with Sam Peckinpah’. Writer E. Jean Carroll meets the director towards the end of his career, but still finds him full of fire and brimstone.
‘Eyes Opening Up’ by Michael Sragow (on Salon.com) looks at the intertwined controversies surrounding ‘Straw Dogs’ and ‘A Clockwork Orange’ as well as making a broader comparison of Peckinpah and Kubrick’s careers. Written in 1999 and occasioned by the death of Kubrick shortly after completing ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, Sragow advocates his readers to “flip Sam Peckinpah’s ‘Straw Dogs’ into the VCR after dozing through Stanley Kubrick’s valedictory and it registers like the shock pads on failed hearts in medical shows - suddenly, you can feel again.”
A couple of longer pieces for Peckinpah fans with a bit of time on their hands: either you’ve already finished work for the holidays or, like me, you’re kicking your feet at the office and waiting for them to start. Shooting Down Pictures has an epic piece on ‘The Getaway’, part review, part making-of article, including quotes from cast, crew, critics and anyone in any way qualified to pass comment on this classic ’70s thriller, while John Sanchez’s article ‘Sam Peckinpah – Hollywood’s Last Rebel Director’ (on Associated Content) celebrates Peckinpah’s maverick approach to filmmaking and provides an overview of all the films.
Meanwhile, back at this blog, I’ll be reviewing ‘The Killer Elite’ tomorrow, taking a break on Christmas Day, then storming back on Boxing Day to look at the last few films in the run up to the New Year.
3 comments:
Thanks for the link, and I look forward to your thoughts on The Killer Elite.
Here's mine, finally, on STRAW DOGS:
http://wwwbillblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/overshadowed-i-hope-you-slit-your.html
Tommy - my 'Killer Elite' piece is now up. There are things in it I enjoy, but watching the films in order - ie. 'Killer Elite' coming after Peckinpah's five year run of great movies from 'The Wild Bunch' to 'Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia' - I find it something of a dispiriting viewing experience.
Bill - great article! I'll be doing one last "resources & links" article in a couple of days and I'll be sure to link to it then.
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