I only became aware of this film recently from a documentary on Sam Peckinpah's career, and managed to call it up rather quickly via my local library's request system. I'm left with mixed feelings, mostly due to the slow pacing of the story and Kris Kristofferson's casting as The Kid. "Young Guns" gets panned by a lot of folks, but Emilio Estevez's characterization captures a lot more effectively my personal vision of the Wild West's most famous outlaw. James Coburn seems to be adequately cast as Sheriff Pat Garrett, and his quest to bring in Billy seems appropriately conflicted, but in the end he did gun him down. So much for past friendships.
You have to say one thing, the supporting cast is a veritable who's who of great Western character actors. There aren't many places you'll find Chill Wills, Slim Pickens, R.G. Armstrong, Katy Jurado and Jack Elam all in one place, and just as you're done taking them all in, you've got some quick but effective cameos by the likes of Dub Taylor and Elisha Cook Jr. And oddly, it actually looks like Bob Dylan belongs in this picture. It would have been cool if Barry Sullivan was given a line that recalled his own portrayal of the Lincoln County lawman from the early '60's TV series "The Tall Man", but his "Glad to be of service Garrett, but don't overuse it" was effective enough.
The Slim Pickens river scene seems to be the one most fans find memorable, and I have to admit I got a slight chill when Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" faded in and out along with the lawman. I thought the scene was setting us up for the sung version when Billy met his end, I think that would have been a most effective touch.
Not nearly as famous as Peckinpah's master work "The Wild Bunch", I can see how the movie will find it's devotees who prefer this picture. The director's trademark touch of violence is ever present, even if some of the graphic bloodletting seems more for effect than realism. Still, Peckinpah was one of the first directors to take the glamor out of Western gun battles and show them for their down and dirty grittiness.
Best line of the film, and it's still ringing in my ears as I write this - Deputy Bob Ollinger (R.G. Armstrong) to Billy after he roughs him up while under arrest - "I'll take you for a walk across hell on a spider web". I just love the imagery.
You have to say one thing, the supporting cast is a veritable who's who of great Western character actors. There aren't many places you'll find Chill Wills, Slim Pickens, R.G. Armstrong, Katy Jurado and Jack Elam all in one place, and just as you're done taking them all in, you've got some quick but effective cameos by the likes of Dub Taylor and Elisha Cook Jr. And oddly, it actually looks like Bob Dylan belongs in this picture. It would have been cool if Barry Sullivan was given a line that recalled his own portrayal of the Lincoln County lawman from the early '60's TV series "The Tall Man", but his "Glad to be of service Garrett, but don't overuse it" was effective enough.
The Slim Pickens river scene seems to be the one most fans find memorable, and I have to admit I got a slight chill when Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" faded in and out along with the lawman. I thought the scene was setting us up for the sung version when Billy met his end, I think that would have been a most effective touch.
Not nearly as famous as Peckinpah's master work "The Wild Bunch", I can see how the movie will find it's devotees who prefer this picture. The director's trademark touch of violence is ever present, even if some of the graphic bloodletting seems more for effect than realism. Still, Peckinpah was one of the first directors to take the glamor out of Western gun battles and show them for their down and dirty grittiness.
Best line of the film, and it's still ringing in my ears as I write this - Deputy Bob Ollinger (R.G. Armstrong) to Billy after he roughs him up while under arrest - "I'll take you for a walk across hell on a spider web". I just love the imagery.