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Major Dundee (1965)
Brilliant
They stumble onto the remains of a village in which curvy Berger is tending to the sick and dying. Needless to say, she sparks the interest of both Heston and Harris, only adding to their enmity. Eventually, the motley band of soldiers finds itself hunting Apaches while being hunted by French soldiers who are occupying Mexico. This escalates into an almost impossible situation when Heston's group reaches a river with the enemy both in front of and behind him. All the elements for a grand-scale, epic story are in place, but it falls short of excellence because of the problems in the editing room. Heston is great as the damaged, but heroic Major. Harris, though oddly cast and sporting that goofy blue eyeshadow he favored in the 60's, is also strong and the two make great adversaries. Coburn's role is smaller, but he gives it impact. Berger's role epitomizes the words decorative and obligatory, but she is luminous, especially when she isn't continuously yanking on her shawl (which happens VERY often!) The cast is chock full of excellent actors who enhanced many western films and television series. Oates has a nice turn as a Confederate who tests Heston's mettle (though he is referred to many times as a boy and was 37 years old!) Anderson is very endearing as a young bugler who becomes a man during the conflict. (Palacios, who plays his love interest, married director Peckinpah after this.) The primary problems seem to come in the mid to late section of the film when many things happen to the characters in swift succession and it's hard to completely gather their motivations and the timing of the actions. This section was clearly cut, haphazardly, and it weakens the narrative and the pace of the film. (Note Heston's sudden beard which appears out of nowhere.) Also, some of the battle sequences are edited so choppily that it's difficult to see who's being killed off! One must just assume, from whoever's left at the end, that the rest of the characters didn't make it. Still, the action scenes in the film are excitingly staged and the actors go a long way in putting the story across. Though it is rarely shown in widescreen, that format is a must for fully appreciating the camera-work and composition of the film. Heston, who admired (but tangled mightily with) Peckinpah, wound up making no money for his work as he put up his salary to help defray the cost overruns.
9 rota (2005)
Decent!
It's one of the best Russian movies about the war!The movie is great,it breaks all records in Russia.It became the most popular movie in Russia ever!!!I mean it has collected more than 20 millions$ in just 2 weeks.And there is a good sign that it will approach 30 millions$ or even more!!!Definitely this movie will go down in History!The shooting was perfect,it was very well done.Actors play is honest,vivid,sincere and touching.What strikes me most is the realism of this movie.Actors portray their characters as realistic as it possible.They perfectly manage to show us the real war atmosphere with all its horror and brutality. So if you want to see a real war movie,with a real war actions, you must see it!!!!I give all my respect to the creators of this fantastic movie and wish it could climb over 40 millions$ because this movie deserves it,it made a big stir in Russia and i wish it will be soon recognized and respectively appreciated in other countries.The point of this movie is not to show the audience the power a heroism of Russian army,but to make people realize what a terrible consequences may the war lead to,and what it can turn into people life's.This movie simply demonstrates us the inanity and bloodiness of the war.