Lawman (1971) / Hour of the Gun (1967) / Gun Fury (1953)
Company: Twilight Time
Starring in Hour of the Gun:
Albert Salmi, Jason Robards, Jon Voight, James Garner, Robert Ryan,
William Windom, William Schallert
Starring in Lawman: Albert Salmi, Robert Duvall, Burt
Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Sheree North, Lee J. Cobb, Joseph Wiseman
Starring in Gun Fury:
Rock Hudson, Donna Reed, Neville Brand, Lee Marvin, Phil Carey, Roberta
Haynes, Leo Gordon
My Review and Thoughts:
My Rating:
Lawman: 4.5 out of 5
Gun Fury: 3.5 out of 5
Hour of the Gun: 4 out of 5
Today we adventure into a triple western packed showdown of
perfection old school style. The reason why I'm doing a triple feature review
instead of the single reviews, is because I first saw my first Western Film as
a triple feature back in 1986 as a three feature Gunslinger Marathon. There was
an all-night Drive-In movie marathon at the local Drive-In once a month, and
there was always a subject whether it be horror, sci-fi or Western, the B-grade
films always had something in common. So, I thought it would be fitting to
display them together. Twilight Time Blu-ray has released all three on a
special edition Blu-ray of 3000 units produced. All three films have never
looked any better. Never sounded any better. All three are crisp in imagery,
clear in sound, vibrant in color.
All three are truly classic western films in a sense of the
Drive-In adventure. These are films that should be seen, and respected for
giving fun, older style entertainment. So many western films are classified in
the B-grade scale like Horror or Sci-fi. Western never gets the special treatment
that so many deserve. Thankfully there is a growing film lover population for
these films. Twilight Time did a lovely job in mastering new outlets for all
three of these films.
I thankfully grew up during a time of the 80’s, and even the
early 90’s consisted of late night movie marathons at local theaters, or remaining
Drive-In’s. Now I never saw these three at any of these places but I did see
many triple feature westerns on these events. So, I thought it would be great
watching these three as triple features in honor of those late-night marathons
from my childhood.
Twilight Time always does an amazing wonderful job in
capturing great films on lovely 3,000 Unit Blu-rays.
First up is Gun Fury 3D and 2D Special Edition. I remember seeing this as a kid with my Uncle
Earl. He was a huge Lee Marvin fan, and so I became one also. Marvin was a true
manly man actor. He was a gifted soul of pure acting genius that gave
everything to his characters in his vast film career. From action, to drama, to
everything in-between. He had away with capturing a brutally honest, and
emotional charged reality. Gun Fury is one of those films that his talent
shines. Twilight Time did another fantastic job on an important product.
Another top-notch Blu-ray by an amazing company. Also starring the amazing one
of a kind Rock Hudson who needs no introduction. A master at film and is a true
icon of cinema.
Gun Fury is about a stagecoach that is held up by a ruthless
gang ran by bad guy Frank Slayton played with perfection by Philip Carey.
Robbing this stagecoach, this gang and its brutal mentality leaves Ben Warren
(Rock Hudson) for dead, kidnapping his woman and riding off with her. Soon
Warren must pull together, seek out and follow this ruthless gang. Sadly, Ben
finds that the locals and the townspeople want nothing to do with the gang.
They won’t help him find his woman, or make the wrong right. Everyone is scared.
Thankfully he can find two that are willing to seek revenge toward the gang.
Next Up is 1967’s Hour of the Gun.
Growing up I was either in school, or at my Uncle Earl’s. My
Uncle Earl bleed manly western cowboy. If he didn’t have a coffee in one hand
and a Louis Lamour book in the other, it was a western on TV. I always joked
with him that he was a cowboy in the city. Trust me when I say he bleed basic
ranch western life, in everything he did. He and I would go to Saturday
Matinees of westerns playing on the big screen, and if it was Sunday it was all
day westerns on TV. Now days that is rare, but when I was growing up, it was
everywhere. One of those westerns, was Hour of the Gun. I first saw this on an
all-day theater marathon, where if you brought in a can food item for the poor,
you got in at 50 cents. One step further if you dressed up, you got 25 cent popcorns.
Anyways one of those midday flicks on the big screen was Hour of the gun, and
that is why I fondly remember it, sitting next to my Uncle Earl, God rest his
soul, I miss him greatly, but he gave me lots of amazing memories.
Hour of the Gun is about the one and only Western icon and
legend Wyatt Earp and his brother Virgil, Morgan and the one and only Doc
Holliday. Like in all depictions they confront the famous violent Ike Clanton
gang at the one and only shoot out at the O.K. Corral in the tonw of Tombstone.
Starring a flawless cast of performers. The whole cast really needs no
introduction to any movie lover. The one and only James Garner, the brilliant
Fran Converse, the amazing Sam Melville, and the flawless Jason Robards.
This also stars the amazing wonderful actor Jon Voight. He
is a true acting Pioneer. He has always
been a cinema figure to me throughout the movie world. Being in some of the
greatest films of all time. He starred in my true personal favorite Midnight
Cowboy. He is truly a gifted actor and award worthy performer. Many of his
films such as the wonderful amazing awesome disturbing Deliverance (1972),
Coming Home (1978) which won him his Academy award for best actor, and his
wonderful performance in 1979's The Champ. He is a master talent at acting. He
has been honored many times with Twilight Time Blu-ray special editions
including one of my personal favorites Conrack.
Next up is Lawman
Starring Icon and cinema legend Burt Lancaster. Lancaster is
a master at performance. He starred in one of my favorite films Birdman of
Alcatraz which might I add Twilight Time has also released on a Special Edition
Blu-ray and you can read my review in the Twilight Time section to the left.
Before the shooting of the Birdman of Alcatraz film, he sat down and talked
with the true-life Birdman, Stroud, to me that shows you the mastery this actor
had for creating memorable characters throughout his long career. Lancaster
does a fantastic job in anything he does, but I felt the Stroud character was
his defining role. He is a legend and a true one of a kind acting master that
never grows old in the viewer’s mind as you experience any of his films. Twilight
Time releases two of my favorite films and honored this master, The Train and
Birdman of Alcatraz are both defining roles that stand out, and both have
always been two of my favorite performances, and most of all two of the great
characters in cinema. I just recently watched him in the classic Documentary
Series The Unknown War. He hosted this series of World War 2 Russian Front War
Footage. He was a dynamic actor that gave so many amazing pieces of cinematic
film for all generations. From the amazing 1960’s Elmer Gentry, which won him
his Oscar, to as I have mentioned, 1962’s The Birdman of Alcatraz. All one has
to do is scan his amazing career, 1946’s The Killers, 1953’s From Here to
Eternity, 1957’s Sweet Smell of Success, and one of my personal favorites,
Judgement at Nuremberg which has also been a Twilight Time release. Lancaster
had an amazing career of films lasting over 45 years of entertainment.
Also starring the wonderful Robert Ryan who also starred in
another Twilight Time release, House of Bamboo which is a fantastic murder
mystery film noir. Robert Ryan was a total guru of B-grade entertainment from
countless Film Noirs to murder mysteries, he was a true acting brilliance.
Also starring the brilliant Joseph Wiseman. Now as you would
guess if you’re a movie buff, there is the trivia for you. Wiseman was Dr. No
in James Bond film Dr. No, directed by Terrance Young, who yes directed The
Valachi Papers which is also another Special Edition
Twilight Time Blu-ray. He
was an amazing actor that graced the screen both large and TV small screen in
well over 90 performances in film and TV. He was truly a one of a kind, and he
will always be remembered as the first James Bond movie villain, it was awesome
seeing him in this.
This is directed by one of my favorite directors. Michael
Winner has done some of my favorite guilty pleasure films, starring one of my
favorite tough guys, manly man actors, Charles Bronson. Winner was responsible
for making the one and only 1974’s Death Wish. Death Wise is a golden ticket of
revenge perfection. Winner also did the two sequels, Death Wish 2, and 3. I
love this series and Winner is a priceless director in that regard. I loved his
no holds bar style of film making with these three films. The Death Wish series
is a perfect example of exploitation grindhouse style main stream movies. Solid
director behind a series of violent films is always an eye-opening experience.
Winner and Bronson worked together many times. Winner always had away with
capturing his characters in a brutal fashion.
Bronson like Lancaster became
somewhat a stable in Winner’s films. Now Winner’s career was a vast array of
movie genera’s. From action, to thrillers, to comedy, to drama. He directed one
of my favorite, underrated horror films of all time, 1977’s spooky, and
disturbing The Sentinel. If you haven’t seen The Sentinel, I highly recommend.
As you would guess like most westerns there is a group of
bad men. Drunks that go about shooting up towns and being unruly. During one of
the groups craziness an old man was killed. A peace officer played by Lancaster,
who is named Marshal Jared Maddox. His goal is to bring several men to justice.
He has warrants on those involved in the killing. Now to make the reality worse
is that all five men work for a rich ranch owner named Vincent Bronson, and so
you can guess what happens next.
All three of these westerns are classic. Each one has been
given a flawless transfer to 1080p High Definition, and all three are
perfected, entertainment.
Audio/Video:
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Yet again no fault in this department. Twilight Time tends
to always capture the perfection of audio and video quality. They never let me
down in this reality. The quality and perfection they put into their products
shines brightly with ease of sound clarity to the ear and beauty of video to
the eye.
Gun Fury 3D:
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 1.85:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
Hour of the Gun:
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 2.35:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1967 / Color
Lawman:
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 1.85:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
Extras:
Gun Fury: Special Features: Isolated Music Track (Partial) /
Original Theatrical Trailer
Hour of the Gun: Special
Features: You get the great Isolated Music Track. The man behind the music for
this film needs no introduction to cinema fans. The one and only Jerry Goldsmith.
Goldsmith has been a part of some of the greatest film scores both small and
large. Just to mention a few, The Omen, Alien, Poltergeist, The Secret of NIMH,
Gremlins, Hoosiers, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Rudy, L.A. Confidential, The
Mummy, Von Ryan’s Express, The Blue Max, Planet of the Apes, Patton, Tora!
Tora! Tora! Papillion, Chinatown, Logan’s Run, Legend, Alien Nation, The Burbs,
many of the Star Trek films. He did so many memorable scores that stand out and
are landmarks in film. When Goldsmith died in 2004 the cinema world lost a true
master in film making. The music world lost a music genius. Twilight Time
honored a passionate master with this special feature and many other of his
films.
Original Theatrical Trailer
Lawman Special Features: The all-important isolated score
track that most all these Twilight Time Blu-ray’s come with. The man behind
this music needs no introduction, the one and only Jerry Fielding. He has done
countless important pieces of cinema. The Peckinpah masterpiece, The Wild
Bunch, and Peckinpah’s great, Straw Dogs. Not only was he a Jazz master, but he
was a brilliant, and flawless composer of music. Sadly, he was one of those
blacklisted for many years during the crazy witch hunts of Communist red scare.
Thankfully after many years of this foolishness, he returned, mastering many
great pieces of cinema, both great and small. He was nominated for 3 Academy
Awards which he should have won all three. One for The Wild Bunch, which needs
no explanation. He should have won for Straw Dogs, and the amazing The Outlaw
Josey Wales. He did however receive an Emmy Award in 1980 for Outstanding
Achievement. He deserved so many awards for his expertise, and flawless beauty
in music. This special feature was a lovely listen to. Twilight Time honored
this master with this special feature.
Original Theatrical Trailer
Overall:
Twilight Time did another amazing job at bringing forth
three fantastic experiences that they accomplish so greatly. A beautiful transfer
to all three, dynamic visual and hearing on all three. All three are priceless
examples of how to treat older films. Highly recommend all three films.
INFO:
Make sure you head over to www.screenarchives.com to buy all
the wonderful Twilight Time Blu-rays. The main page that gives you these
beautiful releases on top quality Special Editions.
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