Tribute to Sam Peckinpah (1925-1984) 2005 / Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid / USA 1973
New Mexico 1881. Sheriff Pat Garrett sets out after Billy the Kid, but before they found themselves on opposite sides of the law they were united by strong bonds of friendship. James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson star as the legends of the Wild West, with original music by Bob Dylan, who also takes on the role of the taciturn Alias.
“This country is growing old and I wanna grow with it,” says Pat Garrett to friend Billy the Kid, soon to be his adversary on the other side of the law. Thus he justifies his decision to pin on a tin star, which simultaneously pushed him into a hateful mission -to capture Billy the Kid and bring him to justice. Another of Peckinpah’s movies to be drastically cut by the studio without the director’s consent, it returns to the model of two friends forced by their own or another’s will to point their revolvers at each other. But just as in The Wild Bunch and other ‘Bloody Sam’s’ melancholy westerns, their friendship lasts until death. That life ends violently is a thing wholly insignificant, since Peckinpah’s heroes administer and accept death with the same nonchalance. As Pat Garrett, James Coburn proves that even a decade after The Magnificent Seven he has lost none of his stoic calm or gun-slinging dexterity, although he has transferred his knife throwing talents to the somewhat surprisingly cast Bob Dylan, composer of the trademark musical score. Both of them, however, are overshadowed by newcomer Kris Kristofferson, until then “merely” a singer-songwriter. In his interpretation, the legendary William Bonney, alias Billy the Kid, is as disturbing, playful, dangerous, captivating and even charming as he could be after a three-day ride across the high planes.
121 min / Color, 35 mm
Director Sam Peckinpah
/ Screenplay Rudy Wurlitzer
/ Dir. of Photography John Coquillon
/ Music Bob Dylan
/ Editor David Berlatsky, Garth Craven, Richard Halsey, Roger Spottiswoode, Robert L. Wolfe, Tony de Zarraga
/ Producer Gordon Carroll
/ Production Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
/ Cast James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Richard Jaeckel, Katy Jurado, Jason Robards, R. G. Armstrong, Slim Pickens, L. Q. Jones
/ Contact BFI, Hollywood Classics
BFI
21 Stephen Street, W1T 1LN, London
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 207 255 1444
Fax: +44 207 436 7950
E-mail: [email protected]
Hollywood Classics
Suite 31, Beaufort Court, Admirals Way, E14 9XL, London
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 207 517 7525
E-mail: [email protected]
L.Q. Jones
Actor
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