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A Peckinpah Film
Review of Major Dundee
Major Dundee
very satisfied
"Fall in behind the Major"

Major Dundee (The Extended Version)
Starring: Charlton Heston , Richard Harris , Jim Hutton , James Coburn , and Michael Anderson Jr.
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00083FZFY
Release Date: 2005-09-20

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This restoration of Sam Peckinpah's 1965 western Major Dundee is nothing short of magnificent, a noble attempt at restoring a famously wrecked masterpiece. When Peckinpah went over budget and over schedule during the Mexico shoot, unshot scenes were canceled and the footage rudely cut by the studio. The director disowned the results. In 2005, surviving footage was patched back in, and a new musical soundtrack commissioned to replace the score Peckinpah hated. This raises some legitimate questions about interpreting a director's intentions, and about messing with film history, but Major Dundee--The Extended Version is such a rousing, mysterious experience, one feels grateful.

Major Dundee (Charlton Heston) is a vainglorious officer busted to the decidedly inglorious job of overseeing prisoners in a fort in New Mexico. An abduction gives him the excuse to mount an expedition into Mexico, chasing the perpetrators and perhaps a shot at greatness. His ragtag posse includes Confederate POWs, notably one Captain Ben Tyreen (Richard Harris), whose intense former friendship with Dundee is tainted with a sense of betrayal on both sides. (Heston and Harris, two actors not known for subtlety, are splendid.) Part Ahab, part Alexander the Great, Dundee leads the expedition away from its purpose and into a near-mythic kind of wandering.

Peckinpah gets everything right--the landscapes, the sneaky humor, the code of men. He also takes time to distinguish the supporting characters, such as Jim Hutton's awkward young officer and Senta Berger's stranded widow. The Peckinpah stock company of amazing character actors is in place, too, including James Coburn, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, L.Q. Jones, and Slim Pickens. It will never be exactly what Peckinpah envisioned, but now Major Dundee rides suspiciously close to greatness. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

A Peckinpah Film.......2007-06-12

The only reason I gave it a 4 star instead of a 5 star is the length of the movie with a slow middle. Sam Pechinpaw movies are always action packed. Heston plays a tought Major who's only purpose was to hunt down some murdering Apaches, but falls in love along the way.

Review of Major Dundee.......2007-05-24

The disk arrived in a timely manner and was in excellent condition.
The film, although of course dated, was very interesting and enjoyable. I much prefer Charlton Heston in dynamic roles such as this to in his "epic" roles such as Moses in The Ten Commandments. He seemed a real person in this film. Richard Harris is also excellent, as are the supporting cast. All in all I enjoyed the film very much and am glad that I bought it.

Major Dundee.......2007-05-17

One of the finest western genre movies ever made...complexity of the characters interaction coupled with fine acting and action scenes make this movie a must see

very satisfied.......2007-05-10

I am very satisfied with the dvd movie Major Dundee. It was well worth the money. Very enjoyable.

"Fall in behind the Major".......2007-03-21

You can read all about the behind things that went on during the making of this movie, so lets talk about the movie itself.
I remember watching this movie as a child and loving it. I know that this isn't what Peckinpah wanted us to see but even in the form most of us have seen it the talent and strong direction make even this "flawed masterpiece" one of the great westerns and great movies period. Now after all these years they have found the missing scenes and we can see(at least as close as possible) the epic western that Sam wanted. With these new scenes,soundtrack(Sam hated the old one), and using his notes, the movie comes alive again and even better than before. Now if you are like me i loved the old soundtrack(yes it's corny and i hate to say it,but i do love it)not to worry as you can choose which one you would like to hear. With extras glore this is one of the better extended version discs out there. nothing is over looked and now "Major Dundee" can take its place beside "The Wild Bunch" as one of the best films Peckinpah made!!

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