Definitely the best 'western' set in the year 1913 (eh eh)... No, really, also the manliest film of them all even in Peckinpah's roster, above Dawn Of The Dead (1978), RoboCop (1987) and Mutiny On The Bounty (1935).
I disagree . It was polarizing . It had its good moments . Critic Rex Reed at the time trashed it . The high brow John Simon who could spit venom worse than Reed ever could noted its good moments but called it an “ important bad film “ . . That was actually a compliment from Simon and I happened to agree with him
Brilliant review. Saw this movie when when it first came out. Anyone who viewed it was overwhelmed by the violence throughout the film. But there is so much more to this movie and this reviewer is on point on every facet of this masterpiece. On side note; the legendary scene where Pike and the three other members walk into town for the final shootout that ends with all of them killed, haunted me for years. I had just returned from serving 13 months as a combat Marine in Vietnam and had survived to make it home, though wounded twice. One of the main themes throughout the movie was loyalty. You gave your word to another man or men, and kept it no matter what. So it was to the group of young Marines I served with. Every time you went out on an operation the chances of being killed were great, but you strapped on your gear, readied your weapons and went. You went because you had promised your loyalty to those Marines around your, even if meant your death. Even today that “scene” touches may heart and soul and brings back those memories of years ago, which now seem like a dream.
I watched The Wild Bunch at the cinema when first released and left at the end stunned and shocked . It was incredible. Having seen Bill Holden in Love is a Many Splendid Thing and Ernest Borgnine in Marty I couldn't get over how powerful their characters were . This is one hell of a movie. Particularly on the big screen in a big movie house. What an achievement.
The realism in this film is AMAZING. The ACTORS are second to none ALL of them. Sam Peckinpah was at the top of His GAME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DISCRIPTION. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A great review of a great movie. I think Peckinpah "broke down " at the end of shooting, because even though he would go on to make movies, he knew deep down he would never surpass this film. "The Wild Bunch" is, undoubtedly, his masterpiece.
The Wild Bunch is one of those movies people either loved or hated it , no middle ground. The movie had a great story, actors,director and action scenes that were ahead of their time. The story is the most important. A group of bad men who have outlived their way of life. Its a new century and things were changing forever. They choose a warriors death. They know they won't have a place in the world to come. Great movie.
Thank you for this summary! The Wild Bunch is such a beautiful homage to values old and new and the struggle to keep the old ways. It seems like we are asked to shift and change with the times. I love the desire to stay loyal to the (not so) old ways. To go out with a bang and a shout.
A word on the superb casting. Bill Holden's greatest hour. Borgine, Oates, Johnson - I've seen those types with wrinkled faces and heard those voices in the harbors, construction sites, truckers' cafes and sleazy bars and what have you. The Wild Bunch is a great movie because it shows what life can do to a man. Being one of the brothers in arms beats solitude.
Excellent review. The Wild Bunch represents men on the far fringe of society with a code known only to themselves. They have each other against a world that has passed them by. They are flying through history knowing their times and the way that they lived is long gone and soon to be their demise.
Very well done. I was 18 when the film was first released. I went to see it one afternoon, and stayed through three more showings. I absolutely loved it. I saw it again in the theater in the mid 90's when the restored version came out with an additional 18 minutes of footage. I loved it even more. Over the years, I've read several reports that the original cut that Peckinpah wanted to release was around 3 1/2 hours. I wonder if that is still in a vault somewhere waiting for someone to find it. Thanks for an excellent review.
The wild bunch is a CLASSIC AND WILL REMAIN THAT WAY LONG AFTER I DEPART ON MY LONG FINAL JOURNEY.I have watched it hundreds of time and still watch it with the eyes of first time.A CLASSIC and I WONT HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
I was born in '65, got to watch the TV versions of "The Wild Bunch" and "The Getaway" with my father every time they came up in the rotation. It wasn't until VHS that I saw either as intended. The message stood in spite of broadcast censorship. To this day my better half replies "Why not?" to my "Let's go," and she means it. If I fumble with something too heavy she calls out "You must put it on a tripod!" To this day "La Golondrina" makes me cry, and I hear it a fair bit where I live. Thank you for your review and insights. I have a feeling you could go on for hours more.
This is director Sam Peckinpah's best film. On his other films, he rarely had a budget large enough for quality on the level of The Wild Bunch; the production values and film quality show it. As for William Holden, this was a kind of swan song for him. A few years later, he tragically died because of alcoholism: he fell -- or passed out -- while drunk and died from the injury. The supporting cast, IMHO, is what makes The Wild Bunch a great film: Borgnine and the others are the real meat and potatoes. And what an amazing group of character actors they are: L.Q Jones, Warren Oates, a wonderfully grizzled Edmund O'Brien, a weary Robert Ryan, Jaime Sanchez, Emilio Fernandez, Strother Martin, Alfonso Arau, Dub Taylor, and on and on. There has never been a film since this one with such a talent-heavy group of western character actors. Since its release, I've probably watched it a dozen or more time and will hopefully live long enough to watch it another dozen times before my own "long walk." Thanks for posting The Wild Bunch, Sanctioned Buffoonery. This was an excellent review!
William Holden died in November of 1981, twelve years after The Wild Bunch was released and he had parts in a number of successful movies during the 1970's. Hardly a 'swan song'.
I first saw this film when l was 17, the year it was released in the UK. It had a great effect on me. Certain films and books from the 1950s and 60s shaped my character, and this was one of them. I could well imagine John Steinbeck having written the screenplay. Add to this the direction, the photography, the incredible cast, the location, and you have that increasingly rare creature - a cinematic masterpiece. The scene where the Bunch ride out of the Mexican village still brings tears to my eyes. That one scene alone is all you need to understand this film. Those days truly are fading fast. But to my mind, they have already gone.
@@thewayin3516 Yes it does!!! Just like the previous gentlemen, I started watching get very young myself. I know it was either at 16 or 17 years of age. And now I’m 64 and during this entire time I know I watched it at least 20 to 25 times. At no time have I ever been bored. Quite the contrary. Furthermore, Every time I watch it, I find something new in it that I missed in all the previous times I watched it.
This movie The Wild Bunch is simply the best, I've watch it well over ten Times and I love it. A true western, F, John Wayne. God Bless "Director Sam Peckinpah" he's where you separate the men from the boys. May you RIP Mr. Peckinpah.
I still remember seeing this when released in 1959 with my twin brother and our Dad. What an experience it was. This is my all-time favorite Western. It's truly a Masterpiece.
AS A LIFETIME LOVER OF CINEMA --------I STATE HERE & NOW, " The Wild Bunch " is My all-time #1 film. I saw it in Denver, at the old Paramount Theater on 16th & Glenarm St, on the 1st Friday showing : 7P & 10 PM -------from the foreboding & unforgettable opening credits to the end, I loved this film, & understood it completely. ------This is a film made by men --------about men--------for, men only. Women do NOT understand the themes , nor did Sam Peckinpah or Walon Green care if they did. ------Peckinpah was haunted by the end of & the closing of, The Old West, & in 5 of his films, that is one of the over-riding themes. But there is another theme to this & the others that pervades Peckinpah's work & that is the theme of LOYALTY AMONG MEN. In this film, loyalty is what drives the story to the very end. -------I love this film, & have watched it probably 35--40 times. It never grows old . With a sterling cast of Hollywood's finest. & Peckinpah's own " repertory " group --------LQ Jones, Strother Martin , Dub Taylor , with Jerry Fielding's score " Sam Peckinpah's , The Wild Bunch", is a must for every guy ----------EVERY guy. -----------------------MJL, 75 y/o
Amén a todo. “Grupo Salvaje” (así se nombró en España) es una elegía. Ese final, con todos riendo y la música de “La golondrina” es un momento cenital.
@michaellazzeri9439 I am 72 but I don't feel old . Saw it when it came out in the Cinema in Ireland. Loved it, then still love it now. William Holden owned that movie and in a film of brilliant Performances from everyone, but especially Borgnine, Ryan and Edmond O'brien. 25 years later went to see a revival in San Francisco with my daughter and her husband and they were amazed. Would like to see it again in the Cinema. It deserves to be seen on the Big Screen .
When things get bad in my life I think of this film. The bonding of the bunch. Stay with your values. Go out with dignity. The walk enbedded in my mind to take on lifes issues. When I pass on I want some of my ashes placed where the table with the machine gun was. Love this film. I tear up at many scenes.
In this new era when the internet is filled with content, you see every conceivable list of any and everything dissected and rated. There are more than a few who rate westerns. And like the reception this film received in the original showings, it is either low on the list, or left off entirely. I have to wonder if the ones making those lists perhaps didn't grow up during a time when westerns were a staple of film, and in some rare instances high art. I have my own list of films I have loved for a lifetime. Coolhand Luke, Jeremiah Johnson, Shawshank, Green Mile. Each encompasses a similarity with The Wild Bunch in regard to the character of the individual roles of the main players. And as stated by the commentary, The Wild Bunch rates as high, or higher than any of them. And still to this day, when i dig out my copy on DVD, it is as fresh and moving as the first time i saw it. A one word description of this film would be Peckinpah. He set the bar that other directors to this day still strive for.
I watched The Wild Bunch on a flight home yesterday. I had not seen the film in years and through your review, I remember the original X-rated cut was shown for a limited engagement in the 90's. All that being said, watching the film on the flight, I enjoyed the amoral realism of this film. The Wild Bunch and Unforgiven are two incredible revisionist westerns that not only turn the genre upside down, both films challenge the notions of good and evil, loyalty, friendship and nobility. Thank you for your review.
I’ve watched this movie dry as the desert this movie THE WILD BUNCH was filmed in. And I’ve watched it while drinking on a 4 day binge. On the binge I cried hard, while watching the ending. For several reasons. A major reason I cried was because of knowing that every single one of these wonderful men, was dead.
Pike: “We’re not gonna get rid of anybody! We’re gonna stick together, just like it used to be! When you side with a man, you stay with him! And if you can’t do that, you’re like some animal, you’re finished! *We’re* finished! All of us!”
Probably my favourite movie. Saw it first on a merchant ship, 16 mm showing on deck in the tropical ocean night. We watched it six times. The story, the setting, the actors, the director, everything is magical. And the rendition of the song, when these rugged rascals ride into the village, bringing hope to the oppressed paisanos is just overwhelmingly beautiful. Holden, Borgnine, Oates, Johnson, Ryan, Fernandez all are at their best. And lets not forget Bo Hopkins eh. Excellent review btw.
You failed to mention Edmond O'Brien, who plays Freddie Sykes, the one member, who survives. He deserved an Oscar for Best Supporting . And, Mapache was fighting Pancho Villa.
Thanks for the review, in my opinion this is not only the best Wesren ever made but one of the greatest films ever made. I first saw it way back in 1973 on a second run - I was literally STUNNED, I sat through it twice and then brought my brother to watch it at the weekend and we say through it twice as well, I've literally lost count at 45 watchings of how many times I have seen the film, it's ethos has been a guiding light.
In 1969 l was 22. Many of my favorites were in it including lesser lights like L.Q. Jones, Dub Taylor & Strother Martin. Edmond O'Brian was outstanding. l'm 76, own a copy and have seen it ca. 50 times. A great film and you have given the best commentary l have ever heard. Thanks.
dude.yo! mad upz to your integrity of this clip. This is one of my fav movie of all time. -“What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.”-― Lucius Annaeus Seneca
I'm not going to lie .. I have a few tears in my eyes .. This is definitely my favorite western, of all time. The narrator brought up some very valid points and historic facts that make this a landmark production .. When Dutch (Borgnine) answers Pike (Pike) with the who you give your word to, after leaving Angel behind with Mapache .. Pike squints his eyes .., which for him was something he did when faced with confrontation .. Dutch squints back at him because he was adamant and had empathy for leaving Angel behind to be tortured. Dutch touched Pike's inner soul.
I watched this movie as a young kid on television i fell in love with the actors i never 4got holden borgnine oats etc it was the most real western i had seen at that time. I never have 4gotten it ever its right up there with true grit and other of the last westerns. As a kid cowboy hats and guns u wore and played with those toys it was the end of a era no kids today play cowboys and indians anymore its dad its our heritage
Don't know if I made it clear : " The Wild Bunch " is MY all-time #1 film. I understood it from the very start. Watched it 2 times, that 1st night it was playing in olde downtown Denver, at The paramount Theater. From the awesome opening credits, to the very end, this is a Masterpiece. I was 22 y/o , heading to 23 in September. -------------MJL, 75 y/o
Absolutely one of my all time favorites! Still remember seeing it for the first time after its release at a drive-in movie theater with my girlfriend at 16 years of age.
Frankly, I just saw it again last year. After a 2nd viewing I feel that the beginning section (spoiler alert now) that ends with the discovery of washers is possibly the greatest set of opening scenes I have ever seen! After that, it is just okay.
I’ve just watched this film in Belfast in the Queen’s film theatre with my film graduated son . It was a birthday present for his old man who he knew loved it . I can now honestly say ( in my humble opinion) it’s the greatest film ever made .
The casting of this movie was just brilliant! William Holden as Pike was just sublime and a bit of a risk, he wasn't big box-office anymore. Strother Martin should have won an Oscar, never will I forget the cross he wore with a 30-06 bullet wired to it. Help me get his boots, T.C.!
Thank you for this review. I once watched this movie - in part or in whole - every night for an entire year. It took me that long to fully appreciate it, and I remain convinced that it is the only perfect movie that I have ever seen. Your review captures many of the things that make it perfect and it makes me feel good to know that there is someone else who actually gets this movie.
It was violent, down and dirty but there was a sense of nobility, comradeship and beauty to 'The Wild Bunch' that makes it one of my all time favourites. Magnificent! An excellent review btw. Bravo!
no joy in the world is equal to the joy of watching this fabulous adventurous movie in well equipped cinema. Widescreen panavision and dolby stereo . together with your beloved father and mother and your brothers 1969 😊
Excellent. So many of the comments express exactly what I feel about this masterpiece film. What we need is a new remaster of the film and soundtrack. And let's hope it's in 4K.
My favourite Western, my favourite film and recently, I heard a rumour that Quentin Tarantino snuck into a Cinema (at the age of 10!) and saw a double feature consisting of "Deliverance" and "The Wild Bunch" If you watch some of Tarantino's movies, you can spot the "Wild Bunch" style inspiration - Sam Peckinpah may have been a tough Director to work with, but the final result is legendary - even now over 50 years later - now THAT'S how you make a Western!
I saw this movie in 1969 at the Lincoln Theater on U Street in Washington DC and the end of that movie was like nothing anyone had seen in any Western at any other time
Great review. One of my fav movies. I can't stop watching and watching again and every time I find new details I previously missed. It's like watching a Renaissance paint....
The opening bloodbath has probably the best editing in cinema history. The sound quality of the scene is so real life that one almost feels in the middle of this breath taking gunfight scene.
I saw this movie when I was 13yrs old & thought it was the best movie ever at that time.There were 15 of us that stuck into the movie we & just about everyone in the theater cheered the whole movie. A great movie,love to see it again.
I found this on a whim. I just rewatched the film the other day, after about a 10 year lapse, and it was more meaningful than I could have imagined. I could write a short story about the takeaways from my first watch as a teen til now, but as you get older I think the movie means more, the themes and character of the men grips you more. And if you spent a good portion of your youth in foreign lands serving, it strikes even deeper. Great review, I really enjoyed how you laid it out, would have definitely watched a longer version if you had done one.
Just finished it again after many years. One thing that is great is disection of the great films. The break down i watched on the last walk was amazing and enlightening.
I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen in the mid 90’s during a cinematic revival after the movie was released with the extended footage. It was amazing on the television, but beyond words on the silver screen. Thank you for your review.
Your assessment of "The Wild Bunch" was first rate! An excellent, inspired look at a brilliant film that needed to be made and seen. Three years late, but Thanks!
Incredible video, amazing facts especially knowing about the actor who played Mapache. My dad's favorite movie, turned into one of mine. Wish there was more videos that talk about this movie. I purchased the directors cut on YT so I basically watch it when ever I can.
Probably, one of the greatest movies made. You did a wonderful job with your opinion. Very to the point. I did hear many stories regarding difficulties with plain old fighting so many staff getting fired, etc. One I liked was Robert Ryan, a great actor wanted a top billing as he really deserved. So, Sam, when the credits run and you see actors depictions and get to Robert Ryans name it appears over the horses backsides! Not noticed by many folks, but Sam gave to Ryan! Best to ya',,,,!
Bravo on your spot on review of the Wild Bunch. Sorry I hadn't seen it earlier. I watch the film these days about once or twice a year since 1999. This is the year where I met a film fan, who spoke with me about the WB; he blew me away with his observations, like you have also. I respect you. Keep up the great work my friend.
Thanks Sanctioned Buffoonery for your excellent review documentary of the 1969 film The Wild Bunch. Sam Peckinpah is one of my favorite Hollywood film directors because of the way he films gun battles and shoot-outs and uses slow motion filming with live action. Also, his stories and the characters are believable and entertaining. Have you seen the excellent Sam Peckinpah film The Getaway (1972 or 73) starring Steve McQueen, Ali McGraw, and Ben Johnson ?
@@SanctionedBuffoonery Bring me the head of Alfredo ? was a masterpiece , the gritty realism and squaler ..it had a documentary-like realism to it ..events could unfold just like that
Many thanks to you for this fine and honest review of this classic western, much maligned by some but much loved by everyone, including myself, who were still young at the time the film was released. There is one thing that you mentioned about Mapache that caught my ear and although not a big deal, I felt that I should mention it. You said that Mapache was fighting against Santa Ana however Santa Ana was long dead by the time of the Mexican Revolution (1876 to be exact) and I believe you meant to say he was fighting against Huerta. In any event, thanks again for this high end review of a truly classic film, a movie that I still watch periodically.
For me, the scene before the walk is what really got me. Pike simply looks at the Gorchs, says "let's go," and its all understood - they are going to likely die. "Why not," the reply. He doesn't even have to say a word to Dutch, just that "look." Which Dutch returns with a devil be damned grin.
This movie is simply the best western ever made and the greatest portrayal of a man's honour and pride to see justice served to what ever end,still the most emotionally charged slow mo shoot out on print
As as my opinion goes, This is the best, absolutely, most definitely outstanding best western film in my entire life of 65 years!!!!
Couldn't agree more!
Definitely the best 'western' set in the year 1913 (eh eh)... No, really, also the manliest film of them all even in Peckinpah's roster, above Dawn Of The Dead (1978), RoboCop (1987) and Mutiny On The Bounty (1935).
I disagree . It was polarizing . It had its good moments . Critic Rex Reed at the time trashed it . The high brow John Simon who could spit venom worse than Reed ever could noted its good moments but called it an “ important bad film “ . . That was actually a compliment from Simon and I happened to agree with him
this movie in top three best
I Agree 1000%! The Best!
The best western film ever made on so many levels
I couldn’t agree more with you my friend!! It absolutely is! It has always, Always been my absolute favorite, number 1 film!!!
My favorite western.
It is the best Western ever. It’s one of the greatest movies ever.
Thank you 👏🏻
My favorite..
Finally, an honest review,
of truly, one of the best films I've ever seen.
I really enjoyed this movie.
More realistic than most!
Thank you, Jackie!
This film was absolutely fascinating. William Holden will never be forgotten
Brilliant review. Saw this movie when when it first came out. Anyone who viewed it was overwhelmed by the violence throughout the film. But there is so much more to this movie and this reviewer is on point on every facet of this masterpiece.
On side note; the legendary scene where Pike and the three other members walk into town for the final shootout that ends with all of them killed, haunted me for years. I had just returned from serving 13 months as a combat Marine in Vietnam and had survived to make it home, though wounded twice. One of the main themes throughout the movie was loyalty. You gave your word to another man or men, and kept it no matter what. So it was to the group of young Marines I served with. Every time you went out on an operation the chances of being killed were great, but you strapped on your gear, readied your weapons and went. You went because you had promised your loyalty to those Marines around your, even if meant your death. Even today that “scene” touches may heart and soul and brings back those memories of years ago, which now seem like a dream.
Thank you kindly. I miss the days when a man's word was worth more than gold.
Also, thank you for your service during a difficult time in history.
Why did you put "scene" in quotation marks?
Semper fi, as they say. Have worked with the USMC at Lejeune several times. Cannot fault them.
Nothing to say....... but beauty, dirt, death,and honor.
Best western of all time.
Peckinpaw was the tortured soul of a real artist.
I watched The Wild Bunch at the cinema when first released and left at the end stunned and shocked . It was incredible. Having seen Bill Holden in Love is a Many Splendid Thing and Ernest Borgnine in Marty I couldn't get over how powerful their characters were . This is one hell of a movie. Particularly on the big screen in a big movie house. What an achievement.
The realism in this film is AMAZING. The ACTORS are second to none ALL of them.
Sam Peckinpah was at the top of His GAME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DISCRIPTION.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks! I could not agree more.
A great review of a great movie. I think Peckinpah "broke down " at the end of shooting, because even though he would go on to make movies, he knew deep down he would never surpass this film. "The Wild Bunch" is, undoubtedly, his masterpiece.
Thank you. I agree. TWB is definitely my favorite Peckinpah movie.
@@SanctionedBuffoonery Any fresh videos coming up?
@@allan9603 Longer video coming out on 9/1!
Super great channel!
Thanks.
that walk at the end was awesome! they went out their way on their terms!
Let's go.
why not. They all knew what it meant and what would happen.
"The Walk" was not in the script, ad lib.
😮
The Wild Bunch is one of those movies people either loved or hated it , no middle ground. The movie had a great story, actors,director and action scenes that were ahead of their time. The story is the most important. A group of bad men who have outlived their way of life. Its a new century and things were changing forever. They choose a warriors death. They know they won't have a place in the world to come. Great movie.
I absolutely love it, nothing made these days comes close.
I absolutely hated this movie. I’d rather watch Stagecoach, Red River or Rio Bravo.
@@Dude_on_a_Map Once Upon a Time In The West?
@@Dravianpn02 now that’s another one of my favorites… great film.
@@Dude_on_a_Map That is rather contradictory. Henry Fonda playing a stone-cold killer as bad or worse than anyone in this movie.
Thank you for this summary! The Wild Bunch is such a beautiful homage to values old and new and the struggle to keep the old ways. It seems like we are asked to shift and change with the times. I love the desire to stay loyal to the (not so) old ways. To go out with a bang and a shout.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
A word on the superb casting. Bill Holden's greatest hour. Borgine, Oates, Johnson - I've seen those types with wrinkled faces and heard those voices in the harbors, construction sites, truckers' cafes and sleazy bars and what have you. The Wild Bunch is a great movie because it shows what life can do to a man. Being one of the brothers in arms beats solitude.
Brother, you did such a service to this beautiful classic, thank you for this review!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I agree with your comments 100% !
This is a terrific film . The actors are all gone now, but they won't be forgotten...
All except Jaime Sanchez.
Jaime Sanchez is still alive
Jaime Sánchez, Alfons Arau, Sonia Amelio, Elsa Cárdenas are still with us-
Excellent review. The Wild Bunch represents men on the far fringe of society with a code known only to themselves. They have each other against a world that has passed them by. They are flying through history knowing their times and the way that they lived is long gone and soon to be their demise.
Thank you!
Very well done. I was 18 when the film was first released. I went to see it one afternoon, and stayed through three more showings. I absolutely loved it. I saw it again in the theater in the mid 90's when the restored version came out with an additional 18 minutes of footage. I loved it even more. Over the years, I've read several reports that the original cut that Peckinpah wanted to release was around 3 1/2 hours. I wonder if that is still in a vault somewhere waiting for someone to find it. Thanks for an excellent review.
Thank you, Robert!
The wild bunch is a CLASSIC AND WILL REMAIN THAT WAY LONG AFTER I DEPART ON MY LONG FINAL JOURNEY.I have watched it hundreds of time and still watch it with the eyes of first time.A CLASSIC and I WONT HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
i wouldn,t have it any other way.
@@AnthonyGarcia-ui5qr That MAKES TWO OF ! MY GOOD BUDDY!
I was born in '65, got to watch the TV versions of "The Wild Bunch" and "The Getaway" with my father every time they came up in the rotation. It wasn't until VHS that I saw either as intended.
The message stood in spite of broadcast censorship. To this day my better half replies "Why not?" to my "Let's go," and she means it. If I fumble with something too heavy she calls out "You must put it on a tripod!"
To this day "La Golondrina" makes me cry, and I hear it a fair bit where I live.
Thank you for your review and insights. I have a feeling you could go on for hours more.
HA! I myself use that line often: "PUT IT ON A TRIPOD!"
A very useful and quotable line.
This is director Sam Peckinpah's best film. On his other films, he rarely had a budget large enough for quality on the level of The Wild Bunch; the production values and film quality show it.
As for William Holden, this was a kind of swan song for him. A few years later, he tragically died because of alcoholism: he fell -- or passed out -- while drunk and died from the injury.
The supporting cast, IMHO, is what makes The Wild Bunch a great film: Borgnine and the others are the real meat and potatoes. And what an amazing group of character actors they are: L.Q Jones, Warren Oates, a wonderfully grizzled Edmund O'Brien, a weary Robert Ryan, Jaime Sanchez, Emilio Fernandez, Strother Martin, Alfonso Arau, Dub Taylor, and on and on. There has never been a film since this one with such a talent-heavy group of western character actors.
Since its release, I've probably watched it a dozen or more time and will hopefully live long enough to watch it another dozen times before my own "long walk."
Thanks for posting The Wild Bunch, Sanctioned Buffoonery. This was an excellent review!
I am sure you just missed putting the great Ben Johnson in your entry...
William Holden died in November of 1981, twelve years after The Wild Bunch was released and he had parts in a number of successful movies during the 1970's. Hardly a 'swan song'.
Holden made Breezy,Network,Fedora,The hearthling and many.other films.Each performance deserved an Oscar.
Ben Johnson. say his name.
0@@skeletonmakesgood
Thank you for this wonderful tribute to this masterpiece.
Wow, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I first saw this film when l was 17, the year it was released in the UK. It had a great effect on me. Certain films and books from the 1950s and 60s shaped my character, and this was one of them. I could well imagine John Steinbeck having written the screenplay. Add to this the direction, the photography, the incredible cast, the location, and you have that increasingly rare creature - a cinematic masterpiece. The scene where the Bunch ride out of the Mexican village still brings tears to my eyes. That one scene alone is all you need to understand this film. Those days truly are fading fast. But to my mind, they have already gone.
I think the impact this movie had on people makes it one of the great films of our time.
@@SanctionedBuffoonery Y de todos los tiempos. Excelente trabajo, gracias
Damn! This is a magnificent review of the Wild Bunch! Extremely well done! Bravo!!!
Thank you!
To the man speaking that owns this channel, You did an absolutely outstanding job on your vocal dissertation!! Bravo 🙌 Bravo 👏 Bravo 🙌
Wow, thank you! I appreciate your comment. I love talking about these movies.
Well said, I have watched this movie more than 20 times at diffrent ages, from my teens to close to 50s...the third level is so true!
It always hold up doesn't it.
@@thewayin3516 Yes it does!!! Just like the previous gentlemen, I started watching get very young myself. I know it was either at 16 or 17 years of age. And now I’m 64 and during this entire time I know I watched it at least 20 to 25 times. At no time have I ever been bored. Quite the contrary. Furthermore, Every time I watch it, I find something new in it that I missed in all the previous times I watched it.
It's who you give your "word" to; epic quote, RIP Wild Bunch.
This movie The Wild Bunch is simply the best, I've watch it well over ten Times and I love it.
A true western, F, John Wayne.
God Bless "Director Sam Peckinpah" he's where you separate the men from the boys.
May you RIP Mr. Peckinpah.
Don’t f the duke f you!!!
I still remember seeing this when released in 1959 with my twin brother and our Dad. What an experience it was. This is my all-time favorite Western. It's truly a Masterpiece.
@@ronpatton9424 I Believe You Meant 1969 My Dear Friend! My Dad and My Brother did The Exact Same Thing!!!! Will Never Forget It!!
Outstanding homage. Really enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
AS A LIFETIME LOVER OF CINEMA --------I STATE HERE & NOW, " The Wild Bunch " is My all-time #1 film. I saw it in Denver, at the old Paramount Theater on 16th & Glenarm St, on the 1st Friday showing : 7P & 10 PM -------from the foreboding & unforgettable opening credits to the end, I loved this film, & understood it completely. ------This is a film made by men --------about men--------for, men only. Women do NOT understand the themes , nor did Sam Peckinpah or Walon Green care if they did. ------Peckinpah was haunted by the end of & the closing of, The Old West, & in 5 of his films, that is one of the over-riding themes. But there is another theme to this & the others that pervades Peckinpah's work & that is the theme of LOYALTY AMONG MEN. In this film, loyalty is what drives the story to the very end. -------I love this film, & have watched it probably 35--40 times. It never grows old . With a sterling cast of Hollywood's finest. & Peckinpah's own " repertory " group --------LQ Jones, Strother Martin , Dub Taylor , with Jerry Fielding's score " Sam Peckinpah's , The Wild Bunch", is a must for every guy ----------EVERY guy. -----------------------MJL, 75 y/o
Well said, I am an old man of 73 and I fully agree.
Absolutely agree , and I feel like an old man , even though I’m only 38 .
Amén a todo. “Grupo Salvaje” (así se nombró en España) es una elegía. Ese final, con todos riendo y la música de “La golondrina” es un momento cenital.
@michaellazzeri9439 I am 72 but I don't feel old . Saw it when it came out in the Cinema in Ireland. Loved it, then still love it now. William Holden owned that movie and in a film of brilliant Performances from everyone, but especially Borgnine, Ryan and Edmond O'brien. 25 years later went to see a revival in San Francisco with my daughter and her husband and they were amazed. Would like to see it again in the Cinema. It deserves to be seen on the Big Screen .
@@michaellazzeri9439 SIR YES SIR!!!!!
When things get bad in my life I think of this film. The bonding of the bunch. Stay with your values. Go out with dignity. The walk enbedded in my mind to take on lifes issues. When I pass on I want some of my ashes placed where the table with the machine gun was. Love this film. I tear up at many scenes.
It really re-energizes me when I'm feeling low. I think that's why so many people love it. Thanks for watching!
one of the great lines in cinema- LET'S GO!
In this new era when the internet is filled with content, you see every conceivable list of any and everything dissected and rated. There are more than a few who rate westerns. And like the reception this film received in the original showings, it is either low on the list, or left off entirely. I have to wonder if the ones making those lists perhaps didn't grow up during a time when westerns were a staple of film, and in some rare instances high art.
I have my own list of films I have loved for a lifetime. Coolhand Luke, Jeremiah Johnson, Shawshank, Green Mile. Each encompasses a similarity with The Wild Bunch in regard to the character of the individual roles of the main players. And as stated by the commentary, The Wild Bunch rates as high, or higher than any of them. And still to this day, when i dig out my copy on DVD, it is as fresh and moving as the first time i saw it. A one word description of this film would be Peckinpah. He set the bar that other directors to this day still strive for.
I watched The Wild Bunch on a flight home yesterday. I had not seen the film in years and through your review, I remember the original X-rated cut was shown for a limited engagement in the 90's. All that being said, watching the film on the flight, I enjoyed the amoral realism of this film. The Wild Bunch and Unforgiven are two incredible revisionist westerns that not only turn the genre upside down, both films challenge the notions of good and evil, loyalty, friendship and nobility. Thank you for your review.
Thank you for watching!
Writing excellent...scene selection excellent...editing excellent...narration excellent...music excellent. A truly professional production. Thanks
You are far too generous. I appreciate your kind words!
Great review of a masterpiece many thanks Sanctioned Buffoonery
My pleasure! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve watched this movie dry as the desert this movie THE WILD BUNCH was filmed in. And I’ve watched it while drinking on a 4 day binge. On the binge I cried hard, while watching the ending. For several reasons. A major reason I cried was because of knowing that every single one of these wonderful men, was dead.
Except for Jaime Sanchez.
Pike: “We’re not gonna get rid of anybody! We’re gonna stick together, just like it used to be! When you side with a man, you stay with him! And if you can’t do that, you’re like some animal, you’re finished! *We’re* finished! All of us!”
Probably my favourite movie.
Saw it first on a merchant ship, 16 mm showing on deck in the tropical ocean night. We watched it six times.
The story, the setting, the actors, the director, everything is magical.
And the rendition of the song, when these rugged rascals ride into the village, bringing hope to the oppressed paisanos is just overwhelmingly beautiful.
Holden, Borgnine, Oates, Johnson, Ryan, Fernandez all are at their best. And lets not forget Bo Hopkins eh.
Excellent review btw.
Thank you!
You failed to mention Edmond O'Brien, who plays Freddie Sykes, the one member, who survives. He deserved an Oscar for Best Supporting . And, Mapache was fighting Pancho Villa.
And, it was Alfonso Arau , who became a renowned film maker in Mexican Cinema.
Mr. Peabody in Liberty Valance
Omitted Bo Hopkins, too.
First time I saw Ernest Borgnine.
I have loved him ever since! What a fabulous actor he was.
PS : Emperor of the North is imo one of his best movies.
mine too; outstanding movie...
Nah! McHale's Navy was his Oscar moment.
Thanks for the review, in my opinion this is not only the best Wesren ever made but one of the greatest films ever made.
I first saw it way back in 1973 on a second run - I was literally STUNNED, I sat through it twice and then brought my brother to watch it at the weekend and we say through it twice as well, I've literally lost count at 45 watchings of how many times I have seen the film, it's ethos has been a guiding light.
The cast, the Director and scenery can never be duplicated. Absolutely the best!
In 1969 l was 22. Many of my favorites were in it including lesser lights like L.Q. Jones, Dub Taylor & Strother Martin. Edmond O'Brian was outstanding. l'm 76, own a copy and have seen it ca. 50 times. A great film and you have given the best commentary l have ever heard. Thanks.
dude.yo! mad upz to your integrity of this clip. This is one of my fav movie of all time. -“What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.”-― Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Mine too! Thanks for your comment!
Well said! We were so lucky to be part of this era! The young ones have no understanding of the past. But, that's the way it's always been! 😱
I'm not going to lie .. I have a few tears in my eyes .. This is definitely my favorite western, of all time. The narrator brought up some very valid points and historic facts that make this a landmark production .. When Dutch (Borgnine) answers Pike (Pike) with the who you give your word to, after leaving Angel behind with Mapache .. Pike squints his eyes .., which for him was something he did when faced with confrontation .. Dutch squints back at him because he was adamant and had empathy for leaving Angel behind to be tortured. Dutch touched Pike's inner soul.
Is this film a masterpiece? Yes, it is indeed. Excellent review btw
I watched this movie as a young kid on television i fell in love with the actors i never 4got holden borgnine oats etc it was the most real western i had seen at that time. I never have 4gotten it ever its right up there with true grit and other of the last westerns. As a kid cowboy hats and guns u wore and played with those toys it was the end of a era no kids today play cowboys and indians anymore its dad its our heritage
Great review! Congrats!
One of the best westerns
Don't know if I made it clear : " The Wild Bunch " is MY all-time #1 film. I understood it from the very start. Watched it 2 times, that 1st night it was playing in olde downtown Denver, at The paramount Theater. From the awesome opening credits, to the very end, this is a Masterpiece. I was 22 y/o , heading to 23 in September. -------------MJL, 75 y/o
Same, I have 77 !
Absolutely one of my all time favorites! Still remember seeing it for the first time after its release at a drive-in movie theater with my girlfriend at 16 years of age.
Frankly, I just saw it again last year. After a 2nd viewing I feel that the beginning section (spoiler alert now) that ends with the discovery of washers is possibly the greatest set of opening scenes I have ever seen! After that, it is just okay.
I’ve just watched this film in Belfast in the Queen’s film theatre with my film graduated son . It was a birthday present for his old man who he knew loved it . I can now honestly say ( in my humble opinion) it’s the greatest film ever made .
The casting of this movie was just brilliant! William Holden as Pike was just sublime and a bit of a risk, he wasn't big box-office anymore. Strother Martin should have won an Oscar, never will I forget the cross he wore with a 30-06 bullet wired to it. Help me get his boots, T.C.!
Thank you for this review. I once watched this movie - in part or in whole - every night for an entire year. It took me that long to fully appreciate it, and I remain convinced that it is the only perfect movie that I have ever seen. Your review captures many of the things that make it perfect and it makes me feel good to know that there is someone else who actually gets this movie.
It was violent, down and dirty but there was a sense of nobility, comradeship and beauty to 'The Wild Bunch' that makes it one of my all time favourites. Magnificent! An excellent review btw. Bravo!
Excellent vIdeo - thanks for making it available to all of us. You did indeed pay proper homage to this great film.
no joy in the world is equal to the joy of watching this fabulous adventurous movie in well equipped cinema. Widescreen panavision and dolby stereo . together with your beloved father and mother and your brothers 1969 😊
100% agree.
Excellent. So many of the comments express exactly what I feel about this masterpiece film. What we need is a new remaster of the film and soundtrack. And let's hope it's in 4K.
Thank you!
My favourite Western, my favourite film and recently, I heard a rumour that Quentin Tarantino snuck into a Cinema (at the age of 10!) and saw a double feature consisting of "Deliverance" and "The Wild Bunch" If you watch some of Tarantino's movies, you can spot the "Wild Bunch" style inspiration - Sam Peckinpah may have been a tough Director to work with, but the final result is legendary - even now over 50 years later - now THAT'S how you make a Western!
I saw this movie in 1969 at the Lincoln Theater on U Street in Washington DC and the end of that movie was like nothing anyone had seen in any Western at any other time
In my top ten. Great story, great acting, wonderful movie.
Great review. One of my fav movies. I can't stop watching and watching again and every time I find new details I previously missed. It's like watching a Renaissance paint....
Thank you!
The opening bloodbath has probably the best editing in cinema history. The sound quality of the scene is so real life that one almost feels in the middle of this breath taking gunfight scene.
Sir, thank you for your lecture on the cinematic innovations and cultural ramifications of this amazing, memorable and disturbing film!
So nice of you. Thank you!
The greatest of all modern westerns IMO & perhaps the most influential in terms of what followed.
Thanks a lot from Spain. I follow you. What an AMAIZING work
Thank you!
I saw this movie when I was 13yrs old & thought it was the best movie ever at that time.There were 15 of us that stuck into the movie we & just about everyone in the theater cheered the whole movie. A great movie,love to see it again.
I found this on a whim. I just rewatched the film the other day, after about a 10 year lapse, and it was more meaningful than I could have imagined. I could write a short story about the takeaways from my first watch as a teen til now, but as you get older I think the movie means more, the themes and character of the men grips you more. And if you spent a good portion of your youth in foreign lands serving, it strikes even deeper. Great review, I really enjoyed how you laid it out, would have definitely watched a longer version if you had done one.
Thanks!
I saw it at the theater i was 19yrs old loved it still watch it. Best actors ever 👏
Totally agree!
Just finished it again after many years. One thing that is great is disection of the great films. The break down i watched on the last walk was amazing and enlightening.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.
You are awesome. A wonderful review and I agree whole-heartedly. Thank you!
Thank you kindly! More coming soon!
I got chills watching your review. Well done.
Wow, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Agree...nice insight...nice review...a much deeper movie than many people understand...my favourite movie of all time.
Thank you very much for watching!
most beautiful western of 1969
I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen in the mid 90’s during a cinematic revival after the movie was released with the extended footage. It was amazing on the television, but beyond words on the silver screen. Thank you for your review.
When this came out it blew everyone away Sam Peckinpah,s films were brilliant and for me this was the best
Your assessment of "The Wild Bunch" was first rate! An excellent, inspired look at a brilliant film that needed to be made and seen. Three years late, but Thanks!
Incredible video, amazing facts especially knowing about the actor who played Mapache. My dad's favorite movie, turned into one of mine. Wish there was more videos that talk about this movie. I purchased the directors cut on YT so I basically watch it when ever I can.
I appreciate you as well! Thanks for watching!
Very well done and fleshed out!
Wonderful review 🌻
One of my all time favorite 🌻🌻
I am glad you enjoyed it!
Probably, one of the greatest movies made. You did a wonderful job with your opinion. Very to the point. I did hear many stories regarding difficulties with plain old fighting so many staff getting fired, etc. One I liked was Robert Ryan, a great actor wanted a top billing as he really deserved. So, Sam, when the credits run and you see actors depictions and get to Robert Ryans name it appears over the horses backsides! Not noticed by many folks, but Sam gave to Ryan!
Best to ya',,,,!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it!
Robert Ryan was brilliant in a cast of excellent actors in a film that is now legendary.
Bravo on your spot on review of the Wild Bunch. Sorry I hadn't seen it earlier. I watch the film these days about once or twice a year since 1999. This is the year where I met a film fan, who spoke with me about the WB; he blew me away with his observations, like you have also. I respect you. Keep up the great work my friend.
Thank you very much for the comment! I am glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks Sanctioned Buffoonery for your excellent review documentary of the 1969 film The Wild Bunch.
Sam Peckinpah is one of my favorite Hollywood film directors because of the way he films gun battles and shoot-outs and uses slow motion filming with live action. Also, his stories and the characters are believable and entertaining.
Have you seen the excellent Sam Peckinpah film The Getaway (1972 or 73) starring Steve McQueen, Ali McGraw, and Ben Johnson ?
Oooh.. I HAVE seen the Getaway. That would be an excellent review. Classic. Also, I might have had the hots for Ali McGraw. Thanks for the comment!
@@SanctionedBuffoonery Bring me the head of Alfredo ? was a masterpiece , the gritty realism and squaler ..it had a documentary-like realism to it ..events could unfold just like that
Masterpiece, plain and simple.
A genuinely touching review for a powerfully accomplished film! In a word..."Bravo!"
Thanks!
Simply an A + film, love it...The Browning .30 cal. water- cooled m.g. came into service in 1917...
The German Officer remarks that Pike’s 1911 pistol is only used by the military and not available to the public.
Wow. Just... Wow. A review worthy of the film.
Thank you kindly!
"It's his word!"
"That ain't what counts! It's who you give it to!"
Many thanks to you for this fine and honest review of this classic western, much maligned by some but much loved by everyone, including myself, who were still young at the time the film was released. There is one thing that you mentioned about Mapache that caught my ear and although not a big deal, I felt that I should mention it. You said that Mapache was fighting against Santa Ana however Santa Ana was long dead by the time of the Mexican Revolution (1876 to be exact) and I believe you meant to say he was fighting against Huerta. In any event, thanks again for this high end review of a truly classic film, a movie that I still watch periodically.
Actually Mapache is fighting Pancho Villa.
@@MegaStreetfighta I stand corrected, he says so in Spanish when speaking to the little girl.
Do not even have the words to do this unbelievable film the justice it fully deserves, one of a kind, original, and the best by far
For me, the scene before the walk is what really got me. Pike simply looks at the Gorchs, says "let's go," and its all understood - they are going to likely die. "Why not," the reply. He doesn't even have to say a word to Dutch, just that "look." Which Dutch returns with a devil be damned grin.
It's that quality of filmmaking that makes TWB so good.
My love for Cinema brought me to this video. Great one ! Subscribed
Awesome! Thank you!
My first video of yours .
I am subscribing.
Great work.
Very much appreciated!
Totally agree One of the greatest western’s ever made. No candy ass John Wayne shit.
Exceptional, on so many levels.
I agree!
This movie is simply the best western ever made and the greatest portrayal of a man's honour and pride to see justice served to what ever end,still the most emotionally charged slow mo shoot out on print
Very well put!