A distant figure on horseback rides through shimmering, midday heat. [4] It's also a pretty violent business that won't disappoint the millions who flocked to the Leone westerns. Metacritic Reviews. The three gunmen all get what they deserve, but the first one to die, Cole, is whipped to death just as the Marshal was. The outlaws arrive and easily overcome the novice resistance of the townspeople; the defenders are all killed, while the survivors are rounded up in the saloon. This particular revisionist western is characterized by trippy, almost abstractionist artistic touches that are admirable as unique, and not even all that overwrought, yet the occasions in which the offbeat meditations are overplayed stand, distancing subjective value with artistic non-conventions to storytelling. Whatever he is, hes definitely one of the most memorable characters Easwoods played, and thats saying something. Murphy, Arthur D. (March 28, 1973). 978-1-84511-902-7 . The film was directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Ernest Tidyman and stars Clint Eastwood, Verna Bloom and Mariana Hill. [5], The 'ghost story' interpretation of the film favoured by Eastwood is hinted at strongly throughout the movie, suggesting that the Stranger may be the ghost of slain Federal Marshall Jim Duncan, returning for vengeance and justice; the beginning and end of the film sees the Stranger mysteriously emerge, apparition-like, as he rides into and out of Lago through a shimmering heat-haze. The angel of death, who is the Satan depicted in Paradise Lost, is not inherently evil, being created by God, but is that creation of God who Himself contends with evil, and, indeed, tempts it. A mysterious gunfighter without a name (Clint Eastwood) rides across the desert landscape and arrives in the mining town beside the sea "Lago" to stay for the night. Belding, aiming a shotgun at the Stranger's back, is shot dead by Mordecai. Clint asked John Wayne if he wanted to be in a Western together. I don't suppose the film, running only a little over 100 minutes, is too draggy, but there are a few overdrawn set pieces, some of which are a little forceful in a manner which makes the implied twists sort of obvious sooner that they ostensibly should be, or at least leaves the plot to outstay its welcome enough to hit formulaic moments. Payback! High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American Western film directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Ernest Tidyman, and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Company and Universal Pictures. Instead of doing their dirty work, he abuses his "blank pay check" not just for free goods, but also to commandeer everyone in a militia and transform the whole town. 2004 . Coming Soon. Fordham University Press . The Italian, Spanish, French and German dubbings restored it.[9]. McFarland . Why Were Blade Runner and The Thing '80s Bombs? You can feel his rage radiate just as soon as he appears in the first couple of seconds in the film against the backdrop of the high plains and accompanied by that creepy and eerie score that often rings throughout the film. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. High Plains Drifter was released in theaters on this day in 1973. 978-0786449613 . Mostly asked to project a sense of corruption amidst a feeling of liberation from the shackles of morality, most everyone in this cast does fine, with Eastwood predictably stealing the show, with a formulaic, but still-effective portrayal of an intensely charismatic, yet chillingly enigmatic man with no name, or at least a name that is not said, just assumed. High Plains Drifter - YouTube Meanwhile, the best you can say for High Plains Drifter is that the title is a low pun. High Plains Drifter (1973) on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more. The town's solution to their quarrel with the marshal. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Before he was known as a conservative filmmaker (both stylistically and politically), he made this strange and surreal Western. Because maybe you didn't go back for more? But like a Broadway-trained thespian who periodically returns to the stage to keep his or her instincts honed, Eastwood would keep circling back to the genre that had first forged his mythology in a crucible of six-shooters and squinting glances, the Western. Universal wanted Eastwood to shoot the feature on its back lot, but Eastwood opted instead to film on location. Book: Cornell, Drucilla . High Plains Drifter is Western star Clint Eastwoods first attempt at directing one of his own westerns. Watch High Plains Drifter | Netflix The film was well received by many critics, and rates 93% positive on Rotten Tomatoes based on 27 reviews. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. Still from High Plains Drifter In Rabbinical literature, the angel of death, a creation of God on the first day, exacts slaughter, in the manner ordained by God, to restore the honour of mankind. "[16] Tom Zito of The Washington Post called it "an enjoyable, well-constructed work that suffers only from a slightly tedious tone that makes the film seem longer than its 105 minutes."[17]. Did he want to be a stripped-down bareknuckle filmmaker like Siegel, or a baroque allegorist like Leone? It is the first Western film that he both directed and starred in. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. The best thing about western is that they have good story, and this one is no different. Kapsis; Coblentz, Kathie . So, for the first big western he makes himself, Eastwood plays a charismatically quiet, yet intimidatingly dangerous stranger with no name; now that's new. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Eastwood could finally say goodbye to the small screen once and for all. "[14] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 3 stars out of 4 and wrote, "What does work very well indeed is Eastwood's presence, personal style, and direction. Slaughter may be by burning, beheading, or throttling. But more than anything, its a ghost story (if you choose to see it that wayand I do) in frontier drag. 'High Plains Drifter' Is Clint Eastwood's Mysterious, Overlooked Masterpiece, Scan this QR code to download the app now. The Malpaso Company. I also think George Pickens will be our Thomas, Kevin (April 6, 1973). The film was shot on location on the shores of Mono Lake, California. High Plains Drifter Is Clint Eastwood's Mysterious, Overlooked Masterpiece Before he was known as a conservative filmmaker (both stylistically and politically), he made this strange and. Cookie policy. Is 'High Plains Drifter' based on a book. Jefferson, N.C . Jefferson, N.C . Especially from the line "they didn't know him by his face". [4] The film was influenced by the work of Eastwood's two major collaborators, film directors Sergio Leone and Don Siegel. Why High Plains Drifter Is Clint Eastwood's Best Movie - Esquire Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". 2014 . The Stranger accepts seemingly reluctantly, to be put in charge of order and mounting a defense, recruiting the factotum dwarf as his Deputy. Robert E. . For the first and last time in his career, High Plains Drifter would prove that he might just want to be both. It was a hit. She's standing less than 8 feet away from him, but he simply ducks under the water and comes out completely unscathed. Rob Ager, in a detailed and wordyinterpretationof the film, and also argues that the avenging angel is the ghost of the murdered marshall. "[15], Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "a stylized, allegorical western of much chillingly paranoid atmosphere and considerable sardonic humor that confirms Eastwood's directorial flair. He found out the mine was on government land and was going to report it, which would result in it being closed. Ernest Tidyman's script has some raw violence for the kinks, some dumb humor for audience relief, and lots of arch characterizations befitting the serio-comic-strip nature of the plot. There is the unusual, The characterization, on the stage, eminently well contrasts the well intentioned and truehearted peasant Luisa with the, From time to time, I revisit the 1932-37 recordings of the Beethoven piano sonatas by Artur Schnabel. Particularly bad is the scene where Callie ambushes the Stranger while he's taking a bath, unarmed, and fires several shots at him. After a federal marshal discovered that Lago's mine was on government land (which would have forced the closing of the mine), the town hired three gunfighters to murder him. "[10] The graveyard set featured in the film's final scene included tombstones inscribed "Sergio Leone" and "Don Siegel" as a humorous tribute to the two influential directors. rape and sadism). At any rate, Ted Nugent fits better here, because you know that there is going to be some serious hard rocking when Clint Eastwood takes on this role, and I specifically mean "this" role. The most eye-catching and best-known sequence in the film occurs when Eastwood tells the cowering citizens of Lago to paint every building in the town red as they await the three murderers return. As they unknowingly beat a dummy in the bed, the Stranger tosses a stick of dynamite into the room, destroying most of the hotel, then shoots two of his attackers dead, as Morgan flees wounded. Cinemark I don't have much to say about 'High Plains Drifter'. "[26], Siskel, Gene (April 20, 1973). Additional scenes were filmed at Reno, Nevada's Winnemucca Lake and California's Inyo National Forest. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of High Plains Drifter. High Plains Drifter Reviews - Metacritic Starring: Clint Eastwood, Verna Bloom, Marianna Hill Watch all you want. Read critic reviews. When the attractive, blond townswoman Callie Travers flirtatiously insults him, he rapes her in the livery stable. Anti-heroes are still common, but with stronger roles for women and more-sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans and Mexicans. Theyre already in hell for their sins (at least everyone other than Verna Bloom, who was the only person who tried to help Duncan). Now this may not be as good as some of Clint Eastwood other western, especially Unforgiven, but it's still a nice alternative and a unique take on the western genre from the man who is the best in that genre. There's also, of course, the last line of dialogue in the movie. That, however, is small comfort as this cold, gory and overthought movie unfolds. [12] On Metacritic the film has a score 69% based on reviews from 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". and our A stranger (Clint Eastwood) rides out of the hot desert into a small town in the wild west. Ive watched High Plains Drifter probably a half dozen times and every time Im more and more convinced that the Stranger is the ghost of Duncan meting out punishment from the Great Beyond. [21], High Plains Drifter was first released on DVD by Universal Studios Home Video on February 24, 1998. (Photo: Hendrik, Akira Kurosawa : Ran. Schnabel, a consummate, For many years my wife and Iwould hike the mountainsthe Rockies when we lived in Alberta, and the North Shore and, Copyright 2002-2023 Hendrik Slegtenhorst. After the film came out and wound up being a big box-office hit, Eastwood wrote a fannish letter to John Wayne, suggesting that they make a movie together. This movie is definitely a different kind of western. This uncertainty is kind of understandable, as Eastwood must work hard to transcend natural shortcomings to this minimalist narrative, which is still meaty, yet would have seemed meatier if style didn't also come with its own immediately questionable elements. Three hired "town security" gunmen taunt and threaten him; he kills all three with little effort. Theme by, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), J.S. The next morning, Sarah tells the Stranger that Duncan cannot rest in peace because the town buried him in an unmarked grave. The Stranger assembles a group of citizens to defend the town and has them practice shooting, but soon realizes that none have the necessary skills. Terms and Policies Dee Barton's score is genuinely refreshing, capturing the supernatural feel of the film through a fusion of classic western themes and a whimsy which ranges from colorful to rather intense, while Bruce Surtees' cinematography, despite being not quite as playful as Barton's still-underused efforts, is also attractive in its bleakness, with a rugged palette over gritty art direction by Henry Bumstead. In this, then, is also created the possibility of free will. "Film Reviews: High Plains Drifter". Why Does Bruce Willis Make Movies He Hates? With Eastwood, the cigar seemed to work as a brake on a temper that was quick to favor violence. Book: McGilligan, Patrick . The narrative concept is minimalist in scale, and the interpretation gets flimsy, but this story of a stranger gracing, then growing to corrupt ad plague and strange land carries intriguing mystery, in addition to thought-provoking themes on temptation and placing faith in unpredictable features that are stronger than the film itself. In an era when New Hollywood movie-brat auteurs grasped for Art, Eastwood seemed to unconsciously position himself as their antithesis. When Clint Eastwood was on "In the Actors Studio" he said the stranger was Marshall Duncan's brother. 1973 | Maturity rating: 16+ | 1h 45m | Westerns. The outlaws arrive and easily overcome the poor resistance of the townspeople; the defenders are all killed, while the survivors are rounded up in the saloon. The film stars Eastwood as a mysterious stranger who metes out justice in a corrupt frontier mining town. He takes a room and decides to stay. [5] An uncredited rewrite of the script was provided by Dean Riesner, screenwriter of other Eastwood projects. In High Plains Drifter, the Stranger is all but a Devil in a film brimming with nihilism; in Pale Rider, very much the positive to that film's negative, morals aren't quite so out of reach, and the Preacher is gradually revealed to be something of a Christ figure. Here Eastwood takes advantage of what he has learned in the spaghetti western with a plot that is fully attached to the genre. He then rides out of town without explanation, following the wounded Morgan. Edit, One gravestone shown in the intro is dated to 1882, so this movie most likely takes place in the mid-1880s. Usually when Eastwood is punching a man across a table or delivering a nonchalant verbal beat down we are laughing and enjoying it. The camera then reveals the name on the grave marker to read "Marshall Jim Duncan, Rest In Peace." Book: Heller-Nicholas, Alexandra . Meanwhile, after spending a night in a hotel bed together, Sarah Belding tells the Stranger of her belief that Jim Duncan cannot rest in peace nor depart the physical realm because he was buried in an unmarked grave. The Ferrymans Obolus, the third and concluding sequence of Part 2, The idea is Gods. With the possible exception of John Wayne, no actor was more synonymous with the movie Western during the second half of the 20th Century than Clint Eastwood. That night, in his hotel room, the Stranger dreams of Jim Duncan, a U.S. Zito, Tom (May 29, 1973). The jail-freed trio realizes too late that he's after vengeance for the whip-torment they inflicted on weakling Marshal Jim Duncan (Buddy Van Horn) years ago, still the stranger's daily nightmare. High Plains Drifter Clint Eastwood | In Review Online attempting to shoot the Stranger in the back after he's killed all the gunmen is remarkably similar to the remaining Rojo brother trying to shoot The Man With No Name in the back after he's killed everybody else in. Movies. It made its Blu-ray debut on October 15, 2013, with a newly remastered transfer, and was reissued on October 27, 2020, by Kino Lorber with commentary tracks and new interviews. High Plains Drifter - Rotten Tomatoes Universal Pictures, Hes a mysterious fellow, cool and gruff looking and noticeably viler than the usual Eastwood western character. High Plains Drifter (Film) - TV Tropes High Plains Drifter begins in a way that should be immediately recognizable to anyone even remotely familiar with the genre: a stranger rides into town. 2009 . When trouble found him, the cigar usually came out long enough . It may also be the closest that he ever came to making an experimental, out-there movie. "[21], The film was recognized by American Film Institute in 2008 on AFI's 10 Top 10 in the category "Nominated Western Film". He passed through this small town a long time ago. In the final scene, the Stranger rides his horse out of town into the hot undulating waves of the desert and disappears. . High Plains Drifter. on Twitter The three have their sights set on returning to Lago to wreak havoc and take care of some unfinished business. Clint Eastwood: Interviews . Anyway Clint. The libretto is, This work, with its firm and certain compound of optimism, tenderness, melancholy, and assertion, was a favourite of mine, Dante, Beatrice, and the Zodiac (15th c.) The stated theme of Paradiso is the coevality of unity and multiplicity. [8] Over 50 technicians and construction workers built an entire town14 houses, a church, and a two-story hotelin 18 days, using 150,000 feet of lumber. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Stranger accepts the job and takes full advantage of the deal: he appoints a downtrodden dwarf named Mordecai as both sheriff and mayor, provides a Native American and his children with blankets and candy when the shopkeeper refuses to serve them, gets a new saddle and boots, and forces the saloon to serve everyone free drinks. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. Meanwhile, he picks up a brush to drip the letters H-E-L-L in crimson on a signpost at Lagos border. He later orders the hotel owners, Lewis and Sarah Belding, and all the other guests to vacate the premises, leaving him its sole occupant. "It's just an allegory," Eastwood said, "a speculation on what happens when they go ahead and kill the sheriff, and somebody comes back and calls the town's conscience to bear. Apr 19, 1973 As they unknowingly beat a dummy in the bed, the Stranger tosses a stick of dynamite into the room, destroying most of the hotel, then shoots two of his attackers dead, as Morgan flees, wounded. Because its a far more interesting movie the further you get away from its Western-ness and the more it steps into the realm of spectral, mystical Tales from the Crypt pulp. Book: Ruffles, Tom . University Press of Mississippi . Clint: The Life and Legend . Menu. Clint Eastwood is the ultimate thinking mans cinematic killing machine. High Plains Drifter released in the year 1973. With his cigar in his mouth, whether it was his Man with No Name in Leone's films or the Stranger in his own High Plains Drifter, Eastwood was a taciturn loner not looking for trouble. When the drifter rides into Lago, he is met with incredulity and disapproval by the townspeople. Coming Soon. High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Who Are You? The scene where Clint Eastwood is about to get his clean shave is honestly cinema at it's best. The Stranger finds Bridges and the Carlins, who have just finished off Morgan, and harasses them with dynamite and rifle fire, leading the outlaws to believe the townspeople are responsible. "[13] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 3 stars out of 4 and wrote, "What does work very well indeed is Eastwood's presence, personal style, and direction. You see, Lago is a town with a past. High Plains Drifter (1973) - Plot - IMDb It is bad. Coming Soon. Link to Are You There God? This, An astounding composition, that still reveals more of itself six decades after I first heard it. The text is Martin Luthers. Elements include a darker, more cynical tone, with focus on the lawlessness of the time period, favouring realism over romanticism. In addition to the cruel nature of the film there is a surprising supernatural element at play. "You know," Mordecai says, "I never did know your name." I love High Plains Drifter, and I adore Eastwood, but the scene conveys the mindset of a writer/director who has zero clue about the psychological implications of sexual assault. Privacy Policy The Best, Craziest, Weirdest Moments From Cannes, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Revelation 21:8 reads: But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.. [23] It made its Blu-ray debut on October 15, 2013, with a newly remastered transfer,[24] and was reissued on October 27, 2020, by Kino Lorber with commentary tracks and new interviews. The Stranger lures one of the Carlin brothers outside and whips him to death, then kills the remaining outlaws one by one. Returning to Lago, the Stranger inspects the preparationsthe entire town painted red, armed men on rooftops, picnic tables laden with food and drink, and a big "WELCOME HOME BOYS" bannerthen he silently departs again. 978-1300981176 . Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is Copyright 2009-2022, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. As the Stranger rides off into the desert, a perplexed Mordecai stands beside the tombstone he just finished engraving: "Marshal Jim Duncan, Rest in Peace". External Reviews As an actor, he is probably better than he allows himself to be. Aim for the Heart . Where was 'High Plain Drifter' filmed? List of locations in Clint The librettist is Temistocle Solera. Written by Ernest Tidyman, who was a bit of an uncategorizable genre schizophrenic himself having already written both the Blaxploitation classic Shaft and earned a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The French Connection, High Plains Drifter is a haunting and haunted supernatural revenge story about a mysterious, cigarillo-chewing man with no name (guess who?) The scene disturbs more than the death by gun fire, only momentarily earlier, of three men by the same stranger who rapes the woman. Belding, aiming a shotgun at the Stranger's back, is shot dead by Mordecai.The next morning as the Stranger rides past Mordecai in the cemetery. As an actor, he is probably better than he allows himself to be. The CulturalRites article on his most interesting film is available here. Clint Eastwood and John Wayne's Confusing Feud Explained 6275 . High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American Western film directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Ernest Tidyman, and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Compa. A Stranger (Clint Eastwood) rides into in the dusty mining town of Lago, where the townspeople are living in the shadow of a dark secret. As a director, Eastwood is not as good as he seems to think he is. High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American Western film directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Ernest Tidyman, and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Company and Universal Pictures. "I never did know your name" "Yes you do", as the camera pans to show the previous marshal's gravestone and name. As the Stranger rides off into the desert, a perplexed Mordecai stands beside the tombstone he just engraved "Marshal Jim Duncan, Rest in Peace". >> http://bit.ly/24NeaTM 367 42 comments 73 shares Most relevant Wendy Banks Nice 2y Regarding power and authority, these depictions favour critical views of big business, the American government, masculine figures (including the military and their policies), and a turn to greater historical authenticity. We never really are told who he is or where he comes from. Edit, American screenwriter Ernest Tidyman wrote the screenplay for High Plains Drifter and followed it up with a 1973 novelization of the film. There's always retribution for your deeds. It was one generations Great Western Star reaching his hand out to the previous generations. Cinemark 0786484217 . High Plains Drifter. Who Was Marshal Jim Duncan? - AR15.COM

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