An Eastern "Western"

[Phil Robinson]

Not sure if it has not already been posted here, it was on Film 2009 last night.

The Good, The Bad and the Weird. Set in 1930's Manchuria.

 

[dodge]

That looks like a bit of a romp 

[Ray Rivers]

 

Awesome... Kung Fu meets Clint Eastwood!

[Emir of Askaristan]

completely overblown and over the top


......and I like it!

[Mancha]

No chick?!

[Westfalia Chris]

That "Don´t let me be misunderstood" sample scares the living daylights out of me!

Looks fun, though! And some nice production values!

[pnweerar]

Watching it. It totally kicks ass.

[commissarmoody]

just go's to show you that ever one wants to be a cowboy at some time in life 

[Bako]

Love the part where he bursts in, shoots everyone then says "don't move" .

[1ngram]

Huge chunks of the film are on Youtube from part 1A to at least part 11B.  Enjoy!

[joroas]

I am not sure whether to ask how you found this................

[Schweizer]

I got this movie from eBay, and brought it in to watch with some of my students during our open studio session yesterday, and man-oh-man, was I impressed.

First off, though the film's plot has the same overlookable shortcomings that similar films like The Killers or Leone's Spaghetti Westerns, the directing is top-notch.  There are lots of great stylistic choices that are consistent - the Good always framed in a way that he is bathed in light, the Bad generally introduced into each scene with a from-the-front shot lit from above, the Weird shot from behind so that we identify most with him, the Japanese are never seen walking, always riding (hinting, I think, at the exploitation of the subjugated Koreans and Chinese)... the film has some of the best color decisions I've ever seen made, and wonderful compositions.  Some of the shots are mind-bogglingly complex, and it's a real treat as a film.

From a subject matter standpoint, you couldn't ask for better.  Mongolian gangs, refugee shantytowns, trains, opium dens, motorcycle/horses/jeeps/artillery chase scenes, well-orchestrated gunfights galore, Japanese cavalry, treasure maps, etc.  Great scenery that should give you plenty of ideas, as well as great character archetypes (the guy with the hammer, for example, or the flail-wielding Mongolian Chieftan, or the duplicitous Opium-Den proprietor).

[tsar1701]

Excellant, I miss it at cinema 
hope to see it in DVD.

[chicklewis]

Purchased the DVD and watched it over the weekend.  Art direction and camerawork is spectacular.  Unfortunately the plot is just stooooopid. 

The "big surprise denoument" left me slackjawed with boredom.  And who is really the 'finger-chopper'?  (I only WISH I were kidding.) 

Really disappointed overall. 

[HerbyF]

Definately have to keep an eye out for that one. Maybe even have to do a little campain. I have a lot of Chinese. Got to do something with them.