Greatest Directors-Sam Peckinpah
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 02:20PM ;)
Born February 21st 1925 as David Samuel Peckinpah who could have known then that this boy would grow up to be one of cinemas most iconic directors. He began working as a stagehand on television before getting a job as "dialogue director" for Don Siegel on Riot On Cell Block 11. This was to be a turning point in his career in films. It was down to Siegel that Peckinpah made a name for himself in the late 50's as a scriptwriter of westerns. his first feature The Deadly Companions went pretty much unnoticed upon it's release in 1961 as did also his second Ride The High Country on its release in the US. However when the film was released in Europe it was lapped up like honey off Megan Foxs breasts. Peckinpah went on to direct a couple more before the film that is considered his masterpiece The Wild Bunch.
It was 1969 and america was neck deep in the shit storm that was Vietnam and Peckinpah gave the cinema audience one of the first realistic Westerns. It was epic, had multiple scenes and the legendary slo mo as inspired by Kirosawas Seven Samurai. Most of all though it was bloody violent. Peckinpah had really turned the Western on its fucking head. This film still warrants the 18 certificate it has today and I regard it as one of my all time favourites of a genre that I love. Peckinpah was considered a loose cannon by many and battled alcohol and drugs for most of his adult life although it's also believed he was slightly fucking nuts.
in 1971 though he released the film that was to divide critics and audiences alike, Straw Dogs. Still a powerful piece of cinema to this day it shows the violent acts a man is capable of commiting when pushed too far. It's the rape scene that is still notorious and led to the film being banned from a VHS/DVD release from 1984 to 2002. Peckinpah is the type of director who I could talk about all day. He led the way in violence in cinema and even earned the nickname "Bloody Sam". Were his films social reflection or just an excuse to blood up the screen? I believe that Peckinpah wasn't afraid to take risks and I regard his films although some far from perfect to have been a stepping stone for the cinema we still see today.
Sadly Peckinpah died in 1984 but aside from the above his CV also boasts films such as The Getaway, Pat Garret And Billy The Kid and Bring Me The Head Of Alfred Garcia. Enfant terrible? Certainly. Genius? Definately. I for one miss his films.
Five To Watch.
1. Ride The High Country
One of the greatest Westerns ever made and starring Western star Randolph Scott in his last role Ride The High Country was the film that got Peckinpah noticed. Good and bad. It's easy to tell in the Wild West.
2. The wild Bunch
Dirty, nasty, violent, slo mo and the motherfucker of all shootouts. You can watch that below or better still watch the whole fucking film and see how Peckinpah flipped a genre on its head.
3. Straw Dogs
Due for the remake treatment next year. Don't fucking bother just watch the original, sit back and remember it was released in 1971 and think fuck me that's one nasty film. Hoffman at his finest? Not far off it.
4. The Getaway
The coolest man in cinema Steve McQueen and the beautiful Ali McGraw in heist gone very fucking wrong. An absolute classic.
5. Cross Of Iron
Peckinpahs war film has James Coburn as a German soldier on the Russian front. Violent, bloody and is last great film unless you love Convoy but that's a bit gay.
Well that's my first in the Greatest Directors and as I said I'll do it once a month. Hope you liked it and you may even come across one you're not that familiar with.
Reader Comments (1)
Re -Watched Wild Bunch on Bluray and that really brings out the fucking (Tecni)color! Still agreat movie after all these years, same for Strawdogs. Must admit that The Getaway is a bit slow after all these years and to be fucking honest I like Michael Madsen and Jennifer Tilly better in the remake. will watch the other two shorly