the assassination of the mechanical cow

This Charles Bronson vehicle from 1977 is a pretty good film if you can get past the cheap looking mechanical bull. Directed by J.Lee Thompson ("Kinjite: forbidden subjects" which also starred Bronson) and written for the screen by Richard Sale based on his own 1975 novel "The White Buffalo". The legendary "Wild Bill" Hickok and Chief Crazy Horse clash in a alleged dispute over an albino buffalo. Fact or folklore (was Jack Wardens's character "Charlie Zane" really a sidekick of Wild Bill's?) and poor special effects really didn't hurt its underlying appeal. John Barry's solid musical score also lends it credibility.

What makes this film so attractive isn't the fact that Bronson plays the lead role. It's the supporting cast that gives this film an initial degree of respectability. Clint Walker is convincing as the disgruntled Whistling Jack who has a score to settle with Bill. Slim Pickens (Blazing Saddles & Dr. Strangeglove) is at his cowboy best as the stage coach driver and John Carradine gives a nice cameo as the town undertaker. But its Will Sampson (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) who gives a standout performance as Chief Crazy Horse. However, I'm not sure this movie would warrant a repeat performance without his presence.

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Beware. Region 2 DVD Won't Play on US Players

Please be aware that this DVD is Region 2 encoded and will not play on most US DVD players which are Region 1. You can buy player which will ignore the region code on Amazon - just search for "multi region dvd player".

"jaws" on the western plains

this is another of charles bronson's 70's westerns that tried to do something different,and it works if you let it. blasted by everyone when it came out it really is a good take on "jaws" and "moby dick" in the west. bronson is wild bill hickock,slowly being eatten away by the clap,and having visions of the white buffalo of the title and it's coming for him so he starts looking for it. will sampson is crazy horse who must kill the beast to help his daughter(killed by the anamial)to get to heaven. this has some great scenery and some fine action scenes,so if you like bronson or westerns that have a little food for thought check this one out.