On Encore Western Channel
Posted: October 15th, 2011, 9:35 pm
Four Westerns are being shown on Encore this month that are not very well known but each is rather unique. Check local listings online:
http://www.starz.com/schedule
The Last Frontier (Anthony Mann, 1955) Airing Sunday 10/16/11 at 2:40 a.m. (EST)
A frontiersman (Victor Mature) scouts for a glory-riding Fort Lieutenant (Robert Preston) who's taken over the command of the more rational and peace-seeking Captain (Guy Madison). James Whitmore plays Mature's father, or man who raised him. Mann again looks at the wildness and violence inside even the most civilized men. Though Mature is a mountain man, "a bear" as he calls himself, and has no qualms about taking anything he needs, including another man's life or wife, he's still not as "savage" as Preston who will sacrifice his entire company of men to experience "victory". It's an exciting tale and if not in the league of the Stewart or Cooper westerns, definitely deserving of attention for its emotions and the unmistakable Anthony Mann fingerprints.
Invitation to a Gunfighter (Richard Wilson, 1964) Airing Sunday, 10/16/11 at 8:00 p.m. and Monday, 10/17/11 at 3:10 a.m. and 1:35 p.m. (EST)
Here at last on TV is one of my favorite lesser known westerns. Yul Brynner stars as a dandy dressing, Creole gun for hire who arrives in a small Southern town, at the behest of the "respectable" citizens who want a troublesome returning Civil War veteran (George Segal) out of the way. However, Brynner sees things in his own way, and quickly sees a woman (Janice Rule) in his way.
Savage Pampas (Hugo Fregonese, 1966). Airing Sunday, 10/16/11 at 4:20 p.m. and Monday, 10/17/11 at 1:15 a.m and 11:20 a.m. (EST)
This is one of the strangest "westerns" I've seen let alone starring Robert Taylor, yet it's fascinating in its own way and Taylor was seldom better. It takes place as the title suggests, in the wilds of Argentina. Taylor is in command, tenuously, of a company of soldiers who meet up with a band of ladies" and since it's been a while, the effects are profound. This makes it sound nothing like it plays out...you have to see this movie to credit how interesting it is. A rather remarkable western made when westerns were definitely expanding and exploring beyond the American frontier, and worth seeing at least once. The ending is rather tragic.
Man in the Shadow (Jack Arnold, 1957) Airing Sunday 10/16/11 at 1:10 p.m. (EST)
We rambled a bit on this one in the general "westerns" thread here: http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... =75#p73911
Starring Orson Welles as a modern day despot on whose southwestern "kingdom" the murder of a Mexican worker takes place. Jeff Chandler is the local Sheriff who starts to investigate, perfunctorily at first, but the more people tell him to lay off, the more attention he starts to pay to the circumstances of the murder. What's interesting is he's not setting out to be a hero nor does he have any grudge against Welles' big boss. But he doesn't like anyone telling him how to think or do his job, and now Welles' power has begun to encroach on that freedom. Offbeat and still rather frank on the subject of racism.
http://www.starz.com/schedule
The Last Frontier (Anthony Mann, 1955) Airing Sunday 10/16/11 at 2:40 a.m. (EST)
A frontiersman (Victor Mature) scouts for a glory-riding Fort Lieutenant (Robert Preston) who's taken over the command of the more rational and peace-seeking Captain (Guy Madison). James Whitmore plays Mature's father, or man who raised him. Mann again looks at the wildness and violence inside even the most civilized men. Though Mature is a mountain man, "a bear" as he calls himself, and has no qualms about taking anything he needs, including another man's life or wife, he's still not as "savage" as Preston who will sacrifice his entire company of men to experience "victory". It's an exciting tale and if not in the league of the Stewart or Cooper westerns, definitely deserving of attention for its emotions and the unmistakable Anthony Mann fingerprints.
Invitation to a Gunfighter (Richard Wilson, 1964) Airing Sunday, 10/16/11 at 8:00 p.m. and Monday, 10/17/11 at 3:10 a.m. and 1:35 p.m. (EST)
Here at last on TV is one of my favorite lesser known westerns. Yul Brynner stars as a dandy dressing, Creole gun for hire who arrives in a small Southern town, at the behest of the "respectable" citizens who want a troublesome returning Civil War veteran (George Segal) out of the way. However, Brynner sees things in his own way, and quickly sees a woman (Janice Rule) in his way.
Savage Pampas (Hugo Fregonese, 1966). Airing Sunday, 10/16/11 at 4:20 p.m. and Monday, 10/17/11 at 1:15 a.m and 11:20 a.m. (EST)
This is one of the strangest "westerns" I've seen let alone starring Robert Taylor, yet it's fascinating in its own way and Taylor was seldom better. It takes place as the title suggests, in the wilds of Argentina. Taylor is in command, tenuously, of a company of soldiers who meet up with a band of ladies" and since it's been a while, the effects are profound. This makes it sound nothing like it plays out...you have to see this movie to credit how interesting it is. A rather remarkable western made when westerns were definitely expanding and exploring beyond the American frontier, and worth seeing at least once. The ending is rather tragic.
Man in the Shadow (Jack Arnold, 1957) Airing Sunday 10/16/11 at 1:10 p.m. (EST)
We rambled a bit on this one in the general "westerns" thread here: http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... =75#p73911
Starring Orson Welles as a modern day despot on whose southwestern "kingdom" the murder of a Mexican worker takes place. Jeff Chandler is the local Sheriff who starts to investigate, perfunctorily at first, but the more people tell him to lay off, the more attention he starts to pay to the circumstances of the murder. What's interesting is he's not setting out to be a hero nor does he have any grudge against Welles' big boss. But he doesn't like anyone telling him how to think or do his job, and now Welles' power has begun to encroach on that freedom. Offbeat and still rather frank on the subject of racism.