Sam Peckenpaugh

[Kenneth Swauger]

Hello,
Anyone a fan of Sam Peckenpaugh movies? Favorites? Which one is better, "The Wild Bunch" or "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid"? Or how about, "Bring Me the Head Of Diego Garcia"?
Ken

[gatemplin]

The only one I have seen is Straw Dogs and it was friggin' disturbing. What a weird movie.

[Emlyn]

I'd say "The Wild Bunch" was his best by a wide margin in part because its treatment of violence on film was so ground breaking for the time. I enjoyed "The Getaway" with Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw which he also directed. To me the rest of his movies were largely either formulaic in his later career or downright awful in his early career when he was doing TV stuff. I agree that "Straw Dogs" is a very disturbing movie. Dustin Hoffman seemed completely miscast in the role at first, but his performance was great in the end. I'd rank it as his second best artistic work.

For a great director, he didn't make very many great movies though.

[gregure]

I like SAM PECKINPAH also. I too, think The Wild Bunch is his best film. So much wonderful subtext, expertly executed. A little cheesy by today's standards (the Mexican village singing as they depart), but still an excellent film. If you haven't, check out the director's cut on DVD. Fleshes out the Mexican uprising/General story line a bit.

[shack]

In order:

1) The Getaway
2) The Wild Bunch
3) Junior Bonner
4) Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid
5) Straw Dogs

[Billm57]

Wild Bunch is excellent..Pat Garret and Billy The Kid is one of my favorites as well but seek out the full version (122 minutes or so) When it was released in 1973 the studio cut the movie against Sams 's wishes so its well under 2 hours
Just watched it on the Western Channel the other night..too bad it was fullscreen and the cut version! they really need to release this one on DVD
I have the Criterion of Straw Dogs..excellent dvd and movie
Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia is cool too although I think th e romance with Warren Oates and the girl in it just kills it and slows the story down