CS Film Club II

HBO, Prime, Criterion, Hulu, Flix. And yeah, I don’t mind renting.

You'd remember Bloodsport if you saw it.

I want to do Sorcerer, but it doesn't seem to be streaming anywhere and is also not super available as a rental. I've also seen Fiddler on the Roof and Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.

Naw, I'm happy to watch Bloodsport.

One down, one to go.

Forty Guns

First off, based on the title there's a little bit of deceptive marketing here. If you knew nothing about the film going into it (like me) you might think 'forty guns, that sure is a lot, it sounds like there's a big fight a-brewin!' Well not really, in fact the forty guns referred to in the title are ranch hands and not hardened baddies who are destined to get the business end of the protagonist's .45. But sarcastic criticisms of the title aside, Forty Guns is a western with some pretty clear influences, both historical and cinematic, but it also bends the mold that westerns to this day still try to fit into much to its credit.

Forty Guns is directed by Samuel Fuller, a filmmaker with whom my experience has been limited to Criterion titles like Shock Corridor, The Naked Kiss and White Dog, movies that don't exactly align with traditional westerns. That isn't to say that Forty Guns is a traditional western, in fact right out the gate you see that Barbara Stanwyck is the lead in the film. Stanwyck stars as Jessica Drummond, a ranch owner who has her thumb on the entire territory. Her brother Brockie is a drunken bully who one day finds himself toe to toe with Griff Bonnell, an ex-gunfighter who is now trying to reform himself and travels with his brothers Chico and Wes. Before long Griff and Jessica warm to each other but eventually tensions rise between Brockie and the brothers ending in bloodshed and revenge involving fewer than forty guns (kidding). It's easy to see the inspiration that the film took from the Earp brothers although it's not exactly a one to one sendoff but it's pretty neat that they're pretty on the nose with such a neat historical reference.

Coming in at 80 minutes, Forty Guns is a fast paced and tight, almost too tight, movie. Sometimes what a story needs is some time to breathe, let the plot and characterization play out and be absorbed by the audience. While there are definitely scenes that establish important connections between some of the main characters, the tornado scene with Jessica and Griff for example and the scene at the gunsmith between Wes and the gunsmith's daughter for another, it felt like we could have used some more time to learn about the characters themselves aside from what their reputations suggest via exposition. That isn't to say that it needed more action or anything, I think it would have served itself if we got a better idea as to who Jessica was and witnessed her actual grasp over her domain, and maybe even coming to understand why exactly Griff wanted to escape his life as a gunfighter and settle down. It just felt like it could have used some of the time that it shaved to pad it out a little more. While I wasn't exactly blown away by Forty Guns nor would I put it with some of the other favs that Coop has recommended (Samurai Rebellion and Paper Moon off the top of my head), it's a fun little western that I'm glad I watched and certainly has something to offer fans of classic westerns.

B so says Doomsday

Bolo Yeung is terrifying in this movie. Looks a lot different now in his old age, but could still probably kick any one of our asses.

I love Bloodsport. Will stop to watch it any time it's on cable.

Frank Dux made it all up, complete fraud, but Van Damme if it isn't a fun popcorn movie.

Coop I should also add I was going to recommend Sudden Death with van Damme because hockey playoffs start this weekend and LA is playing Edmonton. Not sure if you've seen it but I decided to go with Bloodsport, Sudden Death really straddles the line between enjoyably cheesy and straight bad and I wouldn't do that to you. Not for the film club.

But it has hockey, so that co-worker who's favourite movie is Miracle would like it

3(ish) days left.