Josh Olson on THE WILD BUNCH

[@jimw.4161]

You said it, "a masterpiece!" One of the greatest films ever made - PERIOD! Peckinpah was a frustrated genius... he was at the mercy of studio 'suits' and bean counters who were not capable of sharing his great cinematic vision. I saw this film at a theatre in San Pablo, California shortly after I returned from Vietnam in 1971. I was GOBSMACKED! I am still in awe of Peckinpah's artistic brilliance. Arguably one of the most underappreciated directors in film history. He was never boring.

[@rich19530]

The greatest western ever made. A masterpiece.

[@markbaldwin9878]

I'm with him .A film I saw as a child and loved the action and then over decades understood it was about friendship honour doing the right thing and keeping your word to those that deserved it.Now I get the bit about growing old.Its not like it used to be but it will do.

[@DavidMoore-bl7gb]

The Olson reviews are by far the best...

[@Wolfsky9]

I saw this film as it was released, on A Friday, IN THE SUMMER OF '69, at the Paramount Theater, in downtown Denver, Colorado. I saw it twice in a row, knowing I was seeing a masterpiece. it's a total man's movie, about loyalty & honor.---- The score , done by Jerry Fielding, is haunting, unsettling, & perfect. From a screenplay by Walon Green, & directed by a master, at his finest moment, ever : Sam Peckinpah. ---------Wolfsky9, 70y/o

[@Vlad65WFPReviews]

I am a big fan of Jerry Fielding as this is one of his best. The tense music in the opening sequence cut brilliantly with the images and credit freeze frames leading up to the violent eruption of the first holdup is brilliantly put together and is a great start to the film.

[@george2113]

I was seven so I wasn't allowed to see the movie

[@ianbauer4703]

Apparently, Peckinpah was inspired by Sergio Leone's Dollar movies to create this graphic, revisitionist Western. Such an amazing film.

[@dearprudence2260]

Yeah, I agree, this is one of the finest western films ever made in more than a hundred years of cinema.

[@squinkque]

I don't want to overstate it but that shot before the big shoot-out where the four of them start walking down the street, knowing they all will die, is one of the most powerful moments not only in movie history but in the history of narrative art. No, I didn't overstate it.

[@malafakka8530]

Yeah, I find the faces of the actors from those years and earlier more fascinating to look at than many of today's. I don't mean they are worse, but for me they had some magical movie charisma to them. Forgive me if I am biased in this regard.

[@memoriesofmychildhood7297]

No plastic surgery.I love it!

[@Nummymuffincocobutter]

Brilliant movie...rated X when it came out because of the violence..Peckinpah's masterpiece...excellent actors at the top of their game....

[@FCSchaefer]

It does get better every time I watch it.

[@AnthonySmith-ty7ij]

Made in the year of the last great Westerns in 1969. This film along with BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE Kid and TRUE GRIT. All of them features character actor Strother Martin. A masterpiece by Sam Peckinpah along with The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Ride the high Country and so on.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

And ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST!

[@AnthonySmith-ty7ij]

James Matthews Once Upon a Time in the West was released in 1968.

[@Wolfsky9]

My all-time # 1, film of all-time. an absolute masterwork, from the opening credits, to the very end. ----------------WolfSky9, 71 y/o

[@tcsl7764]

Mine too.

[@kamuelalee]

First saw TWB on TV in the 1980s but later saw it in 1997 in the only Cinerama theater in my town. Amazing to watch on the big screen. It is a true masterpiece of cinema.

[@DarkDennis1961]

I loved this movie. I haven't seen it for 30 years I gotta see it soon

[@cctrans29]

Great Western. Fell in love with Colt 1911s after it. Thought it was cool to see cowboys carrying other guns than single action Peace Makers. The transition from the dieing old western era to the modern industrialized era. Is the foundation of this American Classic.

[@Wolfsky9]

The theme of this Masterpiece is Loyalty / Friendship , among men.---it's a film by men, for men, about men, & the price of real loyalty. ---------------WolfSky9, 71 y/o

[@Kuntyful]

this is amazing film....

[@timoaksel9320]

I've seen this film many times and every time I watch again l see and notice something more.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

"They came too late and stayed too long."

[@johnmurphy6128]

one of the greatest westerns ever made

[@jamessimpson5051]

Angel beating the Gorch brothers to the draw with his 1911. Please don't kill me gringo por favor, hey hey hey you can have my share but please don't kill me.

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Yep ! Jaime Sanchez was great in this and The Pawnbroker .!

[@ronaldh8446]

The movie is notorious for ushering in action cinema bloodbaths for sure. The real shame about it only being moderately successful on its initial release is that the violence overshadowed the character depth and story complexities. It has never quite been equalled to the genre it eventually gave birth to. Hands down my favorite Western.

[@danielsmith3796]

Fun fact Robert Blake turned down a role in The Wild Bunch.

[@azrielhopkins7795]

TFH channel Is my favorite On KZbin all the time.

[@kenzawistowski2683]

Swallow I want this played at my memorial.

[@juniormike]

oh boy, don't confuse people with false rumours... it was not "a box-office disaster". Cheers Mike (Peckinpah biographer)

[@jackgrattan1447]

"Let's go."

[@gorankatic40000bc]

''Why not.''

[@elchoya8770]

not the good,the ,bad and the ugly 1966,once upon a time in the west 1969.but THE WILD BUNCH 1969 IS THE GREaTEST WESTERN EVER MADE!

[@curiousjorge6426]

Great movie! The scene where the kids are laughing while watching ants devour a scorpion, then set them all on fire tells you right away are in for a wild ride! And thanks for pointing out that was Edmond O’Brien, star of so many Hollywood classics, but unrecognizable in this part.

[@alangb2086]

Yes it was hard to recognise O'Brien, and the 3 women in the wine cellar with Oats and Johnson were prostitutes from the local brothel, true story😆

[@josephkearny5874]

The film was a BO success and much talked about at the time of its release along with 2 other popular westerns released in 1969: Butch Cassidy and True Grit

[@fredflintstone7943]

Yeah, "Four guys walking down the street", a brilliant shot.

[@pscriswell]

THE WILD BUNCH was a significant financial success on its initial release; it was a huge, provocative event picture and all the controversy over its violence served as additional publicity. Not sure where Mr. Olson got the idea it was some obscure flop that was miraculously rediscovered by a hipper generation.

[@JohnnyFriendly]

Agreed. Very odd thing for him to say since its common knowledge that it was a big success on its release.

[@johnlewis9158]

I watched it in England when first came out in 1969 and the cinema i watched it in was packed solid. So yes i agree the film was a massive hit. In fact you would be hard pressed to find anyone of my generation who never watched it on it's release

[@JRTodd]

The movie is a great piece of film-making...it's just hard to watch the animals getting hurt

[@chuckminskoff6071]

The Wild Bunch is my favorite movie

[@kamelkimou9064]

Meilleurs films 👍👍👍👍

[@dennismcconaghy5515]

Perfection Kurosawa could not have done it better

[@sanjaivkovic9126]

adore this movie

[@jamesburke3929]

please senor, cut thee fuse, please cut thee fuse

[@hegstad9]

T.C. : "My first shot killed this man right here !! Coffer : "Liar !" [appealing to Mr. Harrigan] Coffer : "He was shooting that man full of holes while I was dropping this bandit ! And them others too. Why, I must have killed all 3 of them !" T.C.: [in disbelief] "You musta killed all 3 of 'em ? What do you think we's doin' up on that roof while you was poppin'... " Coffer : "Liar! Black liar !" T.C. : [crestfallen] "You shouldn't talk like that to me !" Coffer : [remorseful] "I'm sorry, T.C. Come on, help me get his boots ... "

[@I_AM_BAYTOR]

The delivery of "you shouldn't talk that way to me" was so good.

[@johnolsovsky]

coffer gets the valuables while tc gets the boots

[@Ewelllad]

While he is not a movie star, take a look and Jonathan Banks and Mike Ermhantraut in "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul." He has that beat up, world-weary look.

[@timcombs2730]

Yeah the Wild Bunch made the top 10 highest grossing films of 1969

[@film79]

DeputyAndy1 hehe 69, awesome

[@Mordorer]

at 1:53 does anyone know the name of that actress?

[@knaziringram4589]

This along with the Outlaw Josie Wales, Little Big Man are some of the best western to date and of course Butch & Sundance!

[@johnlewis9158]

There's a film called the Culpepper cattle company that is reminiscent of the wild bunch. Not as good obviously but well worth a watch

[@johnolsovsky]

butch sundance was a poor film, boring. been led to believe it was good by starstruck women and peer pressure

[@rodneyelkins583]

Why Edmond O'brian wasn't at least nominated for a best supporting actor for the Oscars or the Golden Globes is a joke,since,Gig Young won both of them that year.

[@Rickwmc]

They! Who the hell is they?!

[@Wolfsky9]

" Let's Go ! "----------" Why Not ? " --------------------------------------------WolfSky9. 72 y/o

[@gpholtz]

Mapache was Machete grandfather!!!!!

[@tenja42]

La golondrina

[@richardscanlan3419]

Anyone who doesn't have this film in their Western collection has no taste.This was when westerns were properly made,not the John Wayne/Randolph Scott rubbish of the 1940s/50s. One of Bill Holden's last decent performance.

[@monkeyboy4746]

Silver rings!

[@garyweaver5398]

We Want 👼!

[@iamtragos]

The movie was a big box office success , where did you get the idea of it being a flop ? Do your homework next time .

[@ryoungatlmidotnet]

From Wikipedia: "Produced on a budget of $6 million, the film grossed $10.5 million at the US box office in 1970 and another $638,641 in the US on its 1995 restored box-office release, making a total of $11,138,641.[1] It was the 17th highest-grossing film of 1969."

[@garthkelly1668]

Your critique is too young. You have to know people from those days to make better observations.

[@gerrydooley951]

sorry but way overrated. The absolute disdain that Peckinpah has for Mexicans and women just can't be ignored. He was a very troubled human being. I love westerns but this movie goes on way too long