The Nazi Western


I call this the Nazi western because it celebrates the camaraderie of violent criminals. In this it is similar to some Nazi entertainment movies of the thirties only substitute the military for violent criminality. In one or the other the protagonists find meaning in an otherwise meaningless world.

Peckinpah was an accomplished director, especially of actors, but his career foundered on his infantile, degenerate obsessions until he succumbed to drink and, I believe, drugs at an early age.

I agree with those who criticize the obvious overdone zoom shots. Also the final bloodbath, seen today (I saw the film in first release), is corny.

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Celebrates? Nah, it's extremely violent but the violence isn't celebrated.

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If your comments were fact based you still wouldn't have an argument.

Infantile? I'm sure that word is used a lot when describing you. You might want to try to do some research on the man before you vilify him.

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Too bad you lack the education and maturity to engage in intelligent debate.

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If you look at his bio in Wikipedia you will read his life was marked by years of alcohol and drug abuse. He died aged 59. A tragic figure whose abundant talent ultimately went to waste. In my opinion his best film was his first, "Ride the High Country."

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So because it celebrates the camaraderie of violent criminals and Nazi propaganda films did the same, therfore in your mind it's a Nazi film. Having similarities between two things doesn't make them equal. Your thinking is flawed. If you had said that the village scene with the dirt poor oppressed villagers was an analogy of the North Vietnamese at the time of release you would make more sense, but it seems you missed the obvious parallels in the story and opted for the current Nazi fetish.
Most Peckinpah fans of which there are many who have posted here know what befell the man. What's your point?
As for "corny" what do you expect it's 47 years old? It certainly wasn't corny at the time and horrified critics and audiences alike. For a person who saw the film on release I'm surprised you said that.

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If there's any particular philosophy it is trying to espouse, it's an anti-establishment movie. I think Dutch put it best when Pike talked about someone giving their word, he retorts "That's not what counts. It's who you give it to." Considering how authoritarian the Nazi regime was, I doubt they would endorse this sentiment.



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