MovieChat Forums > Electra Glide in Blue (1973) Discussion > Guercio

Guercio

posted 18 years ago by tricksofthetrade
4 replies | jump to latest

The cinematography was outstanding in this movie (how could you go wrong shooting in such a location?) but I found the first time director was more than competant and had obvious talent. The ending scene was most artisticly shot (no pun intended).

I looked at his bio, and this is his only film that he directed. Any reason behind this? Is this his own choice? Did he piss someone off or get a rep for being difficult?

After seeing this movie, it is hard to believe that Hollywood producers did not recognize his talent.

"You sent us to guard the wrong man, Mr. Chalmers."

[–] bj-doyle 18 years ago

Saw this for the first time on TCM this past weekend (and am SO glad I did) as James William Guercio did an amazing job!

Found myself wondering if JWG was consciously (or unconsciously?) channeling Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time in the West" (1968) as well... ...no close-ups, mind you, of "long, meaningful stares", in EGIB but more so in depicting Monument Valley on the widescreen canvas (along with perhaps the loner aspect of Blake’s character as well as the whole update on the Western thing...)

...like many, however, I DO see the obvious "answer" connection to Easy Rider, too...

...thoughts?

[–] mobocracy 18 years ago

According to the commentary by Rob Zombie during the TCM broadcast, the director was more or less moonlighting from his more prominent full-time gig as a record producer.

Apparently he hated dealing with the movie industry so much that he never made another film.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] IceboxMovies 12 years ago

Guercio didn't direct this movie. He just got credit for it.

Case in point: After this movie, Guercio was hired to do a movie for Steve McQueen. Eventually, McQueen calls Robert Blake and complains that Guercio doesn't know what the hell he's doing. Then Guercio was fired.

He's a music producer who just wanted to try and see if he could actually direct something. He couldn't.

I like this movie a lot, but the finished product is, for the most part, the accomplishment of Blake as well as Conrad Hall.