Bite the Bullet
by Richard Brooks
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Actor: Candice Bergen, Gene Hackman, Ian Bannen, James Coburn, Jan-Michael VincentDirector: Richard Brooks
Brand: HACKMAN,GENE
Cinematographer: Harry Stradling Jr.
Producer: Richard Brooks
Writer: Richard Brooks
Editor: George Grenville
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); Mandarin Chinese (Subtitled); Korean (Subtitled); Thai (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-04-02
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Product features:
- TESTED
DVD Reviews of Bite the Bullet
DVD Review: Brilliant ode to the dying west
Summary: 5 Stars
Somewhere along the way, Richard Brooks' brilliant 1975 ode to the dying west "Bite the Bullet" fell through the cracks. A marvel of direction, acting, editing and cinematography, it is arguably one of the greatest westerns ever made. And yet, when we see lists of all-time western classics, including the likes of The Wild Bunch - The Original Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition) and The Searchers (John Wayne Collection), this film is oddly thrown to the side. It's not like any western I've ever seen, and yet it's an extraordinarily robust celebration of the glorious myths of our American landscape.
Partially based on a true story, "Bite the Bullet" details an early 20th century horse race, a marathon of endurance through the mountains, desert and snow of Colorado and Nevada. A motley crew of archetypes sign up to participate for the cash prize, including two former Rough Riders, a British adventurer, a quiet Mexican, an elder cowboy and even a blonde beauty in chaps who looks suspiciously like Candice Bergen. There's plenty of gambling on the favorites, a traveling brothel and endless bottles of whiskey. A top thoroughbred is bankrolled by an arrogant millionaire and appears to be the favorite, but as the race stumbles along, it becomes clear more than natural speed will be needed to cross the finish line.
Brooks, one of the greatest of Hollywood directors, had memorably tread the western landscape before with Last Hunt [VHS] and The Professionals (Special Edition), and "Bite the Bullet" was his assured swan song to the storied genre. The casting of Gene Hackman and James Coburn as the Rough Riders (The Rough Riders (Dover Books on Americana)) was a brilliant move. Hackman especially, is perfect in a largely passive role originally intended for Charles Bronson. There's a weariness and cynicism about his character, and he's a deeply tortured soul. When he finally reveals the pain of his life during a revisionist scene at a water pit stop, his rage echoes across the desert plains. It's an astonishing moment, and you realize you are watching not only one of the great actors of his generation, but one of the finest scenes in all of movie history. Coburn is silky perfect as the extrovert, all teeth and lanky limbs, winking at hardship while attempting a shortcut, usually ending up in the drink. There's not a false note in the unusually stellar cast, including Ben Johnson, Dabney Coleman, Ian Bannen, Jan-Michael Vincent and Jean Willes, all leaving memorable impressions as characters that could easily have been one dimensional. Their dialog is key, and Brooks' terrific screenplay gives the cast much to chew on.
The beauty of "Bite the Bullet" is you're never sure who's going to win the race. There's plenty of sidetracks, an ambush, a few comedic moments on a newfangled motorcycle and even a heart attack of an important cast member. Through it all, just when you think you know the outcome, the surprise conclusion sneaks up on you with gentle reserve. Only a director with Brooks' accomplished experience, honed over many years, could have balanced so many themes simultaneously, jumping from comedy to tragedy within a single scene. The Academy took notice, though not enough, nominating the film for Best Musical Score and Best Sound. But "Bite the Bullet" is a work of grace, passion and stunning skill. It is one of the most unheralded films of the 1970s, and one of the greatest westerns ever made.
Description of Bite the Bullet
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