The Lee Majors Forum
Lets talk Lee
Found a DVD released by Prism Leisure Corp, 2001, Licensed from Cinetel Films.L region 2. Maybe its release was all outside of USA?
Its an um, interesting movie. It doesn't quite gell.
I can't quite put my finger on it....
The storyline builds suspense, and creates questions along the way, makes you curious about their resolution. The scenery in the driving, and reservation scenes is well chosen and beautiful. Some of the scenes include snow and a winter feel, but this is not linked to any apsect of the story or dialogue, and feels redundant.
There are some nice parts to the backing track song which seems to be the theme (plays at the start and when on pause) but who would know who its by - nothing on the casing credits.
I guess what really comes apart at the seams is...
the plot line suggests a group of old buddies (with of course old enemies) get together to open a bar, bought by the poker winnings of one of them (Lee's character). The trio don't seem that friendly to each other - not that pleased to see each other at first. The team doesn't gell. Michael Dudikoff plays the son of the trio of mer partner/ agent. Infact the other parts of the trio aside from Michael & Lee appear to be acting in their heads, or in the mirror and not interacting with the cast....
so the bar scenes aren't so good.
The bar is supposed to be a hot place, with blues music - only problem is it looks like any small bar working mans bar in an industrial wasteland,it has brawls, and is a bit rough (Not quite as rough as the bars in 'Once we were warriors' but the behaviour, the gangs or mob stuff and intimidation, comes from the same kind of group behaviour). AND doesn't play blues! I wouldn't even call it R&B. Surely a little oversight to the central plotline was the bar music! (Thats like having 'High Fidelity' the movie with only elevator/ supermarket music instead of the real thing. I mean common! This is a guy movie, right? Well - then the music IS important! There is one track which is great and then thats it)
I have no idea who wrote the screenplay, but... hmm
The indian scenes are well acted, and the story seems to be going somwhere at that point. It looks fresh. Then we are back to the town bulley etc , the evil Hanton Crawfor and his men, and the same old same old. Musketeers - these guys doesn't exude enough cameraderie to be mousketeers.
Loved the opening poker scene. Has and edge of tension, and quiet celebration continued in the next scene with Lees character.
IMHO would have been beter with Lee & Michael and called it the two musketeeers, or roped in some of the indian characters. More attention in the direction and artistic design to the subtleties that make up atmosphere and place - this was too inconsistent. There was some poetic camera work, but they were wierdly intersposed with.. nothing... so one was left wondering what the meaning or intention was to draw your attention to that moment.. and there wasn't any.
Okay.. so I'd give it a 2/10 (and the Norseman 4/10). You might think differently. Let me know.
