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| Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Chief Dan
George, George Vernon, Bill McKinney |
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Anamorphic
widescreen |
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Dolby Digital
5.1 |
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DTS |
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Trailer(s) |
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Featurette(s) |
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Documentary |
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Audio commentary
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Deleted scenes
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Concept art
/ storyboards |
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Multi-angle
feature |
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Josey
Wales (Clint Eastwood): When I get to likin' someone, they ain't
around long.
Lone Watie (Chief Dan George): I notice when you get to DISlikin'
someone they ain't around for long neither!
A
Missouri farmer joins a Confederate guerilla unit and winds up on the
run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family.
 One
of those rare Westerns with the ability to please both hardcore fans
and those usually indifferent to the genre, The Outlaw Josey Wales
adds new layers to Eastwood's familiar vengeful hero persona, and cleverly
succeeds in wrongfooting the audience by shifting directions away from
the well-known formula towards a conclusion that is as affecting as
it is refreshing. Eastwood the actor is surrounded by a fine ensemble
cast, consisting largely of repertory players familiar from other Clint
Eastwood movies. Bruce Surtees' striking, understated cinematography
is a continuous revelation, as he manages to underscore the movie's
emotions through amazing use of a varied color palette. But the key
to the film's enduring success lies in Eastwood's portrayal of Josey
Wales, as a man who starts out on a quest for vengeance but who reluctantly
sees his anger and hate grow into something much more heroic and memorable. |
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Previously
available as a bare-bones release for Region 1 and Region 2, a new Special
Edition release comes in a near-identical box (check the Extra Features
list on the back to distinguish the two) with a new transfer and several
extras, now on general release for Region 1 and Region 2.
The
anamorphic widescreen image is framed at an aspect ratio of approx.
2.35:1. The video transfer is terrific, rendering an image near-flawless
for a film of this age. Some minor fading and minute source print scratches
are visible on a few occasions, but nothing to distract from a remarkable
presentation of the film's gorgeous cinematography.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio mix is similarly impressive, with a wealth
of split surround, directional effects and excellent, effective use
of rear activity to enhance ambient sound and add impact to action sequences.
Fidelity is surprisingly good, and the soundtrack's dynamics cover a
wide spectrum.
The
movie on this new Special Edition release is preceded by a 44-second
introduction by Clint Eastwood, in which the star/director briefly
expresses his personal fondness and pride for this particular movie
of his. The introduction can also be accessed through the Extra Features
menu screen. The new 29-minute documentary 'Hell Hath No Fury'
presents an excellent, wonderfully complete overview of the production,
with the participation of several key cast members including Clint himself.
They talk about the development of the project and its reception at
the time of its release, as well as discussing various aspects of the
actual shoot. It is generously illustrated by behind-the-scenes footage,
mostly drawn from the eight-minute promotional featurette, which
is also included separately on this release. The theatrical trailer,
presented in anamorphic widescreen, has also been included, as have
some excellent production notes.Newly
designed menu screens are static, with accompaniment by music from the
score.
Dan
Hassler-Forest
Reviewed: February
4, 2002
Click
here for IMDB info on The
Outlaw Josey Wales.
Click here
to return to the front page.
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