The Magnificent Seven

Rating:
Summary: My Favourite Western Of All Time
Review: The Magnificent Seven-1960,Colour,126 mins
Yul Brynner-Chris
Steve McQueen-Vin
Eli Wallach-Calvera
Robert Vaughn-Lee
Charles Bronson-O'Reilly
Brad Dexter-Harry Luck
James Coburn-Britt
Horst Bucholz-Chico

Based on the Japanese film 'Seven Samurai-1954,141mins.
The Magnificent Seven went on to spawn 3 sequels and a hit t.v series.And is a much loved classic still today.
When a small Mexican village is terrorised by the evil bandit Calvera and his gang of bloodthirsty men, only The Magnificent Seven have the courage, the daring and the firepower to come to the rescue! The town's farmers have no guns, no money and not a violent bone in their bodies. So they head for the border and find Chris and Vin, two out-of-work, hired guns who round up five more rugged outlaws, including James Coburn, Charles Bronson and Robert Vaughn. Now the Seven are ready for action, and they're not in it for the money-they're in it for the adventure. At First, victory seems assured. But Calvera won't give up, and decides to come back for some serious bloodshed. At first Brynner was going to be the director and Anthony Quinn was going to play the lead role.All Up one of the best movies ever made.

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Film in Widescreen VHS
Review: I have not seen "The Magnificent Seven" in widescreen since I first saw it in the theatre in 1960. I have been watching it in pan & scan for about 40 years now. It is my favorite motion picture. Seeing it in widescreen opened new vistas for me. It finaly seems like the large scale yet personal drama that it always deserved to be. I can greater appreciate the composition of the different camera frames by noticing facial expressions and the like that have gone unnoticed for years. There is more character development here than I even imagined. There is more beauty and detail to the landscape unto which the story unfolds. The film has now at last taken on legendary proportions thanks to this format. Yul Brynner as Chris, Steve McQueen as Vin, Charles Bronson as O'Reilly, Robert Vaughn as Lee, Brad Dexter as Harry Luck, James Coburn as Britt and Horst Buchholz as Chico are all imbedded into the psyche of anyone who ever saw this movie and felt its emotional impact. These are real screen heroes.

There is something very magical about this film. This is different from every other Western that came before it. I believe it is the nature of the seven gunfighters, their motives for that one chance at gallantry and redemption. That combined with the way the story is visually told makes for its greatness. It teaches us something about nobility, dignity and devotion. The hearse-ride taken up to Boot Hill with Yul Brynner driving and Steve McQueen riding shotgun sets the stage and tone for the entire film. Images such as when Charles Bronson, is bent over with a bullet inside and the three little Mexican boys clutch him crying out his name while in his death throes bring a tear to the eye. In another the viewer reflects along with Yul Brynner as he takes the lifeless James Coburn's knife out of the adobe wall and folds it gently in his hand. These are heart rendering and indelible images. Even Eli Wallach as the bandit Calvera gets his moment of pathos. After being mortally wounded by Yul Brynner's bullet, Calvera can not believe that the seven came back to save the village even after the villagers told them that they did not want their help anymore. "You came back. A man like you. Why?" asks Calvera as he dies. Yul Brynner has no answer for him. It was as if Brynner had committed some sacrilege.

Director John Sturges captured the ambiguities of the human spirit in this film. Just as he directed "The Great Escape," Sturges' directorial style is so smooth that his own storytelling glosses right over the depth and complexity of his own work. The ultimate shame is that all Sturges' profoundness is all right up there on the screen. He literally outdoes himself along with a little help from Elmer Bernstein's score and William Roberts' script. Bernstein's insertion of quick tempo snippets here and there into the score advances the film and pulls the viewer right into the narrative with an emotional fervor along with his unforgettable main title theme. William Roberts' script is so full of memorable and engaging dialogue that it too smoothly advances the story with ease and shear magnetism playing on our emotions.

For me Yul Brynner was the epitome of 'cool' and aplomb. From his dark gray and black outfit down to the tip of his thin cheroot he was the kind of man others look up to but keep their distance. Yul Brynner as Chris, was a man of few words and often communicated by the mere gesture of the hand. Of the seven, he was the cohesive element that drew them together simply by his demeanor. The aura of his worldliness beckoned them all to the place he was heading. It was the same place they were all going. He was just the first to recognize it. Brynner too was the cohesive element that kept them all together. Brynner was the one who followed some unwritten code of honor that is only alluded to in a few passages. McQueen was perfect as the gunfighter who was "just drifting" and signed on with Brynner. The levelheaded McQueen represents the other characters' realizations one by one as they join. James Coburn was perfect, as the stoic knife throwing Britt, who lived only for the thrill of the moment. Charles Bronson as O'Reilly played his stoically rugged but sympathetic role better than any actor could have. Bronson had a unique visual presence whose kind facial expressions counterbalanced his pockmark face and strong physique. Bronson was a conundrum unto himself and perfect for the role. Brad Dexter's performance as the unlucky fortune hunter has gone unrecognized. He was the least noble of the seven and died the mercenary that he was, yet there is some nobility to one's profession in that. Still, he gains our sympathy after returning in the clutch and saves his friend Chris and in turn is killed. Dying in the arms of his friend, Chris lets him go to the grave with a lie. Robert Vaughn's character was probably the most interesting of the seven. His enigmatic portrayal of Lee the tormented soul and not really the coward he labeled himself somehow never stood out. Only his act of redemption, his gunplay and death during the finale lingers. Vaughn's portrayal is a success because as he said he was "the coward hiding out in the middle of a battlefield" and at that he succeeded. Horst Buchholz gave an energetic and bravura performance the only one of the seven that had not yet been corrupted by the world. At the end he symbolically hangs his guns up and roles up his sleeves. Brynner and McQueen say that "only the farmers have won" and they lost. As they ride off into screen immortality I think we all won.

Rating:
Summary: More cheese than Velveeta
Review: This movie is awful. Even the tremendous star power cannot save this horrendous script. Cheesy scene follows cheesy scene. Watch the cheese as Yul Bryner counts to seven as he rounds up his men. Stare in disbelief as the bad guys stupidly and inexplicably let the 7 go after capture, only to have the 7 come back to save the day, of course.

Fans of classic John Wayne movies (e.g., 'The Searchers', 'Red River') and Sergio Leone's epic westerns (Leone's 'Fistful of Dollars' also based on a Kurosawa film) will probably be terribly disappointed. This movie will appeal to lovers of feel-good duds like Armageddon and Independence Day.

Rating:
Summary: The Magnificent Seven a classic now on DVD
Review: on Akira Kurosawa "The Seven Samurai"
the "Magnificent Seven" a Mirish production and
released through United Artists and Director
by Oscar nominated John Sturges is one
of the best American Westerns ever made.

It stars Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen, Charles
Bronson, James Coburn and Robert Vaughn as
a couple of hired gunslingers asked to help
a couple of Mexican farmers get their village
back from the control of an evil and bloodthirsty
bandit named Calvera. (Eli Wallach).

The movie is just brilliant. It starts of, telling
us the story of how the village is terrorized by
this evil bandit, and from their it just the
great exploits of the 7 gunslingers who are brought
together to fight for the justice of the
Mexican people.

Yul Brenner, and Steve McQueen play Chris and Vin, a couple of honorable but tough gunmen who don't
take any crap from anyone.

Their first intro in the movie is great.

They are riding their horse carriage through
a western town full of goons that want to kill
the.

As they ride across this town, they from all angles
kill the bad guys who try to get them from
windows, horses and other places.

Eventually their great exploits get the exploits
of the Mexican farmers.

The Mexican farmers tell their tale of the bandits
who are destroying their village and leaving their
families hungry.

So Chris goes on his quest to gather more
skilled gunslingers to get these bandits.

This other great gunslingers consists of Charles Bronson and Robert Vaughn.

What I love about this movie, besides the great
musical score is that their is a story about all
the gunslingers. They all come from different
backgrounds and have their own skills to bring
to the table come game time.

"It's only a matter of handling a gun, it's no
big deal" -This great line by Chris (Yul Brenner)
shows the cool and modest demeanor that the
good hearted gunslingers have.

Their is a Special Edition DVD of this classic
and the DVD is one of the best DVD's ever made.

It includes a special documentary on the film with
rare interviews with Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach
and Yul Brenner.

It also goes into detail about the making of the film and how many movie studios did not want to release it.

The DVD comes with 2 special trailers of the movie
which show it's brilliance.

This 1960 masterpiece is one of the best American
movies made and one of the best westerns made.

Sergio Leone is most popular for directing Westerns like "The Good ,The Bad and Ugly" and "For a Few
Dollars" so if your into great action and music,
check this terrific movies out too.

Rating:
Summary: Heroism without cynicism...Morality without apology...
Review: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is a great action Western. It is also a "simple" morality tale that asks "what is heroism?" Then...accompanied by its stirring musical score...the film presents a mythical answer that does not apologize for its morality, nor taint its heroism with jaded cynicism. There is humor (particularly from Vin, Steve McQueen's role, and Calvera the anti-heroic bandit chief, wonderfully played by Eli Wallach). There is also plenty of violent action. But never does the latter descend into the grotesque, deliberately choreographed violence that would become the signum of Sam Pekinpah's WILD BUNCH and satirized endlessly in Clint Eastwood "cowboy movies". Yul Brynner's role as Chris, the man in black...an overt Christ figure...is classic as he summons worthy compadres "to deal in lead" for the sake of justice. Other reviewers note the fine job that what is now-called an ensemble cast do as Chris's formidable cohort of gunmen. I call to mind especially Robert Vaughn's role as Lee, a former Paladin-like professional who has lost his nerve. Vaughn's roles (popular as the man was) would devolve into playing politician-businessmen or variations on Napoleon Solo, the UNCLE-James Bond spy parody. Cool maybe, but not too difficult. The parodox of a neurotic, "cowardly" gunslinger, "hiding in the middle of a battle field" was a role that provided both complexity and insight into the idea that heroism might not be fun. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is precisely this. An epic adventure using modern cinema and the Old West to retell the ancient, mythic story of what it means to be a hero. At the beginning of the film, farmers come to plead with Brynner/Chris to help them repel the bandits who terrorize their village. One of them opens a grain sack containing a gold Crucifix, several candles and a chalice. "This is from our church," he offers, "it is everything we have." Brynner replies: " I've been offered a lot in my time for my work...but never everything." And for some of The Magnificent Seven (only 3 survive the final battle), this is what they too ultimately offer for the triumph of what we all used to unashamedly call "the good guys." THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN was released in 1960. There have been few movies like it since then. But I suggest to you that the current epic by Ridley Scott, GLADIATOR, is such a film. Unlike, TM7 (please do not confuse it with silliness like MI2)"Gladiator" is extremely violent in parts. This is, perhaps, consistent more with our current tastes...like the Coliseum crowds... than with probable historical realities. And certainly the battle for JUSTICE and Roman civilization as an ideal vs. barbarism abroad and decadence at home is a worthy theme of THE OLD WEST. But ultimately, both films are about GOODNESS and "why?" as the dying bandit Eli Wallach whispers with his last breath to Chris "Why would a man like you...?" (Want to be good?) THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN offers a good, perhaps a magnificent answer for a mere "cowboy movie". It's also magnificently great entertainment...

Rating:
Summary: Cool Rides a Horse - 7 Times Over!
Review: Movie influence comes full circle as Akira Kurosawa's classic warrior epic The Seven Samurai - influenced so much by Kurosawa's love of Hollywood westerns - is remade as... a western! And a crackerjack one it is as well, as coolly charismatic gunfighter Chris (Yul Brynner) puts together a gang of laconic silent types to defend a Mexican peasant village from raiding banditos. Cool is the operative word to describe The Magnificent Seven - from the moment the seemingly miscast Yul Brynner steps on screen to disarm your expectations with impressively understated menace, to the inevitably heroic bloodbath at the end. Steve McQueen and James Coburn reinforce the cool, playing their characters with a relaxed deliberateness that underlines the most important audience impression - these men are dangerous. McQueen and Brynner's classic hearse ride to the cemetery after the beginning - the first time their characters ever meet - is the kind of moment that encapsulates the heroic appeal of Westerns, on a par with the final walk of Peckinpah's Wild Bunch. Add to the mix THE quintessential Western score, and you have the perfect concoction to please any lover of intelligent, fast-moving action. Unquestionably an essential purchase for genre collectors, this Western delivers. Repeatedly and shamelessly ripped off by lesser movies, perhaps least disgracefully by the rather entertaining pilot episode of the successful eighties TV series The A-Team.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best!
Review: This opinion reveals no details about the movie's plot

Before Akira Kurosawa, great westerns (high noon) often had a slow build up leading to action (shoot out) at the end. What Kurosawa did was start off with action, drums pounding, overwhelming odds... adventure.

John Sturges was having a few drinks with Steve McQueen. He said lets do Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai." Steve said he was not going to run around in a dress. They agreed that Steve could wear the hat he had on in the bar, they did it as a "Widescreen," Western. They called it "The Magnificent Seven."

There was a lot of tension on the set between the main stars. Steve was good on a horse and good with a gun.

Yul Brynner if you'll notice in "Invitation to a Gunfighter," and "WestWorld." etc. Was not at home on a horse. His hats came from the prop room. Yule is a gentlemen gunslinger, hardly the type that goes out on the dusty road to track a man down.

The soundtrack music from "The Seven," forever changed what we expected from a western score. It's one of the top three with "Once upon a time in the west," and Bob Dylan's "Pat Garret and Billy the kid."

Samurai: In the former feudal system of Japan, the class , of military retainers of the daimios, constituting the gentry or lesser nobility. They possessed power of life and death over the commoners, and wore two swords as their distinguishing mark.

Gunslinger: In the former open range system of the West, the hired guns ... possessed power of life and death over the towns people, and wore two guns (usually a tied down pistol and a rifle) as their distinguishing mark.

The genius was exploiting the similarities between how Japan changed, and the end of our West. Samurai's special rights and privileges were abolished with the fall of feudalism in 1871. The western gunslinger's about the time of Tom Horn at the turn of the century.

Look at what we now know as western music and the original Asian music from "Samurai."

The "Seven," is not a authentic western as is "Red River," or "Tom Horn." But as A1 entertainment, which is what it was meant to be, it's a work of Art. When you've seen the rest, come and see the Best! Always in my top ten!

If you really want a dose, try a double bill with "The Widescreen, 'The Magnificent Seven (1960)DVD" and Akira Kurosawa's, "The Seven Samurai DVD(1954)"

Rating:
Summary: Heroism without cynicism...Morality without apology...
Review: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is a great action Western. It is also a "simple" morality tale that asks "what is heroism?" Then...accompanied by its stirring musical score...the film presents a mythical answer that does not apologize for its morality, nor taint its heroism with jaded cynicism. There is humor (particularly from Vin, Steve McQueen's role, and Calvera the anti-heroic bandit chief, wonderfully played by Eli Wallach). There is also plenty of violent action. But never does the latter descend into the grotesque, deliberately choreographed violence that would become the signum of Sam Pekinpah's WILD BUNCH and satirized endlessly in Clint Eastwood "cowboy movies". Yul Brynner's role as Chris, the man in black...an overt Christ figure...is classic as he summons worthy compadres "to deal in lead" for the sake of justice. Other reviewers note the fine job that what is now-called an ensemble cast do as Chris's formidable cohort of gunmen. I call to mind especially Robert Vaughn's role as Lee, a former Paladin-like professional who has lost his nerve. Vaughn's roles (popular as the man was) would devolve into playing politician-businessmen or variations on Napoleon Solo, the UNCLE-James Bond spy parody. Cool maybe, but not too difficult. The parodox of a neurotic, "cowardly" gunslinger, "hiding in the middle of a battle field" was a role that provided both complexity and insight into the idea that heroism might not be fun. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is precisely this. An epic adventure using modern cinema and the Old West to retell the ancient, mythic story of what it means to be a hero. At the beginning of the film, farmers come to plead with Brynner/Chris to help them repel the bandits who terrorize their village. One of them opens a grain sack containing a gold Crucifix, several candles and a chalice. "This is from our church," he offers, "it is everything we have." Brynner replies: " I've been offered a lot in my time for my work...but never everything." And for some of The Magnificent Seven (only 3 survive the final battle), this is what they too ultimately offer for the triumph of what we all used to unashamedly call "the good guys." THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN was released in 1960. There have been few movies like it since then. But I suggest to you that the current epic by Ridley Scott, GLADIATOR, is such a film. Unlike, TM7 (please do not confuse it with silliness like MI2)"Gladiator" is extremely violent in parts. This is, perhaps, consistent more with our current tastes...like the Coliseum crowds... than with probable historical realities. And certainly the battle for JUSTICE and Roman civilization as an ideal vs. barbarism abroad and decadence at home is a worthy theme of THE OLD WEST. But ultimately, both films are about GOODNESS and "why?" as the dying bandit Eli Wallach whispers with his last breath to Chris "Why would a man like you...?" (Want to be good?) THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN offers a good, perhaps a magnificent answer for a mere "cowboy movie". It's also magnificently great entertainment...

Rating:
Summary: A review of the DVD in specific
Review: This is a superbly remastered and restored film, It comes with some brilliant extras including original trailers and more interestingly a documentary on the film named "Guns For Hire".
If you are a fan of the actors in this classic you'll love the doco which shows what they went on to do and includes some interviews showing the actors today and telling how Yul Brynner brought this tale to life.
For Steve McQueen fans you get a little insight into how he tries to steal every scene he appears in.
The film is a great telling of an adventurous story based on the Toho studios film "The Seven Samurai".
The commentary features actors James Coburn, Eli Wallach, producer Walter Mirisch & Ass Director Rob Reylea. It covers many interesting stories from a set which saw several stars of the time and even the wedding of Yul Brynner.
Worth a viewing.

Rating:
Summary: A cultural transplant that wasn't rejected
Review: A small village in Mexico is repeatedly harassed by outlaws, and decides to hire seven gunfighters as protection. A simple idea, transplanted out of Akira Kirasawa's "Seven Samurai", but when the cast is right, the film is right. Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, and Robert Vaughn were all up-and-coming stars, and Yul Brynner was perfect as the essence of cold, efficient, authoritative leadership. Add an unforgettable musical score, and you have a winner.