Rating: 
Summary: The life of an American gunslinger
Review: This classic Western features an able cast headed by Yul Brenner, and featuring Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn. In contrast with the popular gunslinger westerns of the day, this film instead casts the role of desperado in a negative light. These seven men are among the best in the business, and yet they are forced to take a job where they put their lives on the line for next to nothing. Everywhere they go they are feared and respected, yet they find themselves envying the simple farmers they are hired to defend, because at least the farmers have something to fight for.
In what is perhaps one of the most sobering scenes in any western, Christ (Brenner), Vin (McQueen), and the others sit around discussing what has become of their lives, and what sort of lives they are forced to live as a result of their dangerous lifestyle. Instead of admiring these men, the viewer is forced to almost PITY them. In the end, when all is said and done, Chris takes stock of what has happened. The seven are victorious, but, as Chris says, "We all lose." They always lose, and all that is left to do is ride off into the sunset. Alone.
This is a classic western, both for the powerful message and for the simple charisma of a good old-fashioned shoot-em-up.
Rating: 
Summary: all star action
Review: brilliant film. all star cast, lots of action. make sure you grab this. done by a master action director John Sturges
Rating:
Summary: A Great Classic Western (with a Japanese heart)
Review: Nowadays most everyone knows who Kurosawa was and has seen his "Seven Samurai". This was not the case in 1960. "The Magnificent Seven" was offered as an adaptation of a great Japanese film. The producers made it a western and a pretty good one at that. This movie is one of the last of the classic westerns before Clint Eastwood and company changed the form into something else. In this movie there are heroes without irony or grafted in psychological complications. It is true that these heroes aren't saints, but they aren't basket cases either and they do rise to occasion. In adapting the story to a Hollywood Western and few things had to change. Since the cowboys are gun fighters rather than samurai the kind of fighting is different and changes the story a bit. Since gun fighters didn't have the same formal hierarchy or history as a samurai, other changes had to be made. Since the movie was shot in Mexico, the censors didn't want the peasants to be presented as anything but clean and noble, and that caused some other changes in the story. And the sword fighter became a knife fighter (James Coburn). The knife is kind of cool and everyone remembers it, but it doesn't have the same majesty or magic as a sword. But who fought with a sword in the west? Another big difference is that this is a Hollywood movie and adheres to the two-hour length pretty closely. Kurosawa's movie is 3 hrs and 20 mins. So, much of the character development of the seven heroes has to be left out. They are all there and function similarly to their counterparts in "Seven Samurai", but other than Yul Brynner, they really don't get many lines or much screen time. Eli Wallach is fabulous as the villain Calvera and Steve McQueen is at his scene stealing best. The weirdest casting choice was the young romantic lead being given to Horst Buchholz from Germany. He does a good job with the role, however. The disk has a documentary on the making of the movie as well as audio commentaries and the theatrical trailers. Visually, it is a good transfer and a very pleasing disk. But see "Seven Samurai" for an even richer experience!
Rating:
Summary: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC!
Review: By now most people know this movie was based on legendary Japanese Director Akira Kurosaw's "The Seven Samurai". Still, Kurosawa himself loved the movie. A band of seven gunfighters, led by Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen, comes to the aid of a poor, Mexican village, constantly robbed by a gang of Bandits, led by Eli Wallach. Perhaps most memorable as being the first REAL big film for such stars as McQueen, James Coburn, and Charles Bronson. Great action and of course the famous score by Elmer Bernstein. The DVD includes a new documentary done in 2001 which includes new interviews but also old footage of Brynner. Holds up well after 40 plus years!
Rating:
Summary: A Fab Western With A Fab Cast . . .
Review: I've gotten into the habit of having people over for "old movie nights" on Wednesdays. We all make a recommendation, fight about them, and then pick one. This made it to the platform. And in 3 words: It Is Great. The story is not the typical shoot 'em up Western by any means. It's much more than that. A group of highly skilled cowboys - mercenaries, really - take a job in a sleepy Mexican town to oust a bandit who raids the villagers regularly. The people are farmers with no combat skill. The 7 cowboys (an unbelievable cast which I won't list yet again) teach the people HOW to fight. They then face the hoard of bandits at the movie's pinnacle, culminating in a shoot 'em up scene of high dramatic integrity. What makes this movie more than just the "usual" is that the characters really come to love the village and the simple people. They realize what they are willing to sacrifice for a cause they believe in. It's touching, and wonderful, and sad and everything a movie should be. So buy this flick. Buy it and watch it and love it. The acting is superb, the action in kind, and the overall positive message of the film is beautiful in its simplicity. Happy viewing.
Rating:
Summary: They were only 7 but they fought like 700!
Review: I first saw this film about 20 years ago as a teenager and I still find it as enjoyable now as I did then. It is the tale of seven gunfighters who are hired by a poor Mexican farming community to help drive off the bandits who periodically show up and steal the communities food and goods. Of the Magnificent Seven most of the screen time is given to Chris (Brynner), Vin (McQueen) and Chico (Bucholz). While no details are given about the individual pasts of the Magnificent Seven it is fairly clear what there pasts may have been. 1. Chris: A leader, perhaps a former soldier, who has encountered danger before and gained a degree of mastery over his emotions in dangerous situation. 2. Vin: A capable man with a gun, perhaps a one time cowboy. He seems to be comfortable working as a loner but clearly would like to one day settle down. 3. Chico: The youngest of the Seven and most inexperienced. He wants to shed his farming past and attempts through acts of bravado to persuade others and himself that he is a gunfighter at heart. 4. Bernardo (Bronson): A strong solitary man that in many ways resembles Chris although not displaying the desire to lead. In many ways he is the most interesting character. He has made quite a bit of money in the past even though he is now broke. The attention he gives to the local village children and the gift he gives a village girl hint at the idea that while he is good at gunfighting he knows that it is a good family life that is important. 5. Lee (Vaughn): The most difficult character to relate to. He appears to be a gunman who in the past was cocky, arrogant and self assured but now after experiencing life on the run now doubts himself. He wants to do the right thing but finds it difficult to step up to the plate when it's his turn. 6. Britt (Coburn): A loner who is unequaled in a gun or knife fight. A man whose motives remain his own. 7. Harry (Dexter): A good man to have in a fight but one who lets greed cloud his every decision. It would seem that Harry is one of those individuals who is always one step away from gaining riches but somehow never gains them. The leader of the bandits is Calvera (Walsh) who is not an unlikeable fellow. He appears to believe that it is his job to steal so that he can support himself and his men. For him it is only a job, not unlike the farmers who work the land to provide for their families. He has what can almost be describes as a code of ethics for those who make their living with guns. This code of ethics is evident in the way he treats the Magnificent Seven towards the end of the film. However, given the films ending, this code does not seem to be shared by the Magnificent Seven While many people may view this film as a western action film I think there is quite a bit of underlying humanity and character depth woven into the story. It is these underlying characteristics that distinguish it from the average western action flick and have helped to make this film as popular as it is. The DVD offers what every DVD should, a commentary with both some of the actors and some of the production staff. A behind the scenes documentary and two trailers. While some may find the picture not that great I found it be a great improvement over the VHS widescreen version I purchased earlier on VHS. Lastly,during the past 7 months 3 more of the Magnifecent Seven have died. The only two remaining are Robert Vaughn (Lee) and Charles Bronson (Bernardo). Eli Walsh (Calvera) is also still alive. Fans of both the Magnifect Seven and James Coburn, who died last November, will appreciate his participation in the documentary and commentary.
Rating:
Summary: One of the great westerns of all-time
Review: The Magnificent Seven belongs up there with Shane and the Wild Bunch as one of the best westerns of all-time. Borrowing the story from Akira Kurosawa, the Magnificent Seven tells the story of seven gunman hired to protect a poor Mexican farming village from marauding bandits. This is an excellent movie with a great cast. The movie never stops rolling with great action, interesting characters, and quick dialogue througout. It will keep you in your seat throughout. Part of the reason people love this movie so much is the wonderful cast put together. Yul Brynner takes the leading role of Chris, the gunman in black, with Steve McQueen taking the part of his right hand man. Joining them are Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughan, Brad Dexter, and Horst Bucholz. To put this kind of cast together today would be unheard of. If that was not enough, Eli Wallach takes the role of the lead bandit Calvera. At times, you hate him and other times you can't help but like him. I couldn't write a review without mentioning Elmer Bernstein's great score that everyone everywhere has probably heard at some time or another. The DVD gives an excellent widescreen presentation that looks a little cleaned up from the VHS, several theatrical trailers, picture gallery, and a very informative documentary about the making of the movie. This is one of those true western classics that can be watched over and over again. Do not miss this great movie!
Rating: 
Summary: THRILLING WESTERN ADAPTATION OF JAPANESE ORIGINAL
Review: "The Magnificent Seven" is based on the Japanese movie, "Seventh Samari". The updating and transmutation of the original premise - that of seven desperados out to avenge a ruthless cutthroat's stronghold on a poor community - is, for once in the business of remaking movies, totally justified. Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen star as two of the seven with character actor, Eli Walsh doing a bang-up job of being the villain. This is one thrilling western and a film that deserves a much better transfer than the one it currently has received on DVD.
MGM Home Entertainment gives us a tired, worn print with faded colors and a barrage of age related blemishes - all this, while calling the disc a "Special Edition". I'd hate to see what their standard issues look like. Oops! I've seen them and they're nothing to write home about! But back to this DVD.
Colors can be rich and nicely balanced at times. However, most of the movie's color scheme has suffered from the natural ravages of time. Blacks are weak. Browns, beiges and light grays all appear to have the same muddy texture. Reds are slightly orange and flesh tones are not very natural. There's a considerable amount of edge enhancement and fine detail shimmering throughout. Chips, scratches, dirt and tears in the original print are evident throughout. The audio is stereo but feebly so with a forward sounding characteristic that is not terribly engaging. Special effects sound strident. The music is generally well represented.
EXTRAS: A making-of that falls somewhere short of a full fledged documentary but too long to be considered a featurette. A theatrical trailer and an audio commentary too.
The menu for this film is pretty bad - suffering from excessive edge enhancement and aliasing problems. Why bother?
Bottom line: If you're a fan - get it. It won't break you. Just don't expect that the term "Special Edition" means the film has been given any special treatment on DVD!
Rating:
Summary: Solid Western Entertainment
Review: The story begins with a group of Mexican villagers being terrorized by an outlaw named Calvera, played with vigor by Eli Wallach. Calvera and his band of forty thieves steal precious food and supplies from the poor farmers, who barely have enough left to feed their families. To the credit of the film, these are not cardboard characters. They are gentle souls that are pushed to their limits and demonstrate moral courage and wisdom. The beleaguered villagers seek the help of a courageous drifter named Chris, competently played by Yul Brynner. After reluctantly accepting to help the farmers, seasoned gunslinger assembles a group of unemployed professional gunmen and adventurers. Each one of these men has their reasons for joining the fight against Calvera. However, the farmers can only pay each of their guardians the ridiculous sum of twenty-dollars, which as McQueen's character points out, "Would barely pay for my bullets". The small band of gunfighters exhibits bravery and commitment that galvanizes the village into a formidable fighting force. In a climatic fight sequence, the highly outnumbered seven pay a high price in blood to dispatch the evil Calvera. I have a soft spot in my heart for this film. Though not the greatest western ever made, John Sturges did a fine job Americanizing Akira Kurosawa's macho masterpiece, "The Seven Samurai". It was made in 1960 at the end of the studio system era and is not as gritty as later westerns from this tumultuous decade. Such films as "The Wild Bunch" and "A Fistful of Dollars" would more fully realize the character of the anti-hero. That being said, two of the film actors starring in this picture turned in prototype performances for the anti-hero. One was Steve McQueen as Vin, the empathetic gunslinger, who is as quick with an analogy as he is with his peacemaker. McQueen steals nearly every scene he is in with his quirky physical gestures and effortless acting. The other notable performance is from the late James Coburn, who plays the inscrutable loner Britt. His character is lightening fast with a pistol; but in a particularly entertaining sequence, he outdraws another aspiring gunslinger armed only with his switchblade knife. As an actor, Coburn had few lines of dialogue but made the most of them and filmgoers couldn't take their eyes off of him. Charles Bronson, who plays Bernardo O'Reilly, the crusty gunfighter with the soft underbelly, ably supports these two breakthrough performers. Finally, Elmer Berstein provides one of the best film soundtracks ever written. "The Magnificent Seven" is solid western film fare, where the line between good and evil is clearly defined and the heroes fight with altruistic purpose.
Rating:
Summary: MAGNIFICO!
Review: This review refers to the MGM Special Edition of this film....
In this time when we are looking for heroes to fight off terrorists, this is the perfect movie to watch.
Based on the Japaneese classic "The Seven Samurai", this story is set in a small farming village south of the border. A band of outlaws, lead by the ruthless Calvera(Eli Wallach), are terrorizing the town, taking the food and supplies of the hard working but meek farmers. They go the the elder of the town seeking advice. He tells them to buy guns and fight back. But guns are expensive and hard to come by. They gather up the little money they have and hire seven gunmen to help stave off the mauraders.The men accept, for little pay,mostly because they are broke,but we come to see they are moralistic and believe in the cause.
The gunmen are tough but each with his own special charisma.
These are not heartless anti-heroes(although at times some may seem that way), they bond with the townspeople, share food with them, teach them how to defend themselves. There are some touching scenes of them working together (one even forms a fatherly relationship with some of the children), and there's even a touch of romantic comedy.
The standoffs with the outlaws ensue, the gunmen and the farmers fight shoulder to shoulder.Although some of our heroes are lost, good does triumph over evil. This is a the definitive film for western lovers.
Not just a great western story, the cast is also magnificent.All these legends in one film, Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen,Charles Bronson,James Colburn, Robert Vaughn, and with Brad Dexter and Horst Buchholz. The musical score by Elmer Bernstein is a huge part of the film, just try to get it out of your head afterwards, you know the one, used to be the theme song for the "Marlboro Man". Director John Sturges gives a real western feeling and the cinematography to go with it.
Already know you love this film and wondering about the DVD? The DVD lives up to the name of "The Magnificent Seven" The transfer is one of the better ones of a film from this era(1960), I think I saw one glitch(But I was looking for them)that was so fast, hardly worth mentioning, The colors are glorious, The widescreen is in the original theatrical format, and it's perfect,The Sound is in 5.1 Surround and also in the original mono, take your choice,the score is Magnificent,and dialouge crisp and clear,The Picture is bright, even the night time scenes are easily distinguishable,Nice Packaging (A nice case with booklet inside), and the "Extras" will keep you busy all day, there's a documentary making of, still photos(Lots),Trailers, and Audio Commentary which runs through the whole movie if you want to watch it that way, and more.
"The meek shall inherit....." with the help of "The Magnificent Seven" Enjoy....Laurie
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