The Wild Bunch: The American Classic That Changed Westerns Forever

by Bill Mesce Jr.

Overview

One of the most controversial films of its time, The Wild Bunch is the epitome of the no-holds-barred filmmaking of the 1960s and 1970s. Since its 1969 release, it has come to be recognized not only as an iconic Western, but as one of the most important films in the American cinematic canon.

Over the years a parade of filmmakers have tried to imitate its gut-punch effects but none have equaled it. The Wild Bunch revived the floundering career of volatile, self-destructive director Sam Peckinpah--it also hung on him the label "Bloody Sam." This book tells the complete story of the film's production, reception and legacy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476638003
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	01/17/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	213
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Bill Mesce, Jr., is an adjunct instructor at several New Jersey universities and colleges, and an author, screenwriter, and playwright. He lives in Linden, New Jersey.
Bill Mesce, Jr., is an adjunct instructor at several New Jersey universities and colleges, and an author, screenwriter, and playwright. He lives in Linden, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
One. A Perfect Storm—the 1960s
Two. Enter—and Exit—Sam Peckinpah
Three. A Giant Departs, an Opportunity Opens
Four. Hollywood’s West
Five. Sires
Six. Peckinpah’s Bunch
Seven. Mexico Lindo
Eight. Missing Pieces
Nine. The Wild Bunch
Ten. Undying Echoes and Dying Fires
Eleven. A Moment Come and Gone
Epilogue: Riding into the Light
Appendix A: The Wild Bunch Production Credits
Appendix B: The Songs
Appendix C: A Collage of Reviews
Appendix D: Film Critic Stephen Whitty on The Wild Bunch
Appendix E: Reviewer and Pay-TV Film Programmer Youssef Kdiry—Meditations on The Wild Bunch
Appendix F: Film Critic Brian Marks on The Wild Bunch—Starting at the End
Appendix G: Author David L. Robbins on The Wild Bunch
Appendix H: The Stock Company
Appendix I: Sam Peckinpah Filmography
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

A breezy, intensely-researched celebration of Peckinpah’s landmark movie...valuable... Mesce provides some interesting new insights. Additionally, he does not limit himself to only this specific movie. Rather, he discusses how it fits into Peckinpah’s overall career and analyzes his previous and subsequent works in an honest manner that neither vilifies or idolizes the mercurial filmmaker...highly recommended.”—Cinema Retro.

From the Publisher