A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Killer Elite -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

While I've been a fan of Sam Peckinpah's work since I first discovered him for his work in Ride the High Country, a 1962 western that I love.

Certainly an auteur, his output is less than one might imagine, running from 1962 through 1983, with The Osterman Weekend.  Most of those who hold him in incredibly high esteem will happily discuss his most extraordinary work, The Wild Bunch, along with Straw Dogs as his finest.  For me, it's Wild Bunch, all the way.

That said, I've always found The Killer Elite as C+ / B- Peckinpah.

The training sequences, along with rehabilitation -- you'll understand once you've seen the film, which you should -- seem, to me, to go on forever.

The Blu-ray, from Twilight Time, is a quality affair, thanks to some nice work from MGM.  The Blu is nicely resolved, with good color, blacks, shadow detail, grain structure -- all the good stuff.  It appears to be taken from an IP that was in good shape.

I while I can't recommend the film for unless one is really into Mr. P, I'm pleased to have it available as a part of his canon of 14 or so films.

Also included on the disc is a 1966 episode of ABC Stage 67 - Noon Wine, featuring Jason Robards, Olivia de Haviland and Theodore Bikel.

If one takes a peek at the tech credits, it gets even more interesting.  Photographed by Lucien Ballard, and a score by Jerry Fielding.

Image - 4.25

Audio - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

RAH

 

[Vahan_Nisanain]

Too bad the original United Artists logo is missing. It fit in perfectly with the kids voices at the start of the film.

 

[John Hodson]

Noon Wine is *the* reason that anybody even vaguely interested in Sam Peckinpah should consider buying this disc.

 

[ROclockCK]

Ubetcha John. In order of my own enjoyment with this Blu-ray edition:

[*]Noon Wine in colour for the first time (I did see its sole broadcast on ABC's Stage '67, but we only had a B&W set at the time)
[*]Noon Wine with Commentary by members of the Peckinpah gang (including Nick Redman)
[*]The Killer Elite with Commentary by members of the Peckinpah gang (including Nick Redman)
[/list]
As Mr. Harris has noted, the A/V* for Killer Elite was superb - sure didn't look that good in our release prints up here north of the 49th - but I have yet to watch it standalone. TKE just happens to be one of those highly pedigreed pictures that has never quite worked for me...but thanks to the candid commentary track, now I at least understand why that's so.

* actually remastered by Fox on behalf of MGM, and it shows.

 

[Vic Pardo]

Noon Wine is *the* reason that anybody even vaguely interested in Sam Peckinpah should consider buying this disc.

Ditto. I happen to like KILLER ELITE, but not enough to buy it on Blu. But I've been dying to see Noon Wine for years so now I definitely have a reason to get this.

 

[Vince Talmadge]

Have the French BD, got it for $20 shipped awhile back.

 

[Race Bannon]

Watched this last night -- there was a good movie in there somewhere. The dynamic between Caan and Duvall, the them of betrayal, etc. There was a line about heroes (when Caan was still in his hospital bed) that felt like pure Peckinpah. Something about us living in an age where there's no place for the hero now.

I even oddly enjoyed the rehabilitation. But the kung fu direction half way through seemed like a different movie.