Review of Major Dundee (1965) by Ben R — 07 Apr 2008
Major Dundee is more famous for the off-screen battles that resulted in its purported butchering by studio enforced edits and cancelled shoots than for the movie itself. As it was it was a fairly decent Civil War era Western.
The 2005 restoration, which tried to bring the film back as close to Peckinpah's vision as possible, is a far superior film. For a taste of the difference, the DVD release includes not the original cut, but a separate audio track with the original score which includes an utterly ridiculous Major Dundee anthem over the opening credits.
What this ramble boils down to is, watch the restored movie with the new score and you have an exciting and well-crafted adventure tale...only slightly left scarred by the studio tampering. (The opening narration states one particular character is the "sole survivor".
..but apparently the deaths of some key players were among the cancelled shots.) Major Dundee has an uneviable distinction, alongside films such as Greed, Metropolis, and The Magnificent Ambersons, for leaving us wondering what it might have been.
This review of Major Dundee (1965) was written by Ben R on 07 Apr 2008.
Major Dundee has generally received positive reviews.
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