The Long Riders
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: David Carradine, James Keach, Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine, Stacy KeachBrand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-03-20
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of The Long Riders
Movie Review: Realistic, Grim, Mature, Modern Western (actually an Eastern)
Summary: 5 Stars
I've seen Walter Hill's 1980 'Western' "The Long Riders" about four or five times now. It details the story of the James/Younger Gang. What impressed me recently while viewing it is that it maintained my attention even though I've seen it quite a few times before. That, to me, is a sign of a truly good film.
From what I understand, there are some inaccuracies in the story, e.g. Jesse James wasn't as wooden as James Keach portrays him, Belle Starr wasn't a prostitute and the bar knife fight never happened. But, what the heck, they got the gist of the story right. The James/Younger guys, thankfully, are not painted as a bunch of good-guy Robin Hoods; no, they were outlaws who steal & kill for a living and justify it by their bitter experiences in the Civil War. Nor are the Pinkertons made out to be the bad guys; they make some stupid mistakes, as is common, but they ultimately catch their quarry.
The gimmick with this film is that they used real-life brothers to portray the outlaw brothers: James and Stacy Keach as Jesse and Frank James; David, Keith and Robert Carradine as Cole, Jim and Bob Younger; Randy and Dennis Quaid as Clell and Ed Miller; and Christopher and Nicholas Guest as Charlie and Bob Ford. Pamela Reed and James Remar are also on hand as Belle and Sam Starr.
The bar knife fight between Cole Younger and Sam Starr is an intense highlight. Although this particular fight never happened, fights LIKE IT did (Heck, in the late 1970s a friend of mine got stabbed in the gut in a bar knife fight in Mecca, Ohio; so I personally KNOW it happens).
One striking aspect of this film is that it's more-so an Eastern than a Western; the events of the film largely take place in Missouri, Minnesota and East Texas, hardly THE West; not to mention that it was filmed largely in Georgia of all places (Parrott and Westville) and also in Rusk, Texas, which is in EAST Texas. These Eastern locations are nothing short of magnificent. It's just nice to see the East utilized in a Western storyline.
David Carradine is truly outstanding as Cole Younger. Remember him as Caine in "Kung Fu"? Well, his character here is the express opposite of that noble character. James Keach is also potent as Jesse James; James portrays Jesse as a very grim, hard man. You can easily see him leading this tough band of outlaws. In addition, Stacy Keach is likable as always.
Altough Pamela Reed plays her role of Belle Starr very well, Belle comes across as lifeless and sleazy (which is to be expected if you're a prostitute); I wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole. Lastly, James Remar is perfect and memorable as the half-indian Sam Starr; I'm surpised Remar didn't have a more noteworthy film career.
The cinematography is top-of-the-line.
Lastly, this is a very modern "Western" even though it was released in 1980. For verification, I recently let a friend borrow it, a friend that refuses to watch "old" movies (i.e. anything made before 2000). Anyway, he watched it and loved it. When I told him it was from 1980 he was aghast; he couldn't believe it.
Do yourself a favor and catch "The Long Riders" and witness how it was like in the era of the James/Younger gang.
Summary of The Long Riders
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