The Scalphunters
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Movie Reviews of The Scalphunters
Movie Review: Master/Slave Dialectic of the West
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Scalphunters" is entertaining and quite funny. Although the film is often interpreted as a social satire on slavery and its historical effects on race relations, for reasons described below, it is best viewed as a case of chance or circumstance and not as social satire.
The master's freedom is only apparent because it owes its recognition to the slave, who is not "equal" and therefore not in a position to fully recognize the master as such. The slave's bondage is in fact an education to a "freedom" higher than that of the master. Each man is deceived by his condition. Neither is free but it is the slave who gives birth to the idea of freedom, which then has all the force of a religion or ideology. The master's assertion of difference qua recognition makes the master the slave of his slave. Thus the dialectic of the master/slave relationship never ends as long as one remains on the politicized level of anthropological freedom or equality as recognition of one's self. The slave can never be "free" as long as his concept of freedom remains within the orbit of the leveling concept of equality; by doing so he becomes self-conscious or cognizant of the fact that his freedom necessarily entails the negation of the other over whom he becomes master in order to establish his "freedom" (in contemporary terms this plays out in the ubiquitous desire to be "creative" or "unique," i.e. the negation of equality or sameness). But when the slave becomes a master he immediately then becomes a slave, as described above. Pursuit of freedom and equality results in slavery. Satisfaction of the desire for freedom cannot be attained in this vicious circle, if at all. As the conditions of equality are actualized dissatisfaction increases (because of the innate desire of humans to differentiate), which always results in the demand for more freedom and more equality, usually under the guise of more "rights."
Given this one could view the film as a satire on satire, which would make it truly ironic in the Socratic sense. As Tocqueville explained, recognition would then recognize that "freedom" and "equality" are incompatible or mutually negating--freedom being the result of transcendence and equality a levelling force (see also Kierkegaard's essay "The Results of Observing the Two Ages"). Modern self-consciousness of freedom and equality negate themselves resulting in an aufhebung of ancient self-knowledge. The self overcomes narcissism by recognizing that "self-consciousness" lacks significance in the cosmos in which I am as a "self" insignificant, i.e., by identifying itself as a part within the cosmic whole (Hegel's identity of identity and non-identity). This is all well understood in Eastern philosophy and religion (such as the Advaita Vedanta form of Hinduism and the Madhyamika form of Mahayana Buddhism), wherein the concept of the subject/object duality necessary for the Western notion of human freedom and equality is rejected in favor of the harmony of opposites, which are nonetheless hierarchically ordered in the human sphere by the cosmic force of dharma. The Chandogya Upanishad teaches that the self or atman is the same thing as the Absolute of Being, Brahman: tat tvam asi (thou art that). This means "freedom" can be realized only by overcoming the opposition of master/slave and thereby transcending one's desire for recognition of equality and fear of non-recognition or inequality.
Movie Review: Seriously Underrated Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
This terribly misunderstood movie suffers from its refusal to fully subscribe to the cliches of a single genre. It is a western: horses, guns, parched landscape and all. It is also a bit of a savage social sendup. The scalphunters of the title were white men (and their women) who killed Native Americans for money. The bounty for the murder was paid on their scalps.
There's also a wonderful theme about the wary ex-slave-one of many in the west who've been left out of the western movie genre.
This was very subversive stuff back when the film was shot and the slight nod-and-wink that the director and cast make to the viewers were post-modern back in a pre-post-modern time.
Along with its many layers, this is a crackin' good story.Telly Savalas does his best work ever as the leader of the scalphunters and Shelly Winters plays the role she was born to. Ossie Davis plays the rôle that made his career with canny delicacy and Burt Lancaster brings a physical grace to the character of the fur trader who is robbed first by Native Americans and then by the scalphunters.
The film is so iconic that in at least one novelbang BANG: A Novel, it becomes a sexy, fifth date movie rental.
Lynn Hoffman, author of New Short Course in Wine,The
Movie Review: The Scalphunters
Summary: 5 Stars
The Scalphunters
I saw this when I was a kid. I remembered it as great as McClintock. Kids don't have good memories. It's nowhere near as good as that movie. But it is still a very good western.
Joe Bass (Burt Lancaster) is a trapper. His furs are stolen from him by the Indians. They give him a slave to make up for it. Except he doesn't want the slave, he wants his furs. He follows the Indians, only to see them massacred and his furs stolen by someone new.
He stays on the new people's trail. He's still stuck with his new slave, who is a great deal more educated than Joe himself. The constant friction between Joe and his slave is a riot. Joe's stubborness about letting go of his furs is just as much fun.
It's not as good as I remembered, but I'm still glad I bought it. I love funny westerns like this.
Movie Review: Lancaster and Savalas...what more do you need?
Summary: 5 Stars
If you like clasic action films, you need to see this. Any action film with Burt Lancaster is worth your time. The fight scene between Lancaster and Savalas is outstanding old school western stuff. This is the type of film they don't make anymore and I'm glad to see it is now on dvd. My old vhs copy still serves me well, but I'm always looking for these type of classic 60's/70's films to make it to dvd format. This is action in the vein of Outlaw Josey Wales, Mackennas Gold, The Professionals ......excellent film.Movie Review: Truly great western
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is one of a kind. It addresses racial issues and friendship and loyalty questions while providing comedy and action in abundance. This may well be Ossie Davis' finest performance, and Burt Lancaster is right on the mark as Joe Bass, stereotypical yet not-so-stereotypical mountain man. The see-saw relationship between the two is a hoot to watch, and utterly convincing. Nothing John Wayne did--with the possible exception of "The Shootist"--can equal this maverick western.