HOME   News   Reviews   Adv Search   Features   My DVD   About   Apps   Stats     Search:
  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
      Languages
      Pale Rider
    • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
    • French: Dolby Digital Mono
    • Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
      The Outlaw Josey Wales
    • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
    • French: Dolby Digital Mono
    • Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
      Bronco Billy
    • English: Dolby Digital Surround
    • French: Dolby Digital Mono
    • Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
      Subtitles
      Pale Rider
      English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Portuguese, English - Hearing Impaired, Italian - Hearing Impaired
      The Outlaw Josey Wales
      English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Portuguese, English - Hearing Impaired, Italian - Hearing Impaired, Romanian, Bulgarian
      Bronco Billy
      English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Portuguese, English - Hearing Impaired, Italian - Hearing Impaired, Romanian, Bulgarian
      Extras
      The Outlaw Josey Wales
    • Theatrical trailer
    • Cast/crew biographies - (Listing Only)
    • 3 Featurette - 1. Hell Hath No Fury 2. Eastwood in Action 3. Introduction to the Film
    Clint Eastwood Collection
    Warner Bros./Warner Home Video . R4 . COLOR . 0 mins . R . PAL

      Feature
    Contract

    It may come as a surprise to some, but during his celebrated career as a moviemaker, Hollywood icon and multi-award winning director Clint Eastwood has helmed only four Westerns. However, from High Plains Drifter in 1973 and The Outlaw Josey Wales in 1979, to Pale Rider in 1985 and Unforgiven in 1992, Eastwood has made as important a directorial contribution to the genre as he did as the tough, squinting star of the Sergio Leone classics that made his name. Conveniently packaging the most recent three of these four celebrated Westerns together in the one release (and with a little light rom-com thrown in for good measure), Warner’s Clint Eastwood Collection, represents one of the best releases for region 4 genre fans to date.

    The Outlaw Josey Wales, crafted at a time when the Western genre was still hugely popular, remains for many fans the quintessential Eastwood experience. With lashings of both hard-edged action and black humour, in Josey Wales Eastwood not only presents a confronting portrayal of the scars of war, but we also see the first real evidence of that unquantifiable Eastwood magic; a sense of honesty and ‘heart’ that grounds all his films and allows Eastwood the actor and director to connect so well with audiences. Made nine years later, Pale Rider marked a return for Eastwood to the genre. Reminiscent of classics like High Noon and Shane, Pale Rider drew mid-'80s audiences back to the Western and its lone-wolf antihero; despite their propensity for ghost busters and time travelling scientists. Seven years later Clint returned again to the Western, this time completely re-inventing the genre. The results was Unforgiven, a modern masterpiece that, garnering four academy awards, set the bar so high few have dared the genre since.

    The fourth disc in the set - rather out of place but by no means less enjoyable – is Eastwood’s light romantic comedy Bronco Billy. With cowboy hats and the Eastwood death stare being about the only thing Billy shares with the other three films, it nonetheless represents an enjoyable romp and a rather pleasant distraction from all that dust sweat and tears.

    Individual titles reviews
    REVIEW: Pale Rider
    "The definitive genre film, Pale Rider makes for classic gun-toting, tough-talking, tobacco-chewing, spur-clinking fun."
    - Gavin Turner

    REVIEW: The Outlaw Josey Wales
    "The Outlaw Josey Wales is a fine example of the genre, with many elements making the story more accessible than some would think. "
    - Vince Carrozza

    REVIEW: Bronco Billy
    "...takes a couple of romantic comedy genre staples and adds a large dollop of that intangible Eastwood magic."
    - Gavin Turner

      Video
      Audio
      Extras
      Overall
    Contract

    Had High Plains Drifter been made under the Warner stables, this Clint Eastwood Collection would have represented the definitive collection of Eastwood Westerns, and to my mind the genre's definitive showcase. Nevertheless, what we do have here is three of Eastwood's most celebrated films, accompanied by one of Clint’s personal favourites.

    All discs sport great video and audio transfers, and although the majority come with no extras at all (the loss of the extra disc for the Unforgiven anniversary release is a sore one) in most cases the films speak for themselves. Still given the bare-bones nature of the original releases, it's a chance Warner have missed to create something really special. Some additional exclusive material would have sealed it for those fans who have already bought the films individually. Despite this, Warner’s collection does come nicely packaged in a foldout collector’s case, and with a small insert detailing the virtues of each film. As it stands, it's still one of the best boxed sets currently available in our region, and certainly a must have for Eastwood fans. Well heck, those who haven't collected the titles individually, anyhow. Highly recommended.

    BUY ONLINE FROM EZYDVD


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=2123
  • Send to a friend.
  • Do YOU want to be a DVDnet reviewer? If so, click here

    Cast your vote here: You must enable cookies to vote.
  •   
      And I quote...
    "...almost the definitive collection of Eastwood Westerns, but a must have for fans nonetheless..."
    - Gavin Turner
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Toshiba SD-2108
    • TV:
          Panasonic TC-68P90A TAU (80cm)
    • Receiver:
          Yamaha RX-V795
    • Amplifier:
          Yamaha RX-V795
    • Speakers:
          B&W 602
    • Centre Speaker:
          B&W CC6 S2
    • Surrounds:
          JM Lab Cobalt SR20
    • Subwoofer:
          B&W ASW-500
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard Optical
    • Video Cables:
          Standard Component RCA
      Recent Reviews:
    by Gavin Turner

    Daddy Day Care
    "Steadfastly walking the firm, middle ground of ‘family-values’ entertainment, it’s a light, sometimes funny and often enjoyable film full of cute kids and obvious gags. "

    Please Teacher! Volume 1 - Hot For Teacher
    "It’s one of the quintessential schoolboy fantasies…"

    Returner
    "What's in a title? Returner may well be a self-fulfilling prophecy… "

    Hulk: CE
    "Collector's or Special Edition? That is the question..."

    Hulk
    "Combining camp Summer-blockbuster with compelling, human drama, Ang Lee's Hulk is essential viewing."

      Related Links
      None listed

     

    Search for Title/Actor/Director:
    Google Web dvd.net.au
       Copyright © DVDnet. All rights reserved. Site Design by RED 5   
    rss