Ulzana's Raid

This is yet another in the long line of films that focuses on the many uprisings and running battles between white American settlers and the Native Americans. This one sees Burt Lancaster as a grizzled white authority on the Apache, aiding a youthful lieutenant in the pursuit of Ulzana. Ulzana is a warrior leader among the Apache who has broken free from a reservation and is killing and stealing his way across the territory. Deciding this is a bit unacceptable, Lieutenant Garnett DeBuin is sent with a contingent of men, plus McIntosh (Lancaster) and an Apache scout.

From this point the film becomes a strategic game of cat and mouse as each group tries to outwit the other. The lieutenant and his men are always one step behind as they continually encounter homestead after homestead that the Apache have raided, torturing men and women and stealing their horses. However, this pursuit of horses becomes the final crux of the battle, when Ulzana’s men, wanting horses or wanting to go home, leave Ulzana with the ultimatum of attacking the lieutenant’s party to get horses as there are no others about.

Made in 1972, this film does feel a little dated, particularly in the music and some of the hairdos. The opinions against the Apache tend to sound like a bit of a rant before the film is out, as there are barely any words used in their favour. They would all appear to be thieves and sadistic killers of women and children, but for McIntosh’s thin verbal defense. However, if we can look past these things the film does build tension toward the final confrontation. The youthful lieutenant, son of a Christian reverend, is idealistic and hopeful toward the Apache, but as the film progresses we watch his character change his stance as he witnesses the brutality firsthand. This is nice character development thrown into the otherwise simple storyline, but helps reinforce the distance and the differences between the two races.

Burt Lancaster is particularly grizzled in his role of the world weary McIntosh. Having never seen him in a western before, I was surprised to see how well he fitted into surroundings (the last thing I saw him in was a war film I think). He puts in a solid performance as the old bull to Bruce Davison’s young bull Lieutenant and their relationship is the character highlight of the film. Again, there’s little else to the storyline so the interplay between the two maintains the interest between gun battles and such.

It’s a fairly well made western, and having reviewed a few in my time, this makes a pleasant change from the myriad John Wayne vehicles about. The scenery has been well shot with attention to aesthetics and creates the expanse of the desert or the claustrophobia of the narrow canyons and ambushes perfectly.

Shot in 1972, this has a distinct Saturday afternoon matinee feel to it. However, some of the more grisly events that are portrayed here will soon dispense that. Being an older print, there are film artefacts in abundance throughout and they take on most forms of scratching and speckling. Delivered in 1.78:1 and 16:9 enhanced, the picture is still quite clear and crisp with colours all natural looking. Well, except for that shonky '70s fake blood they use. How scarlet can they make that stuff? It looks more like spilled paint than blood whenever it’s used on clothing. Oh well.

There are a handful of clunky shakes given the camera at times, the most notable at 1:09:42. A couple of the establishing shots throughout the film suffer a similar fate, so it isn’t the layer change.

Shadows all look fine, although there are really very few as most of the action takes place in broad daylight. Blacks look true, though, and the multiple varieties of flesh tones all look even and natural.

We only get Dolby Digital stereo here, which is a little bit unfortunate. With so many canyon shootouts and such, it would have been nice to see (well, hear) a nice surround package, but no. However, the sound is still relatively clear, although there are occasional instances of confusion over what a character just said. This may have more to do with accents or Burt Lancaster mumbling a little though.

Sound effects all sound alright as well, although there are the usual stock effects in gunfights and ricochets. I wonder if bullets really do whine away off rocks like that? Anyway, regardless of stock, the sound effects are fine. Music, too, sounds okay, although I felt it was just a shade or two more chipper than it probably should have been with so many darker themes in the film. Created by Frank DeVol, a big name in scoring back then, it may help to know he also scored theme songs for television programs that included The Brady Bunch and My Three Sons.

Nuthin’ but a couple of ornery mildly animated menus, dagnabbit.

For fans of the western genre there’s plenty here to keep you entertained for the film’s 99 minutes. Authored by the Sony DVD Center, this film looks about as good as it possibly could (or the studio could care about it looking). The storyline, whilst simple, is based on actual events and does have its level of appeal. Lancaster is great in his gritty role as the tracker and Davison plays the youthful exuberance of the lieutenant perfectly. There are also plenty of other notable performances that contribute to making this film a little bit above average as far as westerns go. It’s disappointing to not even find a trailer here as an extra, but I guess we can’t have everything.