Pale Rider

Directed and starring Clint Eastwood and written by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack, Pale Rider is the story of a mysterious gunslinger who arrives in a mining town to help the innocent deal with the corrupt people running the mines. The film is a western that involves a man who is quite religious as he tries to help those in need of saving in a world that is quite corrupt. Also starring Michael Moriarty, Carrie Snodgress, Chris Penn, Richard Dysart, Sydney Penny, Richard Kiel, Doug McGrath, and John Russell. Pale Rider is a rich yet eerie film from Clint Eastwood.

The film revolves around a small community living nearby a creek in Northern California where they’re being harassed and attacked by thugs working for a businessman as the community get unexpected help from a mysterious drifter who is also a preacher. It’s a film that play into this struggle of a group of people trying to find gold in their own land nearby a small town that is largely owned by this mining businessman. Though this community have a legal claim to the land, the businessman hires thugs to try and get rid of them until they meet trouble in this mysterious drifter known only as the Preacher (Clint Eastwood). The film’s screenplay by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack is straightforward in its narrative while not doing much to reveal the identity of the Preacher other than he arrived as if he answered the prayer of this 14-year old girl named Megan (Sydney Penny) whose dog was killed by thugs during an attack.

When a man named Hull Barrett (Michael Moriarty) goes to town for supplies and to pay off some money he owes to its merchant, he is attacked by those same thugs until the Preacher comes in. It would set the story in motion as the Preacher would be a source of inspiration where he doesn’t kill anyone at first while remaining very little about who he was. Even Megan’s mother Sarah Wheeler (Carrie Snodgress) has her suspicions but eventually warms up to him once he shows his worth and willingness to stand up to the thugs who work for the businessman Coy LaHood (Richard Dysart). Adding to this growing conflict between LaHood and the small community of settlers is the fact that LaHood is trying to take control as well as embark on a new venture that does more harm to the land than good through strip mining.

Clint Eastwood’s direction is mesmerizing for not just its setting but also for the haunting tone of the film as it relates to the Preacher’s mysterious presence. Shot on various locations in Idaho such as the Boulder Mountains and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area as well a few scenes shot at Tuolumne County in California. Eastwood sets the film at a time in the mid to late 19th Century during the final days of the California Gold Rush as Eastwood would shoot on locations around creeks and canyons to play into the life of settlers as well as what they do when they go to this small town with some caution due to the fact that LaHood’s men are lurking wanting to cause trouble and get the settlers out for good. Eastwood’s usage of the wide shots play into the vast look of the locations including the land that LaHood’s worker led by his son Josh (Chris Penn) is watching over as it showcases this piece of land being stripped by these hydraulic water pipes that play into this idea of modernism as there’s a scene of the Preacher looking at this with immense disgust. Eastwood would also use medium shots and close-ups to help characters interact with one another including a tense scene where the Preacher meets LaHood for the first time in LaHood’s office as the former is given an offer by the latter.

The direction also have these elements of mysticism as it relates to the Preacher where is seen in a shot at a certain position in the frame and then when it goes in the same shot on that location, he’s not there. It also play into Megan’s need for salvation although she is unsure if the Preacher would really do good as there’s still a lot of anger towards LaHood and his thugs. The film’s third act relates to the arrival of a corrupt marshal in Stockburn (John Russell) who is hired to take care of business as he is aware of the Preacher but isn’t sure if he remembers him. The film’s climax with Eastwood’s careful approach compositions and suspense help play into the excitement of the film as well as this sense of justice where it is about one man versus an order of greed and corruption. Overall, Eastwood creates an evocative yet exhilarating film about a drifter helping out settlers fight off a gang of thugs.

Cinematographer Bruce Surtees does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural lighting for some of the exteriors in the daytime and some of its sunny look to the usage of grey skies for the scenes during the winter as well as low-key lighting for scenes set at night and in the interior settings. Editor Joel Cox does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythm cuts for some of the action scenes. Production designer Edward C. Carfagno and set decorator Ernie Bishop do amazing work with the look of the sets from the design of the town to the strip mining camp that Josh LaHood runs.

Costume designer Deborah Hopper does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward to play into the look of the times with the exception of LaHood who is often wearing a suit. Sound mixer C. Darin Knight does superb work with the sound as it is straightforward with some textures into the way some of the locations sound such as the strip mining camp and in the film’s climax. The film’s music by Lennie Niehaus is wonderful for its orchestral score that play into the air of bombast and eerie string arrangements as well as some cadence drum sounds for the film’s climax.

The casting by Phyllis Huffman is terrific as it feature some notable small roles from Billy Drago as one of Stockburn’s deputies, Doug McGrath as a settler named Spider Conway, Jeffrey Weisman and Chuck Lafont as Conway’s teenage sons, Charles Hallahan and Marvin J. McIntyre as a couple of LaHood’s goons, Fran Ryan and Richard Hamilton as local merchants who help the settlers as they don’t like LaHood but are afraid of him, and Richard Kiel as a gigantic hood of LaHood in Club who doesn’t say much yet his presence alone is intimidating. Chris Penn is fantastic as LaHood’s son Josh as a young cowboy who help take charge of the thugs and the mining where he tries to intimidate the Preacher only to get his comeuppance. Sydney Penny is excellent as Megan Wheeler as a 14-year old girl who prays for help and is fascinated by the Preacher to the point of infatuation. John Russell is superb as Marshal Stockburn as a notoriously corrupt marshal that is known for taking care of business as well as being extremely skilled in killing people where he is bewildered by the mention of the Preacher.

Richard Dysart is terrific as Coy LaHood as a mining businessman that wants to have control of all lands nearby just to make money by any means necessary as he also wants to intimidate the settlers any way he can. Michael Moriarty is brilliant as Hull Barrett as a settler who is trying to mine for gold to have a decent life as he also pines for Sarah Wheeler and befriends the Preacher whom he sees as a source of inspiration. Carrie Snodgress is amazing as Sarah Wheeler as a woman who is suspicious about the Preacher and his motives as she is also wondering if he is really a man or something else. Finally, there’s Clint Eastwood in an incredible performance as the Preacher as a mysterious man who wears a preacher’s cloth as he helps out Barrett and Wheeler with their troubles while also not being intimidated by everyone by playing it cool and knowing when to strike as it is Eastwood at his best.

Pale Rider is a phenomenal film from Clint Eastwood. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, an eerie music soundtrack, and a compelling story. It’s a film that play into the many tropes expected in a western while showcasing a darker side into the world of corruption, greed, and the fallacy of modernism. In the end, Pale Rider is a sensational film from Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood Films: (Play Misty for Me) – High Plains Drifter - (Breezy) - (The Eiger Sanction) - (The Outlaw Josey Wales) - (The Gauntlet) - (Bronco Billy) - (Firefox) - (Honkytonk Man) – Sudden Impact - (Heartbreak Ridge) - (Bird) - (White Hunter Black Heart) - (The Rookie) – Unforgiven - (A Perfect World) - (The Bridges of Madison County) - (Absolute Power) - (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) - (True Crime) - (Space Cowboys) - (Blood Work) - (Mystic River) – Million Dollar Baby - Flags of Our Fathers - Letters from Iwo Jima - Changeling - Gran Torino) – (Invictus) – (Hereafter) – (J. Edgar) – (Jersey Boys) – American Sniper - (Sully) – (The 15:17 to Paris) – (The Mule (2019 film))

© thevoid99 2018

The Fury

Directed by Brian De Palma and written by John Farris that is based on his novel, The Fury is the story of a young woman who is asked by a man to find his son as they both share psychic powers where the man’s son is being used by an intelligence operative as a weapon. The film is an exploration into the world of telekinesis and other psychic powers where a man asks a girl to find his son and save him from total destruction. Starring Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Amy Irving, Andrew Stevens, Carrie Snodgress, and Charles Durning. The Fury is a chilling yet stylish film from Brian De Palma.

The film is a simple tale about a man trying to find his son one year after he had been presumed dead following a terrorist attack in the Middle East where he asks a young woman who shares the same kind of psychic power that his son has to find him. Yet, it is filled with a lot of suspense where this young woman is just trying to learn more about her psychic powers as she’s afraid to hurt people while learning that an intelligence operative will try to find her so she would be used as a weapon the same way he’s doing to a young man that he’s taken from his former best friend. It is a film that explores the world of the psychic powers where this young woman tries to find some control yet learns about the horrors of what is happening to this young man as she would eventually help this man’s father who just wants him back.

John Farris’ script definitely takes its time to play into the suspense while exploring the world of psychics while making it an adventure film where a father asks a young girl to find his son. Even as its lead character Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) just wants to find his son Robin (Andrew Stevens) and give him back a life without danger or secrets since Peter is known as a spy. Yet, the betrayal of his friend Childress (John Cassavetes) makes the search more personal as Peter knows he’s being watched as the only ally he has is a nurse named Hester (Carrie Snodgress) who works at an institute that Robin was briefly was in. When Esther learns that a young girl named Gillian (Amy Irving) is taken in as she has the same powers that Childress wants, she helps Gillian escape in order to help Peter find Robin before he becomes this ticking time bomb that will destroy everything around him.

Brian De Palma’s direction is definitely very stylish in the way he creates some compositions as well as the presentation of some of the film’s horror. Still, De Palma keeps things simple with the opening sequence where Peter and Robin are in the Middle East having some fun with Childress until a terrorist attack occurs where Peter is presumed dead yet he realizes what is really going on. Since much of the film is set in Chicago, De Palma creates some very suspenseful sequences where Peter is being chased by Childress’ men as well as create some small yet suspenseful moments where Gillian deals with her powers. When she’s taken to an institute, things seemed fine until she touches one of her doctors where she has this image of what is happening to Robin where it would amp up the suspense.

The direction would also include some very chilling scenes that involve Robin trying to maintain control of his powers but it becomes very clear that he is also very unstable where a sequence set in an amusement park showcases what he’s becoming. Though there’s a few moments where some of the presentation of the suspense doesn’t work entirely, it does play into the stakes that Peter Sandza and Gillian have to deal with where the eventually confrontation with Robin and Childress does occur. Even as it involves psychic powers and emotions that play into this climax. Overall, De Palma crafts a very thrilling yet fascinating film about a father trying to get back his son from dark forces.

Cinematographer Richard H. Kline does excellent work with the cinematography for many of the film‘s nighttime interior and exterior looks with its lights while keeping things simple for its daytime interior and exterior scenes. Editor Paul Hirsch does brilliant work with the editing where it is emphasized by its sense of style from its jump-cuts, dissolves, and slow-motion cuts to play into the film‘s suspense. Production designer Bill Malley, with set decorator Audrey A. Blasdel and art director Richard Lawrence, does terrific work with the set pieces from the look of the institute as well as the mansion that Childress lives in.

Costume designer Theoni V. Aldredge does some nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual in some parts with the exception of the people working for Childress. Special makeup effects by Rick Baker does fantastic work with some of the makeup work that happens whoever people touch Gillian where they bleed and such. Sound editor Dan Sable does superb work with the sound to play into the atmosphere in some of the film‘s location as well as the scenes of terror. The film’s music by John Williams is amazing for its sublime orchestral score to play into its suspense as well as its use of electronic backgrounds to help build up the suspense.

The casting by Lyn Stalmaster is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some early appearances from Daryl Hannah as a schoolmate of Gillian, James Belushi as a beach bum, and Dennis Franz as a patrol officer Peter carjacks. Other small roles include William Finley as a man who follows Gillian early in the film for Peter, Rutanya Alda as a secretary at the institute, Joyce Eaton as Gillian’s mother, Carol Rossen as a doctor at the institute, and Fiona Lewis as Dr. Susan Charles who watches over Robin as she tries to manipulate him for Childress. Charles Durning is terrific as the institute head Dr. Jim McKeever who is aware of Gillian’s powers knowing that Childress will do something bad to her. Andrew Stevens is superb as Robin Sandza as a young man who is taken by Childress where he finds himself as this unstable psychic weapon that has no control of his emotions.

Carrie Snodgress is wonderful as Peter’s lover Hester who helps him to find Gillian as she works as a nurse in the institute while dealing with what is really going on inside. Amy Irving is amazing as Gillian as this young woman who deals with her psychic powers and visions as she also helps Peter find Robin realizing the psychic connection she has with him. John Cassavetes is brilliant as the slimy Childress as a man who realizes the power that Robin and Gillian have as he tries to use them as weapons while also trying to eliminate Peter. Finally, there’s Kirk Douglas in a phenomenal performance as Peter Sandza as a man just trying to get his son back from the man who portrayed him where Douglas brings a lot of gravitas and charm to a good man while also proving to be a badass.

The Fury is a remarkable film from Brian De Palma that features some exhilarating performances from Kirk Douglas, Amy Irving, and John Cassavetes. The film is definitely one of De Palma’s finest films in terms of the horror that he creates as well as create an engaging tale of a father trying to get his son back. In the end, The Fury is a sensational film from Brian De Palma.

Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito’s Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))

© thevoid99 2013