Did he want to be a stripped-down bareknuckle filmmaker like Siegel, or a baroque allegorist like Leone? Still from High Plains Drifter In Rabbinical literature, the angel of death, a creation of God on the first day, exacts slaughter, in the manner ordained by God, to restore the honour of mankind. This particular revisionist western is characterized by trippy, almost abstractionist artistic touches that are admirable as unique, and not even all that overwrought, yet the occasions in which the offbeat meditations are overplayed stand, distancing subjective value with artistic non-conventions to storytelling. Watch the Clint Eastwood movie "High Plains Drifter". The Malpaso Company. Powerful and timeless. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and The inclusion of the sexually immoral, who, in the film, consort with the murderer, would explain the rape scene that occurs so suddenly after the beginning of the story. The Stranger lures one of the Carlin brothers outside and whips him to death, then kills the remaining outlaws one at a time. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. "[15], Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "a stylized, allegorical western of much chillingly paranoid atmosphere and considerable sardonic humor that confirms Eastwood's directorial flair. Regarding power and authority, these depictions favour critical views of big business, the American government, masculine figures (including the military and their policies), and a turn to greater historical authenticity. Edit, American screenwriter Ernest Tidyman wrote the screenplay for High Plains Drifter and followed it up with a 1973 novelization of the film. Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter: A mean-spirited, relentlessly The townspeople then turned in the outlaws on false robbery charges to avoid paying them, and they have vowed revenge. Cookie policy. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. It exalts and delights in a kind of pitiless Old Testament wrath. The character of Marshal Duncan was played by Buddy Van Horn, Eastwood's long-time stunt double, to suggest that he and the Stranger could be the same person. High Plains Drifter: Directed by Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood: Interviews . Much is explored in regards to the townsfolk not doing anything when they are oppressed or when oppression becomes apparent to them. and our Edit, This is purposely left ambiguous to give it an almost supernatural feel, but the theories put forth are as follows: (1) The stranger is Marshal Jim Duncan's brother who learned that the three men who killed his brother were being released from prison and would likely return to their town, so the stranger "passed through" in order to take revenge on the three men and on the town itself for simply standing by and watching as his brother was brutally murdered. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Westerns often have mysterious, strong silent protagonists but high plains drifter might have gone as far as to have the stranger be some kind of spectre or ghost, sent to the town to punish them for their sins. High Plains Drifter is Western star Clint Eastwoods first attempt at directing one of his own westerns. The Drifter's rape of Callie seems to be motivated by the fact she was rude to him. It was a hit. Instead of doing their dirty work, he abuses his "blank pay check" not just for free goods, but also to commandeer everyone in a militia and transform the whole town. As night falls and the town burns, it looks like the outlaws are getting the better hand. "Eastwood Again". In High Plains Drifter, the Stranger is all but a Devil in a film brimming with nihilism; in Pale Rider, very much the positive to that film's negative, morals aren't quite so out of reach, and the Preacher is gradually revealed to be something of a Christ figure. .css-gk9meg{display:block;font-family:Lausanne,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;padding-top:0.25rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-gk9meg:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.15;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}The Best, Craziest, Weirdest Moments From Cannes, Celebrities Who've Shaved Their Heads for Roles, 'Avatar: The Way of Water' Is Finally Streaming, 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' Sticks the Landing, Damon Lindelof Was 'Asked to Leave' Star Wars, Christopher Nolan Is Hyping Up 'Oppenheimer', Pedro Pascal, Ethan Hawke Are a Great Cowboy Match, Seeing Hugh Grant's Oompa Loompa Will Break Me, 'The Flash' Just Debuted Another Massive Trailer, 13 Great Movies That Were Booed at Cannes. The best thing about western is that they have good story, and this one is no different. Clint Eastwood became a star starring in Westerns, so it wasn't new to see him in this role. It was Eastwood's second film as director, and the first Western he directed. The film was critically acclaimed at the time of its initial release and remains popular. Slaughter may be by burning, beheading, or throttling. High Plains Drifter - Wikipedia Eastwood's direction is overambitious and undercooked at the same time, but when middleground is found, it's hard to deny the potential which has since gone on to be fulfilled more tightly by the talented filmmaker, who sells a fair bit offscreen here, though not as much as he does onscreen. 2.75/5 - Decent. Though his laconic sense of humor often drags out the pacing of the movie, Eastwood uses his camera with intelligence and flair. Rarely are humble westerns permitted to drift around on such a highfalutin plane. Pale Rider (1985) directed by Clint Eastwood - Letterboxd Edgar Wright talks about High Plains Drifter (1973) - Reddit Book: White, Mike . We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. "[10] The graveyard set featured in the film's final scene included tombstones inscribed "Sergio Leone" and "Don Siegel" as a humorous tribute to the two influential directors. Theres one last reason why I adore High Plains Drifter and it really has nothing to do with what happens on screen. Starring: Clint Eastwood, Verna Bloom, Marianna Hill Watch all you want. User Ratings Maybeand this is where the movie gets really interestingbecause he is Duncan. High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American Western film directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Ernest Tidyman, and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Compa. "Clint Back in Saddle in 'Drifter'". You're almost there! The locals are impressed, enough to vote in town council to let Sheriff Sam Shaw (Walter Barnes) explain those were hired guns overstepping their task. Coming Soon. The Stranger replies, "Yes, you do." Eastwood reportedly liked the offbeat quality of the film's original nine-page proposal and approached Universal with the idea of directing it. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The film stars Eastwood as a mysterious stranger who metes out justice in a corrupt frontier mining town. Wayne, who it turns out wasnt a fan of the film, wrote an angry letter back, saying that High Plains Drifter isnt what the West was all about and that it isnt the American people who settled this country. The Duke may have thought that he was putting the young Eastwood in his place. Nowadays, we tend to think of Eastwood as a pretty conservative filmmaker. As they unknowingly beat a dummy in the bed, the Stranger tosses a stick of dynamite into the room, destroying most of the hotel, then shoots two of his attackers dead, as Morgan flees, wounded. Why Were Blade Runner and The Thing '80s Bombs? It turned out that Eastwood was a natural born director, albeit a different breed of one. Not for nothing did it earn a controversial X rating in the U.K. when it opened there. High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Whipped to Death, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Whipping the Outlaw, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Blowing Up The Hotel, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - The Sheriff and the Mayor, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Shave and a Shootout, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Shooting Up Hell, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Killing the Outlaws, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Target Practice, High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - The Stranger Rides Away. hitchcockthelegend 20 July 2008 A lone gunman with no name and seemingly with no past, rides into the dusky town of Lago. The historicity of the name, in Persian, suggests the meaning little boy; in Aramaic, follower or servant, or follower and servant of God. Now this may not be as good as some of Clint Eastwood other western, especially Unforgiven, but it's still a nice alternative and a unique take on the western genre from the man who is the best in that genre. A Stranger (Clint Eastwood) rides into in the dusty mining town of Lago, where the townspeople are living in the shadow of a dark secret. Too bad, this movie is better than 95 percent of John Wayne's movies. High Plains Drifter: Official Clip - Who Are You? As he leaves, he paints over the town sign with a single word: "Hell". Meanwhile, the best you can say for High Plains Drifter is that the title is a low pun. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/HighPlainsDrifter. The outlaws arrive and easily overcome the novice resistance of the townspeople; the defenders are all killed, while the survivors are rounded up in the saloon. Clint Eastwood and John Wayne's Confusing Feud Explained An Allegory of the Avenging Angel, in Clint Eastwood's High Plains