Wild Bunch, The Review

Sam Peckinpah`s masterpiece, The Wild Bunch is, quite simply, one of the greatest of all westerns, maybe one of the greatest of all American movies. This epic tragedy, about a handful of men whose time has passed, who still try to operate as outlaws in a changing, increasingly mechanised world, is distinguished by its richly drawn characters and the majestic vision with which it was made. In a cruel and violent world, Pike, William Holden, and his bunch try to live by their own code of honour - but when betrayal comes, they`re quick to take vengeance. This poetic but very violent film was butchered by the censors when first shown in Australia in 1969, and for years ran in an almost unrecognisablly truncated version on TV. Now you can see a beautifully restored, uncut version - Peckinpah`s cruel but noble vision in all its glory. It`s not to be missed.