The Magnificent Seven (Special Edition) [1960]

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Starring: ~ Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen Charles Bronson Eli Wallach Robert Vaughn
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Product Details:

Studio: MGM Entertainment

Region: 2

Number of Discs: 1

Format: Anamorphic, PAL Widescreen

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Sales Rank: 1048

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Customer Reviews:

Seven Stars (20 September 2008)
Whilst this probably isn't the best western ever made its certainly up there amongst the top flight. It was fortunately made a few years before 'A Fistful of Dollars', which changed westerns and what was expected from them.

Take the classic Kurosawa film 'Seven Samurai' (which is given its due in the opening credits) and reinvent it in the American west. Then add the staggeringly good cast of Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, James Coburn and Robert Vaughan and what you have is a near perfect piece of Cinema. Some of these guys (like McQueen) were not the bigshots they would later become, but they are incredibly cool. Just a look is enough for these actors. For example, James Coburn hardly says a word throughout the film, and he has arguably the best scene - the knife vs gun moment.

Sure its not a great film in the way 'The Searchers' is, but for straightforward entertainment this is hard to beat. And for those who criticise it as being dated and slow, I'm afraid you've been watching too many modern Hollywood blockbusters. What makes The Magnificent Seven substantially better than a lot of modern films, is that its a simple morality tale, and in the end you do care about the villagers and the Seven.

As a simple comparison the film I watched prior to this one was 'Swordfish' a 2001 film starring John Travolta and Hugh Jackman. Not a bad film. It has a great start. But its not in the same league as The Magnificent Seven. After the start it becomes an exercise in CGI, explosions, car chases and computer screens. Its worth seeing, just, but its a largely souless, depressing piece of filmmaking. Saying that of course there are much worse films than Swordfish out there...

A final word on The Magnificent Seven, listen to the wonderful music score by Elmer Bernstein. There haven't been many more evocative soundtracks than this one.

'pull those pistols' (06 April 2008)
A regular hotpot of western entertainment. Throw in a handfull of stars -established and up and coming from the stage and screen of their day. A heap of on screen chemistry, and a rousing score that stirs the soul then bring it to the boil over 125 mins. This format has been imitated over the years through many a genre but rarely bested. If you love westerns -then you've seen it (what the heck are you readin' this for?), if you're dipping your toe into the genre -get it'n'watch it, if you're wondering what all the fuss is about -get it'n'watch it. Get it? Adios.

Magnificent ? (29 February 2008)
Let me say this first, I love Seven Samuraii. This film (a reimagining)cannot match it but the makers probably knew that at the time, so here goes. The real strength of this film are the leads Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and Eli Wallach as Calvera. Calvera is a great villain, and a good compliment to his most famous role - Tuco. The action senes are somewhat dated but exciting nevertheless. Good Saturday morning/afternoon matinee fun!

Inspired a Bollywood Blockbuster (15 December 2007)
'Magnificent Seven' will always be in my Top 20 list of all time greats. What makes it so special is that as one of the greatest American films of all times, it was inspired by an Japanese all time great; 'Seven Samurai'.To make things even more interesting, the Bollywood all time great , 'Sholay' was in turn inspired by 'Magnificent Seven'.

Of the Magnificent Seven most of the screen time is given to Chris (Brynner), Vin (McQueen) and Chico (Bucholz). While no details are given about the individual pasts of the Magnificent Seven it is fairly clear what there pasts may have been.

1. Chris: A leader, perhaps a former soldier, who has encountered danger before and gained a degree of mastery over his emotions in dangerous situation.

2. Vin: A capable man with a gun, perhaps a one time cowboy. He seems to be comfortable working as a loner but clearly would like to one day settle down.

3. Chico: The youngest of the Seven and most inexperienced. He wants to shed his farming past and attempts through acts of bravado to persuade others and himself that he is a gunfighter at heart.

4. Bernardo (Bronson): A strong solitary man that in many ways resembles Chris although not displaying the desire to lead. In many ways he is the most interesting character. He has made quite a bit of money in the past even though he is now broke. The attention he gives to the local village children and the gift he gives a village girl hint at the idea that while he is good at gunfighting he knows that it is a good family life that is important.

5. Lee (Vaughn): The most difficult character to relate to. He appears to be a gunman who in the past was cocky, arrogant and self assured but now after experiencing life on the run now doubts himself. He wants to do the right thing but finds it difficult to step up to the plate when it's his turn.

6. Britt (Coburn): A loner who is unequaled in a gun or knife fight. A man whose motives remain his own.

7. Harry (Dexter): A good man to have in a fight but one who lets greed cloud his every decision. It would seem that Harry is one of those individuals who is always one step away from gaining riches but somehow never gains them.

The leader of the bandits is Calvera (Walsh) who is not an unlikeable fellow. He appears to believe that it is his job to steal so that he can support himself and his men. For him it is only a job, not unlike the farmers who work the land to provide for their families. He has what can almost be describes as a code of ethics for those who make their living with guns. This code of ethics is evident in the way he treats the Magnificent Seven towards the end of the film. However, given the films ending, this code does not seem to be shared by the Magnificent Seven

Lastly, while many people may view this film as a western action film I think there is quite a bit of underlying humanity and character depth woven into the story. It is these underlying characteristics that distinguish it from the average western action flick and have helped to make this film as popular as it is.

too contrived and hackneyed for me (02 December 2007)
Okay, I realize I'm bordering on blasphemy by not liking THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. Many who know alot of a lot more about the genre than moi claim it to be the "greatest Western ever." (I will maintain 'til they shovel dirt over me that "The Wild Bunch" is the greatest Western ever, but that's a topic for another time.) I had never had the opportunity to watch this film until I ran across it late one evening on television, so I seized the chance to experience the "greatest Western ever."

Given the melodrama, banality, and over-the-top acting so prevalent in films at the time, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN still requires a suspension of disbelief unhindered by the cosmos themselves. Yul Brynner. . .in a Western? As King of Siam or Pharaoh of Egypt, sure; but not as a grim-faced leader of six thugs and misfits on horseback. Too often, as I watched Brynner turn to his sidekick in this film (Steve McQueen), I expected him to say, "So let it be written, so let it be done!" My point is (if there is a point to any of this), if the viewer is constantly putting the lead character into other roles more suitable while watching a film, the film itself becomes unsuitable.

As to the ensemble of the "Seven," the guys never meshed, in my view. Charles Bronson was too bizarre while Brad Dexter too plain and James Coburn should have taken an extra couple of visits to the buffet line on the set. The prim and proper Robert Vaughn comes across as the Donald Trump of cowboys (which means his character is a howler), and I never was able to figure out if Horst Buchholz was supposed to be Hispanic, American, European, or extra-terrestrial.

Fact is, I never was able to figure out what all the hoopla was (and is) surrounding this film.

For Westerns to be engaging, the actors have to seamlessly take the viewer into the story. . .make him or her care what happens. Instead, with THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, I spent too much time guffawing. Sorry, Western lovers, this film was way too contrived and hackneyed for me.