Although it was a remake of a legendary samurai film, The Magnificent Seven’s use of great stars, classic action, and heart-pounding music made the film one of the best westerns ever made. The new 2-disc Collector’s Edition of the film celebrates the movie with enough special features to make any fan happy.
The Magnificent Seven was a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, and no one thought that it would become the iconic western that it is now. Most of the cast, with the exception of Yul Brynner, were still unknown at the time, and many of the film’s stars thought the movie would be a total flop. Now almost all the film’s stars are considered icons of the big and small screen. The seven gunfighters include Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, and Horst Buchholz.
The movie changed elements of the original story to transform it into the western genre and followed a group of seven gunfighters that hire out to a poor Mexican farming village to protect it from the bandit Calvera (Eli Wallach) and his gang of murderers. They take the job for almost no pay, and refuse to surrender even when the odds are so overwhelmingly against them. The film ends with a massive gunfight that leaves many of the seven dead, but is a classic example of good triumphing over evil.
The movie, which was directed by the legendary John Sturges, was one of the last “traditional” westerns made by Hollywood before Clint Eastwood’s “Man With No Name” character came and changed the way the genre was made. Even with its traditional themes, such as the good guys versus the bad guys, there were hints to how the genre was beginning to change. This can be seen in conversations the gunfighters have about how their own world was changing – with there being little work to find - or how they described their lives as lonely without family or home.
The Magnificent Seven was filled with actors who would become icons
Although these are little changes compared to how Eastwood’s hero would redefine the lone gunfighter character, it was the beginning of a merge between the two styles, and something that worked as a great way to develop each of the seven characters.
Everyone in this film does a great job in their role, and you can see how each actor enjoyed their characters. It is also clear that everyone was trying to grab as much of the camera time as possible (ever notice how McQueen is constantly messing around with his hat or gun?), and make their performance stand out just a little more from the other guy. While this type of scene stealing can kill some movies, it doesn’t hurt the film at all.
If there is an eighth hero to The Magnificent Seven, it has to be Elmer Bernstein’s musical score for the film. The music of the film is almost as recognizable as some of the iconic actors in the film, and helps move the audience from one scene to the other. It builds the tension and excitement during the gunfights, and gets your heart pounding as Wallach and his gang ride into the village to confront the seven for the first time. Other films, such as Star Wars or Jaws, have recognizable musical scores, but Bernstein’s music is almost a character in the movie, and helps hold the audience from the beginning of the film until the credits start rolling.
The second disc of the set comes loaded with special features that any fan of the movie or Hollywood in general will love. The features include “Guns For Hire – The Making of The Magnificent Seven;” “Christopher Frayling on The Magnificent Seven;” “Elmer Bernstein and The Magnificent Seven;” “The Linen Book: Lost Images From The Magnificent Seven;” and a photo gallery. The first disc of the set also contains commentary with James Coburn, Eli Wallach, and Christopher Frayling.
Brynner and McQueen were classic Western "good guys"
The Making of Magnificent Seven is a great feature and has interviews with the movie’s stars, including Brynner and McQueen, producers, and writers. They discuss how the movie came to be made, the legal battles that were fought before production could start (such as Anthony Quinn suing over not receiving the Brynner role in the film), how Brynner was originally going to direct the movie, and even how McQueen faked an injury so that he could get time from his television series (Wanted Dead Or Alive) to make the movie. They also discuss how the stars were always trying to out act each other, and the level of competition that was constantly on the set.
The Elmer Bernstein feature discusses how he came up with the music for the film, and how that music has become as much an icon as the film itself. This features discussion with Bernstein as well as directors such as Lawrence Kasdan.
Another great feature is the Linen Book. It not only contains lots of pictures from the movie, but also includes interviews with the actors, such as Wallach, as they look through the book and talk about their memories making the film. Wallach discusses how he would ride with his bandits every day, and the different memories he had with them – such as buying a sombrero for the character.
If you are a fan of westerns then The Magnificent Seven has to rank on your top ten list, and should rank somewhere in the top five. It may have been a remake, but it became an icon in the genre through its use of star power, classic gunfights, and great music. The film has some of the best performances from an ensemble cast that has ever been assembled, and has something to offer everyone whether you like westerns or not.
Wallach (left) was brilliant as the film's villain
The two-disc collector’s edition of the movie comes loaded with enough special features to justify fans of the movie shelling out the money to buy it. The DVD has in-depth looks at how the movie was made, how it influenced future filmmakers, such as Kasdan, and interviews with the film’s stars - who share their memories of the movie’s actors, such as McQueen and Brynner, that are no longer with us. I would highly recommend this DVD set to any fan of the movie, or the western genre.
The Magnificent Seven – Two Disc Collector’s Edition is now available at Amazon . It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a March 20th release. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
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