From director Sam Raimi comes the Blu-ray edition of The Quick and the Dead. Released theatrically in 1995, the film boosts an impressive cast of star talent that includes Russell Crowe, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sharon Stone.
It is interesting to note that Sharon Stone was considered the star of the film and received top billing, above Gene Hackman and a then almost-unknown Russell Crowe. And DiCaprio is listed as an ‘and’ at the end of the beginning credits. How is that for ironic?
I remembered going to see the theatrical release and having no idea who Russell Crowe was, but I fell in love with him because of this movie. I fell out of love with him (yes, fickle heart that I am) in later years, but I remember thinking, sitting in a dark theater, that his character of Preacher (aka Cort) had something.
You know, a certain charisma that makes you do a double take. I loved the whole the ‘meek shall inherit the earth’ concept that he displayed. You don’t often see a hero that strong but is unwilling to fight. Therein lies one of the conflicts, the conundrum of integrity.
Set in the backdrop of the old West, the premise is that John Herod (Hackman) owns the town of Redemption and has set up a gun competition and the winner takes all, $123,000. Hackman plays the villain to the hilt. He is ruthlessly evil, and his story about his father being a judge, while told matter-of-factly, sends chills up your spine.
He displays his power over the town when he systematically kills a gun hired to kill him as he berates the town (great Hackman speech there) and, mid-contest, he changes the rules to kill or be killed.
The rest of the characters are people of the town and gunfighters that enter into the contest. The Kid (DiCaprio) is Hackman’s son, and is a young-at-heart braggart that obviously wants to best his father.
Ellen, aka The Lady (Stone), is the mysterious stranger in town with a past that is unraveling into the present. She joins the competition with obvious intent to do some harm to Herod.
Cort, or Preacher (Crowe), is the spiritual conscience of the film, and also has a past, which he reveals to Ellen. Preacher used to a gunfighter, a really good one, but he has renounced killing.
Others that join the contest include Ace Hanlon (Lance Henriksen), who is one of the first to be illuminated, Scars (Mark Boone Junior, Sons of Anarchy), and Dog Kelly (Tobin Bell), whom Ellen helps end his miserable part in the contest.
Preacher helps Ellen and tells her a secret, if not how to cheat, at least gives her an advantage in the contest, for it is plain that she is really not a killer. Hackman continues to manipulate the contest and the rules, and he demands that Preacher participate.
The 1080p picture that Blu-ray provides is amazing. The town of Redemption looks even less redeemable. It is dirty and depressing and you almost feel the grit as the horses ride into the dust of the main street.
And as I have found with experiencing Blu-ray, the costuming really pops. You can see, almost feel, the textures of the clothes. In a period piece such as this movie, this really adds to the experience of watching. The men look grittier, their whiskers more rough. Even with Stone’s Ellen you can see the lines under her eyes and the weariness in her face.
The Blu-ray is a bit, well a lot, light on special features. The only features offered are the very basic - video in high def, audio with English and French capabilities, and English and French subtitles. Exclusive to Blu-ray is a pop-up (movieIQ) within the movie that gives you information about the cast, crew, music, and production. And that is it for the special features.
The Quick and the Dead is well-worth the money for fans of the cast and its director. The film is an entertaining western shoot-em up that holds up well with age and looks great on Blu-ray.
The Quick and the Dead [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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