DVD Reviews

The Outlaw Josey Wales [Blu-ray Book] – Blu-ray Review

By Patrick Luce Jul 12, 2011, 16:37 GMT

As The Outlaw Josey Wales, five-time Academy Award winner* Clint Eastwood is ideally cast as a hard-hitting, fast-drawing loner, recalling his “Man with No Name” from his European Westerns. But unlike that other mythic outlaw, Josey Wales has a name – and a heart. After avenging his family’s brutal murder, Wales is on the lam, pursued by a pack of killers. He travels alone, but a ragtag group of outcasts ...more

Warner Bros. has released a treat for fans of Clint Eastwood’s westerns with the Blu-ray Book release of The Outlaw Josey Wales – which comes with a 32-page book, a new commentary by Richard Schickel and a new documentary on Clint Eastwood's vision of the western genre.

The film looks amazing in 1080p and the picture brings details to the film that have been missed in past releases (even all the spitting looks good in the crystal clear picture).

Outlaw Josey Wales was the second western directed by Eastwood and is one of his best films along with one of the greatest westerns ever made. The strength of the movie is from how it works on several levels (a straight-forward western, a revenge film, a commentary on the Vietnam War’s effect on the country, and even a look at the treatment of Native Americans), and how Eastwood was able to create another iconic character in a genre that he redefined as the “Man With No Name.”

Based on Forrest Carter’s book Gone To Texas with a screenplay from Philip Kaufman and Sonia Chernus, the film saw Eastwood stepping into the shoes of Missouri farmer Josey Wales – whose world is turned upside down following an attack on his farm by pro-Union Jayhawkers from Kansas at the start of the Civil War.

Wanting revenge, Wales joins Confederate bushwhackers led by Bloody Bill Anderson. During the opening title sequence, Eastwood fills the screen with Wales’ decent into the violence of the Civil War, and the movie opens with the war's last days.

Now led by Captain Fletcher (John Vernon) the outfit of bushwhackers is now preparing to surrender to a Union regiment, but Wales refuses to go. The surrender turns out to be a trap as the Union soldiers open fire on the Confederates (Fletcher who was paid by the Union for the surrender escapes), and Wales charges in to help his men. Armed with a Gatling gun, Wales seems willing to die in a hail of bullets, but leaves to help a wounded friend.

Outraged by Wales’ action, Senator Lane (Frank Schofield) puts up a $5,000 bounty on Wales' head and charges Fletcher to hunt down Wales. He also forces Fletcher to join with Captain Terrill (Bill McKinney) and his band of Redlegs soldiers.

From here, the movie shifts from Wales’ desire for revenge to his want to simply be left alone – despite the fact he seems to be gathering more and more people to him. Fleeing to the Indian Nation and then deeper into Texas, Wales guns down soldiers and bounty hunters as he gathers a new family until once again coming face to face with Terrill and his band of Redlegs.

Although Wales is the center piece of the film, the movie can be seen as an ensemble western thanks to the talent of its supporting cast. With his dry line delivery and quick one-liners, Chief Dan George steals almost every scene he is in and manages to even outshine Eastwood's deadly charm from time to time.

Along with Little Moonlight (Geraldine Keams) and Ten Bears (Will Sampson), George's Lone Watie demonstrated the fate of the Native American and their culture following the Civil War and how they were forced to struggle to survive.

You also have to love how the deadly Josey Wales is constantly put in his place by the outspoken Grandma Sarah (a feisty Paula Trueman) – who also just happens to be from Kansas and isn’t fond of trash from Missouri.

If the movie has any weakness for me, it is in the romance between Wales and Sondra Locke's Laura Lee. I understand the need for the story element and how it helps build back Wales’ humanity, but I have always felt like it drags a bit.

Regardless, The Outlaw Josey Wales is a near perfect western, and without a doubt one of Eastwood’s best films (Unforgiven wins the title for me). With the new bonus material and book (which features pictures from the film along with production notes), this Blu-ray release is the way to watch the film. The Blu-ray comes with two previously released documentaries about the making of the film – which feature some decent behind the scenes footage.

The real joy for me was the documentary Clint Eastwood’s West – which features a look at Eastwood’s westerns through interviews with Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Costner, James Mangold and more.

The documentary details Eastwood’s westerns and how the actor changed the look and feel of the genre at an early age and how his iconic western character continued to grow through Unforgiven. It also left me wanting to break out all my Eastwood westerns for a marathon much to my wife’s regret.

In my opinion, The Outlaw Josey Wales is one of the best westerns made and this is the best way to see the movie. Along with a great looking picture which brings a new level of detail to the film, the release has great documentary and commentary to make the purchase well worth the price. This is a must have for any Eastwood or western fan.