Customer Reviews

Cockfighter

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

I love this movie, but I strongly discourage anyone from purchasing the DVD release by Synergy Entertainment. First of all, it is in pan-and-scan fullscreen when the original aspect ratio is 1.85:1. Also, the image and sound quality suggest that it was ripped from a VHS copy. Overall quality is of a bad bootleg. DO NOT BUY.

Cockfighter was set up and then marketed as a low budget exploitation film, but was turned into a somewhat existential comic character study by director Monte Hellman with just enough elements for Roger Corman to market it as an exploitation film (some violence, controversy, and a bit of nudity).

Most people have not heard of 1974's Cockfighter. It bombed at the box-office and is too quirky a film about too violent and controversial a sport to be widely embraced.

It's time for you to discover this gem of a film, which through some odd alignment of the stars has been given a red carpet type of DVD release by Anchor Bay, which includes a few extras.

It's time to shout from the mountain-tops and let all film buffs, Warren Oates fans, 70's movie lovers , appreciators of quirky cinema concoctions and cult film aficionados know there is an excellent film out there that you probably have not seen that is worth adding to your collection as soon as possible.

The film is based on a novel written by the late great Charles Willeford who also co-wrote the screenplay and plays an important supporting role in the film. Willeford's books have been the basis for a few other good quirky films like Miami Blues and the recent The Woman-Chaser.

Cockfighter is set in the world where fighting cocks are bred, trained and pitted against each other for spectators and gamblers to enjoy, but is focused on Frank Mansfield (Warren Oates) a
Man who has devoted his life to being the best Cockfighter on the circuit. He is willing to risk everything and anything in pursuit of his goal-- a medal. In fact because Frank Mansfield ws too cocky a few years ago, he wound up ruining his chances for the Cockfighter of the year medal. So he took a vow of silence. He would not talk ever again until he won the Cockfighter of the Year medal. It's an ironic vow of silence because fighting Cocks rarely make noise as they fight to the death in the pit.

We are immersed in Frank's world and watch him lose a cockfight to his old adversary Jack (Harry Dean Stanton) that costs him his motor home trailer and current girlfriend Laurie Bird (previously seen in Two-Lane Blacktop) .

He returns to his hometown, and re-acquaints himself with his old girlfriend, Mary Elizabeth (Patricia Pearcy). Mary Elizabeth would prefer marrying Frank than another suitor but doesn't consider Cockfighting a real profession and needs Frank to give it up. Our mute hero isn't about to give up his obsession and hooks up with a new partner, Omar (Richard B. Shull), a new attitude and some new fighting cocks to try again to win the coveted Cockfighter of the year medal. The adventures are unique and the world of this sport is not one you'll likely see portrayed in a film every again.

The violent sport is illegal and cruel to animals and this film doesn't flinch in showing the sport for what it is. Animals were killed in the making of the movie, but they were animals destined to be killed in Cockfights. The film was made on location and the crowd extras were made up of fans and participants in the sport. Also in the film are Troy Donahue, Millie Perkins, Robert Earl Jones (Father of James Earl Jones), Ed Begley Junior and Steve (Helter Skelter, Stuntman)Railsback.

Although Oates plays a man who is silent through 99 percent of the film, he delivers one of his finest performances and also does the voice-over narration. Just for Oates performance alone the film is very much worth seeing, but it's also a unique very well done film. Despite the low budget, cinematographer Nestor Almandros creates a few memorable shots while accommodating Hellman's style which uses many master shots and long takes. Nestor's lighting design accommodated Hellman's style. Some rules are broken to great effect such as when a lake background is too hot and serves as the perfect background for a love scene between Oates and Mary Elizabeth. The film has such a strong documentary verite' we can usually forget we are watching actors. In fact there are so many non-actors in the film, Hellman considers half the film a documentary anyway.

Director Monte Hellman's career started with Corman on 1959's Beast from the Haunted Cave. Hellman made two odd low budget westerns with Nicholson in the late 60's, Ride the Whirlwind and the existentially fascinating; The Shooting. The Shooting also marked the first time Hellman worked with Oates. Two directors; Sam Peckinpah and Monte Hellman utilized Oates best. He made The Shooting, Two Lane Blacktop, Cockfighter and China 9 Liberty 37 with Oates. They worked well together. Perhaps their finest collaboration is Cockfighter.

The DVD presents the film better than it's ever been seen before. It's still a low budget film and there's grain and some soft focus but an excellent damage free print was used for the anamorphic digital transfer.

Lots of extras including one of the best commentary tracks you'll hear on DVD make this one worth getting.

Cockfighter is a gem of a film you're probably never heard of. It's one of best films of the 1970's features one of Warren Oates finest performances and has been rescued from near obscurity by Anchor Bay. The film looks very good on DVD and comes with several worthwhile extras.

Rent it, Buy it and tell your friends to get a copy of a great film they probably haven't heard a thing about. This isn't for everyone and the subject matter is disturbing, but those who enjoyUnique quirky independent films need to have this one.

Christopher Jarmick, is the author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder a critically acclaimed, steamy suspense thriller.

I have a vhs copy of Cockfighter that's so old it's voting in the upcoming election's. I can't wait to pick up this outstanding film on dvd. This film was recomended to me about 5 years ago and has become a favorite. First off, you have to love Warren Oates. When you see him cast his spell in Cockfighter or Two Lane Blacktop(and in the many films which he almost stole as an outstanding character actor)you bemoan the fact that their is no one acting in film today that is this interesting. Oh well...

The film itself is a brutal look at the outlaw "sport" which gives the film it's title. It's realism (although I've never seen a cockfight...) and honesty help create the backdrop to the story of Frank(Oates). What kind of man could wager his truck,trailer and woman on a cockfight? What kind of man could take a vow of silence after his boasting causes him to lose a shot at a cockfighting championship and medal? What kind of man foresakes the woman he loves for the "sport" and what kind of man would allow that sport to become his life? Well,Frank.

The film features great proformances by Oates and Harry Dean Stanton as two men engaged in a long running rivalry. Other fine turns are added by a deep cast of character actors (some of whom have very familar faces, if not names),Hellman "regulars" and the non-actors who populate the cockfighting life. Hellman directs in a workman like fashion but that's fine-he leaves the camera pyrotechnics and gimics to those who do not have as good a story or cast to work with. Here it's all about Frank's life and work (the same thing really),the characters he bumps into and the work the actors do that bring it all alive.

There is fine cinematography from Nestor Almendros and the film has the earthy and lived in look and feel of all the great 70's films. I can't tell you why but I love that look. Cockfighter has a tight script that explains Frank and his life to the viewer(with the help of his voice over narative)and ties up all loose ends. The film is off beat without ever nearing the incoherant or strange for strange's sake level and after repeated viewings I think it holds up as one of the best films of the 1970's.

There are great individual moments throughout the film: the bathtub full of dead game cocks in the hotel room, some bits of inspired comedy and Ed Bagley Jr. flipping out after his pet is killed by Frank's bird during a fight are but a few. Still, the one scene that sticks in my memory is the scene in which Frank's boasting becomes his downfall and the reason he stops verbally comunicating. It's the lynch pin that holds the film together. Frank readies his bird for the fight and is full of pride as he announces to the rest of the room "That's the finest five pound chicken alive, Jack!"

If you like solid acting,directing and screenwriting as well as a bit of inspired weirdness and a challenge then seek out Cockfighter.

Hypnotically splendid, offbeat and violent drama stars the incomparable Warren Oates. Oates is nearly mute for almost the entire film after he gets a little too big for his britches. His thoughts(as narration) guide us through the story. Harry Dean Stanton is here also and is perfect. Another notch in the belt of cult director Monte Hellman(Two-Lane Blacktop/ The Shooting/ Ride in The Whirlwind/ China 9, Liberty 37). This is a truly unique film that is sadly almost forgotten. Thank goodness for dvd in the capacity that it can allow a great director like Hellman to find deserved appreciation among a new group of fans. Like the many other great Hellman films, this one has a distinct low-key dynamic that really works incredibly well and makes it stay with you long after you've watched it.

If this is the Monte Hellman directed pic from the Charles Willeford novel that I saw bacxk in the 60s, a must buy for fans of Warren Oates and Hellman. Oates is one of my faves and of his roles this is one of my vry favorites along with Alfredo Garcia, Wild Bunch, 2 Lane Blacktop. If you like Oates and those pics you will like this a lot. It is about cockfighting but thankfully there are no scenes of birds dying. As for plot, he refuses to speak because he shot off his mouth last year and blew his chance to win cockfighter of the year award which is all he wants out of life. On a talk show he said Hellman called him up and said this is the one. ""Is this the one?" "Yes." So he did it. I was alone in a Frisco grindhouse with a couple of drunks when I saw this and with fewer scenes it didn't do any better as Born To Kill.

Warren Oates plays Frank Mansfield in 1974's "Cockfighter." Although outlawed in most states, cockfighting was legal in Georgia, and Oates portrays a top trainer. However, Mansfield is also a deeply flawed man whose success leads him to recklessness. On the night before a major fight, he impetuously enters a cockfight that ends badly. At that moment, he takes a vow of silence, which he will not break until he can regain his position in the sport. Throughout most of the movie, therefore, Oates is mute, with his thoughts serving as narration.

Warren Oates is truly great in this role. His weathered face and ability to portray unsympathetic characters in a likeable manner bring great authority to this film. Although perhaps best known for his appearances in Peckinpah films (The Wild Bunch, Ride the High Country), he also did extraordinary work in a number of lesser known 1970's films: Two-Lane Blacktop, Badlands, Rancho Deluxe. He's not as well known as his peers Pacino or DeNiro, but his fans would argue that he's every bit as talented - count me as one of his devotees.

Director Monte Hellman was a collaborator with legendary producer Roger Corman, and he's simply one of the most underappreciated filmmakers of the 1970s. He specialized in spare, low-key character studies, such as "Two-Lane Blacktop" (1971). This film is so vibrant because of his talent for using naturalistic settings and minimalist direction. His style is perfectly suited to this script, which was adapted by Charles Willeford from his novel of the same name. The book is out-of-print, but Willeford is a marvelous writer of noir and gritty fiction, such as "The Burnt Orange Heresy."

Despite being a solid character study, the film is probably of limited appeal. For the most part, the sport of cockfighting (if you consider it a sport) serves only as the background, and the characters drive the film. However, the sport is presented in an unflinching manner. The bloody and violent aspects of cockfighting are not glossed over in any way. Thus, this film is definitely not for people who are squeamish or extremely passionate about humane treatment of animals. In ways, though, the film is reminiscent of Peckinpah, who made violent deaths in "The Wild Bunch" seem almost operatic in their grandeur. Watching the cockfights depicted here is almost sickening, but Hellman manages to capture their bizarre magnificence as well. If you can set aside your distaste for the topic matter, then you will be treated to some great acting and directing and a truly unique cinematic experience.

DVD extras: For a DVD release of a fairly obscure 1970s film, this package is pretty terrific. Monte Hellman provides an interesting commentary that really could serve as a primer for 1970s indie film. A documentary about the work and life of Warren Oates is also included.

W. C. Fields had a notorious and well-documented loathing of children and small animals. There's nothing innately evil about children and small animals, but they tend to be small and cute and have been known to steal an audience's attention and sympathy without breaking much of a sweat. Roosters tend to be small, if not terribly cute. They're capable of diverting an audience's attention, though. Would Fields have envied COCKFIGHTER'S Warren Oates? After all, Oates not only gets to (really) kick a feathered, five-pound scene-stealer, but also, in a continuous, uncut shot, gets to stretch its neck out and chop its head off.

Animals WERE harmed during the making of COCKFIGHTER and anyone who might find graphic scenes of violence upsetting or repulsive are strongly urged to let this one pass by. Built on a small ($400,000) budget and shot on a tight, four-week schedule by Monte Hellman for producer Roger Corman (Hellman, on the commentary track, claims this is one of only two movies Corman never made a profit on) COCKFIGHTER is a quickie/cheapie that cuts deep against the grain by exploring more than exploiting. Shot in Georgia and wisely going for a run-down, lived-in, authentic look, COCKFIGHTER introduces us to Frank Mansfield (Warren Oates) at what seems a typical point in his life. He's making an outrageous bet with Jack Burke (Harry Dean Stanton) and we're soon to see minus truck, trailer, and live-in girlfriend. Flashbacks teach us that it's not the first time he's made a wager he can't afford and won't back down from. One of those ill-timed bets inspired a mocking `Look where your big mouth got you!' And so Frank takes a vow of silence, a self-imposed penance that speaks volumes of Frank's stubborn sense of honor.

The vow is maintained throughout the movie, save for the intermittent voice-over narration. It's a vow Frank will keep until he's able to redeem himself to himself. Of course, redemption comes in many guises. For Frank, it may be finding the right bird - a white rooster named White Lightning, for instance - and riding him to the Championship, or it might be establishing a solid relationship with the woman he loves, Dody White Burke (Laurie Bird.) The emotional meat of this one is carried in the scenes between Oates and Bird, a relationship that probably should have been fleshed out some. If there's a flaw in this movie it's that it doesn't allow us into the triumphs and setbacks on the road to the Championship, and, it doesn't spend enough time with Dody and Frank. Still, the movie spends a lot of time in the ring, and the down-home earthiness filmed in a quasi-documentary style delivers a powerful punch. On the c-track Hellman says they considered using an amateur cast. There are an awful lot of barking amateurs populating the screen, but Oates, the last American actor for all seasons, fits smoothly into this environment. Some movie stars we admire because they do things that we wish we could do. Oates is that rarer, much rarer, bird who we relate to because they're us. That he delivers a powerful performance without uttering a word is little short of astounding.

Master cinematographer Néstor Almendros captures perfectly the furtive beauty of cockfighting. Oates is perfect. Stanton, Bird, and the rest of the cast acquit themselves with honor. Hellman gives the subject a down-home feeling that fits well. The story may be a little undercooked and the Laurie Bird character underdeveloped, but this is certainly better than the typical drive-in, exploitation fare Corman was specializing in at the time. A very good film and worth a view.

This movie is really cool. It is definitely not for the squeamish as regards the animal brutality factor. The monologue told by Warren Oates through reflecting back since he has decided that he won't talk until he wins cockfighter of the year award is really great. I had read about it in previous reviews and wondered how it was going to go but it turns out that it goes great. The supporting cast is erxcellent also. It appears at this current juncture and time Monty Hellman the director has been kind of lost to time but judging by the few films that I have seen of his, that shouldn't be the case. This fim is alot more than it seems, check it out. The movie that jumps to mind as regards this is Jun ior Bonner with Steve Mcqueen, the reason being that both these movies sort of serve as paeans to a vanishing breed, another factor being that neither of those two films are held among the directors best work but they are both quality films and thne title acors really do great work. I highly reccomend that you check both these films.

If this is the Monte Hellman directed pic from the Charles Willeford novel that I saw bacxk in the 60s, a must buy for fans of Warren Oates and Hellman. Oates is one of my faves and of his roles this is one of my vry favorites along with Alfredo Garcia, Wild Bunch, 2 Lane Blacktop. If you like Oates and those pics you will like this a lot. It is about cockfighting but thankfully there are no scenes of birds dying. As for plot, he refuses to speak because he shot off his mouth last year and blew his chance to win cockfighter of the year award which is all he wants out of life. On a talk show he said Hellman called him up and said this is the one. ""Is this the one?" "Yes." So he did it. I was alone in a Frisco grindhouse with a couple of drunks when I saw this and with fewer scenes it didn't do any better as Born To Kill.

Directed by Monte Hellman (the man behind the ultra-laid-back super-naturalistic "Two Lane Blacktop" starring James Taylor and Dennis Wilson) and fantastically photographed by the great Nestor Almendros, "Cockfighter" is one of those 'cult' films where, as Danny De Vito puts it in that mediocre attempt at satire "Get Shorty,": the visual fabric is consistently maintained while the metaphor plays on different levels! Just check out the brutal slow-motion footage of the cockfight in the hotel-room and tell me it's not one of the most artistic sequences in all of cinema! For someone to try to do that in a film like this is very touching, indeed! Just think: would anyone ever think of a film about cockfighting, something they might show at a drive-in for a week or two in some hick-town somewhere, as having great potential for artistic expression? Not Sylvester Stallone! But people like Hellman do, and did! And I have a hunch that if Hellman directed a film about arm-wrestling or rock-climbing in the '70s it would've been just as good!