Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now Let Us Praise Those Shadow-Friendly Horses, September 15, 2006
VCI Video and Kit Parker Films have released LITTLE BIG HORN (1951) and RIMFIRE (1949) under the Western Film Noir banner.
These two almost forgotten Lippert westerns deserve the new life they have been granted on DVD in an impressive double feature format; and, above all, they should carry their noir stamp proudly.
LITTLE BIG HORN and RIMFIRE as well achieve their undeniably striking visual effectiveness through Ernest Miller's masterful camera work. Cinematographer Miller (who, by the way, was behind the camera for most of the moody Lippert westerns) imparts to both films a foreboding, fatalistic ambiance, which he renders in low-keyed black-and-white cinematography. And in addition, by frequently utilizing stark camera angles, Miller creates an undercurrent of uneasiness, which is a major noir ingredient in these somber westerns.
LITTLE BIG HORN tells the story of a small U.S. Cavalry unit that challenges destiny when it is ordered to deliver an urgent message to Custer warning him of impending mortal danger at Little Big Horn. The suspense mounts as members of the patrol commence to be eliminated by hostile Indians in a and-then-there-were-none manner.
John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, and Marie Windsor in standout performances elevate the human drama to a nearly Shakespearean level, as patrol commander Bridges is confronted by his inner demons of jealousy and suspicion involving his wife Windsor and lower-ranked officer Ireland.
The supporting cast also shines; with Reed Hadley, Hugh O'Brian, King Donovan, and Wally Cassell tensely reacting to the dangers surrounding them.
Charles Marquis Warren guides LITTLE BIG HORN with strong, sure-handed direction. Warren exhibits a special liking for visual narrative rather than extended verbal communication. Consequently, close-ups of facial features expressing apprehensiveness, and concentration on natural objects that are present in the often shadowy western landscape abound while nature itself remains a calmly objective and impartial observer of human behavior. What a magnificent film noir this is- without an asphalt jungle but with a rocky western terrain!
Here it might be of interest to note that Charles Marquis Warren also made HELLGATE (1952), perhaps the darkest film this side of Murnau's NOSFERATU to appear in the lineup of Lippert westerns. HELLGATE (again phtographed by Ernest Miller) is not yet available on DVD; but let's hope it will show up soon, and give us a noir fix lasting at least a month.
RIMFIRE relates the story of an undercover agent in post-Civil War Texas who has problems staying alive while snooping around, looking for a stolen gold shipment in a town run by corrupt gamblers.
Well directed by B. Reeves Eason, this very obscure film benefits immensely from Ernest Miller's eerily atmospheric cinematography. But it is also the unusual script written by Frank Wisbar (together with Arthur St. Claire and producer Ron Ormond) that gives RIMFIRE much added strength and substance.
Wisbar had earlier directed STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP (1945), for which he wrote the screenplay based on his own original story. This intentionally out-of-focus, mist-drenched, and otherworldly B-horror film with a pronounced German Expressionist flavor, did actually enjoy a minor cult following and is still quite interesting today (available from Amazon). The reappearance of a man wrongly executed was the center of attention in Wisbar's STRANGLER. Interestingly, a variation on that theme found its way into RIMFIRE, helping to make it such a beautifully realized little western noir with a nice ghostly touch.
Also, James Millican; Mary Beth Hughes; Reed Hadley; and Henry Hull lend good acting talent to this film.
After almost 6 decades, both LITTLE BIG HORN and RIMFIRE hold up amazingly well today. VCI Video and Kit Parker Films deserve a standing ovation for letting us now own and enjoy these darkly stylized and engrossingly suspenseful horse opera noirs.
5 stars, unhesitatingly (10 even, had Amazon granted additional star space for this great double feature)!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
LITTLE BIG HORN-A Great, Classic Western Drama, September 30, 2006
Without a doubt, had LITTLE BIG HORN been released by a major studio, it would have achieved the genre-breaking status that HIGH NOON did a year later. Fine acting, crisp dialogue and a great script lift this one high above what must have been (knowing Lippert!) a miniscule budget.
This is one of those movies that the local channels showed twice a week, every week during the fifties and early sixties. It was cut, spliced, stepped on and mistreated by most all that handled it. I am SURPRISED that VCI and Kit Parker are able to provide such a clean, complete copy of this western treasure.
Among the extras provided on the DVD is a nice selection of posters, lobby cards, and stills, accompanied by the nifty LITTLE BIG HORN theme music.
Nice job!
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"The King of B-Westerns & Serials ... VCI Entertainment ... Little Big Horn (1951) & Rimfire (1949)", September 26, 2006
VCI Entertainment and Kit Parker Films presents "Western Film Noir, Vol. 1" (Little Big Horn (1951) & Rimfire (1949) --- (Dolby digitally remastered)....relive those thrilling days from the early '30s, '40s and '50s when western action took us down the dusty trails and the plains to exciting adventures --- some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee Screen --- just remember double thrills, mystery and suspense hitting the bull's eye with excitement ... don't miss any of the features loaded with top notch directors and actors that will leave you wanting more of their B-Western adventures ... so pop some popcorn, sit back and enjoy your favorite film noir westerns.
First up we have Lippert Pictures - "LITTLE BIG HORN" (1951) (86 mins/B&W) --- Under Charles Marquis Warren (Director / Screenwriter), Carl Hittleman (Producer), Harold Shumate (Short Story Author), Ernest W. Miller (Cinematographer), Paul Dunlap (Composer (Music Score), Carl Pierson (Editor), Paul F. Sylos (Art Director) . . . . . the cast includes Lloyd Bridges (Capt. Phillip Donlin), John Ireland (Lt. John Haywood), Marie Windsor (Celia Donlin), Reed Hadley (Sgt. Maj. Peter Grierson), Jim Davis (Cpl. Doan Moylan), Wally Cassell (Pvt. Danny Zecca), Hugh O'Brian (Pvt. Al DeWalt), King Donovan (Pvt. James Corbo), Richard Emory (Pvt. Mitch Shovels), John Pickard (Sgt. "Vet" McCloud), Robert Sherwood (Pvt. David Mason), Sheb Wooley (Quince), Larry Stewart (Bugler, Stevie Williams), Rodd Redwing (Cpl. Arika), Gordon Wynne (Pvt. Arndst Hofstetter), Margo Woode (Mrs. Owens), Dick Paxton (Pvt. Ralph Hall) ----- our story with top notch acting is about warning General Custer who is riding into a Sious ambush with massacre written all over it at the Little Big Horn ... our two heroes Lloyd Bridges and John Ireland love the same woman Marie Windsor, which now make them bitter enemies ,,, can they make it with their hair still in place as Indian scouts are killing each soldier one by one with sniper fire ... this is one of the better Robert L. Lippert Productions with a great supporting cast of veteran actors Jim Davis, Hugh O'Brien, King Donovan, Reed Hadley and Sheb Wooley bring in a winning film.
BONUS FEATURES:
1. Little Big Horn (trailer)
2. The Cowboy (trailer)
3. Photo Gallery
4. Trivia
BIOS:
1. Lloyd Bridges (aka: Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr.)
Date of birth: 15 January 1913 - San Leandro, California
Date of death: 10 March 1998 - Los Angeles, California
2. John Ireland (aka: John Benjamin Ireland)
Date of birth: 30 January 1914 - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Date of death: 21 March 1992 - Santa Barbara, California
3. Charles Marquis Warren (Director)
Date of birth: 16 December 1912 - Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Date of death: 11 August 1990 - West Hills, California,
4. Robert L. Lippert (Producer)
Date of birth: 31 March 1909 - Alameda, California, USA
Date of death: 16 November 1976 - Unknown City & State
Second on the double bill is a Lippert Pictures - "RIMFIRE" (1949) (63 min. B/W) --- Under B. Reeves "Breezy" Eason (Director), Ron Ormond (Producer / Screenwriter), Ormand (Screenwriter), Arthur St. Claire (Screenwriter), Frank Wisbar (Screenwriter), Ernest W. Miller (Cinematographer), Walter Greene (Composer (Music Score), Hugh Wynn (Editor), Fred A. Ritter (Art Director) ----- the cast includes James Millican (Capt. Tom Harvey), Mary Beth Hughes (Polly), Reed Hadley (The Abilene Kid), Henry Hull (Editor Greeley), Fuzzy Knight (Porky), Victor Kilian (Sheriff Jordan), Chris-Pin Martin (Chico), Margia Dean (Lolita), Jason Robards, Sr. (Banker Elkins), John Cason (Blazer), George Cleveland (Judge Gardner), Ray Bennett (Barney), Glenn Strange (Stagecoach Driver), I. Stanford Jolley (Toad), Ben Erway (Deputy Sheriff Wilson), Stanley Price (Lamson), Lee Roberts (Norton), Don C. Harvey (Rainbow Raymond), Cliff Taylor (Bartender), Marjorie Stapp (Dancehall Girl), Richard Alexander (Weber) ----- our story has blends of superstition in a town who has executed Reed Hadley, who was hung for being a cardshark ... Hadley was innocent and now each member of the town is being killed by the ghost of Hadley ... the mystery of it all is Hadley really doing all of this and if not who is ... our hero James Millican must find the answer before another killing, his love interest Mary Beth Hughes is also in danger ... not until the final reel do we discover who is who in the film noir oater . . . . . . .there's a great deal of entertainment here for all the film noir fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features like this one.
BONUS FEATURES:
1. Rimfire (liner notes)
2. The Great Jesse James Raid (trailer)
3. I Shot Bill the Kid (trailer)
4. The Stranger on Horseback (trailer)
BIOS:
1. James Millican
Date of birth: 17 February 1910 - Palisades, New Jersey
Date of death: 24 November 1955 - Los Angeles, California
2. Reed Hadley (aka: Reed Herring)
Date of birth: 25 June 1911 - Petrolia, Texas
Date of death: 11 December 1974 - Los Angeles, California
3. B. Reeves Eason (aka: William Reaves Eason) (Director)
Date of birth: 2 October 1886 - New York, New York
Date of death: 9 June 1956 - Sherman Oaks, California
Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Western Film Noir, Vol. 1" (Little Big Horn (1951) & Rimfire (1949), digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with riding the range with B-Westerns that only VCI Entertainment (King of the Serials) can deliver...just the way we like 'em!
Total Time: 150 mins on DVD ~ VCIV560DVD ~ (9/26/2006)
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