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on June 3, 2017
A taut classic. Not to be missed. Best scene: Ernest Borgnine getting the crap beat out of him by the one-armed man.
on June 3, 2015
One of Spencer Tracy's best! All the ingredients of a great story, Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin, not to mention Earnest Borgnine, are the perfect bad guys against the handicapped good guy, Spencer. Its great to see the underdog win against impossible odds, which are not produced by anything outer spacey or otherworldly, just ordinary human meanness.
on March 22, 2017
One great movie fullof action Money back guarantee
on May 15, 2014
Good story, great dialogue between great past icons of the silver screen. Good location shots and filmed In Technicolor.
This should be a primer to all up-and coming producers on how to make a movie!
This should be a primer to all up-and coming producers on how to make a movie!
on June 14, 2017
this is great old movie. worth the money. great actors when they were young. Loved this movie.
on February 16, 2017
Terrific transfer! The movie's never looked this good. A suspense classic with a raft of great stars.
CLASSIC. BODY LANGUAGE UNSURPASSED. THE CLASH BETWEEN THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED, AND THE WORRIED, DO NOTHING, LAYABOUTS , IS BRILL
on January 17, 2014
THE SLOW BUILD-UP WAS BRILLIANT.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE PHYCIALLY DISABLED MAN AND THE LAY-ABOUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED/WORRI
the masterpiece of the film is the basic interplay of male sv. males.
the one, physically disabled man, ends up as the hero of the piece.
for me, that says everything!!!!
SIMPLE, PERFECT,------ WORK OF ART. THE FILM IS A FILM OF QUIET, QUIET, BUT GRADUALLY INCREASING, ---TENSION.
AND THEN THE TENSION EXPODES BEAUTIFULLY!!! JUST ONE POINT, WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TITLED "BAD DAYS AT BLACK ROCK"
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE PHYCIALLY DISABLED MAN AND THE LAY-ABOUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED/WORRI
the masterpiece of the film is the basic interplay of male sv. males.
the one, physically disabled man, ends up as the hero of the piece.
for me, that says everything!!!!
SIMPLE, PERFECT,------ WORK OF ART. THE FILM IS A FILM OF QUIET, QUIET, BUT GRADUALLY INCREASING, ---TENSION.
AND THEN THE TENSION EXPODES BEAUTIFULLY!!! JUST ONE POINT, WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TITLED "BAD DAYS AT BLACK ROCK"
John Sturges' Classic Modern-Day Western with Spencer Tracy trapped in a remote desert town against Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin.
on June 21, 2017
Director John Sturges received his one and only Oscar nomination as Best Director for his tour-de-force modern-day western masterpiece of suspense and tension, "Bad Day at Black Rock." The superb cast boasts the incomparable Spencer Tracy along with Robert Ryan, Walter Brennan, Ernst Borgnine, John Ericson, Lee Marvin,Dean Jagger, and Anne Francis. The theme of xenophobia dominates this brisk, straight-forward 81-minute, widescreen thriller that qualifies as a hybrid of the social problem picture, the western, the martial arts actioneer, and the war movie. Tracy also received an Oscar nomination as the one-armed hero who finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place in Black Rock. Like the traditional western hero, the Tracy protagonist has no idea what he is facing until it is too late to scram. The introductory credit sequence of "Bad Day at Black Rock" occurs over several dynamic aerial long shots of a train racing through the arid desolation of a southwestern desert. These aerial shots and composer Andre Previn's bombastic music convey the momentous urgency of the train. Sturges told me in an interview that the aerial footage was filmed backwards with a helicopter in front of the train before it ascended. In other words, Sturges reversed the film so we find ourselves plunging out of the heavens toward a train below and suddenly confront it. Basically, "Bad Day at Black Rock" opens with this attention-getting device. Moreover, these vivid images visually establish the isolation of Black Rock and concretely provide us a feeling for the setting.
As the train conductor alights with John J. Macreedy (Spencer Tracy), he observes that Black Rock's inhabitants have a "woebegone and faraway" look. The importance of the isolation is dramatized again later when Macreedy tries to summon help from beyond Black Rock. Our crippled protagonist finds himself cut off from the rest of civilization by the desert, and he cannot use a telephone or telegraph to contact the authorities because the villains control both. Consequently, Macreedy must battle the villains on their own turf as well as on their own terms without hope of outside support. Macreedy is one of those vulnerable Sturges heroes who is up to his neck in trouble from the outset.
As he gets off the train, Macreedy informs the conductor he plans to spend 24 hours in Black Rock. "That could be a life time," the conductor shrugs. Neither Macreedy nor we can appreciate the conductor's ominous words. Mr. Hastings (Russell Collins), the telegraph operator, cannot believe his eyes. The Streamliner has never once stopped in Black Rock, and he assures Macreedy that somebody must have made a mistake. Macreedy's arrival in Black Rock arouses the suspicions of everybody, particularly local hunter Reno Smith. Downstairs in the hotel where Macreedy has registered, the citizens speculate about him. Sam, the café owner, comments, "He walks light for a big man." Sturges and Kaufmann introduce several details about Macreedy's character to explain and to foreshadow many of his actions when he later fights the villains. This use of incidental characterization throughout the film doesn't impede the flow of the action. Sam asks Doc Velie (Walter Brennan), the local mortician who doubles as a veterinarian, what he thinks about Macreedy.
As Doc observes, Macreedy is "no salesman unless he's peddling dynamite." When Sam suggests Macreedy may be a policeman, Doc is frankly incredulous. "You ever see a cop with a stiff arm?" Nothing may be wrong with his arm, Sam argues, perhaps he is just holding onto something tight in his pocket. Now, Doc responds with sarcasm, "Like what? A pistol? A stick of TNT to blow up the whole mangy town?" Meanwhile, Hector slips up into Macreedy's room and waits for him. The two duel with words as Hector tries to prod Macreedy. Macreedy descends after his encounter with Hector and informs Pete (John Ericson) that he will remain in his new room for 24-hours. Macreedy searches for the local sheriff, Tim (Dean Jagger), but Tim refuses to give him the directions for Adobe Flats.
One of Sturges' favorite scenes is the impromptu meeting Reno Smith holds outside at the railroad crossing with his conspirators. "I know those maimed guys," he refers to Macreedy. "Their minds get twisted. They put on hair shirts and act like martyrs. All of them are do-gooders, freaks, and trouble-makers." The conspirators' episode is interesting not only for the dialogue but also for the way that Sturges and lensers William C. Mellor have staged the scene outside.
Against Reno Smith's advice, Liz Worth (Ann Francis) rents Macreedy an Army jeep to visit Adobe Flats. Macreedy finds wildflowers growing, but on the way back he runs into ornery Colely who tries to drive Macreedy off the road. Once he gets back into town, Macreedy explains to Reno that he lost the use of his arm in Italy during World War II and that he has come to Black Rock to see Komoko, a Japanese farmer.
Smith fears Macreedy now, even more so when a telegram to L.A. provides no details about him. Macreedy feels distinctively isolated and in fear for his life. He sends a telegram to the State Police, but of course Hastings never sends it.
Although he had sided with Reno and company, Pete changes his mind and arranges for Macreedy to get out of town. Liz wheels up in the jeep and Macreedy jumps in, little suspecting the surprise in store for him. The hero in "Bad Day at Black Rock" is outnumbered and his survival depends entirely on his ability to improvise as he does in the finale when he concocts a Molotov cocktail out of whiskey bottle and the jeep.
"Black Day at Black Rock" is a great movie with taut tension and terrific performances.
As the train conductor alights with John J. Macreedy (Spencer Tracy), he observes that Black Rock's inhabitants have a "woebegone and faraway" look. The importance of the isolation is dramatized again later when Macreedy tries to summon help from beyond Black Rock. Our crippled protagonist finds himself cut off from the rest of civilization by the desert, and he cannot use a telephone or telegraph to contact the authorities because the villains control both. Consequently, Macreedy must battle the villains on their own turf as well as on their own terms without hope of outside support. Macreedy is one of those vulnerable Sturges heroes who is up to his neck in trouble from the outset.
As he gets off the train, Macreedy informs the conductor he plans to spend 24 hours in Black Rock. "That could be a life time," the conductor shrugs. Neither Macreedy nor we can appreciate the conductor's ominous words. Mr. Hastings (Russell Collins), the telegraph operator, cannot believe his eyes. The Streamliner has never once stopped in Black Rock, and he assures Macreedy that somebody must have made a mistake. Macreedy's arrival in Black Rock arouses the suspicions of everybody, particularly local hunter Reno Smith. Downstairs in the hotel where Macreedy has registered, the citizens speculate about him. Sam, the café owner, comments, "He walks light for a big man." Sturges and Kaufmann introduce several details about Macreedy's character to explain and to foreshadow many of his actions when he later fights the villains. This use of incidental characterization throughout the film doesn't impede the flow of the action. Sam asks Doc Velie (Walter Brennan), the local mortician who doubles as a veterinarian, what he thinks about Macreedy.
As Doc observes, Macreedy is "no salesman unless he's peddling dynamite." When Sam suggests Macreedy may be a policeman, Doc is frankly incredulous. "You ever see a cop with a stiff arm?" Nothing may be wrong with his arm, Sam argues, perhaps he is just holding onto something tight in his pocket. Now, Doc responds with sarcasm, "Like what? A pistol? A stick of TNT to blow up the whole mangy town?" Meanwhile, Hector slips up into Macreedy's room and waits for him. The two duel with words as Hector tries to prod Macreedy. Macreedy descends after his encounter with Hector and informs Pete (John Ericson) that he will remain in his new room for 24-hours. Macreedy searches for the local sheriff, Tim (Dean Jagger), but Tim refuses to give him the directions for Adobe Flats.
One of Sturges' favorite scenes is the impromptu meeting Reno Smith holds outside at the railroad crossing with his conspirators. "I know those maimed guys," he refers to Macreedy. "Their minds get twisted. They put on hair shirts and act like martyrs. All of them are do-gooders, freaks, and trouble-makers." The conspirators' episode is interesting not only for the dialogue but also for the way that Sturges and lensers William C. Mellor have staged the scene outside.
Against Reno Smith's advice, Liz Worth (Ann Francis) rents Macreedy an Army jeep to visit Adobe Flats. Macreedy finds wildflowers growing, but on the way back he runs into ornery Colely who tries to drive Macreedy off the road. Once he gets back into town, Macreedy explains to Reno that he lost the use of his arm in Italy during World War II and that he has come to Black Rock to see Komoko, a Japanese farmer.
Smith fears Macreedy now, even more so when a telegram to L.A. provides no details about him. Macreedy feels distinctively isolated and in fear for his life. He sends a telegram to the State Police, but of course Hastings never sends it.
Although he had sided with Reno and company, Pete changes his mind and arranges for Macreedy to get out of town. Liz wheels up in the jeep and Macreedy jumps in, little suspecting the surprise in store for him. The hero in "Bad Day at Black Rock" is outnumbered and his survival depends entirely on his ability to improvise as he does in the finale when he concocts a Molotov cocktail out of whiskey bottle and the jeep.
"Black Day at Black Rock" is a great movie with taut tension and terrific performances.
on July 11, 2017
I have been watching for this classic movie on Blu-ray for a long time, and am very pleased with the result!! Great job!
