Sam Peckinpah is one of the Western genre’s greatest directors. “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid” is both a celebration of the mythic West and a eulogy to its passing. James Coburn plays Garrett, still intent on settling his revenge with the outlaw Billy the Kid (Kris Kristofferson). Billy is now tired of being an outlaw, always on the run. The confrontation between these two men forms the core of this film, a battle between old violent codes and a resigned acceptance of vulnerability. Bob Dylan wrote the musical score and he also appears as the mysterious Alias, a member of the Kid’s gang. This haunting film continues Peckinpah’s exploration of the masculine worlds of violence and competition, but the gentle performances of Kristofferson and Dylan look towards a new world based on different values. A classic western.
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Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
305957
Language
English
Audience classification
MA
Subject categories
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)