Billed as "the electric Western", this curiosity goes a fairly long way on its anachronisms, giving us engaging performances as well a wonderfully offbeat nature. John Rubinstein ("The Boys from Brazil") and Don Johnson ('Miami Vice') play good buddies in the Old West looking to make their name as gunfighters - although, during his odyssey, Zachariah (Rubinstein) will have his doubts as to what he really wants to do with his life.
Part musical, this ingratiating little movie features a raft of supporting performances by noted rock and country musicians - The James Gang, Country Joe and the Fish, White Lightnin', The New York Rock Ensemble. If one is looking for a movie that's off the beaten path, and can accept seeing such things as electric guitars in a period piece, then you should have a reasonable time with this one.
The whole cast is fun to watch. Rubinstein and Johnson have good chemistry, and there are delightful, key contributions by such people as Patricia Quinn ("Alice's Restaurant") as Belle Starr, William Challee ("Five Easy Pieces") as the genial elderly loner, and noted drummer Elvin Jones, who has a fine screen presence as a gunfighter named Job Cain. Dick Van Patten ('Eight is Enough') appears as an Old West pitchman named The Dude. Rubinstein and Johnson are believable and appealing as the central characters, both in search of their destinies.
Co-written by members of Firesign Theatre, this isn't just fun and games. It has a poignancy to it as well, especially as things come to a head and the friendship between our protagonists is put to a test.
Good entertainment for a well-paced 93 minutes, this was directed by George Englund, whose other credits include "The Ugly American" and "Signpost to Murder".
Seven out of 10.
Part musical, this ingratiating little movie features a raft of supporting performances by noted rock and country musicians - The James Gang, Country Joe and the Fish, White Lightnin', The New York Rock Ensemble. If one is looking for a movie that's off the beaten path, and can accept seeing such things as electric guitars in a period piece, then you should have a reasonable time with this one.
The whole cast is fun to watch. Rubinstein and Johnson have good chemistry, and there are delightful, key contributions by such people as Patricia Quinn ("Alice's Restaurant") as Belle Starr, William Challee ("Five Easy Pieces") as the genial elderly loner, and noted drummer Elvin Jones, who has a fine screen presence as a gunfighter named Job Cain. Dick Van Patten ('Eight is Enough') appears as an Old West pitchman named The Dude. Rubinstein and Johnson are believable and appealing as the central characters, both in search of their destinies.
Co-written by members of Firesign Theatre, this isn't just fun and games. It has a poignancy to it as well, especially as things come to a head and the friendship between our protagonists is put to a test.
Good entertainment for a well-paced 93 minutes, this was directed by George Englund, whose other credits include "The Ugly American" and "Signpost to Murder".
Seven out of 10.