Cinema Cycle - Unforgiven

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE: 02/21/2015

TITLE: Unforgiven

FORMAT: LaserDisc

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 2 hours 11 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 28.3 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 1132.7 miles

SYNOPSIS: A retired gunfighter that is trying to mend his ways is recruited to kill two men for stabbing a prostitute.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Trying to forget your past and do the right thing.  In the end, honor and friendship can unleash the demons that we try to suppress.  

PROS AND CONS: I have seen this film before, but it has been a while.  This second viewing was more enjoyable.  When it first came out it was billed as Clint Eastwood’s last western and was considered a masterpiece of sorts.  After my first viewing I didn’t think it was that great a film.  

Now almost 20 years later I have a different opinion.  This is an introspective western from the gunfighters perspective.  What happened to all those pistoleros that didn’t get killed?  Did they move on and get regular 8 to 5 jobs?  That is the question raised by this film.  Can you run away and forget your past and all the heinous things you’ve done?

You have to live through a lot of frustration and learn patience to really understand Eastwood’s character in this film.  Younger viewers probably won’t identify with his character much.  All of the gunfighters in this film are looking for a world that is safer and more secure.  

Gene Hackman’s character, as the town Marshall of Big Whiskey, wants order, security and to build his ideal little house.  Richard Harris’ character has his own 19th century version of the Paparazzi follow him around to glorify his past deeds.  Eastwood just wants to raise the children of his now deceased wife and honor her memory.  

The film is slow paced and well acted and directed.  The ending scene is one of mass carnage and violence, but in a satisfying way.  You know it is coming, but you don’t expect it to be that graphic.  All in all a good swan song to Eastwood’s western career.

To read an overview of this project, check out the initial post for this series.

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.