samAnyone who has even heard the name "Peckinpah" probably knows one of three things:
  • That he was a right bastard when the mood struck him.
  • That his action sequences influenced everyone from John Woo to Quentin Tarantino.
  • That he and studios didn't get along so well (often at least partly Sam's fault).
While we can't do much about the bastard thing, the damage done by studio meddling with his films is, slowly, being corrected. Ahead of an epic Warner's set (due out next February and containing special editions of all of their Peckinpah holdings) comes Sony's gorgeous new edition of 1965's Major Dundee, which aims to turn the studio-butchered film into something resembling what Peckinpah intended.

Beginning with a budget that was sliced by one third just before shooting started, the Major Dundee shoot cost too much for Columbia's tastes (despite the fact that star Charlton Heston returned his salary to the studio in an effort to offset the financial problems), was uninteresting (based on dailies), and failed to live up to the Lawrence of Arabia-esque demands they had placed on the production. As a result of these and other conflicts, Peckinpah was actually locked out of the editing room by the film's producer, and the resulting product bore virtually no resemblance to the film its director had intended to make.

Though some footage (Peckinpah's opening, for example) has been permanently lost, the new version does feature 12 additional minutes of footage, as well as a new, alternate soundtrack which vastly improves on the horribly intrusive one that accompanied Major Dundee's original release. Additionally, the disc includes a commentary track by three film historians who specialize in Peckinpah (the three - Nick Redman, Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David Weddle - appear together on two other special Peckinpah editions) and documentary features exploring the film's history.

You may notice I haven't talked once about Major Dundee's story. Though others would probably disagree, I find plot summaries almost irrelevant when it comes to Peckinpah. I don't deny that the events of the films (in this case, a wildcat chase of murderous Indians into Mexico by a motley crew of criminals, prisoners, and soldiers during the Civil War) are important on some level, but the power of Peckinpah is created by his style, and the atmosphere he conjures up. Watching his films is a visceral experience for me - I get choked up even thinking about The Wild Bunch, and my emotions stems from an indescribable combination of awe at Peckinpah's technical skill, respect for his patience, love for his flawed characters, and the tingling, forbidden thrill that accompanies his scenes of the most horrific violence.

While I would recommend The Wild Bunch for Peckinpah virgins, any chance to experience his work should be seized, and Major Dundee is a fine place to start. [Those interested in a deeper history of the film can find wonderful depth and knowledge in the DVD Savant's detailed pieces on the its recent theatrical run and the DVD.]