Another one of those "we're never getting a legit release of this" bites the proverbial dust on Feb. 24 as Olive Films is releasing Terence Young's 1974 exploitation classic on blu-ray and DVD. Starring Lee Marvin and Richard Burton (you can practically smell the bourbon wafting off the screen) and Cameron Mitchell, Lola Falana, Luciana Paluzzi (reunited with director Young from THUNDERBALL) along with Linda Evans, O.J. Simpson and David Huddleston as the local Klan leader.
Based upon a 1967 novel by William Bradford Huie (THE EXECUTION OF PVT. SLOVIK) it was originally a Sam Fuller project with Lee Marvin as a Klan leader along with John Cassevetes as his second in command. After Paramount insisted on re-writing his script (which they deemed too violent) Fuller quit and/or was fired and Young came on. The final screenplay had Marvin as the town sheriff, Burton as an the local matriarch/ landowner and O.J as a vengeance seeking sniper all of whom get caught up in the aftermath of an attack upon local girl Linda Evans.
Bearing little relation to the source novel (or Fuller's script) its a fascinating train-wreak of a movie for lovers of "what we they thinking when they made this" style of cinema. Filmed outside of Sacramento, CA., Burton was allegedly so drunk on the set that most of his scenes had to filmed with him sitting or laying down as he couldn't stand. Because of his rumored affair with a young local girl Liz Taylor appeared on the set to keep on eye on him and the pair had some highly destructive arguments in their rented house.
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