Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [Blu-ray]
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [Blu-ray]
Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 09/30/2008 Run time: 113 minutes Rating: RThis 1969 film has never lost its popularity or its unusual appeal as a star-driven Western that tinkers with the genre’s conventions and comes up with something both terrifically entertaining and–typical of its period–a tad paranoid. Paul Newman plays the legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy as an eternal optimist and self-styled visionary, conjuring dreams of banks just ripe for the picking all over the world. Robert Redford is his more levelheaded partner, the sharpshooting Sundance Kid. The film, written by William Goldman (The Princess Bride) and directed by George Roy Hill (The Sting), basically begins as a freewheeling story about robbing trains but soon becomes a chase as a relentless posse–always seen at a great distance like some remote authority–forces Butch and Sundance into the hills and, finally, Bolivia. Weakened a little by feel-good inclinations (a scene involving bicycle tricks and the song “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” is sort of Hollywood flower power), the movie maintains an interesting tautness, and the chemistry between Redford and Newman is rare. (A factoid: Newman first offered the Sundance part to Jack Lemmon.) –Tom Keogh
User Ratings and Reviews
1 Stars Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [Blu-ray] (1969) Not Remastered
Classic of all time… I would not have ordered this movie for over 10.00 had I have known the movie was not Remastered for DVD or Blu-Ray Not Sharp and Super Grainy, Bad colors …The sound seems fine. The studio’s should not release older movies on the this format Blu-Ray until there has been a total restoration. I recieved Dawn of The Dead the other day now that a beautiful restoration for Blu -Ray. ….Sorry Folks
5 Stars One Of The All-Time Great Westerns
One of the best and most-liked films of the 1960s, this is still a fun movie to watch today. When I saw this on DVD on a nice flat-screen set, I was amazed how good this looked. I had seen it several times before on VHS and hadn’t realized how good this was photographed. It’s a pity the Blu-Ray version is poor, from everything I’ve heard, or I would have bought that, too! The fact Conrad Hall was the cinematographer explains it. Few, if any, were better than him.
One remembers this western for several things: the two leads looking over their shoulders incredulous that their pursers seem to be always there; Paul Newman riding a bicycle to the tune of “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” the beautiful Katharine Ross, the chemistry of Newman and Robert Redford as a two-man team, on and on. Those three lead actors, with the repartee between them, and the likability of each, make them fun to watch as they dominate this picture.
It’s just solid entertainment and another example of good film-making that doesn’t need a lot of R-rated material to make it successful. When you combine all the elements, it’s no surprise this film won so many awards and endures so well.
5 Stars Best Film ever!
Are you kidding me! It doesn’t get ay better than Butch and Sundance. Shame they don’t make ‘em like this anymore!
2 Stars you can’t go back
I saw this movie in the theatre when it came out back in the late sixties and laughed till I cried.Watched it when I got the dvd and was totally bored with it.Goes to show how your taste in movies changes over the years.It is still a classic all time great movie-I just couldn’t sit thru it 40 years later.
5 Stars 3.5 stars out of 4
The Bottom Line:
A thoroughly enjoyable movie that gets the most of its stars and locations, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is just about as much fun as you’ll find in 2 hours of a movie.
Filed under: Blue Ray Movie Reviews