"No true Peckinpah-lover should pass it by" —
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
After making his first bonafide classic in Ride the High Country, director Sam Peckinpah took a step towards the epic with Major Dundee. The film would, in many ways, define the rest of his career both on screen and off, as the drama behind the camera matched the action in front of it.
Charlton Heston stars as Major Amos Dundee, a vainglorious Union Cavalry officer, who mounts an expedition to hunt down Apache war chief Sierra Charriba. Building his own army of criminals, ex-slaves and Confederate POWs - among them one Captain Ben Tyreen (Richard Harris), whose intense former friendship with Dundee is tainted with a sense of betrayal on both sides - Dundee heads into Mexico, his eye fixed firmly on a last shot at greatness.
Legendarily acerbic, Major Dundee would be the first time that Peckinpah had a movie taken away from him. While a director's cut may be lost to us, this Limited Edition shows us the thrilling, morally complex epic that Peckinpah was aiming for. Beautifully shot and with a stellar supporting cast including James Coburn, Warren Oates, and L.Q. Jones, it remains a stunning achievement and an essential experience for anyone interested in the life and cinema of "Bloody Sam."
Media
Bonus Materials
- TWO-DISC LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY CONTENTS
- The 136-minute Extended Version of the film from a 4K scan, as well as the original 122-minute Theatrical Version
- 60-page booklet featuring new writing by Farran Nehme, Roderick Heath and Jeremy Carr plus select archive material
- Limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
- Fold out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
- DISC ONE - EXTENDED VERSION
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation from a 4K scan by Sony Pictures
- DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio with new score by Christopher Caliendo
- Lossless original mono audio with original score by Daniele Amfitheatrof
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio commentary with Nick Redman, David Weddle, Garner Simmons, Paul Seydor
- Audio commentary by critics Glenn Erickson & Alan K. Rode
- Audio commentary by Glenn Erickson
- Moby Dick on Horseback, a brand new visual essay by David Cairns
- Passion & Poetry: The Dundee Odyssey, a feature length documentary about the making of Major Dundee by Mike Siegel, featuring James Coburn, Senta Berger, Mario Adorf, L.Q. Jones, R.G. Armstrong, Gordon Dawson
- Passion & Poetry: Peckinpah Anecdotes, nine actors talk about working with legendary director Sam Peckinpah, featuring Kris Kristofferson, Ernest Borgnine, James Coburn, David Warner, Ali MacGraw, L.Q. Jones, Bo Hopkins, R.G. Armstrong, Isela Vega
- Mike Siegel: About the Passion & Poetry Project, in which filmmaker Mike Siegel talks about his beginnings and his ongoing historical project about director Sam Peckinpah
- Extensive stills galleries, featuring rare on set, behind the scenes, and marketing materials
- 2005 re-release trailer
- DISC TWO - THEATRICAL VERSION (LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE)
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation from a 2K scan
- Original lossless mono audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Riding for a Fall, a vintage behind the scenes featurette
- Extended/deleted scenes
- Silent Outtakes
- Select extended/deleted scenes and outtakes with commentary by historian and critic Glenn Erickson giving context on how they were intended to appear in Peckinpah’s vision of the film
- Original US, UK and German theatrical trailers
- Stills gallery
