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Released by: Kino Lorber
Released on: November 11th, 2014.
Director: Robert Sparr
Cast: Clint Walker, Vincent Price, Paul Hampton
Year: 1969
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More Dead Than Alive – Movie Review:
More Dead Than Alive is a fun western directed by Robert Sparr and while that name may not ring a bell with casual western fans the way, say, someone like John Ford might, that's probably because most of his experience was working in television rather than film. Experience is experience, however, and Sparr's work on shows like Cheyenne and The Wild Wild West to name only a few would seem to have set him up quite nicely to helm this particular film despite some flaws that are hard to look past.
In the film top billed Clint Walker (also of Cheyenne) plays a cowboy named Cain, a man who was once as hard as they come, a cold-blooded killer fast on the draw with a penchant for dealing out death in the form of hot lead. He went away for his crimes and spent eighteen years in prison but when the movie starts out, he's been freed. This former killer is having trouble back in the ‘real world' though, because nobody wants to give him a job. And really, who can blame him with a past like that? Even if he has sworn off using pistols ever again, he's got a nasty track record.
Enter a man named Dan Ruffalo (Vincent Price), a bit of a carnie who runs a traveling Wild West show as a trick shooter. Without much of a choice, Cain takes on a job there where he can make use of his skills. Billy (musician Paul Hampton) isn't really too keen on Cain though, he sees him as a bit of a threat to his position even if the older man is a little rusty with his side irons. Eventually Cain meets a beautiful woman named Monica (Anne Francis) and after they fall fast in love, she does everything in her power to convince him to give up his job at the Wild West show and join her on the family ranch where they can live happily ever after raising cattle.
More Dead Than Alive isn't really an unsung classic of the American Western genre but it's entertaining enough despite some flaws. Part of the problem is with casting Walker in the lead. He's a very likeable guy, he comes across as a genuinely nice dude and given this, and the rascally types that seem to populate this world, you wind up feeling that he's not quite nasty enough for the role. Of course, as things change towards the end of the film he does what he can to keep in character but there are a few too many times where he just looks like a big softie, they kind of man more likely to greet you with a big bear hug rather than a belly full of bullets. Most of the novelty from this film stems from the casting of Vincent Price in a prominent role. Most will no doubt be familiar with him from the countless horror movies that made him a household name and he certainly played bad guys far more often than good guys, which gives his turn here as a good guy some curiosity value. He's very good in the role and a lot of fun to watch. The fact that he really seems to be enjoying himself is a bit infectious and he tends to steal the show. Add the beautiful Anne Francis, who is also decent here, to the cast and it is easy to overlook the fact that folk singer Paul Hampton as the heel overacts quite a bit.
Given that this was made in 1969, around the time that the Spaghetti Westerns coming out of Italy at a hundred miles an hour were ruling the theatrical roost, this one might seem a little tame in comparison. It benefits from some nice location work and a bit more violence than you might expect (there are quite a few bloody squib shots in here) but it doesn't compete with what the Italians were doing in terms of scope and style. Maybe it's not fair to compare the two but in contrast to what filmmakers like Sergio Leone or Sergio Corbucci were doing, Sparr's picture does seem a little plain.
Having said all that, if you're in the right frame of mind this is entertaining enough. The movie tends to lean more towards drama than action in spots but when it does it shows that there was some genuine thought put into the script. It was a little bit ahead of its time that way in that it deals with the themes of an ex-con trying to readjust to life outside of prison and the difficulties that men with criminal backgrounds often do tend to have finding work. There's also a very obvious theme of Cain really trying to redeem himself running through the movie that helps to keep it interesting. The score is no great shakes but there's enough here that does work to make this worth a look for western buffs, even if it isn't the best gateway drug for those not already infatuated with the genre.
More Dead Than Alive – Blu-ray Review:
Kino presents More Dead Than Alive on Blu-ray in an AVC encoded 1080p high definition transfer framed in the film's original aspect ratio of 1.85.1 widescreen. There are a few white specks here and there but aside from that the image is pretty clean, no serious print damage issues to note. Detail is quite good, though close up shots do benefit the most, while color reproduction is generally very strong. There are one or two shots that look a bit faded and a bit soft but that could be the way that the movie was shot. Skin tones come through nicely, never too pink or waxy looking, and there are no obvious problems to note with any compression artifacts or edge enhancement. A natural looking does of film grain is present but that shouldn't bother anyone. This is a nice, organic looking transfer free of any obvious digital manipulation.
The only audio option on the disc is an English language DTS-HD 2.0 Mono track in the film's native English language, there are no alternate audio options, closed captioning or subtitles provided. Range is a little bit limited in spots but the audio here is clean and clear and free of any issues with hiss or distortion. The dialogue comes through without any problems and there's a bit of appreciable depth to the movie's score that the higher quality of the lossless track provides.
The main extra is an interesting ten minute long interview with leading man Clint Walker. Here he shares some memories about his time spent working on this film and gives us a quick overview of his experiences. It's not super in-depth but it is an interesting little piece and a nice inclusion on the disc. Aside from that we get a theatrical trailer for the feature, static menus and chapter selection.
More Dead Than Alive - The Final Word:
More Dead Than Alive makes for a decent enough time at the movies thanks primarily to Vincent Price delivering some very fine work in a sizable and interesting role. This isn't Walker's best role, however, and he's fairly miscast even if he is completely likeable. Not a masterpiece, but a decent film with some good depth to the script and an okay balance of action and drama, the movie does look and sound quite good on Blu-ray. Casually recommended for Price fans and western movie aficionados.