RETRO-ACTIVE: GEMS FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES
"Entered His House Justified: The Making of the Films of Sam Peckinpah" may have one of the longest titles of the year, but anything relating to the master maverick director is difficult to summarize. The latest in a line of shelf-breaking volumes dedicated to Peckinpah is from author Jeff Slater, who has amassed an impressive list of interviewees to shed new light on one of the film industry's most analyzed personalities. Peckinpah, like so many other geniuses, was not completely appreciated in his own time, partly due to the inability of studio executives to recognize his innovative filmmaking techniques and partly because Peckinpah- like Orson Welles- specialized in forming circular firing squads. His own excesses often did more damage than did the legendary studio interference with the classic movies he produced.
Slater's book is niche market in the best sense of the word. As an author, he has gone the self-publishing route through Booksurge. As such, he has not had to make the kind of literary compromises his subject had to in order to pacify the corporate "suits". The book features insights from Peckinpah scholars and associates, but what really justifies the book's hefty $72.95 price tag is the abundance of stunning photos, many of which will be rare to even the most fervent Peckinpah collector. Particularly impressive are some wonderful candid photos taken of Peckinpah behind the scenes on some of his most famous films. Peckinpah was the ultimate independent movie maker trapped in an era in which one had to play ball with the studio moguls in order to get financing for his films. Thus, some of his more personal works were cut without his consent and watered down in the process (i.e Major Dundee, The Wild Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.) I once bumped into Jason Robards in New York and we discussed Peckinpah at length. Robards said that Peckinpah never really got over the angst of having studios interfere with his cinematic visions. Yet, every time he got a second chance, his legendary temper would get him in trouble again. Robards felt confident that Peckinpah would have greatly appreciated the renewed interest in his work, as a new generation of film scholars and historians have gone to extraordinary lengths to restore these works and to celebrate Peckinpah's achievements through books and documentaries. Of these, Jeff Slater's new volume earns a rightful place in the library of any dedicated movie fan. - Lee Pfeiffer
PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION OF "ENTERED HIS HOUSE JUSTIFIED: THE MAKING OF THE FILMS OF SAM PECKINPAH":
An in-depth look into the making of the films of legendary film director Sam
Peckinpah, with candid recollections from actors crew and friends. illustrated
throughout with hundreds of rare and never before seen photographs in color and
black and white. Those interviewed include… Bernie Abramson, R.G. Armstrong,
Ernest Borgnine, PeterBrayham,James Coburn, Garth Craven, Gordon Dawson,
Michael Deeley, Max Evans, Roy Baird, DonnieFritz, Susan George, Walon Green,
Katy Haber, Paul Harper, Bo Hopkins, Daniel Melnick,Charlton Heston, Walter
Kelly, Barbara Leigh, Martin Lewis, Ali MacGraw, T.P. McKenna, Lupita
Peckinpah, Walter Peter, Jim Silke, Garner Simmons, Stella Stevens, Islea Vega,
Bob Visciglia, David Warner, Gordon M. Williams.
ORDER THIS BOOK FROM AMAZON
A PHOTO SELECTION FROM JEFF SLATER'S BOOK
(FOR PECKINPAH SCHOLAR MIKE SIEGEL'S 18- PAGE TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND WORK OF SAM PECKINPAH, SEE CINEMA RETRO ISSUE #3)