Wednesday 1 July 2009

RAGE AT DAWN 1955


An enjoyable enough B-western that is saved by a quality cast including Randolph Scott in the title role. It's also surprisingly violent with several brutal gunfights, a lynching and a man cremated alive.

The film uses the true story of The Reno Brothers, America's first outlaws as a backdrop but the events here with Scott as a agent who infiltrates the gang is pure fantasy.

The film is in the public domain and is available on the net for free download - alternatively there is a Region 0 DVD release but the remastering is crude and the picture often contains digital artefacts.

Western fans will enjoy this all action undemanding oater and at the price it is a worthy addition to the DVD library. And given that minor movies like these are unlikely to ever receive quality digital restoration then the current issue will at least suffice.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes, it's worth watching. I have it on a ten-movie, budget-priced four-disc pack and have viewed it several times without undue picture-quality concerns. It was scripted by Frank Gruber, a pulps, screen and paperback writer whose work is always worthy of note.

David Cranmer said...

I own this film in probably the same collection Chap mentioned. It's sad some of these films can't be upgraded but like you said it's just good to have them.

Barbara Martin said...

When younger I watched westerns for the sole purpose to see the horses. These early westrns had horses in interesting colours, like the one Randolph Scott is riding: a horse intended to be a palomino, but too dark.

A cowboy was nothing without his horse. Have you noticed the bad guys rode horses that were mostly bays, and the good guys rode horses with a lot of white markings or were a unique colour.

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