Merrill's Marauders

[souvenir]

Samuel Fuller's Merrill's Marauders, starring Jeff Chandler in his final role, is being released through Deep Discount only, on November 6.

[Derek Estes]

This is a strange move for Warners. I'm excited this is finally coming out though. This continues to be a big year for Fuller fans.

[Cinephrenic]

Is this exclusive or just appearing on DeepDiscount? If so, this is indeed a strange move on part of Warner.

[Jeff]

This will no longer be an "exclusive," and will be available at all retailers on 4-22-08.

[Person]

I have been interested in seeing this film for awhile. How does it play - is it tough and cynical?

[domino harvey]

I bought this during the DD sale in November, I guess I should get around to watching it at some point

[souvenir]

I have been interested in seeing this film for awhile. How does it play - is it tough and cynical?

I think it's pretty good, but not entirely memorable and I wouldn't call it tough or overly cynical. It's certainly not The Steel Helmet or Fixed Bayonets, and the final version has a couple of scenes included that Fuller objected to. The biggest reason to see it is for Jeff Chandler's performance, even more so than Fuller's direction.

[domino harvey]

Just watched this. The uncharacteristic bumpers notwithstanding, the film alternates between tones so much that it's really much more than the genre exercise it could have been. Though probably a minor Fuller film, there is some classic Fuller dialog in this one, my favorite being:

"When I get out of this, I'm gonna get married and have five or six kids. I'm gonna line 'em up and tell 'em about what happened here in Burma. And if they don't cry, I'm gonna beat the hell out of 'em!"

Some screencaps of the "forthcoming" R1:

[King Prendergast]

very Malickian caps

[Donald Trampoline]

I think you guys are selling this short. This is a pretty amazing Sam Fuller movie. Maybe it's because I saw it on the big screen at the Egyptian Theatre, which helps immerse you in the experience and really get the feeling of their never-ending mission.

P.S. - There's nothing Malickian about this Fuller movie, despite the screen caps. Fuller and Malick in general couldn't be further from each other!

[domino harvey]

I don't know how Fuller could have made a movie like someone who wouldn't make their first movie for another ten years anyways

[King Prendergast]

Fuller and Malick in general couldn't be further from each other!

I'd say Warhol and Michael Bay, for example, are further apart than Malick and Fuller.

[Donald Trampoline]

Let's stop before this gets silly.

[Person]

Maybe it's because I saw it on the big screen at the Egyptian Theatre, which helps immerse you in the experience and really get the feeling of their never-ending mission.

Ah, it's a "never-ending mission" war movie! I love that approach. A war movie shouldn't have a neat ending, I feel. I might give this one a go.

[domino harvey]

The film's actually pretty critical of the soldiers' treatment, which makes the bumpers I mentioned all the more bizarre-- the film was made with military assistance so I'm sure it was a contractual requirement.