criterionforum.org

There's been a European DVD release of Machine Gun McCain, which you can get through Amazon France under the Italian title Gli Intoccabili. John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, Gena Rowlands, and Val Avery from Camp Cassavetes are all there, as is, uhm, Britt Ekland; plus there's a great, dissonant Morricone score. It's widescreen, in English, with removable French subtitles, and an interview with director Montaldo (who later did that Nic Cage thing Time to Kill, and a Sacco and Vanzetti film that I haven't seen). It's the standard 94 minute cut of the film, identical (except in quality) to a US bootleg I have of it. PAL formatted discs have a really jerky quality on my cheapie DVD player, so forgive me if I don't even try to evaluate the picture, but I suspect those of you with a fondness for the film will be very happy.

Oh - I should mention that the Montaldo interview is in Italian with French subs.

For those unaware of the film, it's one of those times when Cassavetes appeared in someone else's movie that it seems very likely that he had a lot of creative input (not just in casting decisions); his character is an iconoclastic independent up against the mob, with contempt for people who only care about money... It resonates off loner-vs.-mob themes in KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE, GLORIA, and so forth. I'd probably choose this film to run in a double bill with BOOKIE, over even MIKEY AND NICKY (a fine film, too, but not as thematically applicable).

Mike Patton gives a charmingly sleazy reading of "The Ballad of Hank McCain" on John Zorn's remastered version of THE BIG GUNDOWN, btw.

Okay, I got nothin' more to offer.

P.

Just got the disc and I second the recommendation (thanks pemmican, for this and the Zorn heads-up, a link I'd completely missed). The transfer looks great on my cracked $30 DVD player. Falk makes a nice lunch out of the scenery as a west coast mob boss (?!), and any scenes with John and Gena together are required viewing in this household. Plus, I'm probably the only person on this forum for whom a Val Avery appearance can turn a "maybe" movie in to a "must-see."

I thought someone would care! Glad to pass it on.

It's probably stretching the limits of your interest, but the other noteworthy piece of music on the soundtrack - the discordant theme that plays over the titles - is available on an excellent 2-Disc compilation of Morricone scores called CRIME AND DISSONANCE, which showcases some of his most adventuresome & exciting film work. It's on Ipecac, the label co-owned (or sumfin' like that) by, once again, Mike Patton. It's a great companion piece to the BIG GUNDOWN remaster.

If you're curious, I think there's also a German-dubbed version of the film, re-named AMERICAN ROULETTE, available through Amazon Germany... I recall reading somewhere that there is a longer, more "meditative" cut of the film in existence, and oft wonder if different video releases internationally have scenes I haven't encountered. I believe there was a British VHS release, too, which was the basis for the version the Shocking Videos guy was selling. Never saw that.

And since we're thanking each other, I think it was you who recommended Bob's Movies, where I got my previous MACHINE GUN McCAIN (and some other nice items). He seems to be gone now, too...

P.

This may be verboten (if so, mods feel free to edit) but the full soundtrack can be found here, along with apparently everything else Ennio ever pointed his baton at.

I've heard rumors of other versions, but have never seen confirmation -- I'll post here if by chance I ever run across anything definitive.

You're welcome for the Bob's recommendation -- is the site gone, or is he just taking forever to answer email? Because the latter seems par for the course...

It can also be purchased on CD or vinyl in a reissue of the full album with original cover art. It's part of DagoRed's huge series of releases of Morricone and other Italian film music.

Actually, I was wrong. Bob's Movies is still around - I just had trouble finding it.

P.

Sorry to bump an old thread...
Blue Underground is releasing it August 24th!!!!

Yes, and also on Blu-Ray! \:D/