Review of Chato`s Land

Introduction

This Michael Winner directed entry in the redskin-good-paleface-bad, pro native American western subgenre is pretty much what you`d expect it to be - an excuse for much beastliness on the prairie.

Charles Bronson stars as stoic Pardon Chato who shoots the redneck sheriff in the saloon and gets pursued across miles of wilderness by a posse of reprobate paleskins including Jack Palance and Ralph Waite (that nice Mr Walton) after they`ve raped his wife.

Parched of intelligence as of water, the movie is simply an excuse for Bronson to pick off a series of less fortunate and more dehydrated actors. Dangerously, there is no attempt made to sympathise with Chato, and the pursuing posse is filled with strictly two-dimensional stereotypes to be eradicated at Chato`s leisure. If anything, the movie is a western take on Nightmare On Elm Street with the whole raison d`etre being showcase killings.

Don`t be surprised by the ending - the picture suddenly snaps to black and that`s it - no end titles, no nothing.

Video

The movie is presented in 1.85:1, although the technical specs are listed at the IMDb as 2.35:1. They might be in error, but it wouldn`t be the first case of incorrect framing.

Audio

Made in Mono, reproduced in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono.

Features

Would you really want extras? There are full subtitles, but that`s it.

Conclusion

A thoroughly nasty western bloodfest from Michael Winner and Charles Bronson. Think Death Wish In A Loin Cloth and you`ve got it. A posse of rednecks led by Jack Palance pursues sheriff-killing halfbreed Chato into the badlands - and his territory. The hunters become the hunted. Ho hum.

Both Charles Bronson and Michael Winner were capable of much better than this. If you`re the sort who enjoys movies like Little Big Man, or Soldier Blue then this picture might be right up your street. As it is, it does nothing for race relations.