It seems like every generation has a director whose movies are considered "too violent." Today it's Quentin Tarantino. Before that, it was Brian De Palma. And before that, it was Sam Peckinpah. From March 31st through April 7th, you have a chance to evaluate Peckinpah's work for yourself with a career-spanning retrospective at the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Peckinpah started out making traditional westerns, but gradually his films became more violent--and his outlook on life more cynical. His typical anti-hero is an aging male loner whose old-fashioned values are no match for rapidly changing modern society. Some highlights from the festival:
- Ride the High Country (1962). Peckinpah's first great western, and the first to address the themes of aging and obsolescence. Starring old school movie cowboys Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott, in his final screen performance.
Late in his life, Peckinpah expressed regret for the amount of violence in his films. He wanted to shock his audiences, not entertain them. Like his movie heroes, his own old-fashioned values were no match for rapidly changing modern society.
All films are shown at the Walter Reade theater. The Walter Reade is located at 165 West 65th Street in Manhattan.