One of the greatest film directors America has produced, Sam Peckinpah revolutionized the way movies were made. In this insightful study, Bernard F. Dukore examines Peckinpah's fourteen feature films as a coherent body of work.
At the heart of Dukore's study is an extensive and detailed examination of Peckinpah's distinctive editing techniques. Focusing on representative sequences -- including the breakout from the bank and the final battle in The Wild Bunch, the half-hour siege that concludes Straw Dogs, the killing of the title characters of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and combat sequences in Cross of Iron -- Dukore provides a shot-by-shot analysis that illuminates Peckinpah's mastery of pacing and mood.
Sam Peckinpah's Feature Films demonstrates that Peckinpah's genius as a director and editor marks not only The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, and other classics but also his lesser-known feature films, even those that suffered substantial cuts at the hands of studio producers. Dukore's organic approach to the feature films reveals a highly unified body of work that remains a pointed commentary on power, violence, affection, and moral values.
