Barquero (1970)

[stanton]

I was never sure if CJ was right about that. In the DVD I have there's a scene with LVC at night listening as the construction of the boats is going on. Then there's a cut to the men crossing the river the next day. It plays perfectly well

And so do I remember it, and so it works pretty well.

[cigar joe]

Its got some weird cropping also in that last seqment

[drinkanddestroy]

I am not certain if I'd have noticed a (possible) missing scene on my own; but when CJ sent me the DVD, he said, Did you notice the missing scene? (Not certain if he said it before or after I watched the movie - I think it was after) but once he asked me, I replied, "Oh, you must mean the raft scene," and he said yeah. So I can't know whether it is something that I would have noticed or if it would have bothered me on my own if CJ hadn't mentioned anything to me about a missing scene.

[cigar joe]

Here is my quote:

More thoughts on Barquero
Anyway I watched the film again and noticed that there may have been a few cuts.
Mountian Phil first appearence may have been trimmed for all we see is him pulling a
bowie knife out of a body, and nothing leading up to it.

Lee Van Cleef & Mariette Hartley's "lust in the dust" sequence must have been trimmed
since this scene is not in the film in this version: (I used to have a link to a pic)

Another cut is right before the barge battle, you see Remy's gang building their rafts and it
immediately cuts to the two Remy rafts oaring their way across the river towards the barqueros barge.

Then you cut again to the opposite side of the river and all the squatters are hunkered
down in the ferry already and waiting. So there must have been a sequence where Travis
figuers out what Remys has planned and gets all the squatters into the ferry.

and another:

Interesting if it was shot in matte frame, It does look slightly blurry in some LVC/Hartley closeups.

Another crop at the end when Oates gets shot we don't see his body on the dock just his
hat brim sticking up, you'd think it was cropped at the bottom.

[dave jenkins]

I am not certain if I'd have noticed a (possible) missing scene on my own; but when CJ sent me the DVD, he said, Did you notice the missing scene? (Not certain if he said it before or after I watched the movie - I think it was after) but once he asked me, I replied, "Oh, you must mean the raft scene," and he said yeah. So I can't know whether it is something that I would have noticed or if it would have bothered me on my own if CJ hadn't mentioned anything to me about a missing scene.

So now you're saying you never read this thread before watching the DVD? I call BS on that.

[Cusser]

So now you're saying you never read this thread before watching the DVD? I call BS on that.

Now, for me, I saw this film decades before DVDs were invented !

[dave jenkins]

You saw this film decades before Drink was invented. 

[drinkanddestroy]

I never read this thread before I saw the film. I never even heard of this movie before CJ sent me the DVD. The conversation I had with CJ about the cuts was over PM - he asked if I noticed a missing scene and I immediately figured it was the boat scene. I didn't read this thread until after I had seen the movie and had my PM conversation with CJ.

[dave jenkins]

I don't doubt that that is the way you remember things, but I remain skeptical.

[dave jenkins]

Only rates a 3.5/5 for PQ: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Barquero-Blu-ray/121116/#Review

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is perhaps the most enticing "Barquero" has ever looked, but this low-budget effort doesn't make it easy on HD expectations. Grain is erratic, with fluctuating levels of intensity that tend to break the visual flow of shots, offering a few noisy bursts along the way. The feature's second half utilizes day for night processing, which tends to dilute everything filmic about the frame, with the BD lacking intensity, though it's an inherently cinematographic problem. In the daylight, fine detail emerges on sweaty faces and the spare construction of the riverside town. Textures are acceptable, isolating creases and woodwork, with a reasonable amount of sharpness to sustain clarity. Colors are adequate as well, with secure skintones and a nice overview of costuming, while outdoorsy hues sustain intent. Delineation runs into photography limitations (contrast tends to lose stability during the aforementioned "sundown" hours), but doesn't entirely solidify. Print is in encouraging shape, with only a few marks of damage detected.

[Moorman]

Ok. Just saw this. Great movie. I saw the trailer and didn't think i would like it.  My quick review:

1. Cinematography.  Very good. I don't know what it was filmed in, but it was pretty good. Nothing too special about the camera angles.  Everything was pretty straight forward.  I did like the long shots across the river.

2.  Script.  Very good. I like when a script writer can take a simple story, and make it work.  The basic premise of  NEEDING that barge, was turned into a full fledge story.  I loved that.

3. Acting.  Pretty good.  Lee was ok. He is one of my favorites. Oates did his thing superbly. He had some lively characters in his gang that were pretty good and funny.  Maria Gomez. I'm buying the Blu Ray just because of her...lmao

4. Musical Score.  It was ok.  Nothing special. Not great or bad.


Overall, it was a pretty good American version of a Sphagetti Western. It worked.  I didn't know what to expect, so i was pleasantly surprised at this movie.  I give it 7 out of 10  and worthy of  your DVD or Blu Ray collection...

[cigar joe]

4. Musical Score.  It was ok.  Nothing special. Not great or bad.

If you watch Eastwood's Hang 'em High you'll notice a similarity with the score, if I remember right.

[Moorman]

If you watch Eastwood's Hang 'em High you'll notice a similarity with the score, if I remember right.

I will have to really pay attention the next time at the score...

[dave jenkins]

German blu is getting released on 31 March: https://www.amazon.de/Barquero-Blu-ray-Lee-van-Cleef/dp/B01MT3E4TY/ref=pd_sim_74_7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F139N1Z01S58D4C1B6X7

[Mr.Cho-Cho]

I bought this film, only knowing that it had Lee Van Cleef and Warren Oates in it, I thought it was a Spag. I guess what they meant it was an American interpretation of a Spag Western.

I agree with most of the consensus on this, started well, mid-way it was dull probably because it was just a massive stand-off, picked up with the barge shoot out. Definitely worth watching though if you're an Oates and Van Cleef fan like I am.