Peckinpah's CROSS OF IRON plus documentary

[mike siegel]

I guess it's about time I too start a topic here.

CROSS OF IRON will be in my head for some time the next months - I just started a documentary about the film.
So much for the breaking news.

I celebrate the beginning of this new film in honor to Sam now with some Yugoslawian Wodka and hope this topic
will turn out as a good one. Will be back soon, 'can't write now - 'busy drinking...

[Groggy]

I recently watched this film and expressed opinions on it on the Last Movie You Saw thread.

I enjoyed "Cross of Iron" but it didn't strike be as anything exceptional. The points it made weren't particularly profound or original, the battle scenes were good but seemed somewhat anemic when compared to, say, "The Wild Bunch" or "Saving Private Ryan". The best part of the movie was the cast, Coburn did a good job despite a dodgy accent, Maximillian Schell and James Mason were also excellent, and Senta Berger did good in a brief cameo. All of the characters were well-drawn and you got the sense that you really are living in a foxhole with German soldiers. But the film lacks the special something that would make it a great film.

[dave jenkins]

The special something, in fact, is the ending. Groggy is right, up to that point the film is rather conventional (although I've never seen anything quite like the scene with the female Russian soldiers anywhere else). Suddenly, with money running out and no opportunity to finish the film as scripted, Peckinpah and his cast improvised a new ending, one that took things to an entirely different level. I'm not surprised it was lost on Groggy, but given time (and another 10 viewings), I'm sure his appreciation will grow.

[Ben Tyreen]

I'm not surprised it was lost on Groggy, but given time (and another 10 viewings), I'm sure his appreciation will grow.

  You two should just get a room.

  Love the picture, mike!  Keep us updated on the Cross of Iron documentary.  Do you know who you're interviewing yet?  When you talked to Coburn previously, did you cover Cross of Iron?

  RIP James Coburn, one of the coolest

[Jill]

Coburn was the Man. Too bad he died soon. 

We are waiting 

[mike siegel]

Most of the interviews were already done over the years:
James Coburn, David Warner, Senta Berger, Vadim Glowna
Roger Fritz (Triebig), Katy Haber.

I'll soon meet Wolf Hartwig. I'm sure he has incredible stuff to tell.
The production of this films was as adventurous as the story in the film. Those of you who
are a bit familar with Peckinpah might know. It's great stuff for a doc.

The battle scenes are awesome - especially when you know that he had only three tanks
and a few dozens of soldiers. The editing is superb. The content too of course. Might be the only
WW II film by an American without G.I.'s in it.

I hope to get Max Schell, Burkhardt Driest & Arthur Brauss (Nazi Soldier) as well.
Maybe I even go down to Slovenia as the filming locations didn't change much in 30 years...

[Noodles_SlowStir]

That is another great pic.  Thank you Mike.  Best of luck with your production. 

[Groggy]

Shotguns at dawn Jenkins.

[dave jenkins]

Again?

[The Firecracker]

 Coburn did a good job despite a dodgy accent,

When Coburn plays a non-american, dodgy accents come with the territory.

Check out the great escape and DYS 

[cigar joe]

I still want to know whats up with the DVD cover? There is no snow in the film whatsoever.

[mike siegel]

you're referring to the US 1-sheet poster artwork?
I assume they thought   'Eastern Front / Russia - 'must be snowing there...'
I mean look at the US-Teaser trailers . The film was trashed, only reduced to ACTION/PECKINPAH...
They wouldn't know how to sell a war film without G.I.'s in it.

But I like the US-Poster, the Original German was awful.

[dave jenkins]

The poster is cool, although, yeah, misleading. Still, I can't imagine viewers leaving the theater, thinking, Man, what a rip-off, where was the snow?

[Groggy]

Well correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe any German soldier died clutching an iron cross either.

[mike siegel]

There's some news here..

I abandoned the CROSS docu project due to other
projects that came along last but out of nowhere was approached
to co-produce the UK / German BlueRay. Finally the first worthwhile
presentation of this Peckinpah classic (don't ask me about the
transfer - not my responsibility, I was referring to the supplements)
The release will be very soon (May / June I suppose).


Kinowelt for Germany (BlueRay & 2-Disc SE DVD)
Optimum for the UK (only BlueRay, all 3 same content)

Release will be soon. May/June I suppose.

I just finished a rough cut of the supplements:

-PASSION & POETRY - SAM PECKINPAH's WAR  46min.
a documentary featuring James Coburn, Senta Berger, David Warner,
Vadim Glowna, Roger Fritz, Katy Haber.

- 5 featurettes with 1976 on set audio interviews:
  ON LOCATION - CROSS OF IRON: SAM PECKINPAH
  ON LOCATION - CROSS OF IRON: JAMES COBURN
  ON LOCATION - CROSS OF IRON: JAMES MASON
  ON LOCATION - CROSS OF IRON: MAXIMILIAN SCHELL
  ON LOCATION - CROSS OF IRON: DAVID WARNER

   approx 5 min. each (25 min. altogether)

- featurette KRÜGER KISSES KERN (9 min.)

- featurette VADIM & SAM - SON & DAD (7min.)

- featurette CUTTING ROOM FLOOR (5 min.)

- Mike's Homemovies - Steiner meets Kiesel again (8min.)