Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Kidskycom It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

TheLittleSongbird Chato's Land was a pleasant surprise, due to its mixed reception and that the type of film that it falls under is not always my thing I was not expecting an awful lot. But seeing as the cast was a good one on paper I thought, why not? Chato's Land is not going to be for everybody, it's very gritty and violent(some of it being not for the faint-hearted, the most memorable of it actually being very brutal) and Michael Winner's films are the kind that will entertain some and not be others' cup of tea.The film is a touch overlong and gets a bit draggy in spots, while the ending is rather abrupt and rushed- sure it was intended to be ambiguous but for me there was the feeling of uncertainty of how to end it- and the day-for-night lighting/shooting is awfully obvious. Jerry Fiedler's music score compliments the film well and dynamically orchestrated but could have had a more sweeping punch and with less of a TV series and workmanlike pace. However Chato's Land was a pretty good film, apart from the day-for-night it's reasonably well made with splendidly gritty scenery and handsome photography that suits the atmosphere. Chato's Land is also very intelligently scripted with some remarkably literate dialogue, the direction from Michael Winner is above competent at least pacing and technically-wise and the story mostly is well-paced and compelling.In terms of action, that in Chato's Land is sparse but when it does appear it really does pack a punch. For an action/Western film, what was really impressive about Chato's Land was the way the characters are written. The characters here are very interesting and with plenty of layers, Captain Whitmore is a very multi-faceted character and perhaps the most multi-faceted role of Jack Palance's career. The great performances help(apart from for my tastes the hammy one of Richard Jordan), Charles Bronson has rarely looked better and brings a real commanding charisma every time he appears, very telling even when not saying very much. James Whitmore, Richard Basehart, Simon Oakland and Ralph Waite give solid support but best of all is Jack Palance, who is superb in one of his better and more layered performances.Overall, far from perfect and not for everybody's tastebuds but a pretty good film. 7/10 Bethany Cox

fluna1030 ....as mentioned, Classic Western! Very Gritty! Released in 1971, I first saw this movie at the (now closed) Rodeo Drive-In Theatre in Widescreen. Chato's Land is one of those movies that you have to watch From The Very Beginning! It starts with the towns sheriff going into the saloon. At the same time, Chato plucks a coin down for a taste. The bartender takes the bottle, pours a couple. I won't repeat what the sheriff says to Chato . . . but in a nutshell, Chato is Forced to defend himself & adios Sheriff Eli Saunders. Chato rides quickly out of town . . . & here is where i'm going to leave it. What happens to the men who "hunt" him down is what drives this movie ....almost from start to finish. It's unfortunate that movie hasn't gotten (any) good if not better reviews. In my opinion, the cinematography is wonderfully photographed & Beautiful . . . with the exceptions of the "saguaros" (notice how they bend when the wind kicks up). Chato's Land is one of those rarities that is "actually Western" with all the Dirt, Grit, & Horses. The Cast is Excellent ! Jack Palance, Richard Basehart, Simon Oakland, Victor French and the many others I didn't mentioned work so well with each other in this movie. but, be prepared for some of the language . . . An Excellent addition to Any movie collection ! Thank You M. Winner for an Excellent Western!! I also found out that the Soundtrack is now available on CD!! Enjoy!!

Spikeopath Chato's Land is directed by Michael Winner and written by Gerry Wilson. It stars Charles Bronson, Jack Palance, James Whitmore, Simon Oakland, Richard Baseheart, Ralph Waite and Richard Jordan. Shot on location in Andalucia, Spain, with photography by Robert Paynter, it's musically scored by Jerry Fielding. Plot finds Bronson as half Apache, Pardon Chato, who is forced to kill the local sheriff in self defence and finds himself being hunted by a town posse led by Captain Quicey Whitmore (Palance). However, as the posse trail him into the wilderness it becomes apparent that the tables have been turned, with Chato given further cause to inflict harm upon his pursuers.The first of six collaborations between Charles Bronson and Michael Winner, Chato's Land finds the pair setting the marker for what would define their work. With the Western genre going thru a resurgence, Chato's Land is very in-keeping with the type of Western that was being released in the early 70's: namely violent, uncompromising and certainly gritty. These things, as history now shows, were tailor made for Winner, who perfectly utilises Bronson's silent and brooding assets to great effect.Often suspected to be an allegory of the United States' involvement in Vietnam, it's thematically correct in that respect. But the timing of the film would suggest this to not be the case. Chato's Land is more than just a revenge Western; a film about white men out of their usual terrain being pursued by a man of a different ethnicity, it wants to, and does quite well, be a picture dealing in racism, violence and the folly of hypocritical justice. But even tho Wilson's script brings these issues to light, they are not fully formed, with Winner at times dragging the film to a stand-still. However, the group dynamic is a good one, with the inevitable character differences creating a tinderbox waiting to ignite, while Winner doesn't skimp over the violence, puncturing the narrative with savage thrusts.Bronson was 50 years old when making the film, his physicality here is very impressive. The role of Chato is hardly a stretch for him, in fact it's very much a perfect fit. He's basically asked to be a phantom in the landscape, but he casts an imposing presence each time he's called on to deliver some Chato justice. In pursuit are a mixed bunch of actors, with Palance, Whitmore and Baseheart the obvious professional standouts, while Simon Oakland leaves an indelible mark as grizzled father of the Hooker boys, Jubal. Fielding's (The Wild Bunch) score is efficient, but workmanlike, and Paynter's (Lawman) photography never really makes the landscape as imposing as it should be. Overall it's a mixed bag, but for fans of revenge type Westerns, and Palance, it's easy to recommend, but it still should have been more intelligent than it ultimately is. 7/10

gbferrell Maybe I'm being too harsh on this movie but being a big Bronson fan, I was really disappointed- not to mention bored to tears. The seemingly never-ending chase interrupted by brief moments of Bronson firing down from a hilltop on the chasers left me begging for the movie to end. The brutality seemed sensationally placed to hide the hum drum plot. I got so tired of hearing one of the chasers say something ominous like, "I don't like the looks of this", it started to become a joke. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this type of movie but it's hard to think that I will ever attempt to watch it again. It was surprisingly bad considering the entertainment value of other Bronson movies.