The Shadow of Chikara (1977)

Expected more

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

I spent a lot of my formative years in Arkansas, and I may have even went diamond hunting - I can't recall. The civil war soldiers in this film go hunting for diamonds in Arkansas.The film sports numerous names. Some variation of Demon, Shadow, Thunder, or Diamon Mountain, or something indicating the presence of the Chikara.Captain Wishbone Cutter (Joe Don Baker) of The First Arkansas Calvary returns from the war to find a Yankee Major (Bud Davis) living with his wife (Linda Dano). So he heads off looking for the diamonds some dying soldier told him about.Along the way they find Drusilla (Oscar nominee Sandra Locke, in-between The Outlaw Josey Wales and The Gauntlet). Now, I thought this may be a gay film as they spent time discussing whether to take Drusilla along or leave her behind. Since Locke was listed as one of the top sex stars of 1969 by Playboy magazine, I found this discussion puzzling.Well, they head to the cursed mountain, and they find diamonds along with the curse - too bad.

On Friday 14th May 1982 this was the first film I ever recorded on a VCR - thats why I remember it so vividly - and I loved it. Yesterday I finally tracked it down on DVD under the title Curse of the Demon Mountain in the UK.This has to be the worst official DVD release I have ever seen. I was still able to enjoy the movie, it is (in my opinion) a masterpiece of the horror/western cinema subgenre, but the film transfer was awful.Sound was poor, colours went from over exposed to faded, the film was full frame (despite being shot in Panavision) and the sound went totally muted whenever an insult was hurled! Talk about censorship! The horse fall was there, the bloody battle at the start, the arrow in the arm, but any old insult gets censored out! Unbelievable.Its about time Chikara got the DVD treatment it deserves. Full 2.35 to 1 widescreen, with loads of extras. I would love to see it that way.And I would happily pay good money for the chance!

Watch Predator Watch thisFamiliar isn't it, Jungle coming to life, invisible enemies, a lone girl who has experienced the terrible thing that comes from the trees. The brave Indian tracker, its all there. Predator by any other name, and worth watching. Forget the other reviews, this was blockbuster (popular soundtrack The Band, horror, fear , scares, b grade cast?) Great cast they are familiar. Just watch it, its good.The director should have made more films, he had a talent and I think it was wasted, I loved it Earl, you did well

Halcow international film (who was famous for making western in the 60's & 70's drive-in era) made this poorly put together film. Paramount Pictures picked it up in 1977 under the title SHADOW MOUNTAIN and released briefly before it disappeared and to re-appear in several diffrent video labels. Joe Don Baker stars as a Southern soldier who comes home to find his wife with a Northern Soldier after the Civil War ended. He, Ted Neeley (from Jesus Christ Superstar) and an indian goes and travels and finds a Sondra Locke who is hiding some secret. Pretty amateurish film with bad sound, bad lighting, and a cameo by Slim Pickens. A song from the rock group "The Band" is also heard in the soundtrack.