Land Raiders (1969)

Lack of good storyline.

The acting in this movie is really good.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Released in 1969 and directed by Nathan Juran, "Land Raiders" is an American Western curiously shot in Europe starring Telly Savalas and George Maharis as estranged brothers in Arizona circa 1875. The former is greedy and stirs up hostilities with the Natives in order to drive out settlers so he can scarf up their land cheap. Meanwhile, the latter returns to the family ranch after a long absence smelling corruption. Guy Rolfe appears as the major of a local fort while Phil Brown is on hand as the local sheriff.This is a well-made Western by the proved director of 1958's "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" and 1962's "Jack the Giant Killer." If you didn't know better you'd think it was shot in Arizona, where the story takes place. The score is by Ennio Morricone's orchestrator Bruno Nicolai and it's decent. The cast is great with Savalas chewing the scenery as the charismatic brother on a power trip contrasted by handsome Maharis as the troubled, but noble sibling.The movie does well in the female department with four – count 'em four – beautiful women in various roles: Janet Landgard plays the Sheriff's daughter, Arlene Dahl the corrupt brother's wife, Jocelyn Lane the noble brother's old flame and Marcella Saint-Amant a saloon senorita. Moreover, the film checks all the boxes of Western staples, like a saloon brawl, an Indian attack on a wagon train, cavalry & fort sequences, a stampede, shootouts and various romances. Furthermore, the plot is more interesting than the conventional revenge or greed motifs of Spaghetti oaters, which sort of gives away that it's an American production.Unfortunately, the set-up of the first half is more promising than the somewhat comic booky execution of the second half; and the Natives are all obviously dark-skinned Caucasians from the Mediterranean (just guessing). It's also marred by the (obvious) use of stock footage in at least one of the action sequences. Nevertheless, "Land Raiders" delivers the goods as an action-packed American-trying-to-be-European Western with dramatic punch. I don't get why it's so obscure as it's just as good, if not better, than more well-known Westerns of the same period.The movie runs 101 minutes and was shot in Spain and Hungary.GRADE: Borderline B/B- (6.5/10 Stars)

1969 was pretty late in the game to have a Western with a title that didn't have much to do with the story. It was done quite routinely from the Thirties through the Fifties, and back then it was more the norm than the exception. If there are any land raiders here, it would be the villainous Vicente Carden (Telly Savalas), and he operated pretty much solo, so even 'Land Raider' would have made more sense. Maybe I'm just being picky.Give Telly Savalas some credit here, he imbues his character with so much hate that you just can't wait for the finale to see that he gets his. Personally, I would have preferred it if brother Paul (George Maharis) had done the honors, but it was still pretty satisfying. I will say though, Savalas went out honorably considering what an absolute maniac he was for the entire story. No cowering in the corner or trying to make a run for it. Defiant till the end, his character virtually taunts the Apaches to turn him into a pin cushion.One thing the picture does well are those transition scenes when a character does something in one scene, and the result of his action moves the story to a different time and place. This was done more than once, and was the principal device used to tell the story of a rift between two brothers that has remained something of a mystery to the citizens of Forge River. Through gradual exposition, the viewer is brought full circle to an understanding that Vince Carden is a rat in more ways than one.In terms of revisionism, this tale is a pretty one sided affair. The whites, led by Savalas, are all bad guys pretty much, including Major Tanner (Guy Rolfe), sent by the Army to rebuild Fort Harmony in preparation for a truce with the Apaches. The massacre at the Apache camp with only women and children present was reminiscent of the raid at Washita Creek in Dustin Hoffman's "Little Big Man" that came out the following year. It's difficult to comprehend that kind of inhumanity, and not a comfortable subject to view in any genre.The single element that was definitely unique for this picture was that tease of a rape scene between Paul Cardenas and his brother's wife Martha (Arlene Dahl). It really went nowhere when you come right down to it, but with a bit of work, could have been the impetus for a final confrontation between the brothers. Either way, you know that the Savalas character would eventually get what was coming to him.

Wealthy Spanish landowner Telly Savalas pays mercenaries to kill Apaches and then benefits when their reprisal killings against whites create cheap vacant properties for him to add to his empire. Meanwhile, his younger brother comes home and opposes him, opening up old wounds involving Telly's past misdeeds.An American film shot in Europe (Spain?), Land Raiders is an obvious attempt to imitate the look and style of the Italian westerns popular at the time. Still, it's a pretty good movie with hard-boiled characters, splashes of blood, and a little bit of nudity thrown in, not to mention the score by Ennio Morricone's frequent arranger Bruno Nicolai.Telly Savalas is smooth and sinister, appearing to have a lot of fun, while George Maharis gives a likable, noble performance as his brother.Impressive looking stock footage pads out the action sequences nicely, but it's too easily distinguishable from the bulk of the film.

This unknown western concerns about Vince Carden (Telly Savalas) , he's a baron cattle and untameable owner who rules over a small town called Forge River in Arizona county . He's a cruel proprietary who buys Indian scalpels . His brother Paul (George Maharis) left the town but he nowadays goes back . The Vince Carden power will be modified in arriving his brother looking for revenge and his vision from law and justice differs quite of Vince . Each owed the other their circumstances but is now the moment of reckoning . Then, there happens a battle of wits among two brothers with their ill father (George Colouris) as witness (such as King Lear). This is a trigger-taut drama of the strangest brotherhood and confrontation between the West's most upright man and his deadliest baron land .The movie displays shootouts , love and hatred, stampedes, fighting , it is plenty of violence and contains effective action sequences such as the Apache raid on the wagons and on the small town . The film gets remarks from Spaghetti Western , thus the customary violent battles and shoot'em up , extreme and exaggerated baddies and ambition and vengeance as usual themes . Telly Savallas as brutal villain is excellent though sometimes overacting , he starred various Spaghetti Western ( Pancho Villa, A reason to live a reason to die, Criminal story of an outlaw couple ), George Maharis as good brother is pretty well , besides gorgeous Arlene Dahl ( married to Fernando Lamas and Lorenzo Lamas's mother ) as his wife and Fernando Rey ,as usual, playing a priest . Atmospheric , adequate musical score by Bruno Nicolai , habitual collaborator to Ennio Morricone and colorful cinematography by Wilkie Cooper . Jesse Lasky Jr ( Cecil B Mille's ordinary screenwriter and son of great producer , Jesse Lasky ) wrote the interesting scrip . The picture was shot in Almeria ,Spain , where in the 60s and 70s were filmed several Western . The motion picture is realized by a magnificent trio , the producer Charles H Schneer , the cameraman Wilkie Cooper and the director Nathan Juran , they made sensational Sci-fi and fantastic movies , such us : ¨First men oh the moon¨, ¨The 7th voyage of Simbad¨ , ¨20 million miles to earth¨, among others.