Pale Rider [Blu-ray]

        After a nine-year break from the genre that made him an international star (the Western just before this one was The Outlaw Josey Wales, from 1976), Clint Eastwood returned in this gritty Western, crafted in the tradition of Shane and High Noon. Eastwood directed and stars as the nameless stranger known only as "Preacher," because he rides into a beleaguered mining town wearing a clerical collar. He's either an agent of death or an angel of mercy, and the echoes of Shane ring loud and clear when he comes to the aid of independent miners who are being terrorized by a local tycoon (Richard Dysart) and his ruthless band of hired guns. Befriended by a miner (Michael Moriarty) and idolized by the miner's wife and daughter (played by Carrie Snodgress and Sydney Penny, respectively), the "Pale Rider" sparks the defiant spirit of the underdog miners and takes after the bad guys with single-minded purpose.

Comment:
    This is one of my fav. Clint Eastwood westerns! i received this movie like brand new!One of the best Clint Eastwood westerns of all time. A retelling of the Shane story, but done so much better. I don't even own Shane since this beats it in every way.Not very original (Clint got some ideas from previous westerns) but probably the coolest Clint Eastwood western of all time. Although "Unforgiven" was more realistic and "The Outlaw Josie Wales" had a better story, this one is cooler. The "Preacher" was also a better character than "The Stranger" from "High Plains Drifter." They should definitely put this one on HD DVD or Blu-ray.Let's face it, nearly all Westerns are morality plays about good vs. evil, you know, the "good guys" verses the "bad guys." The challenge for film makers is how to package this morality play in a new, refreshing, and interesting way. Pale Rider succeeds in doing this in several ways. First, the scenery and cinematography are stunning--the American West has spectacular vistas, and this movie takes full advantage (check the credits for site locations, you may want to visit them someday). Secondly, the characters are well developed--you cheer for the good guys and loathe the bad ones. The mining camp occupants being the good guys are here depicted as clean, decent, moral, family types (though in reality, mining camps were probably full of greedy crooks, gamblers, whoremongers, and drunkards). The bad guys are the greedy, corporate miners led by LaHood and his employees, plus the hired guns he employs to drive out the poor, subsistence mining camp families. Enhanced by elements of answered prayer, love triangles (or in this case, a love quadrangle), coming of age innocence in a young girl, rescue missions, and supernatural overtones, Pale Rider brilliantly weaves together all these elements leading to a spectacular reconing as the Preacher turned gunslinger strikes out to obtain justice for all. "Preacher...we all love you Preacher....I love you....Thank you....Goodbye." The ending just about brings tears to your eyes. If only we all had such an advocate in real life.