Reviewed by Louise Bolotin
Stars Kris Kristofferson, Anne Feinsilber, Rudy Wurlitzer | Written by Jean-Christophe Cavallin & Anne Feinsilber
UK certification E | UK RRP £15.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 82 minutes | Directed by Anne Feinsilber
This one is strictly for Western fans, particularly fans of Sam Peckinpah’s Pat McGarrett and Billy the Kid. It’s a rather dreamy yet stilted attempt to re-examine the tale of the outlaw Billy Kid (who was shot dead by Sheriff McGarrett) as well as examine the meaning of the Wild West in popular culture.
Feinsilber does a reasonable job of looking at the various film incarnations of the legendary tale and trying to get to the truth of who Billy the Kid really was. Kris Kristopherson, who played Billy the Kid in Peckinpah’s classic Western, narrates off-camera as Billy to give his “own” version of events. So far, so good, but Feinsilber can’t seem to make up her mind as to whether she’s making a straightforward documentary or something rather more arty. Comparing Billy to existentialist poets like Rimbaud and Verlaine seems rather bizarre given his chosen career path from bartender to horse thief and murderer.
This would have worked well as a straightforward portrait but the attempt to cram in a pretentious exploration of the West as a cultural metaphor in such a short film renders it flawed as neither ends up being examined satisfactorily. And at just 82 minutes running time, the price seems very steep.
EXTRAS * Just a stills gallery and some trailers.