# Clint Eastwood: The Universal 7 Film Collection - Blu-ray Review



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=45762[/img] 
*Title: Clint Eastwood: The Universal Pictures 7 Movie Collection* 

*Movie:* :4stars:
*Video:* :3.5stars:
*Audio:* :4stars: 
*Extras:* :2stars: 

*HTS Overall Score:*74




*WARNING: THE SCORES ABOVE ARE A COMBINED SCORE FROM ALL 7 FILMS, THE INDIVIDUAL SCORES ARE CONTAINED BELOW IN THE INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OF THE REVIEW*

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=45770[/img]*Summary*
Clint Eastwood is just one of those actors that defines success in Hollywood. He’s been making movies since he was a baby faced boy, still acts occasionally to this day and had a directorial resume that proves that you don’t have to be young to be popping out hits. Back in the 1960’s he was America’s favorite western superstar next to John Wayne, and in the 70’s he started branching out from the tough guy persona and became a leading man that dominated for many years. A heartthrob who didn’t have to have a bodybuilder’s physique to make the ladies swoon, and that famous glowering stare that would make men cower in their boots. This collection of 7 Clint Eastwood films spans that 60’s to 70’s generation that cemented him as an icon in our movie collections with a trio of westerns already released as singles (“High Plains Drifer”, “Two Mules for Sister Sara” and “Joe Kidd), along with a never been released 4 pack of 1970’s thrillers (“The Beguiled”, “Coogan’s Bluff”, “Play Misty for Me”, “The Eiger Sanction”) that will complement any Clint Eastwood fan’s collection quite nicely. 



*High Plains Drifter * :4.5stars:
Clint Eastwood has been itching to break into the director’s chair for a while now and made his breakout film with “Play Misty for Me”, a wild change of pace from his titular western character. Only a couple years later, Clint is back again in the director’s chair and back in the saddle as well with a movie that blends a little bit from the thriller category and lot from the guns and horses genre that made him so famous. “High Plains Drifter” is one of his darkest western’s to date, with a bitter take on revenge and the old west, painting almost no one in a positive light and leaving the audience wondering how much of a supernatural twist really WAS in the film they just saw.

The town of Lago is saved (or is it) at the last moment by an unknown gunfighter (Clint Eastwood). Riding out of the blue, the gunfighter is met by some less than friendly characters and promptly comes out on top, with a few less bullets in his six shooter and several bodies on the streets. Realizing his prowess, the townsfolk of Lago beg him to stay and protect them for three gunfighters who the town sent away to prison and are now out and looking for revenge. Seeing the opportunity to live the high life, with a town of desperate people who will give him whatever he wants, the gunfighter sticks around and starts prepping the town folk to kill their worst fear. 

The gunfighter is less than a pleasant character. He takes what he wants without caring, he humiliates and abuses the people in the town for his preparations, all the while walking around town with a familiarity that is eerie for those around him. Interspersed throughout the narrative are flashbacks to several years ago of a man being whipped to death by the three villains while the town just watches on. It seems their sheriff had been beaten and whipped to death in the main street, begging for help and mercy while the entire town did nothing. It’s never fully said, or even blatantly hinted, but the comparisons between the gunfighter and the sheriff flicker up every once in a while, making his familiarity with the town and vicious humiliation of the town folk something to wonder about. 

It’s obvious that the strange gunfighter is up to something from the moment he enters town, as he takes what he wants and shows no regard for what little law there is. Once he takes on the role as “protector” his actions are wildly bizarre, from giving the role of Sheriff to the town idiot in order to tick off the rest of the people, to his unique and humiliating tactics he uses to prep the town for a fight. As the clock unwinds it slowly becomes clear the purpose of the gunfighter’s tactics, at least in terms of their survival, but there is an enigma wrapped in a riddle that is the mysterious scowling stranger. Just who is he? Where does he come from? And WHY does he seem to know the town folks weaknesses so mysteriously well? Clint Eastwood doesn’t come out and say it, but the correlations are rather clear, yet still shrouded in mud by the time the movie ends. His casual portrayal of the vicious killer is less self-serving, but more of a vengeful angel, coming to deal retribution for some sin unknown to those receiving it. 

The movie is harsh, it’s brutal, but it’s all Clint Eastwood. We’ve got gunfights, spurs, horse whippings, and our unnamed protagonist (I can’t exactly call him a hero) scowling over the corner of a slender cigar the entire time. There are moments of wry black humor, but the film takes a decidedly serious tone and one that even dips into the supernatural once or twice, creating a unique hybrid of Western and thriller together for one of Clint Eastwood’s most well-known films. 


[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=45778[/img]*Two Mules for Sister Sara* :4.5stars: 
A Year before their collaboration with “The Beguiled”, Clint and Don Siegel came together to film a light hearted western action/comedy by the name of “Two Mules for Sister Sara”. Cheeky and full of laughter, the film has all the dressings of a great western, but with more than a little comedy that gives the viewer time to giggle and cheer evenly. Playing a mercenary named Hogan, Clint Eastwood is out to live life in comfort, or at least as little pain as possible as he fills up his innards with about as much booze as he possibly can. This changes a bit when he runs into a group of outlaws trying to take advantage of a young woman out in the wilderness during the French invasion of Mexico. Taking care of the outlaws with a fistful of lead, Hogan comes to find out that the beautiful young woman is actually a nun, on her way with supplies for Mexican revolutionaries who are trying to break free from the French rule. Hornswaggled into acting as her protector, Hogan begrudgingly agrees to take her to her destination unmolested. 

You’ve got all the trappings of a classic western here. Gunfights, explosions, more gunfights and a showdown between the villains which requires, you guessed it, more gunfights and explosions. It’s pretty obvious from the get go that the nun, Sara (Shirley MacLaine), is a bit more than meets the eye. The pious girl shows more than a few cracks in her armor as high intensity encounters with villains are speckled with her able to pound down half a 5th of whiskey and the occasional bit of salty language that pops out from her mouth. Normally you’d be able to see all the signs early on, but Siegel does a great job at keeping the third act twist from being realized too early. The film is very straightforward, but doesn’t insult your intelligence of have you roll your eyes at having seen the ending coming a mile away. The third act twist itself isn’t a game changer, but adds another layer to the relationship between Hogan and Sara, cementing the events to come and creating the perfect reason for Hogan to stay on and help past what he’s already agreed to.

For a PG film, there’s plenty of action strew around and a LOT of great interactions between Eastwood and MacLaine. The bridge scene with the Glycerin and the sharpshooting is a fantastic piece of western film making and the back and forth dialog between the two actors is stellar. The two have a decidedly flirtsy relationship that reeks of the odd couple. Clint the harsh mercenary, with the lovely nun doing her best to keep the amorous Hogan away. The two fire back and forth with one liners and intricate arguments that are really a delight to behold. The film itself is a solid western, but had it not been for the two stars and their fantastic chemistry, this easily could have been a lesser affair. Instead we have a fantastic western that is one of my favorite Eastwood western’s to date, easily on par with “High Plains Drifter”, albeit for VERY different reasons. 

*Joe Kidd* :3.5stars:
Joe Kidd (Clint Eastwood), is ner do well cowboy who gets into more than his share of fights around town. Awaiting a trial date for hunting on Native land, Joe Kidd decides to wait it out in jail, just so he can tick off the local sheriff. While in jail, the town of Sinola is terrorized by a Mexican revolutionary named Chama (John Saxon), who is angry at having native land being stolen by the government and willing to make a statement, even if it’s a violent one. After attacking a U.S. town, Chama becomes a wanted man, with every bounty hunter in New Mexico out for his hide. Bring in Frank Harlan (Robert Duvall), a wealthy landowner who has an eager desire to see Chama killed rather than brought to justice. Hired on as a guide for his skills, Joe Kidd and Harlan team up to take down Chama.

Utilzing Chama’s Sister as leverage, the hunting party sets out to take down the Mexican guerilla. As the party gets deeper into the wilderness, the vicious nature of Harlan and his men start to grate on the wild card Joe Kidd. Realizing that there is more to this situation than meets the eye, he becomes more of a hindrance to the hunting party than a guide. Finally Joe can take it no more and takes matters into his own hands. While he doesn’t agree with Chama and what he’s done, Kidd isn’t willing to watch Harlan wipe out dozens of innocent villagers and murder Chama before he can come to trial. 

“Joe Kidd” doesn’t really stand out as one of Eastwood’s finest, but it’s still a fun western. It plays to his stereotypical strengths, with him squinting over a cigar and snapping out testy comments to irritate everyone around him. Guns fire, the girl is always his, and the villains are sleazy little worms who deserve everything they get. The script and the acting are nothing tor really write home about, as we’ve seen them all before, but Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall really make them work as the charisma and effortless excitement they create are palpable even through the rather socially inspired script. Duvall is excellent as always, and it really through me for a loop to see him as a YOUNG man for once. I’m so used to that leathery and wrinkled face that seeing him with some hair on his head and a mustache almost caused me to not recognize him. There’s a lot of fun to be hand in the film, as Eastwood toys with Harlan’s main goon, a dimwitted, violence prone thug played by Don Stroud, and the back and forth toying that Eastwood does is easily the highlight of the movie. The downside comes from Elmore Leonard’s script. Trying to deal with social injustice, it tends to act more like a blunt instrument than a finely sharpened razor, giving the end result a bit less polish and flair than it could have been. 

*The Beguiled* :4stars:
Yankee soldier John McBurney (Clint Eastwood), is found behind enemy lines by young Amy ( Pamelyn Ferdin), a young ward of a seminary school for girls down in Dixie. Taking him back to the headmaster Martha (Geraldine Page), the female staff are ready to alert the Confederate scouts that a prisoner has been found, but some remnant of pity sparks within and Martha agrees to hold him prisoner until his wounds heal. Upon awaking, Lt. McBurney soon becomes charming the girls from every station. Amy is adorable and McBurney has more than enough charm to have her wrapped around his pinky. The rest of the older girls soon begin falling for him in some sort of romantic or lustful way, as they have been without male companionship for quite a long time as the war wages on. Soon backstabbing and vicious jealousy arises as McBurney is fought over and twisted about. 

However, McBurney himself is no innocent angel. Every word that comes out of his mouth is a manipulative lie, as director Don Siegel shows flashbacks and conflicting events as the wounded soldier spouts out all the innocent deeds he’s done and his simplistic desires. Manipulating the girls into doing and feeling what he wants, his machinations culminate in a misogynistic drunken rampage that turns everyone against him in a way that will leave you shocked. 

If you’re not familiar with Don Siegel’s works, you’d think this as some giant misogynistic dream come true, but if you watch closely, you can see the paintings of a society entrapped by war and the inner demons that everyone struggles with. These struggles are amplified and taken to extremes, but every character on screen, besides the innocent Edwina, devolves into baser instincts. Every person there has a bit of the devil in them, from the twisted past of seminary teacher Martha, to the overly sexual Carol, even to a simple child as Amy, who seems about as innocent as she can be, until her humanity is driven to a point that brings out her own evilness. Not a single person (well, besides Edwina) can be considered a good person. Many of them have some elements of good, but they are all repulsive characters that leave you feeling horrified and sick to your stomach. Gothic is really the best way of describing “The Beguiled”, as it leaves you feeling like you watched an Edgar Allan Poe tale, with the heroes being villains, and the villains being villains. Siegel weaves the intricacies of the tale together in a horrific display of evil and manipulation (on both sides of the fence) and masterfully captures the essence of humanity at their worst. Eastwood is more subtle in his role here, with less squinting and more emoting during the more aggressive moments. The sequence where he finds out his leg has been amputated in revenge is especially visceral as you see the manipulative charlatan show his true colors and the murderous killer is revealed. 

*Coogan's Bluff* :3stars:
“Coogan’s Bluff” marks the start of Don Seigel’s work with Eastwood, with a decidedly mediocre starting film. Coogan’s bluff blends mild elements of the western genre into a modern day (at least at the time), crime thriller. Deputy Coogan is basically Clint Eastwood playing his normal rough and tumble character. He’s violent, he’s loose with the women, and he shows no respect for authority. Being charged with the job of extraditing a criminal named James Ringerman (played by James Stroud) from New York City, the Arizona wilds cop has to go to the big city and pull the guy back. Ringerman is in custody at a rehab facility as he overdosed on LSD the day before and Coogan is forced to wait a few days before he can take Ringerman back to Arizona. Coogan sees no need to wait, so he bluffs his way into the medical facility and takes the criminal himself to the airport. Only problem is that Ringerman has a henchman waiting for him, along with his drugged out girlfriend, Linny Raven (Tisha Sterling). 

Humiliated by the escape and stripped of his privilege in the big city by the New York City police department, Coogan has to try and track down the killer himself and redeem his failure (all against orders of course). Tracking down the henchman is easy enough, but using Linny as bait to lure out Ringerman is a much taller order. That is, all he needs to do is sleep with her and voila, the gates open (insert sarcasm). 

“Coogan’s Bluff” is a bit of a weak film for Clint. Its main plot is fairly straightforward and filled with some of the more misogynistic sensibilities of the day. Coogan runs roughshod over everyone, whether they are the police department, or just women kind in general. He’s the typical ladies’ man, able to make women swoon at one look, and their “oh no’s” turn into “oh yes’s” despite his cursory treatment of them. The main example of this is in the form of the social worker (Played by Susan Clark… “The Apple Dumpling Gang) who is handling Linny Raven’s case. She wants nothing to do with him, and is repulsed by his foul humor and philandering ways. By the end of the movie though, she’s forgiven him using her to get to Linny and his blatant disrespect for her as a woman, swooning over him leaving and waving like a giggling school girl. I’m not one to wave the “white Knight” flag, and I’m usually rather critical of people who complain about this sort of stuff in movies, but it’s a bit over the top and enough to make me say “seriously?”. 

The rest of the movie is just paint by the numbers. Coogan runs around hitting people, scowling at police officers and perps alike, while hitting on the female characters and culminating in the eventual victory over Ringerman. It’s a weak Eastwood film, but still, a weak Eastwood is at least a decent film to begin with, so it’s still very well worth a watch. 

*Play Misty for Me* :3.5stars:
After half of this set being director by Don Siegel, and Eastwood wanting to change his brand image, we have the directorial debut of Clint himself, veering away from the cop and western genres and instead focusing on a straight out modern thriller. The times were changing, and so was the audience’s desire for the standard western that Eastwood churned out year after year (with much style I might add). “Play Misty for Me” is basically your vanilla run stalker/slasher film, much like “Fatal Attraction”, just with a very 1970’s “Clint Eastwood” flair to the drama. 

Dave (Eastwood), is a minor league local DJ for a smooth jazz station in Carmel by the Sea, California, acting as an eclectic jockey who plays obscure Jazz songs and uses his silky voice to woo the city’s air waves. He always has a single listener who calls in and requests the song “Misty” every night, and never requests anything else. Meeting a young woman at a bar named Evelyn (Jessica Walter), the two hit it off and start a romantic fling. It comes to light early on that she is the one who requests “Misty” every night and that’s when things go downhill. Evelyn displays some rather neurotic tendencies, as she shows up uninvited to Dave’s house, and has some rather angry outburst to people around them. Realizing that she’s a bit too much for him, Dave decides to cut ties, and try to mend things with his ex-girlfriend, Tobie (Donna Mills). This proves way too much for Evelyn and she snaps completely, stalking the DJ to various appointments and even going so far as to slash her wrists in his room.

Not wanting to entangle his now girlfriend with the craziness, Dave tries to just ride it out and let her down easy, but Evelyn goes to greater and greater lengths to prove her maniacal love to him. Destroying his house finally, and putting his house keeper in the hospital, Dave finally gets the police involved and she’s sent off to a rehabilitation center. Things go back to normal, Tobie and Dave are back in love and the seas of chaos no longer churn with energy. Well, at least for a short time. Years later Evelyn is released from her facility and says goodbye to Dave over the phone, a goodbye that soon is revealed to be disingenuous, leaving Tobie and Dave is enormous danger, as the mentally unhinged woman tries to end the relationship once and for all. 

“Play Misty for Me” is a vanilla thriller, but Eastwood adds some of his personal flair to the movie that gives it a unique touch. The story is told and retold, crazy woman falls in “love” with a man, man soon finds out that she’s crazy as can be and tries to break it off. Woman goes nuts and tries to recreate the movie “Psycho” with a knife. Still, Eastwood adds that titular scowl that he’s so famous for and creates some unique pacing in that film, allowing for the film to feel fresh and no re-used material. Eastwood takes a decidedly softer take on his main character, with Dave not being as brusque and manhandling as he would be in other films that the director has done. Jessica Walter is the real star here, though, as she plays CRAAAAAAAAAZY really really well. The insanity and unhinged reality in her eyes is scary to behold, sending a chill down my spine whenever she went psycho on screen. It’s not a perfect directorial debut from one of my favorite actors, but it is an admirable effort that still creates a very enjoyable movie to watch. 

*The Eiger Sanction* :3.5stars:
Last on the list is another one of Clint’s films where he starred AND sat in the director’s chair. This time he’s back playing a Bond knockoff character (of which he supposedly declined the role of Bond back in the day if rumors are to be believed) and filling the 1970’s with another Spy flick. He’s basically the same type of character, rough, gruff, a ladies man, and plenty of espionage. Unfortunately, as cool as Eastwood is, it just isn’t on par with Bond, or even others in that same tire period in Clint’s resume. 

Jonathon Hemlock (Clint Eastwood) is an art professor teaching a college job, complete with adoring female students (one of which will do ANYTHING for a passing grade, if you know what I mean). Although he’s rough and tough, he also has a bit of an honorable side, and teaches his students to the best of his abilities. The secret behind the man is that he was once an assassin for the government and now lives out his days in comfort. Along comes his old boss, Dragon (Thayer David), an albino monster with an underground lair devoid of any light. Twirling his Bond villain mustache with hammy gusto, Dragon informs Hemlock that he has one last mission for him to complete, and that he won’t take no for an answer (of course using blackmail to do so). It seems that one of their agents has been murdered and that the two perpetrators are to be hunted down and “sanctioned” (otherwise known as your basic hit). The first one is easy to find, and dispatched with ease, but the second one is still unknown to them, only the location is known. 

The location is at Eiger Mountain, a cliff that Hemlock is very familiar with, as he is a mountain climber, and is forced to join an international climbing crew to infiltrate and find the killer. The manager of the resort at which they are staying is run by his old friend, Ben Bowman (George Kennedy), who puts Hemlock through the training regimen so that he can complete the climb. Along the way, Hemlock has to evade competing hitmen as well as find out just which member of the international climbing team is the killer. 

“The Eiger Sanction” just REEKS of desiring to capitalize on the popularity of Bond and makes no effort to hide it. Hemlock carries that confident attitude that gets the ladies and handily takes out thugs like they’re paper Mache with relative ease. Girls get a slap on the behind and all of them crave his attention (even the ones who want to kill him. We’ve got the token black girl (Jemima) as the main bond girl, and the silent Native American training guide as the second. Even the hitman who’s in the same area is an over the top gay man who names his dog “******” (you can’t get any more blunt and in your face than that). Still, the same deficiencies that keep this from greatness also serve as the main source of entertainment in the movie. Clint Eastwood’s scowling charisma (that’s a new phrase I’m coining) makes up for many of the flaws and that man knows how to manipulate the audience. He’s your typical 70’s portrayal of a man’s man, but he does it with such style and energy that you can’t help but love him. The plot itself is a bond recycle bin work, but it still has plenty of action scenes for the guys, a few love scenes and plenty of confusion on who the actual killer is. Not a powerhouse Eastwood flick, but an entertaining one nonetheless. 


*Rating:* 

Rated R and PG respectively





*Video* :3.5stars:

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=45786[/img]*High Plains Drifter* :4.5stars: 
“High Plains Drifter” is far and above the best transfer for these seven films. It looks as if it was taken from a very recent scan of the source elements and the results are EXCELLENT. Grain is intact and there is a mild amount of digital filtering done to reduce grain. It’s never invasive and works only to soften the heavy grain present in the old DVD version. Colors are bright and well saturated, and black levels stay strong and inky with good shadow detail. There’s a nice warmth to the colors and sometimes I noticed that oranges looked a bit TOO orange due to that warmth. Facial detail is amazing, as you can see every sweaty crease and crevice on the ragged town folk’s faces and the intricate stitching on the gunman’s leather gun belt. An excellent remastering job done for this title and shows just how good older movies can look if given enough care. 

*Two Mules for Sister Sara* :4stars: 
“Two Mules for Sister Sara’s” VC-1 encoded Blu-ray looks really good considering that it doesn’t appear to have been mastered recently. The image has a few speckles and flecks here and there on the screen, but details is very commendatory and both long shots and facial detail is strong. Some softness is there in the image, robbing us of a little bit of image detail and some minor filtering is present. Blacks are inky and strong, actually one of the strongest points of the transfer and the shadow detail is excellent. An overall pleasing image that should satisfy fans. 

*Joe Kidd* :4.5stars:
Much like “High Plains Drifter”, “Joe Kidd” looks like it came from a new remastering, and results are nearly as impeccable. Fine detailing is exceptional and once more the movie looks almost brand new. There is a little bit more filtering going on with this title, and I noticed a few waxy complexions, but nothing too offensive. Color is gorgeous and the rough New Mexico landscape looks pristine and crystal clear. The same can be said for the shadow detailing and black levels. Westerns have always been a great eye candy film, as they have so much natural and rugged beauty to look at. Green cacti, brown desert rocks and dirt, mixed with the brilliant reds, pinks, purples and other shades of color that pop up in a desert bloom. Excellent from beginning to end. 

*The Beguiled* :3stars:
“The Beguiled’s” 1.85:1 AVC encoded transfer leaves much to be desire, being the worst looking of the 7 movies. It’s obvious that this was taken from an older DVD maser that was not in the best of shape and hasn’t been cleaned up for HD. The image is awash with print damage and is rather dated and soft. There are speckles, flecks, and a bit of some judder on the disc, and colors look a bit muted. DNR is present as faces look a bit waxy and soft, more than I expected, even though there is some decent facial detail if you look for it. It’s not a travesty by any means, but rather an old beat up master that hasn’t been updated in quite a few years I’m guessing. 

*Coogan's Bluff* :3stars:
As with “Two Mules for Sister Sara”, “Coogan’s Bluff” looks rather pleasant with nice cheerful colors (look at Susan’s hair for example and her dress), with solid fine detail being present. Long shots can look a bit soft, and I noticed some mild filtering once again (surprise surprise), but as before, nothing really offensive, it’s just there if you know where to look. I had no problems with the black levels for the most part, although there is some crush present during the psychedelic club scene. It’s not the picture perfect, but it is a very reasonable looking catalog transfer that should leave most people very satisfied. 

*Play Misty For Me* :3stars:
These last 2 features are a bit underwhelming, as “Play Misty For Me” suffers from the same fate as many Universal catalog titles, and that is it is taken from a decade or more master that hasn’t been cleaned up in quite some time. Detailing is very soft, and while there is some very solid facial detail, some of it has been washed away with digital filtering. The print damage is actually surprisingly mild, and most of the negativity comes from some washed out colors and the softness displayed. Otherwise it’s a fairly decent transfer, with decently solid black levels and some pretty bright colors at times (although I have always chuckled how the fake blood in these old 70’s movies look bright orange). 


*The Eiger Sanction* :3stars:
“The Eiger Sanction” is also on the sub par side, with HEAVY filtering, giving the image a very smoothed over look. Colors are rather bright and cheerful, with great black levels, but the detail is very much subdued with the heavy DNR filter in place. I noticed some issues with crush, but a majority of the time the black levels are well done. There are some jaggies and the like around some scenes, but otherwise the disc is free of any compression issues and the bitrate is quite healthy. 





*Audio* :4stars:

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=45802[/img]
*High Plains Drifter* :4.5stars:
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio encode for “High Plains Drifter” is just as the good as the video encode. The audio experience isn’t as wildly dynamic as today’s films, but the front soundstage is very good, with solid channel separation and some instances of violence that explode around you. Surrounds are used well with the sounds of creaking saddles, and the plink of bullets blasting into buildings around the listener. LFE response is nice and deep, punctuating the quieter movements with some intense powerful low end. Dialog is always crisp and clean, with Clint Eastwood’s signature low voice coming through with perfect clarity. The score for “High Plains Drifter” has always been a personal favorite of mine, with a deeply haunting and melancholy feel to it, setting the mood for the vengeance to come. 

*Two Mules for Sister Sara, Joe Kidd, Coogan's Bluff, Play Misty for Me, The Eiger Sanction* :4stars:
These next 4 movies are going to be reviewed together, as their 2.0 DTS-HD MA audio tracks share many similarities due to the same channels of audio as well as being filmed in the same time frame, they are tend to share similar characteristics. All 4 tracks sound really well done, with solid voice replication as well as good use of the front soundstage. Bullets shatter the silence and add to the ambience, while the roaring of a motorcycle chase in “Coogan’s Bluff” is equally impressive. Low end is usually very mild, baked into the two channel audio and clarity is rather solid. Very impressive and solid representation of the time period.

*The Beguiled* :3.5stars:
Just as “The Beguiled” had the most frustrating of the video tracks, it’s 2.0 DTS-HD MA audio track isn’t much better. There are some good reasons for it, as not only is the track rather old, but the movie doesn’t exactly call for a whole lot. It’s mainly dialog with a few creaking sounds of the old seminary plot to fill out the soundstage. The vocals are very hushed for a majority of the film, but the track does a solid job at keeping them cohesive and readily audible. There is next to no LFE needed or used in the movie, and basically we have a VERY dialog driven movie punctuated with the creepy gothic score. 



*Extras:* :2.5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=45794[/img]
High Plains Drifter
• Theatrical Trailer
Two Mules for Sister Sara
• Theatrical Trailer
Joe Kidd
• Theatrical Trailer
The Beguiled
• Theatrical Trailer
Play Misty for Me
• Play it Again: A Look Back at 'Play Misty for Me'
• 'The Beguiled,' 'Misty,' Don and Clint
• Photography Montage
• Clint Eastwood Directs and Acts
• Evolution of a Poster
• Theatrical Trailer
The Eiger Sanction
• Theatrical Trailer




*Overall:* :3.5stars:

The quality of films on this set ranges from mediocre to excellent, both in the film department as well as in the technical specifications. Three of them have been released in singles last year or so, but the thriller set is brand new to Eastwood fans and heartily welcomed. The boxset comes with two cases, a triple pack of the Western’s that were already released, and a 4 pack case of the thrillers, making me wonder why this wasn't sold as a thriller boxset since the three westerns have already been released. With that being said, the boxset is well done for completionists and any Clint Eastwood fan will want this boxset to add to the collection. Recommended.

*Additional Information:*

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Robert Duvall, Verna Bloom, Jessica Walter, Geraldinen Page, Shirley MacLaine
Directed by: Clint Eastwood : Don Siegel : John Sturges : Don Siegel : Don Siegel : Clint Eastwood : Clint Eastwood
Written by: Ernest Tidyman : Alberg Maltz, Budd Boetticher : Elmore Leonard : Albert Maltz, Irene Kamp : Herman Miller, Dean Riesner : Dean Riesner, Joe Heims : Warren Murphy, Hal Dresner
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 AVC / 2.35:1 VC-1 / 2.35:1 VC-1 / 1.85:1 AVC / 1.85:1 AVC / 1.85:1 AVC / 2.35:1 AVC
Audio: ENGLISH: DTS - HD MA 2.0 French DTS-HD MA 2.0, French DTS 2.0, English DD 2.0
Studio: Universal Pictures
Rated: Not Rated/Not Rated/Not Rated/ Not Rated/Not Rated
Runtime: 105 minutes : 116 minutes : 88 minutes : 105 minutes : 94 minutes : 102 Minutes : 123 Minutes 
Blu-Ray Release Date: May 5th, 2015


*Buy Clint Eastwood: The Universal Pictures 7 Movie Collection Blu-ray on Amazon*




*Recommendation: Solid Buy​*






























More about Mike


----------



## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

Excellent review. I never seen any of his older movies. I will have to check them out. I didn't realize that in the 60's he was "America’s favorite western superstar next to John Wayne". Wow. Thanks for the review.


----------



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

tripplej said:


> Excellent review. I never seen any of his older movies. I will have to check them out. I didn't realize that in the 60's he was "America’s favorite western superstar next to John Wayne". Wow. Thanks for the review.


yup, those days made him famous. the man with no name trilogy (good the bad and the ugly etc,), he was the foreman and one of the main characters on the Show "Rawhide", he made "Hang em High", "Paint Your Wagon"... besides John Wayne I don't think there was anyone in his league ... even into the 70's he made a TON of westerns and by that time Wayne was declining and Eastwood was in his prime.

Thanks to Warner, Twilight Time, Olive and Universal we have all but 7 of his major films (that he starred in..there's a handful of films during the 50's and early 60s where he was just a minor character). I'd still kill for Warner to release "Paint Your Wagon" especially.


----------

