November 27, 2007
Gooses Wild
I had a bug of some sort over the past weekend, flu-like symptoms and so forth, and kept somewhat low key. It’s still there, but seems to be finally clearing up.
Needless to say, I watched a lot of movies and, being me, imbibed large quantities of my favorite flu medicine, a prescription whose suffix is VSOP.
One of the DVDs I watched is one of my absolute favorite all-time action films (I hadn’t viewed it since it was released nearly 30 years ago, and had looked for it on and off for some time before finally discovering that Second Spin had about half a dozen copies — suddenly, right out of the blue, and I ordered it at once), The Wild Geese.
The Wild Geese is about mercenaries on a mission in Africa.
The acting was majorly enjoyable (Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Roger Moore, Hardy Krüger and Stewart Granger), and the action was more realistic than that in most such films, as the technical director of the movie was one Colonel “Mad Mike” Hoare, a “been there, done that” real life merc who’s among the best known in his chosen field.
The above linked Answers dot com bio gives testimony to Hoare’s rather colorful professional background and references the books he’s written on same. Faulkner, Richard Burton’s character in The Wild Geese, was based on Mad Mike.
If you want to see a truly enjoyable action flick, one that’s going on three decades old yet hasn’t gotten nearly enough fanfare, this is it.
(On a note of interest, Richard Burton passed away early on during the filming of Wild Geese II, which, both without him and via the plot, etc, was, in my humble opinion, a “968 thumbs down” offering.)
http://hardastarboard.mu.nu/wp-trackback.php?p=762
November 28th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Stewart Granger no doubt returned to the dark continent to revisit King Solomon’s Mines (1950)..
November 28th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
BB –
This is true, though he had to join Doug Phillips and Tony Newman in order to go back those 29 years, and then he had to endure the subsequent humiliation of being replaced by fellow time travelling, Shogunic sawbones Richard Chamberlain.
November 29th, 2007 at 10:31 am
aw..feel better my friend..I would offer u chicken
soup if u were here..heh!
November 29th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Great movie! Have it on DVD and watch it regularly. My chill movie whrn I’m sick is, “In Harms Way, ” with the Duke, Kirk Douglas and Patricia Neal. Great movies never get old no matter how many times you watch them.
Glad our feeling better and hope for a quick and full recovery!
November 29th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Angel –
Thanks.
I’ve had to settle for the canned variety of chicken soup, but I think brandy is contibuting equally or more to the cause, LOL.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Ken –
I’m glad I finally got a copy of The Wild Geese. I could watch it a lot and never get tired of it.
In Harm’s Way is a great movie, as well.
Thanks, the flu or whatever bug seems to be about gone, hopefully never to return…
November 30th, 2007 at 7:57 am
I’ve never seen The Wild Geese. I’ll check my local video store for it. Sounds like a movie that Mr. AOW would like too!
Feeling better now, Seth? Good!
November 30th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
AOW –
Having met him, I think Mr. AOW would LOVE the film.