Blu-Ray News #118: Junior Bonner (1972).

Directed by Sam Peckinpah
Starring Steve McQueen, Robert Preston, Ida Lupino, Joe Don Baker, Barbara Leigh, Ben Johnson, Dub Taylor

Sam Peckinpah’s Junior Bonner (1972) is a wonderful movie, plain and simple. And Kino Lorber’s bringing it to Blu-Ray this summer. Its previous DVD releases weren’t anamorphic, so this will be a huge leap forward.

If you haven’t seen it, you’re in for a real treat. I can’t recommend this one highly enough. Thanks to Paula for the photo of McQueen and Ben Johnson.

More Peckinpah Blu-Ray news — Criterion has announced Straw Dogs (1971) for June.

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Steve McQueen’s Bullitt Mustang Found In A Mexican Junkyard.

It’s a different kind of film preservation, and a very cool one at that.

The second of two 1968 Mustangs specially outfitted for Bullitt (1968) — and gloriously abused by Steve McQueen and the stunt team in the film’s chase scene, has been discovered in a junkyard in Mexico. (The other one’s locked away at some rich dude’s house, evidently.)

A restoration is underway — and I’m sure a lot of guys with deep pockets are making outlandish bids. I’d love to know how it got from Point A (San Francisco or the Warner Bros. lot) to Point B (painted white in Baja California Sur, Mexico) — and if any of McQueen’s Juicy Fruit gum wrappers are under the seat.

My iPod’s got Lalo Schifrin’s score going as I type this. And thanks to Jim Briggs for the tip.

RIP, Robert Vaughan.

Robert Vaughan
(November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016)

Robert Vaughan has passed away at 83.

Everybody’s gonna be all about The Man From U.N.C.L.E., which is fine. But he always impressed me in character roles, like the punk kid in the Western Good Day For A Hanging (1959) or as a slimy politician in Bullitt (1968). The scene above, about midway through the picture, has Vaughan being a real creep and Steve McQueen being cool as he eats a peanut butter sandwich. It’s a really great scene, just two good actors doing their thing.

Happy July 4th.

Here’s James Garner, Jud Taylor and Steve McQueen celebrating Independence Day in The Great Escape (1963). Here’s wishing you all a safe and happy one — try not to blow your fingers off.