Ulzana's Raid (1972)

Robert Aldrich pulls no punches in his unrelentingly brutal story of a reign of terror perpetrated on Arizona settlers by a bitter Apache warrior and the cavalry's frustrated attempts to stop him. Burt Lancaster, a longtime Aldrich collaborator and star of the similar 1954 Western Apache, brings his laconic, quietly authoritative presence to the role of McIntosh, a blunt-speaking, introspective old army scout with more respect than hate for his enemy. A very young Bruce Davison is the green-as-a-sapling Lieutenant DeBuin, fresh from West Point and filled with Christian ideals, thrown into the field against the vicious, tactically brilliant Ulzana. DeBuin is shocked and appalled at Ulzana's brutality--torturing male homesteaders to death, raping the women, leaving a trail of mutilated corpses--and as he struggles to understand Ulzana his values of Christian charity soon melt into racist hatred. Ulzana's tactics were familiar to Americans in 1972 who followed the war in Vietnam and the guerrilla attacks of the Vietcong. Like The Wild Bunch before it, Ulzana's Raid removes the sentimentality of Western ideals in its harsh portrayal of the violent world, though unlike Sam Peckinpah, Aldrich leaves the violence off-screen and allows the audience to see only the horrific aftermath. (These scenes are often graphic and not recommended for the squeamish.) It's a disturbing and powerful film, where the concept of good guys and bad guys becomes meaningless and the battle between cultures ultimately comes down to survival in a harsh world. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

Ulzana's Raid

Fans of "Valdez is Coming" should defintitely enjoy it. The two movies were made in the same timeline and Burt Lancaster did a fine performance in each. In this story once again he plays a similar role as a tracker. This time tracking an Apache leaving a path of destruction. I highly recommend this movie, but I highly recommend you don't pay the outrageous sellers that should not be allowed by Amazon to sell for $75 to $339. Eventually this will be made available on DVD again for a reasonable price. If you have a multi-region player you definitely can find it cheaper. If you enjoyed this catch "The Professionals" and "The Hallelujah Trail".

CA Luster August 28, 2008

An examination of Christian morality in the Old West

The accomplished Burt Lancaster plays gruff and experienced Army scout McIntosh in the visually stunning "Ulzana's Raid", filmed on location in Arizona and Nevada. Lancaster is accompanying, pivotal character in the movie Lt. DeBuin played by a youthful Bruce Davison. Davison, a green, naive newly commissioned junior officer is leading a troop of cavalry soldiers in search of Apache chief Ulzana.

Ulzana and a band of renegade braves have broken out of the reservation and are marauding through the countryside in the Arizona territories, cutting a swath of destruction in their wake. Ulzana and his war party are burning, raping and pillaging homesteaders as they made their way towards the Mexican border.

Davison aided by Lancaster has been ordered to either kill the merciless Ulzana or capture him and return him to the reservation.

The film serves as a coming of age for Davison, the son of a Christian minister. The brutal devastation left behind by the Apaches force Davison to question his Christian idealogy, as his hate for his foes mounts. He begins to appreciate Lancaster's respectful posture in his dealing with the dreaded Apaches.

Director Robert Aldrich adds a healthy dose of violence in his film, a useful tool to create conflict in the immature mind of Davison. Cinematographer Joseph Biroc effectively captured the desolate expanse of the Southwest with some dazzling panoramic vistas. September 3, 2006

Bleak Narration of a Rough Chase.

Robert Aldrich is a well known film director with more than 30 titles in his account. Many are great "hits" as "The Dirty Dozen" (1967) and "What ever happened to Baby Jane?" (1962) and some are standard stuff.
Apaches and the Wild West figure more than once in his filmography as "Apache" (1954) and "Vera Cruz" (1954).

When he directed this movie he was almost ending his career and felt free to take some risks. This film is risky and gives a stern look to Apache and White Men confrontation. Many of the scenes presented are cruel and barbarous but not gratuitous. They blatantly are inquiring for "Why this cruelty?" and the explanation come from Ke-Ni-Tay's mouth, voicing Apache's beliefs and traditions, giving a rationale to their procedures.
I've recently reviewed some films dealing with similar subject, not one of them is as bluntly direct and believable as "Ulzana's Raid".
Aldrich's movie shows no "Blue Coat Heroes", no "Native Shining Knights". Shows just rough men immersed in a deadly confrontation trying their best to outsmart and annihilate the enemy. Yet, best human traits still emerge from this dry opus: self-sacrifice and loyalty; need for understanding and respect for the defeated.

The story centers in a group of nine Apaches leaded by Ulzana, which flee San Carlos Reservation and start a raid, creating havoc and devastation in their path. A small detachment conducted by a very "green" Lieutenant, an old White scout and an Apache scout follow the rogue party to put an end to their "amok run".

Burt Lancaster fleshes McIntosh with all his skill depicting a hardboiled scout having to bear the "authority" of the inexperienced military. Jorge Luke as Ke-Ni-Tay, Joaquin Martinez as Ulzana, Bruce Davison as Lt. De Buin and Richard Jaeckel as the Sergeant are very convincing.
A tough movie to watch, not commendable for young and/or impressionable audience. Nevertheless a "keeper" if you like "untamed realistic" Western!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
December 23, 2004

Over Priced DVD

I have the VHS of this movie. I would rate the movie as outstanding. I have waited for the DVD to come out but in my opinion it way over priced and people like me who are retired and on a fixed income cannot afford to pay the price you ask. If it comes down, a lot, I will save up my money and purchase this DVD. March 22, 2004

Smashing performances and cult film...

No excuse to do not see the best ever film about raiding apaches on the loose... the scout (masterfully played by Burt Lancaster), the green lieutenant of US Cavalry... the way of living and dying in the Southwest... gritty and nasty but TRUE TO LIFE.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (the long version of course)!!!

ADB

PS: OK, for European readers... the UK version has been badly edited by some idiot who thought killing defenseless horses is inappropriate and not politically correct... making the film main plot completely non understandable... or senseless...
SO BUY THE LONG VERSION... LOOK AT THE MINUTES OF THE MOVIE... anyone can have a multi region DVD or "crack" the region looking at the way to do it in Internet... May 21, 2003

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