[quote=“mike siegel, post:34, topic:1805”]RIO LOBO surely
isn’t worse than CONVOY :)[/quote]
Amen to that!
Please correct me if I’m wrong, as I may be, but I’ve always been under the impression that Convoy was made after the novelty record Convoy had become a hit, thus a cash-in on the popularity of the single and the ensuing, short lived, truck drivers and CB radio fad.
Or have I been mistaken all these years and it was the film came first?
Otherwise I’ve always been baffled why someone of Peckinpah’s skill and vision would make that movie, unless it was an attempt to get some cash in the bank.
[quote=“Mortimer, post:42, topic:1805”]Please correct me if I’m wrong, as I may be, but I’ve always been under the impression that Convoy was made after the novelty record Convoy had become a hit, thus a cash-in on the popularity of the single and the ensuing, short lived, truck drivers and CB radio fad.
Otherwise I’ve always been baffled why someone of Peckinpah’s skill and vision would make that movie, unless it was an attempt to get some cash in the bank.[/quote]
I think you are right on both counts, Mortimer.
Mike could tell us more as he is the Peckinpah expert; but, I think you are close if not altogether correct.
However, I do know for a fact that the film was definitely done AFTER the big hit record of the same name.
My favourite Peckinpah film is BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA or THE GETAWAY, i can’t make my mind up which one.
Anyone else care to name their favourite one?
The Wild Bunch followed by Garcia.
I really can’t pick a single favorite Peckinpah film, frankly.
I listed my favorite Peckinpah films earlier in this thread someplace.
But, here they are again:
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
THE WILD BUNCH
PAT GARRET & BILLY THE KID
BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA
I really do find it too hard to pick a top favorite among these four.
Yes its a difficult question, but I think my top 5 would be.
- Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia
- The Wild bunch
- Ride the high Country
- The Getaway
- Cross of iron
BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA
Most days, this is my pick too.
[quote=“Mortimer, post:42, topic:1805”]Please correct me if I’m wrong, as I may be, but I’ve always been under the impression that Convoy was made after the novelty record Convoy had become a hit, thus a cash-in on the popularity of the single and the ensuing, short lived, truck drivers and CB radio fad.
Or have I been mistaken all these years and it was the film came first?
Otherwise I’ve always been baffled why someone of Peckinpah’s skill and vision would make that movie, unless it was an attempt to get some cash in the bank.[/quote]
Yes, it was done after the song. There are different points why he made that film:
- he was always afraid he would be out of work again (3 years in the mid 60’s after DUNDEE),
and CONVOY was offered to him by EMI (CROSS OF IRON) while he was still working on CROSS OF IRON.
So his next film was safe. - He saw something in CONVOY that would allow him to make ‘more’ of it. THere are parallels to
WILD BUNCH (Rubber Duck/Pike Bishop liberating Spider Mike / Angel whom he thinks pays for
his actions; a VIVA ZAPATA! - like revoltionary attempt and more. He saw those truckers as the outlaws
of the 20th century. - There was nothing else worthwhile on the line. Also he needed a ‘hit’ again. Like GETAWAY after
JUNIOR BONNER (makes my Top 5 Peckinpah). GARCIA flopped & KILLER did o.k. but nothing more.
I have an long interview with him from 1979 where he talks a lot about CONVOY. To him it was
not a ‘Sam Peckinpah film’ due to the fact that EMI took the film away from him during editing.
He wanted his name removed too. Garner Simmons visited him during editing and saw an earlier
version which surely wasn’t a masterpiece but ‘much much better than what was finally released’.
Peckinpah’s version was much more dramatic for instance: it ended with the explosion.
But I like the ending with the laughter. It mirrors the laughing at the end of TWB.
And it somehow fits the film, and the film is for me a fitting end for 10 intense years of Peckinpah films. I said it elsewhere, Convoy is a light version of TWB, but it is a typical Peckinpah in nearly every respect.
What set it apart from other mainstream action films, is that Convoy still has a lot of brilliantly filmed scenes.
I do like most of his pre-Bunch/Cable movies (with a soft spot for DEADLY COMPANIONS), and don’t really like the films he made afterwards; there are great things in most of them, but they remain flawed masterpieces at best (and more often bad films with some great things in 'm). I guess The Getaway is the film of this period with the least major flaws; it’s a well-told thriller with a nice flow. GARRET & THE KID has some of the best scenes of his entire career, but too much in it feels wrong, as if we’re only watching a pseudo-Peckinpah, a shadow of things that could’ve been. I don’t think I ever saw Convoy a-z.
I’ve only seen two, The Wild Bunch and The Ballad of Cable Hogue. Both were excellent, and made my top 100 list, so I’m on the lookout for more of his films.
Ordered Mike Siegel’s PASSION & POETRY: THE BALLAD OF SAM PECKINPAH from Amazon.de, today!
I have been looking forward to seeing this film for a long, long time. Thanks to Stanton (I believe it was) who told me that it had been released on DVD in Germany, awhile back—otherwise, I would have still been waiting around!
Can’t wait to see it!
I’d no idea the doc was out either - I’m sure it will be worth the long wait. Mike’s book of (almost) the same title is a treasure trove for Peckinpah fans, even those of us who can’t speak German.
You can also buy it at
ebay.co.uk (free shipping to the UK) and from my website www.eldorado-film.de
I’ll include a Peckinpah photo & a promo card (not included with Amazon orders)
Thanks for buying !
I’m just about to finish the supplements
for the German DEADLY COMPANIONS (Koch-media).
I don’t like ‘best of…’ kind of talk, but this
will be the best DVD on that title worldwide for a long time.
Good to hear. I will get it
Now you tell me–after I already ordered it from Amazon! ;D
Looking forward to that Koch Media DVD of THE DEADLY COMPANIONS, too!
I have an older Japanese release that is fine, but it will obviously be no match for the upcoming Koch release.
I’m sorry, I’m new here 
Actually I posted this quite prominently in other forums. For months.
I thought most people here visit the Leone forum all the time anyway…
Here’s more details:
Indy projects unfortunately often take a lot of time until they are ready for a release. I shot the film from December 2002 until early 2005, the first cut premiered at international festivals in 2005 & 2006.
August 2009 finally marks the release of the German 2 - Disc Special Edition DVD. It is available from my website www.eldorado-film.de, eBay Germany, eBay UK as well as www.amazon.de . I think the running time of 270 minutes makes the long waiting time worthwhile.
At this point I don’t know about UK / US DVD sales.
The German DVD is Codefree (0) / Pal, english language with optional German subtitles.
Disc 1:
PASSION & POETRY - THE BALLAD OF SAM PECKINPAH 115 min.
(audio - commentary by Mike Siegel in German & English language)
Disc 2:
STORIES ON A STORYTELLER three part documentary with additional interviews
- Pt1: THE WESTERNER 29 min.
- Pt2: ART & SUCCESS 36 min.
- Pt3: POET ON THE LOOSE 38 min.
MAPACHE TERRITORY 15 min.
Featurette on the WILD BUNCH locations in Mexico
ERNEST BORGNINE ON THE WILD BUNCH 15 min.
Interview featurette
MIKE’s HOMEMOVIES 14 min.
Behind the scenes, Retrospectives & Festivals
Independently produced the making of this project went on for many years. The last three years the film played international festivals and in 2005 bits of the filmed material were used for PASSION & POETRY: MAJOR DUNDEE, a 22 min. documentary included on Sony’s DVD of the extended cut of MAJOR DUNDEE. In 2007 I co-produced the German 2-disc DVD for STRAW DOGS , disc two contains some 70 minutes of PASSION & POETRY supplements. In 2010 the special edition for THE DEADLY COMPANIONS will follow.
The DVD-release includes a bonus disc with 150 min. of additional documentaries. I don’t know yet whether the set will ever be released in the US or the UK. But the DVD’s are codefree (PAL!) and all the content is in English anyway, as the film was shot in English language (with optional German subtitles only):
On youtube there’s a trailer to watch and also the 15 minute MAPACHE TERRITORY uploaded in two parts.
Ha ha! You would think that would be the case; but, I never visit there.
I signed up there a few years ago–but, had some issues with a few people that were firmly entrenched “old hands” there. Decided never to go back.
I am hoping my copy of PASSION & POETRY arrives before the end of the week (but, I have a feeling it won’t get here that quickly).
After seeing what the DVD set contains, I am even more anxious than I was before!
Thanks for posting the pics, amigo!