With Tony Farinella’s ever so enthusiastic review of Clint Eastwood’s 1985 western “Pale Rider,” I was quickly reminded of the various trailers made for it back in the day. Each trailer and television commercial made for it was dominated by the music of “Best Endeavours” which was composed by Alan Hawkshaw. That piece of music alone was enough to get me super excited about this particular motion picture.
But one particular trailer for “Pale Rider” which excited and stayed me throughout the years was its teaser. I first watched the teaser when it was included in the VHS release of “City Heat,” a movie which teamed up Eastwood with Burt Reynolds and eventually became one of my most inescapable guilty pleasures.
What makes this trailer for “Pale Rider” stand out for me is how it is composed simply of still images. Like the Italian movie trailer for Dario Argento’s “Suspiria,” it is the images which, in their stillness or frozen moments, spoke volumes. While Warner Brothers might have preferred more in the way of moving images, the still ones had much more of an impact on me.
Plus, it has a narrator telling us how Eastwood had previously directed the last great western back in 1976 with “The Outlaw Josey Wales.” This made the trailer’s promise of “Pale Rider” being the next great American western all the more thrilling. Whether or not you think “Pale Rider” proved to be such the thing, I admired the case the narrator sold us on.
As much as I wanted to see “Pale Rider” when it arrived in theaters, I was only ten years at the time, and it was rated R. The best I could do was watch Siskel & Ebert review it as I got to see movie clips there, and I did get to read the movie’s novelization which was written by Alan Dean Foster. For some odd reason, my parents never kept me from doing that.
I didn’t get to see “Pale Rider” until many years later, but that is a story for another time. And from now on, Alan Hawkshaw’s “Best Endeavours” will always forever be the “Pale Rider” theme to me. To others, it may forever be the theme for the British program Channel 4 News, but Channel 4 never secured permanent exclusivity rights for it at the time, so there!
Please check out the “Pale Rider” teaser trailer down below.
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
Clint Eastwood is synonymous with the Hollywood western in American cinema. For my money, the westerns of Eastwood are far superior than those of John Wayne. There is a subtlety and nuance to his films and his performances. While not all of them are Hollywood classics, they are a great example of old-school craftsmanship, especially when he’s behind the camera. He is behind the camera for “Pale Rider,” which is celebrating its 40th anniversary with this 4K release. It is a film I have not seen before, but after watching it for the first time, I fell in love with it immediately.
Our film is set in LaHood, California in Carbon Canyon, which is being run by an malevolent banker and a crooked marshal. The banker is named Coy LaHood, played by Richard Dysart. Since he doesn’t have the legal rights to kick the miners out of their homes, he uses violence and intimidation in an attempt to gain complete control of the land. This doesn’t sit right with Hull Barret, played by Michael Moriarty, as he’s trying to take care of his fiancée Sarah (Carrie Snodgress) and her daughter Megan (Sydney Penny). However, he’s finding little to no support in his battle against LaHood.
Megan’s prayers for peace are answered by a man known as the Preacher, played by Eastwood. He’s a mysterious and shadowy figure who shows up to save Hull after he’s attacked by four of LaHood’s men. Megan was having a hard time seeing the silver lining in much of anything after her father left, her grandfather passed away, and her dog was killed. LaHood has brought nothing but mayhem and destruction to Carbon Canyon. The Preacher, however, is not only giving Megan hope, but he’s also giving hope and faith to everyone in Carbon Canyon. They are not going to be kicked out of their homes, and they will not be bought off.
Westerns are often hit or miss with me as a film critic. When they are done with interesting characters, beautiful cinematography and focus on the quiet introspective moments, they connect with me and I’m completely absorbed. One of my favorite Westerns of all time is “Unforgiven,” which was also directed by Eastwood. It deals with the aftermath of the violence and the effect it has on those who have inflicted it on others. “Pale Rider” is about the people of Carbon Canyon and how they are trying to exist, survive, and live while under the thumb of LaHood. Eastwood, in many ways, is a supporting character in his own film. I imagine this was by design. When he does appear on screen, everything he does is thoughtful and understated. He has a terrific scene with Sydney Penny where he describes why they can’t be together romantically. It’s delicate and, in the hands of any other filmmaker, it would have been awkward and out of place.
It all leads to the big shootout between the Preacher and LaHood’s men along with Stockburn, the Marshal, played by John Russell. The shootout scene is impactful because Eastwood is a patient director and he takes his time in building up to the grand finale. At the end of the day, movies are simple—introduce us to characters we are invested in, set the stage, let the actors do their work, and get out of the way. Eastwood is one of the best in the business at doing that as a director, which is one of many reasons why he’s a Hollywood legend.
I’d also like to mention the work of Chris Penn in the film as LaHood’s son, Josh. Even though Sean Penn is more well-known and established as an actor, his brother Chris was a terrific character actor who really knew how to play a slimy and underhanded villain. I’ve always been a big fan of his work. Michael Moriarty plays a good man who is trying to do the right thing while simultaneously trying to maintain his manhood at the same time. In many ways, even though Eastwood receives top billing, he’s the lead in the film when it comes to screen time. Carrie Snodgress and Sydney Penny bring vulnerability, strength, and warmth to their performances. This is a terrific cast.
From start to finish, I was utterly engrossed in “Pale Rider,” and I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. There is a sense of mystery surrounding the Preacher character, and it is what keeps the story moving in a unique and captivating way. I like to be kept on my toes. Overall, this is the kind of movie I love as a moviegoer. The acting, from top-to-bottom, is phenomenal, the scenery is gorgeous, and the story is simple yet powerful. This is another in a long line of classic films from the great Clint Eastwood. The great thing about his filmography is there are still films of his I haven’t seen. He’s the gift that keeps on giving.
* * * ½ out of * * * *
4K Info: “Pale Rider” is being released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The release comes with a beautiful slipcover and a digital copy as well. There is a steelbook version of the film available for purchase if you are interested in steelbooks over slipcovers. I prefer slipcovers myself. The film has a running time of 116 minutes and is rated R.
4K Video Info: “Pale Rider” comes with a jaw-dropping 4K HDR transfer. The film looks magnificent. Westerns, in particular, are always a welcome addition to 4K. The landscapes are enthralling to look at and the colors are lively and vivid.
4K Audio Info: The Dolby Atmos track is out of this world as it is peaceful during the quieter moments in the film but it comes to life during the action sequences. Subtitles are included in English, Spanish and French.
Special Features:
The Diary of Sydney Penny: Lessons from the Set – NEW
Painting the Preacher: Bruce Surtees and Pale Rider – NEW
Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Reinventing Westerns
Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story
The Eastwood Factor
Should You Buy It?
HELL YES! “Pale Rider” is a great film. It was almost a perfect film, and I was very close to giving it four stars. In the end, I decided to give it three and a half stars, but when it comes to owning the 4K, it’s a no brainer. There are also new special features on this disc! So many physical media collectors often complain about the lack of new special features, but there are two new special features on this 4K disc. In total, there are over three hours of special features here! Clint Eastwood and Warner Brothers have a special relationship, and this is one of their finest films. The audio and visual aspects of the 4K are magnificent. This is one of my favorite 4K releases of 2025 so far, and I can’t wait to watch “Dirty Harry” and “The Outlaw Josey Wales” on 4K from Warner Brothers. They hit a home run with this release, and you owe it to yourself to add this film to your collection. This one comes highly recommended.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
Many of you probably know the story behind John Carpenter’s “The Thing.” It came out in the summer of 1982, two weeks after Steven Spielberg’s “E.T,” and while the alien from Spielberg’s movie was warm and cuddly, the one in Carpenter’s was cold, ugly, and utterly vicious. As a result, “The Thing” was quickly derided by both critics and fans alike, and no one hid their disgust towards Carpenter for what they saw as pornography of violence. In all fairness, however, the movie was released at the wrong time of the year. To release it during what Carpenter called the “summer of love” opposite not just “E.T.,” but also “Star Trek II” and “Tron” was a big mistake on the part of Universal Pictures, and they would have had more luck had they released it in the winter of 1982.
Years later, “The Thing,” like many of Carpenter’s movies, found the audience it deserved through home video and digital media. Perhaps it was ahead of its time, but it is now considered, and rightly so, one of the best horror and sci-fi movies ever made, and it is easily the best horror remake in a sea of horrendously crappy ones. It certainly plays better today than it did when first released, and it is still utterly terrifying 35 years after its release.Unlike the original Howard Hawks version of “The Thing,” Carpenter’s movie hews much closer to the short story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, Jr. The movie takes place at an American scientific research outpost in Antarctica, perhaps the coldest place on Earth. We are introduced to a bunch of men who are studying the surrounding area, and they look bored and listless as they pass the days smoking, drinking scotch, watching “Let’s Make a Deal” reruns, and playing ping pong. One day, they are met by a wolf being shot at by a Norwegian for no discernable reason. This later leads to events which make them realize they have encountered an alien of unknown origin unearthed from the ice after thousands and thousands of years. It then proceeds to imitate every creature it comes into contact with, and it is revealed any of them could be the thing. They have to destroy the thing before it reaches civilization because, once it does, it would mean the end of the world.
The premise of “The Thing” is genius because it allows for an unending escalation of tension and suspense throughout. Like the characters, you have no idea who to trust. The paranoia which closes in on the characters puts them in an airtight cage, and this cage gets smaller and smaller as it heads to its infinitely bleak climax. There are no women to be found which eliminates any sexual tension and could have added an unnecessary element to the movie. Many say this makes the movie sexist, but it is a ridiculous charge.
“The Thing” was released when the whole world started to become aware of the AIDS virus. The idea of any virus infecting us completely and rearranging our body to the point may have seemed unreal to us back in 1982. But today, it is a reality more horrifying than ever, and it presents itself with no cure. This makes “The Thing” even scarier to take in when watching it now. The scene where Dr. Blair (Wilford Brimley) observes a computer image of the virus infecting a human host is one of the movie’s scariest moments, and it feels like an all too real a possibility today. The only thing truly dated about the scene is the computer graphics look like they are from some old Atari game, but it doesn’t change anything.
This movie also marks one of several collaborations between Carpenter and Kurt Russell who started working together on the TV movie “Elvis.” After all these years, Russell can still make you believe he is a regular guy like the rest of us, and his role as helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady is one of his best. You never get the feeling Russell is acting here. Instead, he inhabits the character he plays, and you follow him every step of the way without any doubt of who the hero really is.
Carpenter cast “The Thing” perfectly with actors like Richard Masur, Richard Dysart, Donald Moffat and David Clennon. But one of the best performances comes from Brimley as Dr. Blair. In the past, we have seen him in countless oatmeal commercials and in roles as the grandfather we wished we had in our lives. But his role in “The Thing” offered him an opportunity to go completely against type. Brimley goes from curious to utterly horrified by what this unknown creature can do, and he ends up wreaking havoc in a way you would never ever see in an oatmeal.
Another great actor in this movie is Keith David who plays Childs. David has a don’t mess with me intensity, and he matches Russell’s intensity every step of the way. The tension between them is as frightening as is waiting for the thing to make its next horrifically gory entrance.
But let’s talk about who the real star of “The Thing” really is, and that is Rob Bottin who designed the movie’s horrifically brilliant special effects and makeup designs. Long before the advance of computer technology, Bottin had to make all these designs from scratch, and what he came up with is now considered a benchmark in his field. The thing mimics everything it touches, and this must have been a huge inspiration for him as it allowed his imagination to run amuck with infinite possibilities. You never know what’s coming next, and this makes “The Thing” even scarier.
Some have called this movie a “geek show” made only with the intention of grossing people out. Granted, a good case could be made for that, but “The Thing” explores a theme that is commonplace in many of Carpenter’s movies; the struggle to maintain one’s individuality. Of never letting go of who you are because it allows you to survive in a world which keeps finding new ways of robbing your individuality at any given opportunity. The threat of this loss is very real, and the characters have the unfortunate disadvantage of being stuck in one of the most remote and desolate places on Earth.
I also imagine a big complaint people have about “The Thing” is we never learn about the alien or where it came from. Basically, we know it’s from outer space which imitates whatever it comes in contact with, and it clearly deals with the cold better than any of us do. Here’s the thing, do we really need to know everything about this creature? Maybe not knowing is more terrifying than knowing. It leaves a lot of things to the viewer’s imagination which I love because it leaves so many possibilities open for how this horrific situation is going to play out.
“The Thing” truly is Carpenter’s masterpiece as it shows him to be a true master of horror and suspense. He endlessly generates unbearable tension throughout, and just when you think the movie has peaked, you realize it has not. Carpenter’s goal here is not just to make us jump out of our seats, but to make us feel the terrifying isolation and complete lack of trust these characters are forced to endure.
Carpenter has said “The Thing” was the first in his apocalypse trilogy (the other two were “Prince of Darkness” and “In the Mouth of Madness”), and it does have an unrelentingly bleak tone which made it seem completely out of place back in 1982. As time goes on though, many of us keep thinking the world is coming to an end with more deadly diseases like the Ebola Virus among others, and the scenario this movie presents us feels all the more frightening and immediate as a result.
Some movies are robbed of their greatness through the passage of time, and we watch them and wonder why we liked them in the first place. But “The Thing” is an exception as the passage of time has made it all the more effective. You can’t help but think its story was ahead of its time, and it remains one of those movies I never ever tire of watching. It has more than earned its place on the list of my all-time favorite movies.
The Ultimate Rabbit 