The Wild Geese (30th Anniversary Edition)
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List Price:
$19.98
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$17.99
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Manufacturer: Tango Entertainment
Starring: Richard Burton; Sir Roger Moore; Richard Harris; Hardy Kruger
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9781598370249
Format: Color
ISBN: 1598370243
Label: Tango Entertainment
Manufacturer: Tango Entertainment
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Tango Entertainment
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2005-09-27
Running Time: 130
Studio: Tango Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: 1978-11-11
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Editorial Reviews:
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Studio: Tango Entertainment Inc Release Date: 09/27/2005
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: "Geese" SOARS above "Dogs"
Comment: This movie is SO much better than "The Dogs of War". It has far more action and far more interesting characters. Unlike other reviewers, I feel the story is timeless, corruption of fledgling countries still goes on. All the actors are PERFECT, and NOT too old. It's a final payday, and they are experienced, so therefore they are not thirty.
The violence, at times, is graphic. The ill-trained African Army gets slaughtered in large groups, but the "Geese" also pay a high cost. No total happy ending, they don't make films like this anymore; movies today are primarily big robots, super-heroes and other toys. "The Wild Geese" is easily in my top ten.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: What An Action Film Should Be
Comment: Imagine a film with three major stars put together with a good script and some fine action and what do you get: The Wild Geese. With the unlikely combination of Richard Burton, Richard Harris & Roger Moore plus a well-written script coupled with spectacular action sequences this is a rip-roaring action / adventure and a top-notch film that is what an action film should be.
The three main leads are the main attraction of this film. It's hard to believe that actors of the caliber of Burton, Harris and Moore would either have chemistry or even be in the same film together. But put the three of them together as mercenaries and you get a truly explosive combination of three terrific actors. None of them fail in their roles and they actually share quite a bit of chemistry between them especially in the final scene between Burton and Harris.
The rest of the cast is not a let down either. Harvey Kruger does well in his role as the mercenary Pieter Coetze as do Kenneth Griffith, John Kani and Jack Watson among the other members of the Wild Geese. Frank Finlay, Winston Ntshona and Stewart Granger all make welcomed appearances in the film in their supporting roles.
The film's script is a well-written action film with political overtones. While the politics of the film are dated now (remember this film was made in the late 1970's), the message for the times is still evident in the film. Outside of the political overtones the dialouge of the film is well-written and in some scenes could be described as even being touching especially in the final scene.
The action in the film is another highlight. The air drop into Africa, various raids by the Wild Geese and the final battle at the airstrip complement the story and never overwhelm the story and plot. Thanks to some good editing by editor John Glen (who had edited three Bond films and would go on to direct five more Bond films)the action is never dull and keeps the pace constant.
With a top-notch leading cast, a good supporting cast, a good script and spectacular action sequences, The Wild Geese is one of the better action films you can see. Despite being somewhat dated the film still packs quite a punch and could easily go up against any recent action film. A must see for action film fans.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wild Geese
Comment: My husband asked me to get this for him. He has watched it many times since we got it and has thoroughly enjoyed having it in our movie collection. Excellent!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Cheesy but entertaining
Comment: A small band of mercenaries is sent into an unnamed country in Africa to snatch a political figure held prisoner. The operation is financed by a wealth English businessman who is looking to make a fortune with a change in government. Richard Burton leads the expedition, with Roger Moore (pre-James Bond) and Richard Harris along for the ride. Lots of old friends and associates are assembled and transported to Africa where the training of the largely 40-something men begins. The rescue operation goes smoothly until there is a change in plans by the financier and the mercs are abandoned on the ground to their own devices.
I hadn't watched this film in thirty years, then decided to take a look at it again after reading a bit about the Selous Scouts. This film is pretty much run of the mill Hollywood action/adventure type stuff of the 70s. For a modern audience, the action/violence is sanitized and highly stylized. There is certainly none of the drama or intensity in modern war films like Saving Private Ryan. In fact, I would characterize it as laughable tame (kind of reminds me of the Peckinpah film Cross of Iron). Richard Burton is way too old to play the role assigned to him in this film, he looks out of shape and ready to collapse. The mercenaries definitely don't come across as being all that tough. The African soldiers battling the valiant mercs are even worse. They blindly charge into machine guns to be mowed down in huge numbers until they push ahead based solely on sheer numbers. Really cheesy.
For all of its drawbacks though, this is still a decent film. The overall idea was very good. As a teen in the 70s when I first saw this film, I had virtually no understanding or even awareness of the real-life events in Rhodesia and elsewhere that inspired this movie. This film is valuable if for no other reason than it keeps the memory of the end of the colonial era in Rhodesia and elsewhere alive. While the West was fighting the Cold War, Africa was (and still is) tearing itself apart as it came out of it's colonial (and tribal) past. The training scene with Jack Watson as RSM Sandy Young is a classic. He is berating the out of shape mercs and reminding them that they aren't on the Queen's parade ground (i.e. there are basically no rules)! The prisoner (Julius Limbani) is supposedly an eloquent African statesman and deposed president of an unnamed central African country. During one part of the film, he is unable to walk and must be carried by one of the (white) South African members of the mercenary band. The dialog between these two as they are slogging through the bush about the institutionalism of racism and how whites and blacks can co-exist in Africa is outstanding. An entertaining film with some significant merits and significant drawbacks.
Customer Rating:
Summary: pawns in the game . . .
Comment: Hired by a British financier (Stewart Granger), the Wild Geese are a mercenary group, sent into Africa to rescue a political leader (Winston Ntshona) being held captive at a military post. The group consists of mostly experienced soldiers, led by Colonel Faulkner (Richard Burton), parachute drop into action, where they attack an army camp, free the prisoner, and make their escape with the army close on their heels. The Geese find that they are just pawns in a greater game, when their plans for escape go awry. With the enemy in hot pursuit, the group is forced to make a desperate bid for survival.
Once the preliminaries are out of the way, director Andrew McLaglen's film is a straightforward, violent and sometimes brutal tale, told in a familiar British cinematic style. The Wild Geese prove to be an efficient and deadly fighting force, with a genuine fondness for tossing grenades. Politics has a part in the proceedings, but there are no easy solutions, as sometimes sacrifices must be made, so that the hope for peace can continue. Even with health issues, Richard Burton manages to handle the demanding role of a combat leader. The supporting cast is very stout as well, with comrades-in-arms, Richard Harris, Roger Moore, Hardy Kruger, and Jack Watson.
The film has its flaws, but solidly delivers in the combat and warfare departments. Enjoy The Wild Geese for what it is. They don't make them like this, with actors of this stature, anymore. The extras for this epic include a feature on producer Euan Lloyd, and a warm, informal group commentary by Lloyd, second unit director John Glen (The Spy Who Loved Me/Moonraker), and Sir Roger Moore.
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