ReviewsThe book digs into how timing and lucky coincidences brought the cast and crew together in Mexico to make the movie happen., "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." - starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." - Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." - Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON, "Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions." - Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of HIGH NOON "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." - Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "W.K. Stratton's absolutely authoritative chronicle about the making of The Wild Bunch was, for me, a kind of long-delayed psychoanalysis--a way to understand the images I had seen on a movie screen half a century ago and to sort out why they had left me so horrified and thrilled and changed me. A movie that can cast that kind of lifelong spell on its audience is a movie that deserves a great book, and now it has one." - Stephen Harrigan, award-winning author of A FRIEND OF MR. LINCOLN, REMEMBER BEN CLAYTON and THE GATES OF THE ALAMO "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." - Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." - Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." - Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON, "In his detailed and passionately argued history of The Wild Bunch , writer W.K. Stratton takes the debate to a higher level and convincingly positions the film as the best Western ever made--and among the greatest of movies. Stratton collects the kinds of elements required for a lively movie backstory: a talented if irascible director, quirky cast and crew members, a difficult location shoot and a controversial reception by moviegoers and critics. Best of all, he recounts how an idea becomes a film and the creative, economic and fate-driven roadblocks it faces." - Associated Press "Insightful and engaging, Stratton's book will hold the attention of even those who despise the movie." - Roundup Magazine "Reading W.K. Stratton's fine book after watching The Wild Bunch can make for a rich aesthetic feast." - The Washington Post "Definitive . . . Stratton's book is part making-of chronicle, part appreciation, part personal reminiscence. . . . He's not a film critic, but a passionate and knowledgeable generalist who knows how to drill deep." - Vulture "Sam Peckinpah's classic western is lovingly picked over in this obsessive treatment of its making and reception." - New York Times Book Review, in New & Noteworthy "No person of sensibility who has seen The Wild Bunch has not felt the extraordinary richness of lived experience that courses throughout the film. This is one of many things that lifts it far above the action genre and the Western to the epic. It is a singular achievement of W. K. Stratton's book on its making that he shows this was not adventitious . . . Stratton documents how Peckinpah's masterpiece became not only a great film but one of the enduringly great artworks of the past century." - Paul Seydor, author of THE AUTHENTIC DEATH AND CONTENTIOUS AFTERLIFE OF PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID: The Untold Story of Peckinpah's Last Western Film "Stratton's book examines the history of the Western and details the ambition and, at times, lunacy of making what has become an American classic." - Newsweek "Muscular study . . . Stratton pulls together big strands of story: the history of the Mexican revolutionary period, Peckinpah's own fascination with Mexico, the history of U.S.-Mexico relations, the history of moviemaking itself. . . Essential reading for fans of the epochal (and reportedly soon to be remade) movie as well as movie-history and Western buffs generally." - starred review, 11 Early 2019 Books We Love, Kirkus Reviews "Stratton paints a wonderfully full portrait of director Sam Peckinpah and his quest for a more realistic depiction of violence at a time when the brutality of the Vietnam War was increasingly penetrating American living rooms. . . . What's most striking here is the depth of Stratton's research, with attention given to every aspect of, and player in, the film. This engaging, well-researched book belongs in every library and in the hands of every student of cinema." - starred review, Library Journal "Stratton does a fine job of putting the film in its historical context . . . THE WILD BUNCH is a valuable addition to the literature of American film history and will be greeted by Wild Bunch devotees with adoration." - starred review, Booklist "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." - Publishers Weekly, Stratton's book goes into fine detail about the origin of the story . . . If you're the kind of movie fan who loves to read the trivia offered by imdb.com, Stratton's 'The Wild Bunch' is a gold mine., "No person of sensibility who has seen The Wild Bunch has not felt the extraordinary richness of lived experience that courses throughout the film. This is one of many things that lifts it far above the action genre and the Western to the epic. It is a singular achievement of W. K. Stratton's book on its making that he shows this was not adventitious. Peckinpah drew upon the backgrounds, the lived experiences, of all his collaborators, paramountly the actors and himself, but also his crew, such that he made them bring their own life experiences to the film. In The Wild Bunch: Sam Peckinpah, a Revolution in Hollywood, and the Making of a Legendary Film , Stratton documents how Peckinpah's masterpiece became not only a great film but one of the enduringly great artworks of the past century." -- Paul Seydor, author of PECKINPAH: THE WESTERN FILMS and THE AUTHENTIC DEATH AND CONTENTIOUS AFTERLIFE OF PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID: The Untold Story of Peckinpah's Last Western Film "Sam Peckinpah's classic western is lovingly picked over in this obsessive treatment of its making and reception." -- New York Times Book Review, in New & Noteworthy "Muscular study . . . Stratton pulls together big strands of story: the history of the Mexican revolutionary period, Peckinpah's own fascination with Mexico, the history of U.S.-Mexico relations, the history of moviemaking itself. . . Essential reading for fans of the epochal (and reportedly soon to be remade) movie as well as movie-history and Western buffs generally." -- starred review, 11 Early 2019 Books We Love, Kirkus Reviews "Stratton paints a wonderfully full portrait of director Sam Peckinpah and his quest for a more realistic depiction of violence at a time when the brutality of the Vietnam War was increasingly penetrating American living rooms. . . . What's most striking here is the depth of Stratton's research, with attention given to every aspect of, and player in, the film. This engaging, well-researched book belongs in every library and in the hands of every student of cinema." -- starred review, Library Journal "Insightful and engaging, Stratton's book will hold the attention of even those who despise the movie." -- Roundup Magazine "Stratton does a fine job of putting the film in its historical context . . . THE WILD BUNCH is a valuable addition to the literature of American film history and will be greeted by Wild Bunch devotees with adoration." -- starred review, Booklist "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." -- Publishers Weekly, W.K. Stratton's The Wild Bunch is the best kind of book about movies, rich in anecdotes that inform the miracle of how the movie got madeand what ended up on screen. Sam Peckinpah is humanized without being softened, his demons and drive revealed to be those of an artist trying to make art in a business that doesn't care. I loved this book. It's a must read for fans of the Western and Peckinpah., "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." -- Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." -- Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." -- Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON, My favorite kind of film books tend to be those that go behind the scenes, that provide inside looks at how celebrated films were put together, [THE WILD BUNCH] falls squarely in that category., "No person of sensibility who has seen The Wild Bunch has not felt the extraordinary richness of lived experience that courses throughout the film. This is one of many things that lifts it far above the action genre and the Western to the epic. It is a singular achievement of W. K. Stratton's book on its making that he shows this was not adventitious. Peckinpah drew upon the backgrounds, the lived experiences, of all his collaborators, paramountly the actors and himself, but also his crew, such that he made them bring their own life experiences to the film. In The Wild Bunch: Sam Peckinpah, a Revolution in Hollywood, and the Making of a Legendary Film , Stratton documents how Peckinpah's masterpiece became not only a great film but one of the enduringly great artworks of the past century." -- Paul Seydor, author of PECKINPAH: THE WESTERN FILMS and THE AUTHENTIC DEATH AND CONTENTIOUS AFTERLIFE OF PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID: The Untold Story of Peckinpah's Last Western Film "Muscular study . . . Stratton pulls together big strands of story: the history of the Mexican revolutionary period, Peckinpah's own fascination with Mexico, the history of U.S.-Mexico relations, the history of moviemaking itself. . . Essential reading for fans of the epochal (and reportedly soon to be remade) movie as well as movie-history and Western buffs generally." -- starred review, 11 Early 2019 Books We Love, Kirkus Reviews "Stratton paints a wonderfully full portrait of director Sam Peckinpah and his quest for a more realistic depiction of violence at a time when the brutality of the Vietnam War was increasingly penetrating American living rooms. . . . What's most striking here is the depth of Stratton's research, with attention given to every aspect of, and player in, the film. This engaging, well-researched book belongs in every library and in the hands of every student of cinema." -- starred review, Library Journal "Stratton does a fine job of putting the film in its historical context . . . THE WILD BUNCH is a valuable addition to the literature of American film history and will be greeted by Wild Bunch devotees with adoration." -- starred review, Booklist "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." -- Publishers Weekly, An essential addition to the Peckinpah bookshelf. His vivid account of the hugely difficult creation of the classic western is engrossing, Muscular study . . . Stratton pulls together big strands of story: the history of the Mexican revolutionary period, Peckinpah's own fascination with Mexico, the history of U.S.-Mexico relations, the history of moviemaking itself. . . Essential reading for fans of the epochal (and reportedly soon to be remade) movie as well as movie-history and Western buffs generally., Stratton has written an ambitious and lively history . . . At the heart of [THE WILD BUNCH] are dozens of informative and colorful interviews, conducted with everyone from screenwriters and stuntmen to Hollywood producers and Mexican film stars., In his detailed and passionately argued history of The Wild Bunch , writer W.K. Stratton takes the debate to a higher level and convincingly positions the film as the best Western ever made--and among the greatest of movies. Stratton collects the kinds of elements required for a lively movie backstory: a talented if irascible director, quirky cast and crew members, a difficult location shoot and a controversial reception by moviegoers and critics. Best of all, he recounts how an idea becomes a film and the creative, economic and fate-driven roadblocks it faces., "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." -- Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." -- Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." -- Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." -- Publishers Weekly, Reading W.K. Stratton's fine book after watching The Wild Bunch can make for a rich aesthetic feast., Stratton paints a wonderfully full portrait of director Sam Peckinpah and his quest for a more realistic depiction of violence at a time when the brutality of the Vietnam War was increasingly penetrating American living rooms. . . . What's most striking here is the depth of Stratton's research, with attention given to every aspect of, and player in, the film. This engaging, well-researched book belongs in every library and in the hands of every student of cinema., "Stratton does a fine job of putting the film in its historical context . . . THE WILD BUNCH is a valuable addition to the literature of American film history and will be greeted by Wild Bunch devotees with adoration." -- starred review, Booklist "Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions." -- Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of HIGH NOON "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "W.K. Stratton's absolutely authoritative chronicle about the making of The Wild Bunch was, for me, a kind of long-delayed psychoanalysis--a way to understand the images I had seen on a movie screen half a century ago and to sort out why they had left me so horrified and thrilled and changed me. A movie that can cast that kind of lifelong spell on its audience is a movie that deserves a great book, and now it has one." -- Stephen Harrigan, award-winning author of A FRIEND OF MR. LINCOLN, REMEMBER BEN CLAYTON and THE GATES OF THE ALAMO "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." -- Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." -- Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." -- Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." -- Publishers Weekly, Stratton has steeped himself in every last detail of the genesis and production of a movie he plainly knows by heart. He's also a spirited guide to Peckinpah's abrasive worldview, which he's no less plainly besotted with. But partly for that reason, his book inadvertently doubles as a reminder of the hoary time capsule Wild Bunch aficionados now inhabit, whether they like it or not. They're sure to be delighted by Stratton's lively, massively informed chronicle of how The Wild Bunch came to be., An essential addition to the Peckinpah bookshelf. His vivid account of the hugely difficult creation of the classic western is engrossing. But just as strong is his analysis of the film's effect on cinema, culture, and its director's reputation., Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions., Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969., Stratton's book examines the history of the Western and details the ambition and, at times, lunacy of making what has become an American classic., "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." - Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." - starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." - Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." - Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON, No person of sensibility who has seen The Wild Bunch has not felt the extraordinary richness of lived experience that courses throughout the film. This is one of many things that lifts it far above the action genre and the Western to the epic. It is a singular achievement of W. K. Stratton's book on its making that he shows this was not adventitious . . . Stratton documents how Peckinpah's masterpiece became not only a great film but one of the enduringly great artworks of the past century., Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner., "No person of sensibility who has seen The Wild Bunch has not felt the extraordinary richness of lived experience that courses throughout the film. This is one of many things that lifts it far above the action genre and the Western to the epic. It is a singular achievement of W. K. Stratton's book on its making that he shows this was not adventitious. Peckinpah drew upon the backgrounds, the lived experiences, of all his collaborators, paramountly the actors and himself, but also his crew, such that he made them bring their own life experiences to the film. In The Wild Bunch: Sam Peckinpah, a Revolution in Hollywood, and the Making of a Legendary Film , Stratton documents how Peckinpah's masterpiece became not only a great film but one of the enduringly great artworks of the past century." -- Paul Seydor, author of PECKINPAH: THE WESTERN FILMS and THE AUTHENTIC DEATH AND CONTENTIOUS AFTERLIFE OF PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID: The Untold Story of Peckinpah's Last Western Film "Sam Peckinpah's classic western is lovingly picked over in this obsessive treatment of its making and reception." -- New York Times Book Review, in New & Noteworthy "Muscular study . . . Stratton pulls together big strands of story: the history of the Mexican revolutionary period, Peckinpah's own fascination with Mexico, the history of U.S.-Mexico relations, the history of moviemaking itself. . . Essential reading for fans of the epochal (and reportedly soon to be remade) movie as well as movie-history and Western buffs generally." -- starred review, 11 Early 2019 Books We Love, Kirkus Reviews "Stratton paints a wonderfully full portrait of director Sam Peckinpah and his quest for a more realistic depiction of violence at a time when the brutality of the Vietnam War was increasingly penetrating American living rooms. . . . What's most striking here is the depth of Stratton's research, with attention given to every aspect of, and player in, the film. This engaging, well-researched book belongs in every library and in the hands of every student of cinema." -- starred review, Library Journal "Stratton does a fine job of putting the film in its historical context . . . THE WILD BUNCH is a valuable addition to the literature of American film history and will be greeted by Wild Bunch devotees with adoration." -- starred review, Booklist "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." -- Publishers Weekly, W.K. Stratton's absolutely authoritative chronicle about the making of The Wild Bunch was, for me, a kind of long-delayed psychoanalysis--a way to understand the images I had seen on a movie screen half a century ago and to sort out why they had left me so horrified and thrilled and changed me. A movie that can cast that kind of lifelong spell on its audience is a movie that deserves a great book, and now it has one., A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination., Stratton does a fine job of putting the film in its historical context . . . THE WILD BUNCH is a valuable addition to the literature of American film history and will be greeted by Wild Bunch devotees with adoration., Stratton provides a casually written but carefully researched account of the making of one of the key films of its time. In so doing, he also helps to show how Westerns have managed to maintain their firm hold on the imaginations of American moviegoers., Sam Peckinpah's classic western is lovingly picked over in this obsessive treatment of its making and reception., "Stratton does a fine job of putting the film in its historical context . . . THE WILD BUNCH is a valuable addition to the literature of American film history and will be greeted by Wild Bunch devotees with adoration." -- starred review, Booklist "Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions." -- Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of HIGH NOON "Fifty years after its release, Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch remains as convulsive, exhilarating, and upsetting as ever. W.K. Stratton's act of passionate advocacy scrupulously records the battles that went into its making, and the battles Peckinpah's admirers have been fighting ever since." -- Charles Taylor, author of OPENING WEDNESDAY AT A THEATER OR DRIVE-IN NEAR YOU "Muscular study . . . Stratton pulls together big strands of story: the history of the Mexican revolutionary period, Peckinpah's own fascination with Mexico, the history of U.S.-Mexico relations, the history of moviemaking itself. . . Essential reading for fans of the epochal (and reportedly soon to be remade) movie as well as movie-history and Western buffs generally." -- starred review, Kirkus Reviews "W.K. Stratton's The Wild Bunch is the best kind of book about movies, rich in anecdotes that inform the miracle of how the movie got madeand what ended up on screen. Sam Peckinpah is humanized without being softened, his demons and drive revealed to be those of an artist trying to make art in a business that doesn't care. I loved this book. It's a must read for fans of the Western and Peckinpah." -- Ron Shelton, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and director of Bull Durham, White Men Can't Jump, Cobb, Tin Cup, and other movies. "There have been only a handful of landmark films that were so innovative they altered the very DNA of the cinema. The Wild Bunch stands as one of them. W.K. Stratton provides many fresh perspectives on the movie and its maker. The passages on the historical events of the Mexican Revolution and the figures who waged that war provide insights into Peckinpah's masterpeice. For this we owe a debt to Mr. Stratton." -- David Weddle, author of IF THEY MOVE ... KILL 'EM!: The Life and Times of Sam Peckinpah "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." -- Publishers Weekly "W.K. Stratton's absolutely authoritative chronicle about the making of The Wild Bunch was, for me, a kind of long-delayed psychoanalysis--a way to understand the images I had seen on a movie screen half a century ago and to sort out why they had left me so horrified and thrilled and changed me. A movie that can cast that kind of lifelong spell on its audience is a movie that deserves a great book, and now it has one." -- Stephen Harrigan, award-winning author of A FRIEND OF MR. LINCOLN, REMEMBER BEN CLAYTON and THE GATES OF THE ALAMO, "Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions." -- Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of HIGH NOON "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "W.K. Stratton's absolutely authoritative chronicle about the making of The Wild Bunch was, for me, a kind of long-delayed psychoanalysis--a way to understand the images I had seen on a movie screen half a century ago and to sort out why they had left me so horrified and thrilled and changed me. A movie that can cast that kind of lifelong spell on its audience is a movie that deserves a great book, and now it has one." -- Stephen Harrigan, award-winning author of A FRIEND OF MR. LINCOLN, REMEMBER BEN CLAYTON and THE GATES OF THE ALAMO "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." -- Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." -- Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." -- Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." -- Publishers Weekly, Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant., Fifty years after its release, Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch remains as convulsive, exhilarating, and upsetting as ever. W.K. Stratton's act of passionate advocacy scrupulously records the battles that went into its making, and the battles Peckinpah's admirers have been fighting ever since., Definitive . . . Stratton's book is part making-of chronicle, part appreciation, part personal reminiscence. . . . He's not a film critic, but a passionate and knowledgeable generalist who knows how to drill deep., "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." -- Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." -- Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." -- Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON, No person of sensibility who has seen The Wild Bunch has not felt the extraordinary richness of lived experience that courses throughout the film. This is one of many things that lifts it far above the action genre and the Western to the epic. It is a singular achievement of W. K. Stratton's book on its making that he shows this was not adventitious. Peckinpah drew upon the backgrounds, the lived experiences, of all his collaborators, paramountly the actors and himself, but also his crew, such that he made them bring their own life experiences to the film. In The Wild Bunch: Sam Peckinpah, a Revolution in Hollywood, and the Making of a Legendary Film , Stratton documents how Peckinpah's masterpiece became not only a great film but one of the enduringly great artworks of the past century., "Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions." -- Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of HIGH NOON "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "W.K. Stratton's absolutely authoritative chronicle about the making of The Wild Bunch was, for me, a kind of long-delayed psychoanalysis--a way to understand the images I had seen on a movie screen half a century ago and to sort out why they had left me so horrified and thrilled and changed me. A movie that can cast that kind of lifelong spell on its audience is a movie that deserves a great book, and now it has one." -- Stephen Harrigan, award-winning author of A FRIEND OF MR. LINCOLN, REMEMBER BEN CLAYTON and THE GATES OF THE ALAMO "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." -- Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." -- Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." -- Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON, There have been only a handful of landmark films that were so innovative they altered the very DNA of the cinema. The Wild Bunch stands as one of them. W.K. Stratton provides many fresh perspectives on the movie and its maker. The passages on the historical events of the Mexican Revolution and the figures who waged that war provide insights into Peckinpah's masterpeice. For this we owe a debt to Mr. Stratton., Insightful and engaging, Stratton's book will hold the attention of even those who despise the movie., Stratton loves "The Wild Bunch" (he succinctly writes, 'I've never seen a better movie'), but this is not a gushing fan letter. Stratton's meticulous research, exhaustive interviews and scholarship all combine to create a fascinating portrait of a maverick filmmaker working at the top of his game and pushing the boundaries of moviemaking., "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions." -- Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of HIGH NOON "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." -- Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." -- Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." -- Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON, "Sam Peckinpah was a drunk, a brawler, and a visionary, a cinematic Homer whose epic poem, The Wild Bunch , is one of our greatest Westerns and an audacious milestone in New Hollywood's brief ascendancy. W.K. Stratton captures the man, his achievement and the turbulent era in which it was made with solid judgments, vivid prose and a deep commitment to discovering the truth. He makes clear that Peckinpah's masterpiece was not just a bridge from classical Westerns to post-modern ones, but a deep, personal meditation on violence, greed, masculinity, and imperial illusions." - Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of HIGH NOON "Stratton's epic book is almost as mythic as the film it chronicles. It's much deeper than movie criticism. It revisits Mexican history, the history of the Western film, the biography of San Peckinpah, and the astounding stories of that wild bunch of a cast and crew. I've been waiting for this book since 1969." - Luís Alberto Urrea, author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS "W.K. Stratton's absolutely authoritative chronicle about the making of The Wild Bunch was, for me, a kind of long-delayed psychoanalysis--a way to understand the images I had seen on a movie screen half a century ago and to sort out why they had left me so horrified and thrilled and changed me. A movie that can cast that kind of lifelong spell on its audience is a movie that deserves a great book, and now it has one." - Stephen Harrigan, award-winning author of A FRIEND OF MR. LINCOLN, REMEMBER BEN CLAYTON and THE GATES OF THE ALAMO "Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." - Starred review, Library Journal on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." - Kirkus Reviews on FLOYD PATTERSON "A deftly written biography . . . Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination." - Publisher's Weekly on FLOYD PATTERSON "Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity." - Publishers Weekly, Stratton's thorough research yields a fascinating perspective on how Peckinpah created a western of unparalleled realism and intensity.
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