"Death Hunt"--a fantastic and overlooked gun flick

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Cosmoline

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If you've never seen Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin in "Death Hunt," you're really missing something. It came out in 1981, right smack in the middle of the low point in Bronson's career. He was in between the endless "Death Wish" sequels and it's unfortunate this film happened to have a similar name. It's that rarest of films, a "Northern." Along the lines of Max Brand's "Masterman" novel, it's set in the far north in the interwar years. As in a Western, the characters are larger than life. But the setting is a more recent (and colder) frontier. Here you can see the full array of leverguns at their finest, from Winchesters long and short to the Savage 99 Bronson's sourdough makes sing. You can also see a mix of single and double barrel scatterguns, sporterized SMLE's and Marvin's sporterized Krag. All very realistic and in keeping with the arms of the interwar northern frontier. The scene where Bronson rises from the ashes of his cabin and fan fires a trench gun into the posse is on par with John Wayne in "True Grit"

The film features some of the best shootouts ever. On par with "Heat" in their realism and intensity. It's based (somewhat loosely) on the events surrounding the hunt for Mad Trapper Albert Johnson of Rat River.

I just picked up the Anchor Bay edition DVD from Amazon and I'm happy to report it's a crisp remastering and fantastic transfer. Every detail is clear. GET IT!
 
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I've always like that movie.

I just dropped $300 for the 14 volume DVD collector's edition of Sharpe's Rifles. Another realistic representation of the English Army fighting the Crown's enemies at the turn of the 19th century. Awaiting its arrival.
 
Interesting; for the longest time there has not been a version available on DVD. Now that it's out, I'll definitely pick up a copy.
 
Pretty good movie well worth a watch or even two if - and this is a big IF one can suspend their disbelief.

In my case I had to ignore my opinion that in real life Charles' character would have more than likely died in at least two of the situations he found himself in (the big shoot out at his cabin and one other that escapes me - it's been well over 20 years since I last saw the flick).

For me at least a movie that takes place in what we'd call our reality must be believable - if it isn't then it pretty much isn't watchable (which is why CSI sucks so bad IMNSHO).

Movies/TV shows that take place in an alternate reality on the other hand are not burdened by any such restriction. Anything goes since it is fantasy. Suspension of disbelief is much, much easier.
 
I only saw the movie once, years ago, and can barely remember most of it, but I'm almost positive it was inspired by a true story.

A mysterious crook in Canada in the '30s lead the mounties on a multi-month manhunt. Through the harshest terrain and weather, with shootouts, snowshoe chases, and this guy bunkering himself into a cabin by digging out the floor. Mounties eventually used a bomb but he still escaped. Finally was killed after a superhuman nonstop trek through a blizard. Wish I could remember the guy's name. The book is worth a read.
 
In my case I had to ignore my opinion that in real life Charles' character would have more than likely died in at least two of the situations he found himself in (the big shoot out at his cabin and one other that escapes me - it's been well over 20 years since I last saw the flick).
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Well there's where you're wrong. The real life Albert Johnson actually DID survive having his cabin blown up around him and really DID rise up from a spider hole in the middle to attack and escape the posse coming after him :neener:

MADTRAPP.jpg

http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/NWT/madtrapper.htm

The shootouts are actually quite realistic. Bronson's character misses a lot more than he hits, even if they do inflate the body count over real life. There are no impossible shots or shootouts in the movie, other than the "impossible" one that actually took place.

The film is bloodier than the real life events, but in some ways less fantastic. IRL Johnson escaped not in the +20's and teens portrayed in the film, but in temps plunging to forty and fifty below zero. Just surviving outside in such conditions is amazing, let alone surviving while escaping a huge posse including aircraft.

Johnson's use of a hole to escape a posse's bullets is the second such instance I've heard of. There was a famous Mexican bandit in the SW who went on to become sheriff of some New Mexico county. In his early days he got in a disagreement with several dozen armed men. His only hideout was an outhouse. They perforated it with hundreds of rifle rounds, but he escaped unscathed. It turns out there was a shallow depression around the base where he hid. Even that few inches of dirt was enough to protect him from the bullets.
 
DAMN! That movie is based on a real life story? :eek:

Albert Johnson must have been one really tough ole bird. I am impressed!
 
Movie is opposite of the true story

Let's be clear that when some say the movie is based on a true story what they really mean is that some events are true. BUT, the basic story line is totally fabricated and pretty much opposite of the true story.

In the movie the Mad trapper is prtrayed as an innocent "leave me alone" trapper that is relentlessly hounded by over bearing Mounties colluding with criminal trappers.

In real life (as the Google searches for the story will reveal) the trapper was a criminal and a constant irratation and threat to others. The Mounties were very professional in their investigation and pursuit.

Yes, the cabin fight happened pretty much as portrayed, and the physical pursuit. but the motivations and criminal natures vs. innocent ones are totally fabricated and a huge insult to the true law abiding. Enjoy the action, but remember who was really the thug in this case.
 
The key to remember with this movie is that it makes no claim to real life. The writers got the idea from real life but they wrote the story for their own purposes.

It's a cut above other movies that claim to be based on real life and don't come close at all.

Besides it has a 99. (My first .30 cal rifle was a 99A takedown.) :cool:
 
Yes, the cabin fight happened pretty much as portrayed, and the physical pursuit. but the motivations and criminal natures vs. innocent ones are totally fabricated and a huge insult to the true law abiding.
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I'd agree when it comes to Sillywood's portrayal of nasty sociopaths such as the Barrow Gang as good looking saviors of the poor. But in this case the man really is a blank slate. By official accounts he never even spoke a word to the mounties. What his beef was and what his real interactions with his neighbors were about we'll never know. We only have their side of the story, and there aren't many details. Albert Johnson remains one of the strangest and most mysterious of famous outlaws. So in this case the hollywood liberties don't so much contradict the official account as fill it in with one possible scenario, however unlikely. Besides, I don't see Bronson's Johnson as a noble or heroic figure. He's more akin to a wild animal who's greatest fear is to die in a cage.

And yes, it has a '99. Plus a trench gun being fan fired. And you just can't beat that with a stick.
 
I like the period firearms, like the Savage 99, the Krag, and the various Winchesters, but I only watched the film once and can't watch it again. I can't watch a movie where a dog gets killed. I know it's silly, and it's only a movie, but I can't watch it.
 
Thanks, that's it. I'll have to get the book and read it again. I recall there were some other crazy details of the chase. For instance, at one point near the end Johnson took several direct shots and kept on hiking unitl they finally killed him. It turned out that one of the earlier shots and hit a brick of .22s and nearly blown the guy's hip off.

I think they also only found a few scraps of food on him. He was so malnourished his pack practically weighed more than he did.
 
I've just put the most recent book on the subject on order. Apparently the author thinks he figured out who Johnson really was. But personally the more I learn about the details of the real life events, the more I doubt he was human at all. He survived a massive explosion, climbed a sheer ice wall by hacking handholds in the side, crossed a 4,000 foot mountain at forty below during a blizzard and survived for over a month on the run with no dogs, no fresh meat and constantly dodging a huge posse. It took nine shots to finally bring him down-and those mounties weren't shooting handguns at him! These things, coupled with his bizarre behavior and refusal to speak to anyone, make me think he was a sasquatch of some type and/or an alien who came here to trap. He reminds me of one of my former neighbors out in Willow, actually.
 
Death Hunt is an awesome movie, its one of about half a dozen Bronson movies I own. I like the setting, I like the characters, basically i really like the movie.
 
Overlooked? Hardly!!!

I object to the word "Overlooked". I appreciated that movie the first time I saw it and faithfully watch the repeats whenever they are on --- which is "pretty often".
With stars like Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson, it has been pretty popular on the various channels.

For the fans, check out "Chato's Land". In it's own way, it's equal to Death hunt. Won't say more -- see for yourself.

Fud
 
Cosmoline's N.M. man was Elfago Baca. He had a very lucky life. Not many would have survived what he did. I had a book with a chapter on him....book grew legs...escaped.
Mark.
 
Cosmoline's N.M. man was Elfego Baca. He had a very lucky life. Not many would have survived what he did. I had a book with a chapter on him....book grew legs...escaped.
Mark.
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Thanks! How did I forget a name like that?
 
One of my favorites as well. Didn't know it was based on real life episode. Another that I ike the best, although not gun related OR involving Bronson, is called "Emperor of the North" with Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Kieth Carradine as that lovable imp "Cigarette".

Set in the depression era Borgnine plays "Shack" the evil train conductor who kills the hobos that try to ride his train. Lee Marvin is "A#1" and "Emperor of the North" which is like the top hobo in the country. He has vowed to ride Shack's train IIRC as revenge for Shack killing a hobo friend of his. "Cigarette" is a noob hobo that decides he is going to do the same to make a name for himself. Quite an action packed train ride to say the least. One thing Borgnine could ALWAYS do well was play evil guys. Even though he is best remembered for his comedy work in "McHales Navy". Another place he played a really bad guy was a little movie called "Willard". Anyone remember THAT one? :eek"

Sorry for the drift but if "Death Hunt" is one of my two most loved movies "Emperor of the North" would be the other.

:D
 
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