(2012-04-29 05:25:00)

Bigger Bullets, Bigger Holes!

"And the award for 'best portrayal of a crazy woman' goes to ... ". Well played characterizations, excellent cinematography, and a little magic make this a fun movie for all. Yes, the plot has holes in it big enough you can see them from 900 yards off, and yes, the "We're superior to the rest of the world (Yanks vs. Aussies and Redcoats)" attitude is embarrasingly obvious. Inspite of this cavalier atmoshpere and the near total disregard to historical accuracy, I really enjoy this film and recommend it to just about anybody ... unless of course you are from DownUnder or from Across the Pond.

(2012-04-28 15:21:53)

Just the best

Selleck should only play cowboys. Allen Rickemen was also the very best at being very bad.Also recomend Silverado

(2012-04-28 01:50:29)

A "Western" with a twist

This review is from: Quigley Down Under (DVD) Tom Selleck can be the quintessential Western protagonist. Alan Rickman plays a role he's always good in, the unredeemable "bad guy". Laura San Giacomo is the perfect feminine lead, good of heart, quick of wit and is also one of the twists in this revival of the Western formula. For gear geeks, there's a .45 X 110 Sharps Rifle that in real life is every bit as accurate as shown in the movie and just a mite slower than portrayed here. The movie's other big twist is that it's set in the Australian outback and the natives are a friendly sort, more often than not but serious about their friends. I first saw this movie in a theatre and it has become nearly as treasured as my copies of Big Jake, The Shootist, Eldorado and High Noon. It is a nice old fashioned Western where the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad and there are consequences for the latter and benefits for the former.

(2012-04-27 20:06:31)

Quigley Rides Again -- in our minds.

This review is from: Quigley Down Under (Expanded Edition) (Audio CD) Readers/Listeners,Basil Polidouris outdid himself with this music. I believe he borrowed just a bit from the 1960s' TV series, "The Wild Wild West," and that's a GOOD thing. Very spirited theme, on both counts. Get this CD. As an aside, did you know Tom Selleck went to his doctor, complaining that he felt a little "Quigley Down Under"? [Sorry about that.]

(2012-04-27 16:24:39)

Tom Selleck at his best.

If you are a Tom Selleck fan you can't go wrong with this Western classic. Tom portrays Matthew Quigley, a dignified gunslinger who has grown weary of his sharpshooter reputation. While the plot is fairly simple it is rewarding to see Quigley do the right thing without a second thought. Such a charismatic role for Selleck. A good film for the entire family, as long as the kids are over 9 or 10.

(2012-04-26 21:40:51)

A Lesson Learned

This review is from: Quigley Down Under [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) Blu-ray's are not all the same. An assumption was made here to attach a premium value on my "newest" blu-ray purchase with as I ultimately found out exception to any 5.1 surround sound features re-mastered from other earlier production recordings in DVD format. Just because it is blu-ray is in my opinon down right out deceiving the public while setting back in time all credibility by drifting away from a once acceptible industry standard. I did not purchase this video labelled "blu-ray" for the same substandard 2.0 (flagrantly advertised- surround sound? -one speaker in front & one in back?) stereo performance now inherited in with most of my favorite classics! Don't buy it, or them! In comparison with my original DVD this is much more grainy than it, and because of that in the near future I will not ever pre-order any "blu-ray" products again without the mention of compatibilty issues addressed for customers with 5.1, 7.0 or higher sound systems!

(2012-04-26 09:22:24)

Fantastic movie.

This is Tom Selleck at his sharpshooting best. If you like westerns, you will love this movie. Allen Rickman plays a really good bad guy in this. I just can't say enough good about tihs movie.

(2012-04-25 22:08:30)

good Tom Seleck

Tom Seleck is great in this movie as he always is. He always brings his own humor with him even if it's to Austalia.

Jason C. Atwood

(2012-04-21 14:23:46)

A classic Western that is back on the saddle again.

Those who haven't grown up with Wayne or Eastwood should take a fair glanceat QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER, an excellent recreation of vintage cowboy movies withbrilliant qualities that make a traditional standard among others. Withmodern styling, this will grow on you if Westerns haven't been your brand.It deserves high merits for top-notch costuming, make-up, and scenery thatgets all dusty and brown. Acting is extremely well done, considering thelate stage it's in. "Crazy Cora" is a cheerful rendition to lady-pokeseverywhere in Western cinema, and one who keeps calling "Roy" all the time,plus Tom Selleck shows us what a true cowboy should be like. Theorchestrated music will stick to your mind in years to come. One familiarold problem that Westerns would normally have is being more like the rest ofthem, but then again, this film provides testimony that there is great needof reviving the Western genre, which would still be hard to appease today.Highly recommended!

Ralph

(2012-04-21 02:27:58)

westerns are back

Finally westerns are back Tom Selleck is at his best when he is playing a cowboy along with Sam Elliot they are the best at playing cowboys so any time you have a chance to see them in a western take it

(2012-04-11 08:25:02)

EXCELLENT FOR TOM SELLECK

This is one movie I will watch more than once [4 times already] One of my all time favorites. -- Tom Selleck fans will really like this one and if you follow Alan Rickman - he is great also. [Sense and Sensibility + Die Hard]Rickman makes an excellent bad guy. I sure get a kick out of the way the Aussie's ride their horses.Love the look of the country. We need to make more movies over there.

(2012-04-10 15:11:00)

MY GRADE: B.

Tom Selleck, sporting not only his Magnum PI mustache but also a beard, plays an American who comes to Australia seeking a job based on his sharpshooting skills. The job turns out to be more than expected which turns him against his employer. Alan Rickman plays the employer rancher and Laura San Giacomo plays Crazy Cora, a prostitute turned lady. STORY/PLOTTING: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; SCENERY: B minus to B; ACTION SCENES: B minus to B; OVERALL GRADE: B; WHEN WATCHED: 2010 (streamed).

(2012-04-05 02:20:30)

i recieved it one day to late

This review is from: Quigley Down Under (DVD) i received it one day to late but it was exactly what i wanted i was trying to surprise a friend for a birthday

(2012-04-04 20:11:13)

DOWN UNDER AND OVER THE TOP.

WHEN THIS ONE CAME ALONG IN LATE 1990, WESTERN FANS WERE IN A DROUGHT. 'DANCES WITH DOGS' WAS HARDLY A RIGHTEOUS COWBOY FLICK, BUT "QUIGLEY" WAS AN EXCEPTION.SIMON WINCER OF 'LONESOME DOVE' FAME WAS THE GENIUS BEHIND THE CAMERA AND TOM SELLECK WAS THE ONE OUT FRONT. FORGET THAT ITS SET IN AUSTRALIA. THAT IS INDEED UNIQUE BUT A WESTERN IS A WESTERN AND THIS ONE FILLS THE BILL NICELY.THERE HAD BEEN A FEW T.V. WESTERNS AROUND THE SAME TIME BUT THEY WERE LACKLUSTER BY COMPARISON.SELLECK, ALONG WITH SAM ELLIOTT MAY BE OUR ONLY HOPE FOR QUALITY HORSE OPERAS IN THE FUTURE. TOM SELLECK, AN AVID HUNTER AND GUN ENTHUSIAST JUST LOOKS RIGHT HOLDING A SHARPS OR ANY OTHER FIREARM FOR THAT MATTER.IN THIS YARN HE IS MATTHEW QUIGLEY RESPONDING TO MARSTEN'S WANT AD FOR A LONG RANGE RIFLEMAN. THE BAD GUY PLAYED BELIEVABLY ENOUGH BY ALAN RICKMAN HIRES THE AMERICAN COWBOY ON THE PREMISE OF SHOOTING WILD DOGS, BUT HE ACTUALLY WANTS THE SHARPSHOOTER TO ANILATE THE NATIVE ABORINEES TO SETTLE AN OLD SCORE.WHEN QUIGLEY LEARNS THE TRUTH HE TURNS THE TABLES AND BECOMES THE NATIVES "GHOST WARRIOR" PROTECTING THEM AND SNIPING MARSTEN'S (RICKMAN) HENCHMEN FROM WAY OUT YONDER.THE SCORE IS GREAT WITH BIG MUSIC MUCH LIKE THE GREAT WESTERNS OF THE SIXTIES.QUIGLEY IS FORCED TO ACCEPT A DISCARDED WOMAN (LAURA SOMETHIN ANOTHER) AS A SIDEKICK. THE WOMAN'S JUST "A BUBBLE OFF THE PLUMB, AND THATS FOR SURE AND FOR CERTIN." QUIGLEY SPOUTS, BUT THE GIRLS AILMENT IS A CHARADE AND ROMANCE FOLLOWS. THE BANTER BETWEEN THESE TWO IS HILARIOUS.BUT THE WESTERN ACTION CARRIES THE PICTURE AND THE MOST TRUE OF COWBOY FANS WILL BE PLENTY SATISFIED BY THIS ONE.I CANT THINK OF ANYTHING REALLY CRITICAL TO SAY ABOUT THIS FILM.WHEN IT PREMIERED I WAS SO HUNGRY FOR A GOOD WESTERN I ATE IT UP LIKE CHILI AND CRACKERS.

breitkingdom

(2012-04-03 16:26:47)

A very good movie

This was a hero like no other. Quigley wanted to do the right thing. Hedid his job but not for slaughter. He killed that desevered killing, buthedid not believe in slaughtering the innocent. This is a man of highprinciple. Would like to see it on DVD. John Wayne would have beenproud.

(2012-04-03 06:41:41)

Great Movie!

If you like the western genre, this is one of the best.Tom is THE classic cowboy and Alan Rickman is so good at playing the bad guy.To put it simply, probably the best movie starring a gun since "Winchester '73"!

(2012-03-25 08:43:39)

Screen too wide

This movie itself is good in VHS but the DVD super wide scren 2.35 aspect ratio makes the picture on my TV screen narrow and only fills half the screen. Had I known I would have stuck with the VHS version.

dimplet

(2012-03-25 01:18:47)

Why don't Australians watch Quigley Down Under?

Quigley Down Under has one of the most descriptive, poetic openingscenes under the credits since Hitchcock's Rear Window. Without sayinga word, we are told who this fellow is, and where he's going. The oddlymetered music by Basil Pouledouris gives the story an other-worldlyfeel. We soon see the hallmarks of colonial Australia, convicts in chains,soldiers, a rag tag assortment of British frontier characters andwhores. A fight soon breaks out, as though a natural extension of machoAustralian manhood. I have asked several Australians what they thought of this film, andnot a single one had heard of it. It has an Australian director, butthe stars are American and British, and Selleck, the American cowboy,is clearly the hero. Could it be that the Aussies are a might touchyabout the portrayal?Having seen some wildly distorted, negative portrayals of America byforeign directors and writers that foreigners seem to take as gospeltruth, it is interesting to see the shoe on the other foot. I can assure you that I do not assume that all Australians are likeAlan Rickman's sadistic, racist character, or were, historically. As areasonably intelligent adult, I view Quigley as entertainment, not adocumentary, and I do not assume it is an accurate portrayal, then ornow, beyond what I know, otherwise, of history. What Quigley is, is entertaining. I read Hal Hinson's scathing reviewin the Washington Post with some bemusement. These reviewers have towrite at the moment of release. With the hindsight of two decades andseveral viewings, I can attest that Quigley is a well-crafted,entertaining movie. The acting by Selleck, Rickman and Laura SanGiacomo is outstanding. Rickman plays one of the most deliciously snidevillains since James Mason in North By Northwest, or Frank Langella inDave. San Giacomo proves her chops in an emotionally intense, complexrole. We see a real chemistry between her and Selleck develop. The impression of Australia I come away with from this movie is howbeautiful the the enormous outback is. It is a positive impression. Idon't judge a country by a fictional movie, and even if some of it istrue, it is ancient history, and not relevant to judging theAustralians of today. What is true, is the Sharps buffalo rifle reallyexisted.Sure, Quigley is a variation of the American Western set in Australia,one of the few places you can transplant the genre to, believably. Theessence of the Western is the lone individual pitted against the badguys and a hostile countryside. It is a test of character. As such,Quigley is an excellent, creative addition to the opus of Westerns.Ultimately, the movie is uplifting, espousing justice and appreciationfor the aborigines. There is goodness in the world, including among thewhite Australians. While there are good guys and bad guys, you do notfeel manipulated by simplistic stereotypes. At the time, some were skeptical of Tom Selleck as an actor. I think hehas since proved himself to be a first-rate actor, not just a prettyface, and Quigley is proof of that. But his 2003 performance in MonteWalsh, also directed by Wincer, shows greater depth and maturity as anactor. Roger Ebert says the story is weak, which I find odd. There are plentyof novel, interesting twists. Try comparing this to Avatar, which hassome similar elements, particularly the appreciation for protecting anindigenous culture. Take away the special effects of Avatar, and whatis left is relatively weak story and dialogue, though it is still goodenough. Quigley, by comparison, has nothing to apologize for.The bottom line: Quigley Down Under is a fun, beautiful, entertainingmovie you can watch many times over the years.

lastliberal

(2012-03-18 14:18:30)

Anyone who believes in magic is crazy.

I have a thing for Alan Rickman. I have loved him in everything I haveseen him in and am certainly looking forward to Sweeney Todd: The DemonBarber of Fleet Street. He does not ever disappoint, and he certainlydidn't her in a film I have ignored up to now.I have to say that Tom Selleck and Laura San Giacomo were alsointeresting, though Selleck pretty much belongs in the westerncharacter he played. Giancomo was superb as a lass that was a couple ofbeers short of a six-pack, but you really couldn't blame her for whyshe was off.There is always a great deal of pleasure in a movie when the racistjerks get what they deserve.

smokehill

(2012-03-18 00:13:36)

One of the best westerns of modern times

Unlike most "modern" westerns, this one is unburdened by the usualHollywoodflaws: overproduction, overacting and a massive cast of big names demandingtheir share of "face time." Selleck & San Giacomo do a masterful job ofcreating honest, three-dimensional characters facing a truly evilantagonist-- a part played with fiendish perfection by the superb Alan Rickman. Eventhe minor characters on both sides are well-cast and well-acted. Two other"stars" of this exceptionally fine film are Quigley's Sharps rifle and themusical score. The unusual, catchy theme will stick in your mind, and someof the dialogue will pass into screen legend, such as Quigley's remarkaboutthe Colt revolvers: "I said I didn't have much use for them. I never saidI didn't know how to use one." To be sure, the writers take a fewnecessaryliberties with the plot to make everything work, as in any movie, but itdoes work well. My wife, who is a gun enthusiast but not a big fan ofwesterns, has watched "Quigley" 7 or 8 times and never tires of it. Thereare a few films that will bear watching that often: The Usual Suspects,AllAbout Eve, High Noon, Casablanca -- to name a few. Quigley is one ofthese.