JohnDoe
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Cockfighter (1974)
February 8th 2010 00:00
The Individual Expression of Foul Torture.
Cockfighter DVD available in the U.S.
Director: Monte Hellman
Writer: Charles Willeford (Miami Blues)
Starring: Warren Oates, Harry Dean Stanton, Ed Begley Jr, Laurie Bird, Troy Donahue, Steve Railsback
Inhumane and barbaric, pitting animals in a ring to fight to death in the name of sport and entertainment is further testament to humanity’s dark soul.
It is understandable that within the annuals of cinema history this cult film has been largely ignored due to its vile subject matter and misleading original tagline, "He came into town with his cock in hand, and what he did with it was illegal in 49 states."
Don’t let Roger Corman’s Producer credit relegate this as Southern fried exploitation or a Foghorn Leghorn Rocky Balboa, Cockfighter is a bold and challenging work that demands respect.
Low budget pioneer Monte Hellman created a sparse and serious character portrait that succeeds in comprehending the social detachment of an immoral subject whose obsession is the despicable world of cockfighting.
Adapted for the screen from his own novel Writer Charles Willeford’s,(Miami Blues) offers the profound dissection of a warped man. The man in this case is a rogue outcast who struggles with complex, self destructive demons.
Frank Mansfield (Warren Oates) has no voice. He has taken a vow of silence since losing his prize fighting bird because of arrogance and ego. He will not utter a word until he wins the Cockfighter of the Year award and regains his self respect.
Travelling through the deep South, encountering eccentric and repugnant gamblers, wranglers and ex-lovers (Laurie Bird) Frank is forced to acknowledge his own flawed and hurtful nature.
Harry Dean Stanton and Warren Oates upon their cult stage
John Doe says:
Cockfighter is brave and fearless, cuss it, JD will say it, heroic filmmaking that operates on the outer fringes and delivers insight into an enigma. What makes this exceptional cinema is the emotional weight that it manages to pack even with its extreme handicaps. Imagine pitching modern Hollywood, "Yeah. We're going to use the detestable cruelty of rooster rumbling as a backdrop and the main character is all but a mute for 95% of the film....so we a go?"
Warren Oates sacrificing for his craft
Monte Hellman (The Shooting) at his best manages to conjure genuine depth with the subtext of his minimalistic creations. Due to his presence Cockfighter as with Two Lane Blacktop is far more relevant to the human experience than their surfaces may suggest.
Vividly shot by Cinematographer Nestor Almendros, (Sophie’s Choice, Days of Heaven) Thuggish blood sport and delicate poetry balance in the frame to reveal with care and compassion the projects deeper meaning and purpose. There is a sense of realism to the camera work that makes the entire casts performances that much more resonant and the frenzied battles in the ring raw and uncomfortable.
Which is the caged warrior?
The legendary Harry Dean Stanton (Alien, Repo Man, Paris Texas) plays the nemesis in this early role. As the slimy cockfighting dandy who has a history with Frank, Harry Dean brings that trademark vulnerability to another defeatist presence.
The gorgeously talented Laurie Bird in Two Lane Blacktop
The film has been banned in a number of countries including the UK and Australia because of authentic, raw and disturbing footage of real cockfights staged for the film. John Doe himself has steered clear of it for years for just this reason, but JD is a huge of Warren Oates and after several trusted friends said it was an “amazing” film he took up the gauntlet and was rewarded for his sacrifice. Upon reflection Johnny also realized that the mechanized, cold blooded mass slaughter of poultry that occurs so he can eat a roast chicken is equally revolting and upsetting. This made him weep at his own hypocrisy, self reflection be damned!
Trailer for Monte Hellman's Cockfighter
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