Barbarosa

Released By: Scorpion Releasing
Released On: August 30, 2016.
Director: Fred Schepisi
Cast: Willie Nelson, Gary Busey, Isela Vega, Gilbert Roland
Year: 1982
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The Movie:

Testing his toes in the water of American film making, Australian Director Fred Schipisi found himself removed from one Hollywood project to end up at the helm of Barbarosa, a lesser-known Western film with two unlikely leads; Willie Nelson and Gary Busey, who also served as the film's Executive Producers. Busey plays Karl Westover, a farm boy from a small town who finds himself fleeing for his life after he accidentally kills his brother-in-law August, drawing the wrath of August's father, Herman Pahmeyer (George Voskovec) and his sons, Otto and Floyd. Banished to the unforgiving wilderness, Karl struggles to survive with no knowledge of how to exist outside of the warmth and comfort of his family home.

Fortunately for Karl, he comes across Barbarosa (Willie Nelson), a rough-and-tumble outlaw with a fast draw and profane dialect, who takes Karl under his grizzled wing to show the lad how to get by in the great outdoors by building fires and feasting on armadillos. Barbarosa's sympathy for Karl is not entirely unfounded, as the elder outlaw is no stranger to familial blood vendettas, a history that Karl witnesses first-hand when Barbarosa is forced to kill a would-be assassin sent by his own father-in-law. As the two men travel together, Karl learns of Barbarosa's previous life in Mexico, when he angered Don Braulio (Gilbert Roland) by marrying his daughter and then shooting the murderous patriarch in the leg before fleeing the villa. Just as Karl's father-in-law has sent his sons to kill Karl, Don Braulio orders a succession of his own family men to slay the man who stole his daughter's heart, only to find that Barbarosa's six shooter has bested his assailant each time.

But as much as Karl and Barbarosa seem to find comfort in each other's company, Karl is reluctant to follow fully in the footsteps of his teacher, and his lack of eagerness as a thief disappoints the outlaw. Returning home to his sick father, however, Karl realizes that the violence Barbarosa has taught him does have a place in his naive existence. And Barbarosa, returning to Don Braulio's villa to visit his wife must deal with violence of his own when his father-in-law sends Eduardo (Danny De La Paz), a fiercely dedicated man, to put the legend of the man who can not be killed to rest permanently in the desert.

Barbarosa is a bit of an odd beast, in that it was edited after market testing to remove, according to many sources, most of the intent behind William D. Wittliff's script, rendering the final scene confusing. Without this missing piece in place, the film functions more like a serial, with two characters placed in a number of situations that run into one another for no tangible reason. That's not to say that the film, as it's presented here, doesn't have any redeeming characteristics, there is quite a bit to like here. Schepisi takes advantage of the location like a seasoned Western director, using an array of unconventional lens choices and filming decisions in conjunction with Ian Baker's cinematography to present the landscape beautifully, while Bruce Smeaton's score helps carry the film along and makes the already tight pacing feel that much more accomplished.

The supporting cast is phenomenal as well, from amateur to novice, integral to a film that focuses on character much more than action. While there's no doubt that Barbarosa belongs to the leads of Nelson and Busey, De La Paz, Roland, Voskovec and the others ensure that there are no weak spots to be found. Unfortunately, however, as the film stands, it's hard to imagine it as anything other than pretty without Willie Nelson and Gary Busey (pre-teeth capping) leading the charge. Would it play better with the missing scenes intact, as it's been reportedly presented on cable television? Hard to say. As it stands, Barbarosa is worth seeing, but instigates more wonder of what could have been.

Video/Audio/Extras:

Scorpion brings Barbarosa to Blu-ray in a 2.35:1 AVC-encoded transfer that looks fantastic, a huge upgrade from the previous DVD. Colors are vibrant within the brownish/greenish aesthetic, with small details like Nelson's handkerchief standing out, and the deep blacks of the opening scenes really pop in this one. Damage and debris is pretty much non-existent, and even though there are a (very) few instances of some shimmer, this is all-in-all a wonderful looking film with loads of detail.

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track sounds great as well, with dialogue, sound effects, and the notable score existing comfortably with each other in the soundstage. The spoken word is clear and coherent, the music by Bruce Smeaton rides to the forefront when necessary, and sound effects are sharp and punchy without being overbearing. A lack of distortion and hiss makes for an enjoyable listening experience.

No subtitles have been provided for this release.

Extras are provided first and foremost with a series of three interviews. The first, with Director Fred Schepisi(34:26) is in HD and features the lively Schepisi discussing his career as a Director, and his introduction to filming in the US. Full of detail and information, Schepisi talks about how he ended up getting bounced from one project to Barbarosa, and the original intent of the film, which was then changed up due to market testing and last-minute editing. He also goes into detail about his straight-forward approach to directing, the locations used, and his learning experiences working with the diverse personalities of the cast and crew.

The second interview is with Danny De La Paz (33:53), who plays Eduardo in the film. Also in HD, the actor brings his enthusiasm as he talks at length of his knowledge of film and his relationships with the crew and co-stars of the movie. De La Paz also brings some of the dirt to the interview, discussing the abundance of cocaine on the set, the late-night parties, and the tension between Busey and Schepisi, but balances it out with anecdotes about bringing his mom to the set to meet one of her acting idols, Gilbert Roland.

The final HD interview is with Alma Martinez (23:31), who plays Juanita in the film. She expands more on the cinematography on the film that De La Paz touched on in his interview, as well as the themes and styles of Barbarosa and the critical reception it has received over the years. And while she brings a few humorous anecdotes of her own, Martinez also touches on the unfortunate deaths that occurred on location, and the sexual harassment that she endured.

A Trailer for the film rounds out the extras.

The Final Word:

Though not without flaws, Barbarosa rides high on the strength of its unlikely leads, backed by the supporting cast. This Blu-ray presentation by Scorpion is a worthwhile upgrade for fans of the film, with some decent extras to boot.

Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!