Disturbing yet enthralling

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Charles Bronson plays Chato a half-breed(as they used to say) Apache/White, who finds himself a hunted man when he kills a racist sheriff in a saloon. Despite it being an obvious case of self defense, the townspeople form a posse led by former confederate Quincey Whitmore(Jack Palance, well cast) who seems excited about being in a leadership position again. They pursue Chato into his territory in the mountains, only to discover that they have vastly underestimated him, and that he is determined to get rid of them in any way he can...Charles Bronson is not given much dialogue here, but is in amazingly good shape, as he is seen shirtless for the film's duration. The posse are shown to be either ignorant and hateful, or just in over their heads. Sympathy is clearly for Chato, who was wronged, but is also quite ruthless himself(justified though.) Allegorical to Vietnam in the sense of a group of Americans thinking their quarry an ignorant savage, but learn that it was foolhardy to pursue him on his own ground.Though quite grim, it is realistic; Bronson has incredible screen presence, and director Michael Winner presents this story in taut fashion, with a striking ending.

Chato's Land is another in a long line of entertaining Charles Bronson movies, featuring a host of great supporting actors and a simple but powerful storyline. Bronson plays Pardon Chato, an Apache who kills a prejudiced sheriff in self-defense. A posse led by former Confederate Captain Quincy Whitmore (Jack Palance) is formed to hunt down and hang the Indian. The group goes from being hunters to the hunted as they venture into inhospitable, rugged Indian territory- with tragic results.The interesting dynamic lies in the make-up of the posse. Each has joined for a different reason. Whitmore enjoys the thrill of the chase and seeks to re-live past battlefield glory. The sadistic Hooker brothers thirst for the chance to kill an Indian. Others join out of loyalty to the others or felt duty-bound to ride along. During the ride, Whitmore's leadership is challenged and ultimately usurped by Jubal, the eldest of the Hooker brothers (well played by Simon Oakland) as they fruitlessly search for Chato. Powerless to stop the hateful members of the group, Whitmore sees the hunt degenerate into lawless chaos while the Indian sporadically emerges from hiding to fatefully deal with each of his pursuers one by one.Though well-made and entertaining, the film isn't always easy to watch. The rape of Chato's woman and the shooting, hanging and burning of a tribesman reflect the terrible treatment of the Indians in the American Frontier West.Although this is a Charles Bronson film, the supporting cast drives the movie. Ralph Waite, Richard Basehart, Victor French, James Whitmore and Richard Jordan all lend excellent characterizations as members of the posse. Palance and Oakland are excellent as the two main protagonists within the group. Chato's Land is a quality Western worth a look.

Chato's Land is directed by Michael Winner and written by Gerry Wilson. It stars Charles Bronson, Jack Palance, James Whitmore, Simon Oakland, Richard Baseheart, Ralph Waite and Richard Jordan. Shot on location in Andalucia, Spain, with photography by Robert Paynter, it's musically scored by Jerry Fielding. Plot finds Bronson as half Apache, Pardon Chato, who is forced to kill the local sheriff in self defence and finds himself being hunted by a town posse led by Captain Quicey Whitmore (Palance). However, as the posse trail him into the wilderness it becomes apparent that the tables have been turned, with Chato given further cause to inflict harm upon his pursuers.The first of six collaborations between Charles Bronson and Michael Winner, Chato's Land finds the pair setting the marker for what would define their work. With the Western genre going thru a resurgence, Chato's Land is very in-keeping with the type of Western that was being released in the early 70's: namely violent, uncompromising and certainly gritty. These things, as history now shows, were tailor made for Winner, who perfectly utilises Bronson's silent and brooding assets to great effect.Often suspected to be an allegory of the United States' involvement in Vietnam, it's thematically correct in that respect. But the timing of the film would suggest this to not be the case. Chato's Land is more than just a revenge Western; a film about white men out of their usual terrain being pursued by a man of a different ethnicity, it wants to, and does quite well, be a picture dealing in racism, violence and the folly of hypocritical justice. But even tho Wilson's script brings these issues to light, they are not fully formed, with Winner at times dragging the film to a stand-still. However, the group dynamic is a good one, with the inevitable character differences creating a tinderbox waiting to ignite, while Winner doesn't skimp over the violence, puncturing the narrative with savage thrusts.Bronson was 50 years old when making the film, his physicality here is very impressive. The role of Chato is hardly a stretch for him, in fact it's very much a perfect fit. He's basically asked to be a phantom in the landscape, but he casts an imposing presence each time he's called on to deliver some Chato justice. In pursuit are a mixed bunch of actors, with Palance, Whitmore and Baseheart the obvious professional standouts, while Simon Oakland leaves an indelible mark as grizzled father of the Hooker boys, Jubal. Fielding's (The Wild Bunch) score is efficient, but workmanlike, and Paynter's (Lawman) photography never really makes the landscape as imposing as it should be. Overall it's a mixed bag, but for fans of revenge type Westerns, and Palance, it's easy to recommend, but it still should have been more intelligent than it ultimately is. 7/10

Chato's land has a very dark and violent tone. After an altercation in the city, the Apache Chato leads his white pursuers on his land, where the violent manhunt take place.A simple storyline well realized with a tone very specific to this particular early 70s and serves perfectly the darkness of history. The narrative is reinforced by interesting reflections on the Civil War, racism, attitudes, and various relations to things and nature.Charles Bronson always a great North American native. Jack Palance and his partners are very persuasive. A major element screenplay unexpected, a very good end ... a good movie, do not hesitate to reserve one hour and thirty-six minutes to watch and enjoy Chato's Land.jeliosjelios@hotmail.fr