10kbullets

Hannie Caulder: Tigon Collection – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1971
Director: Burt Kennedy
Writers: Ian Quicke, Bob Richards, Peter Cooper, Burt Kennedy, David Haft
Cast: Raquel Welch, Robert Culp, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam, Strother Martin, Diana Dors

Release Date: May 20th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 85 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"After she is sexually assaulted and her husband is murdered, Hannie Caulder vows to take revenge on the three criminals who wrecked her life. She hires bounty hunter Thomas Price, to train her to be a gunslinger so that she might seek out and kill the perpetrators. However, her plan of retribution will not run as smoothly as she had hoped." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation in original 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio."

Hannie Caulder comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.2 GB

Feature: 24.2 GB

This is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion that takes an existing HD master that Olive Films used for their Blu-ray, resulting in noticeable improvements. Flesh tones and colors look better than previous releases, and the image looks organic. The image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent, the dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a still gallery (37 images - poster/stills/press materials), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 15 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an interview with production accountant Maurice Lansberger titled The Account of the Accountant (10 minutes 21 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Adam Scovel titled Girl Power Goes West (20 minutes, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, a glossy O-ring (limited to the first pressing) and a 36-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with an essay titled Hannie Caulder and the British Western written by Lee Broughton, an essay titled Under the Poncho with Hannie Caulder written by Barry Forshaw, and publicity stills.

Summary:

Directed by Burt Kennedy, whose other notable films are The War Wagon and Support Your Local Sheriff! and Support Your Local Gunfighter.

A woman who was raped by her husband's killers befriends a bounty hunter who assists her in her quest for vengeance.

Though Raquel Welch had appeared in two westerns before Hannie Caulder, it is not a genre that one would associate her with. Bandolero! and 100 Rifles, were made in America, while her final western, Hannie Caulder, was a British western filmed in Spain. That said, Hannie Caulder has a vibe that is closer to the spaghetti western than the American western.

Hannie Caulder is a rare breed among western films; in a male-dominated genre, it is a film that features a female protagonist. Western protagonists are known for their gunplay; Hannie Caulder is a novice when it comes to guns, adding a layer of vulnerability to her. Though she is determined to kill the three men who raped her, she discovers it's not easy to kill someone, despite her vengeful motivation.

The main attraction is Raquel Welch in the role of Hannie Caulder; she delivers a phenomenal performance. Though this role goes against her type of casting, that is not to say that Hannie Caulder does not play up Raquel Welch’s sexy persona. The scene where Hannie Caulder bathes in leather pants to make them fit tighter to her flesh is a perfect example of exploiting her sexiness.

Also, there is a solid supporting cast who are very good in their roles, especially Ernest Borgnine (The Wild Bunch), Jack Elam (Once Upon a Time in the West), and Strother Martin (Cool Hand Luke), the three outlaw brothers. Robert Culp’s (I Spy) portrayal of a bounty hunter named Thomas Luther Price is another standout performance. Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man), in the role of a gunsmith, makes his only appearance in a western.

From a production standpoint, Hannie Caulder is a well-made western that is filled with tense moments. The narrative does an excellent job of building up Hannie Caulder from housewife to coldblooded killer. Another strength of the narrative is how it gives key moments ample time to resonate. And composer Ken Thorne’s rousing score reinforces the mood. Ultimately, Hannie Caulder is a solid rape/revenge western.

Hannie Caulder gets an excellent release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.