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The Shadow of Chikara
Two former Confederate captains try to remove diamonds hidden in the Arkansas mountains, but a native spirit guards the sacred site against intruders.
Release : | 1977 |
Rating : | 5.3 |
Studio : | |
Crew : | Director, Writer, |
Cast : | Joe Don Baker Sondra Locke Ted Neeley Dennis Fimple John Davis Chandler |
Genre : | Horror Western |
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Simply A Masterpiece
Masterful Movie
It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Watch Predator Watch thisFamiliar isn't it, Jungle coming to life, invisible enemies, a lone girl who has experienced the terrible thing that comes from the trees. The brave Indian tracker, its all there. Predator by any other name, and worth watching. Forget the other reviews, this was blockbuster (popular soundtrack The Band, horror, fear , scares, b grade cast?) Great cast they are familiar. Just watch it, its good.The director should have made more films, he had a talent and I think it was wasted, I loved it Earl, you did well
Joe Don Baker has made some slip ups in his time but truly, Demon Mountain, or Shadow of Chikara as it is listed here has to be up at the top of the heap. The film hurts. I mean physical torture. I think I'd rather have my eyeballs put through the VCR than put this tape in my machine again. I got this thing dirt cheap, and I got robbed. It's worth less than dirt.A little rule of thumb for you bad movie lovers out there. Sign #32 that the movie you are about to watch is a stinker; it has more titles than you can think of for it. This film's library of title includes The Ballad of Virgil Cane, or The Curse of Demon Mountain, or perhaps you are more familiar with Shadow Mountain, or some even call it Wishbone Cutter, but whatever you wish to call it, the old line about roses and stank still applies. This thing stanks. When a movie cannot even bother to watch the length of its heroes sideburns, what can be said? Watch Joe Don Baker's mutton chops in several scenes (especially the one where they first meet the girl). From close up to wide shot, his sideburns morph, long and short, and back and forth. That's not incompetent, that's just sad.The plot involves a bunch of Civil War vets from the South who make a trek up that titular (Well quasi-titular, the mountain is mentioned in a few of the gazillion titles anyway) to what purpose I admit I cannot recall. You can bring criticism down upon me now, and question my integrity as a reviewer, but the way I see it, I am doing you a favor.It goes on and on and on like the gasping monologue the Slim Pickens delivers at the opening of the piece (During a Civil War battle scene slightly more engaging than something reenactors from that period could do. And I'm talking in the condition they are in NOW). You feel sad for him, and you feel sad for Joe Don (I mean the guy is not a superstar, but even he deserves better than THIS), but most of all you feel sad for yourself.
The best thing about this movie is Don Kellams (played the bartender). He is just fabulous! It's almost as if he lived as this character. It's too bad that this is the only role he ever tackled. The rest of the cast is mediocre, and the script is bad. But, bravo Mr. Kellams!
Halcow international film (who was famous for making western in the 60's & 70's drive-in era) made this poorly put together film. Paramount Pictures picked it up in 1977 under the title SHADOW MOUNTAIN and released briefly before it disappeared and to re-appear in several diffrent video labels. Joe Don Baker stars as a Southern soldier who comes home to find his wife with a Northern Soldier after the Civil War ended. He, Ted Neeley (from Jesus Christ Superstar) and an indian goes and travels and finds a Sondra Locke who is hiding some secret. Pretty amateurish film with bad sound, bad lighting, and a cameo by Slim Pickens. A song from the rock group "The Band" is also heard in the soundtrack.