Comments on: “Wake me up when it’s time to die.”

By: Ben Martin

Ben Martin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:19:20 +0000

Seige films can make for great entertainment. I wonder if Rod Taylor chose a “seige” story (for his first film of his new production compnay) at least patrtially becasue one of his most popular films up to that time was also one of the greatest seige films ever made, The Birds. The ‘63 Hitchcock masterpiece (in my opinion, at least) also happens to be a film that shows off Mr. Taylor’s leading man talents at their very best. (He also has to use his calming authority to difuse tensions within the household while preparing for the inevitable attack from the flying marauders. Another influence of Night of the Living Dead? Perhaps. )

By: Richard Harland Smith

Richard Harland Smith — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:41:39 +0000

I saw Chucka in the theater at age of 12. Being a sensitive and perceptive child, it affected me quite a lot. Rod Taylor’s character also taught me that a man can be tough and sensitive as well. I remember crying several times during the film.

Speaking of crying, I was surprised to see Taylor’s character with tear-streaked eyes during his love scene with Luciana Paluzzi. It added a surprisingly tender bit of layering to a somewhat cliched scene.

By: Richard Harland Smith

Richard Harland Smith — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:30:16 +0000

While searching for images for my paragraph on CHUKA last week, I found your site and your insightful review, Peter. And I even borrowed one of your images for the purposes of illustration – so few are pictures of CHUKA on the web – but I have since replaced it. An intriguing, somewhat frustrating but certainly interesting “tweener” of a revisionist western… with a few breaks for coffee.

By: Peter Nellhaus

Peter Nellhaus — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:24:28 +0000

A tip of the proverbial cap for your analysis. I also liked Chuka enough to write about it coinciding with Gordon Douglas's 100th birthday.

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:53:19 +0000

Naturally, I was thrilled when the DVD was released. It’s a really nice transfer, and has some good bonus features.

By: BillA

BillA — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 04:42:31 +0000

Thank you so much for writing about this film. This is one of those I saw on a uhf broadcast as a kid, long before I registered star or director names, and it’s been kicking around deep in the back of my head ever since. One of the movies that started my love of siege films- along with “Sahara” w/Bogart.

And I was JUST ABOUT to mention a French Foreign legion film that had had a huge impact on me in similar circumstances until I followed the link back to your first post and saw the writeup on the “Beau Geste” remake! “Viking funeral” sealed the deal- one of the sequences I’ve been recounting to people forever. That has literally bugged me for over 20 years. I always enjoy this blog but this takes the cake.

By: Richard Harland Smith

Richard Harland Smith — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:04:04 +0000

Thanks, Kimberly. Ernie Borgnine was on ER last night and I felt such a wave of affection for him – which is pretty funny, as he so often played jerks. But here he’s outlined as a bastard and slowly reveals his humanity through the duration of the film. Not that it helps him any in the long run.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:01:31 +0000

Really enjoyed this! Now I must see CHUKA.