Search - Mr. Majestyk on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1974 DVD Release: 02/04/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 43 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 6 Genres: Crime, Thriller, Action Thriller

Elmore Leonard's script for Mr. Majestyk was, like his novel, supposed to have concentrated on the plight of Chicano migrant workers; but what emerged on screen was extensively reshaped into a standard Charles Bronson vehicle. Battle-weary Vietnam veteran Vince Majestyk (Bronson) settles down in rural Colorado, hoping to make a living as a watermelon farmer. Despite his new-found pacifism, Majestyk can't seem to stay out of trouble, and he lands in jail, where he foils a breakout engineered by Mob boss Frank Renda (Al Lettieri). Offering to bring in Renda in exchange for his own freedom, Majestyk finds himself the main target of the Mob, who is also extorting vast sums of money from Vince's fellow farmers. It is bad enough when the crooks begin roughing up Majestyk's field hands; but when they ruthlessly machine-gun his entire melon crop, they've gone too far. Teaming up with Chicano labor activist Nancy Chavez (Linda Cristal) (any relation to Cesar?), Majestyk decides to track down the mobsters one by one and mete out retribution. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charles Bronson - Vince Majestyk
Al Lettieri - Frank Renda
Linda Cristal - Nancy Chavez
Lee Purcell - Wiley
Paul Koslo - Bobby Kopas

MGM has turned out yet another solid catalog DVD with Mr. Majestyk. The video transfer offers both letterboxed and pan-and-scan versions of the film. Both show off Richard Kline's sharp, colorful cinematography with plenty of detail, but the letterboxed version is the best bet because it displays Kline's skillful framing in the way it was intended to be seen. Audio choices are limited to the film's original mono soundtrack, but it's a solid one that dishes out dialogue and effects with plenty of clarity. It also makes effective use of Charles Bernstein's punchy musical score. Beyond that, all Mr. Majestyk has to offer is an amusing trailer that pitches the film as a successor to Billy Jack. Other extras might have been nice, but this disc is reasonably priced and presents its title in a polished style. In short, Mr. Majestyk is a worthwhile disc for action fans and something that Charles Bronson fans will definitely want to add to their video libraries. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide