The Long Riders Blu-ray release

            The story of Jesse James and his gang of outlaws has been told several times on film, and the best versions have a gritty realism to them. Most recently I found myself in awe of the surprisingly serene portrayal in The Assassination of Jesse James, though this was not the first time that the infamous outlaw was given a gritty yet thoughtful portrayal in a western. A similar example came in 1980, though it seems much more a film of the 70s.

            The Long Riders is a film which has a cast that is impossible not to mention. The casting itself seems to be something of a marketing ploy, using four sets of actor brothers for the casting of key roles; Dennis and Randy Quaid, Stacy and James Keach, Christopher and Nicholas Guest, Robert and David Carradine. The real-life siblings play characters that are also brothers.

            The film itself follows the exploits and final days of the notorious James-Younger gang. Hunted by the Pinkerton detective agency, Jesse James and his cohorts are forced to go into hiding when their achievements become too great. As wild as the west is, only so many train and bank robberies will be allowed to go unpunished.

            The Blu-ray high definition looks spectacular, even though there was clearly no restoration for the transfer. There are also no special features.