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Death Hunt

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For the Italian film, seeDeath Hunt (1977 film).
Death Hunt
Theatrical release poster by John Solie
Directed byPeter Hunt
Written byMichael GraisandMark Victor
Produced byMurray Shostak
StarringCharles Bronson
Lee Marvin
Andrew Stevens
Carl Weathers
Ed Lauter
Angie Dickinson
CinematographyJames Devis
Edited byJohn F. Burnett
Allan Jacobs
Music byJerrold Immel
Production
company
Distributed by20th Century Fox(worldwide)
Golden Harvest (Hong Kong)
Release date
  • May 21, 1981(1981-05-21)
Running time
97 minutes
CountriesUnited States
Hong Kong
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10–10.5 million[1][2]
Box office$5 million[3]

Death Huntis a 1981Westernaction filmdirected byPeter Hunt.The film starsCharles Bronson,Lee Marvin,Angie Dickinson,Carl Weathers,Maury Chaykin,Ed LauterandAndrew Stevens.Death Huntwas a fictionalized account of theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police(RCMP) pursuit of a man namedAlbert Johnson.[4]Earlier films exploring the same topic wereThe Mad Trapper(1972), a Britishmade-for-televisionproduction andChallenge to Be Free(also known asMad Trapper of the YukonandMad Trapper) (1975).[5][6]

Plot

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In theYukon Territoryin 1931, Albert Johnson (Charles Bronson), a solitary American trapper, comes across an organizeddog fight.A whiteGerman Shepherdis badly injured and Johnson forcibly takes it, paying $200 to its owner, a vicious trapper named Hazel (Ed Lauter).

Aggrieved by his treatment and claiming the dog was stolen from him, Hazel leads several of his friends to Johnson's isolatedcabin.Some begin shooting while others create a diversion. After the shooting of Sitka, the dog that Johnson has nursed back to health, the trapper kills one pursuer, Jimmy Tom (Denis Lacroix),

Once they discover that Johnson has bought 700 rounds ofammunitionfrom the local trading post and paid in $100 bills, many conclude that he is the "mad trapper", a possibly mythical, psychopathic, serial killer who supposedly murders other trappers in the wilderness and takes their gold teeth. An old trapper, Bill Luce (Henry Beckman), warns Johnson that the law is coming for him. Johnson fortifies his cabin.

Sergeant Edgar Millen (Lee Marvin), commander of the localRoyal Canadian Mounted Policepost, seems a tough but humane man. He has with him a veteran tracker named "Sundog" Brown (Carl Weathers) and a young constable, Alvin Adams (Andrew Stevens), plus a new lover in Vanessa McBride (Angie Dickinson). He reluctantly agrees to investigate Hazel's accusations that Johnson stole his dog and murdered Jimmy Tom.

Millen leads aposseof mounties and trappers to the cabin. He parleys with Johnson, telling him that he has a pretty good idea of what happened and if Johnson comes with him they can get it sorted out. However, before Johnson can answer, one of the trappers opens fire. Several end up killed, including one who is shot by one of his own friends. The posse usesdynamiteto blow up the cabin, but Johnson escapes, shooting dead a Mountie, Constable Hawkins (Jon Cedar).

Millen, Sundog and Adams, joined by Hazel with his tracker dogs, set off into the frozen wilderness after Johnson. The case has made front-page news across the country, and many trappers join in the chase, attracted by the $1,000 bounty that has been placed on Johnson's life. Captain Hank Tucker (Scott Hylands), aRoyal Canadian Air Forcepilot, is sent by the government to join the hunt, which is causing a national embarrassment. He reveals that Johnson was a member of aUnited States Armyspecial intelligence unit duringWorld War I.

Johnson utilizes a number oftrackingtechniques to avoid Millen's posse and thebounty hunters,living off the land in treacherous winter conditions. As the hunt continues, Millen begins to respect Johnson's uncommon abilities, while growing to resent the intrusion of so many outsiders.

Luce comes across two of the pursuing trappers and shoots them both dead before pulling out their gold teeth. Luce, it seems, is the mad trapper.

The pursuers catch up to Johnson. Tucker begins to strafe the area indiscriminately with his aircraftmachine gun,killing Sundog. The enraged Millen and Adams shoot down the aircraft with their rifles; Tucker crashes into acanyonwall and is killed. Johnson escapes after killing Hazel.

Luce comes across Johnson and tries to kill him, presumably attracted by the reward. Johnson tricks him and captures him at gunpoint. Shortly thereafter Millen spots Johnson and opens fire; the bullet hits him in the face, rendering him unrecognizable. As they examine the body, Millen and Adams spot the real Johnson, dressed in Luce's clothes, on a ridge above them. The man they shot was Luce, dressed in Johnson's clothes.

As the other pursuers arrive on the scene, Adams tells them that Millen has killed Johnson. A trapper finds that the body has a pocket full of gold teeth, so they celebrate the killing of the "mad trapper".

Cast

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Production

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ABristol F.2 Fighterreplica featured prominently inDeath Hunt.

Development

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The film was financed byRaymond Chowof Hong Kong's Golden Harvest. It was part of a six film slate worth $60 million he announced in July 1979, others includingHigh Road to China,The Cannonball Run,andBattle Creek Brawl,plus two films that were not made,The Texansdirected bySam Peckinpahfrom a script byJohn Milius,andHorizonsbased on a novel byHardy Kruger.The latter film was financed with German tax shelter money.[8]

Chow sold the film to20th Century Fox.[9]

The film was originally known asArctic Rampage.[10]Bronson and Marvin had first worked together onYou're in the Navy Now(1951). Marvin later said "Sometimes during 'Death Hunt,' I'd look over at him [Bronson], and think, 'Well, here we are, still at it, and we've held up well.' It's unusual to be able to feel that way about an old mate. Usually, you meet some actor you've known for years and you are guilty about your own success. It's, 'Gee, I've had the breaks, what the hell can I say?' And the other guy starts talking about his bad timing. 'If I'd been there, Brando never would have made it'."[11]

Historical accuracy

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Death Huntbears little semblance to the true story of the manhunt of Albert Johnson, the reputed "Mad Trapper of Rat River". Johnson was eventually killed after a remarkable and highly publicized pursuit over several weeks. Of special note was the fact that Johnson eluded his RCMP pursuers in the dead of winter in the lower Arctic, crossing theRichardson Mountainsin the process, a feat previously considered impossible. On February 17, 1932, Johnson was finally surrounded by Mounties on the frozen Eagle River, and shot and killed.[12]

"Albert Johnson was a hero in that he survived a physical ordeal," said the film's producer Murray Shostak. "The story isn't twisted. We're not making a documentary."[13]

World War I veteranWop Maywas a bush pilot flying aBellancaaircraft who was involved in the hunt for Johnson. Contrary to the film, May, who was portrayed as "Captain Tucker", did not wildly shoot at everyone, including the posse on the ground, nor did he get shot down. May was unscathed and lived until 1952.[14]"There was no heavy so we elected to make it the airplane," said producer Al Ruddy. "It represents the twentieth century."[10]

In the film numerous men are shot and killed by Johnson, but during the real manhunt this never occurred. Constable Millen was shot and killed by Johnson and was the only Mountie killed by Johnson during the manhunt. Two other RCMP officers that Johnson shot survived.[15][10]

Carl Weathers was a black character working for the Mounties. Murray Shostak, the Canadian producer, said, "If you notice closely, he is not wearing the Mountie stripe on his pants. He's a sidekick."[10]

In the film it is claimed that Johnson was a World War I veteran, with Captain Tucker providing Johnson's military service record to Millen and the other RCMP officers. According to researcher Frank W. Anderson, virtually nothing is known of Albert Johnson before his arrival at Fort McPherson on July 9, 1931. To this day, the Mad Trapper's true identity has never been established.[16]

Bronson said about the character, "There are many men who have gone to Canada and most of them have gone because they want to be alone.... [many want to] escape from their wives. I'm not saying that's what Albert Johnson did, though... The more I read about Albert Johnson the more I felt he should be made sympathetic."[10]

"We never set out to depict this as an accurate history of Canada," said Shostak. "You try to make it as dramatic and entertaining as possible.... We don't hide it [the fact the film was shot in Canada]. We say that it takes place in Canada and in that sense we've been more nationalistic than a lot of Canadian producers.... In the past five or 10 years, producers have been making a real effort to avoid having their films identified as Canadian because there is a silly theory that Americans won't go see films not shot in America.... We talk about Edmonton and Toronto in the film, and in most respects this is more of a Canadian film than most certified Canadian films."[10]

"The truth is often interred with the bones," said Lee Marvin. "But you've got to think of the audience... The closest it gets [to the facts] is the snow. But it's not a documentary. Documentaries show at little theatres and at schools. I loved the movie. I've never seen so many rotten people in one film. There's not a saving grace in anybody."[10]

Casting

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Joan Collinswas originally cast in the female lead.[17]She does not appear in the final film. Angie Dickinson accepted what was a relatively small role because she wanted to work with Bronson and Marvin and "I wanted to see Banff". She did admit "my part is so small it looks as if it's been almost cut out of the picture. It hasn't. That's it... I probably wouldn't have done it if the film had been set in Lancaster."[18]

"I think they set out to make a piece of entertainment, not a documentary" said Canadian actor August Schellenberg who appears in the film. "Being Canadian, I've given up on historical fact after seeingRiel.Talk about a travesty - and that was with Canadian taxpayers' money.Death Huntis American... The experience was fun. I don't think I was treated any differently than Lee Marvin. It's on Canadian films with American stars that you are treated as an also-ran. "[19]

Filming

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Principal photography forDeath Hunttook place in March and April 1981. Location sites includedCanmoreand Abraham Lake, Alberta in Canada.[20]

The film featured aBristol F.2b Fighterreplica in RCAF markings. The aircraft was on skis and equipped with an upper wing-mounted machine gun.[21]

Release

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Home media

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Death Huntwas first released on VHS by CBS/Fox video in the early 1980s. A DVD ofDeath Huntwas released byAnchor Bay Entertainmentin January 2005. However, Anchor Bay has since lost distribution rights to the film, and the DVD was forced out of print.Shout! Factoryacquired the rights to the film and released it on DVD on February 1, 2011 as a double bill withButch and Sundance: The Early Days(1979).[22]In 2013, Timeless Media Group (an imprint of Shout! Factory) released a limited run 2k Blu-ray which is also out of print.

Reception

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Box office

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The film's box office performance was described as "lethargic".[23]

Critical response

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InVincent Canby's review forThe New York Times,he noted that the plot had problems. "Nothing inDeath Huntmakes a great deal of sense, though the scenery is rugged and the snowscapes beautiful. "Canby, however, recognized that two old pros were at work." Mr. Bronson and Mr. Marvin are such old hands at this sort of movie that each can create a character with ease, out of thin, cold air. "[24]ReviewerLeonard MaltincharacterizedDeath Huntas having "... good action, but not enough of it."[25]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^Solomon 1989, p. 259.
  2. ^THE COLD THAT CAUGHT THE 'VIRUS': THE COLD THAT CAUGHT 'VIRUS' MARKFIELD, ALAN. Los Angeles Times 17 Feb 1980: n3.
  3. ^'Death Hunt' (box-office performance),The Numbers.Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  4. ^Lentz 1999, p. 166.
  5. ^"The Mad Trapper (1972)."IMDb.Retrieved: December 1, 2014.
  6. ^"Details: The Mad Trapper (1975)".The New York Times.Retrieved: December 1, 2014.
  7. ^"Full cast & crew: Death Hunt (1981)."IMDb.Retrieved: December 1, 2014.
  8. ^Chow Tells $60 Million Film Schedule Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times 5 Oct 1979: f39.
  9. ^If a film chews gum, it's American The Guardian 5 July 1980: 9.
  10. ^abcdefgCanadian history is trashed again Scott, Jay. The Globe and Mail 30 Mar 1981: P.15.
  11. ^At the Movies: Lee Marvin beats drum for 'Death Hunt.' Chase, Chris. New York Times 22 May 1981: C12.
  12. ^Anderson and Downs 1986, pp. 42–43.
  13. ^Mad Trapper film sparks furor The Globe and Mail; 02 Apr 1980: P.16.
  14. ^Pigott 1994, p. 100.
  15. ^North 1972, pp. 121–127.
  16. ^Anderson and Downs 1986, pp. 89–90.
  17. ^Peter Hunt will settle for sex and adventure Godfrey, Stephen. The Globe and Mail 4 Mar 1980: E.15.
  18. ^ANGIE DICKINSON DRESSED TO CAMEO Mann, Roderick. Los Angeles Times 7 May 1981: i4.
  19. ^Portrait of a veteran unknown Scott, Jay. The Globe and Mail14 Apr 1981: P.17.
  20. ^"Filming locations: Death Hunt (1981)."IMDb.Retrieved: November 29, 2014.
  21. ^"Death Hunt (1981)."Aerofiles.Retrieved: November 29, 2014.
  22. ^"Butch And Sundance: The Early Days/Death Hunt."Archived2014-12-05 at theWayback MachineDVD Verdict.Retrieved: November 29, 2014.
  23. ^PRYOR AND ALDA PROVING STARS STILL SELL MOVIES HARMETZ, ALJEAN. New York Times 30 May 1981: 1.10.
  24. ^Canby, Vincent."Death Hunt (1981); 'Death Hunt' pits Bronson against Marvin."The New York Times,May 22, 1981.
  25. ^Maltin 2009, p. 331.

Bibliography

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  • Anderson, Frank W. and Art Downs.The Death of Albert Johnson, Mad Trapper of Rat River.Surrey, British Columbia, Canada: Heritage House, 1986.ISBN978-1-89438-403-2.
  • Lentz, Robert F.Lee Marvin: His Films and Career.Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1999.ISBN978-0-78640-723-1.
  • Maltin, Leonard.Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide 2009.New York: New American Library, 2009 (originally published asTV Movies,thenLeonard Maltin’s Movie & Video Guide), First edition 1969, published annually since 1988.ISBN978-0-451-22468-2.
  • North, Dick.The Mad Trapper of Rat River: A True Story of Canada's Biggest Manhunt.Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Macmillan Company, 1972.ISBN978-1-59228-771-0.
  • Pigott, Peter.Flying Canucks: Famous Canadian Aviators.Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Hounslow Press, 1994.ISBN978-0-88882-175-1.
  • Solomon, Aubrey.Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History.Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989.ISBN978-0-81084-244-1.
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