Walker (1987)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Walker |
| Original title | Walker |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1987 |
| length | 102 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 18 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Alex Cox |
| script | Rudy Wurlitzer |
| production |
Angel Flores Marini , Lorenzo O'Brien , Edward R. Pressman |
| music | Joe Strummer |
| camera | David Bridges |
| cut |
Alex Cox , Carlos Puente Ortega |
| occupation | |
| |
Walker is an American adventure film directed by Alex Cox from 1987 .
action
The adventurer William Walker lived in the mid-19th century and worked as a doctor, lawyer and journalist. On his own initiative, Walker wages a guerrilla war against Mexico with a handful of followers .
Wealthy sponsors - including Cornelius Vanderbilt - finally commission the adventure with the organization of a coup in Nicaragua , which they hope will lead to better business opportunities. The company succeeds. With a group of other invaders he takes power in the country and becomes president there.
After two years, popular uprisings broke out, and the Walkers mercenaries were put on the defensive. The troops flee to a church used as a base. In a speech to his people, Walker stated that he believed that the United States would never withdraw from Nicaragua and would always rule the country. As Walker's mercenaries leave the church, a helicopter lands in the square in front of the church, from which US Marines storm with automatic assault rifles. A US official announces that he has been assigned to evacuate US citizens. He takes some with him, and the locals pushing into the helicopter are shot.
The officer asks Walker if he is a US citizen. Walker replies that he is the President of Nicaragua, whereupon he is left behind. In the last scene he is shot dead.
Reviews
Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times on December 4, 1987 that the film announced in the title sequence with open wounds in the background that it was bad. Ebert scoffed that the good actor Ed Harris needed a new agent because of his involvement in this “caricature” . The critic wondered why after the fighting ended, people were shown reading contemporary magazines such as Newsweek .
Rita Kempley wrote in the Washington Post on December 4, 1987 that the film was "catastrophically anachronistic" . The intention of the director and the screenwriter was a metaphor denouncing Ronald Reagan's policy towards Nicaragua .
Awards
Alex Cox was nominated for the Golden Bear in 1988 .
background
The film was shot in various locations in Nicaragua . It was shown in February 1988 at the Berlin International Film Festival . Its production amounted to an estimated 5.8 million US dollars ; the film grossed approximately 257 thousand US dollars in US cinemas.
Web links
- Walker in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Walker at rotten tomatoes (English)
- Walker on the website of the director (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Review by Roger Ebert
- ^ Critique by Rita Kempley
- ^ Filming locations for Walker , accessed May 28, 2007
- ^ Walker premiere dates , accessed May 28, 2007
- ↑ Box office / business for Walker , accessed May 28, 2007