Barbarosa Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Barbarosa Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 25, 2016

Willie Nelson seems built for the genre, but 1982’s “Barbarosa” was the singer’s first foray into westerns, keeping his braids and bushy beard, while adding six-guns and a horse to complete his character. Directed by Fred Schepisi, the feature uses Nelson well, pairing him with co-star Gary Busey, who adds his own unique energy to the picture, which plays up traditional western touches, mixing outlaw antics with an aborted dissection of myth. “Barbarosa” has its issues, but it also has its kooky leading men and extraordinary atmosphere, finding naturalistic beauty to go along with idiosyncratic actors and a fascinating theme of storytelling that never connects as profoundly as it intends to.

After accidentally killing his brother-in-law, Karl (Gary Busey) leaves his Texas home, entering Mexico with hopes to disappear, discovering his family has sent others to shoot him. Alone in the wild, without the skills to survive, Karl is discovered by Barbarosa (Willie Nelson), an outlaw who takes pity on the farm boy, teaching him a thing or two about self-preservation and the ways of robbery, which challenges Karl’s moral core. On Barbarosa’s trail is Eduardo (Danny De La Paz), an assassin sent by Don Braulio (Gilbert Roland), who’s been stoking the legend of Barbarosa for decades, always unsuccessful in his efforts to murder the bandit. As time passes, Karl and Barbarosa develop a partnership, taking them on a journey that visits family and encounters danger, building respect for each other while inflating the Barbarosa myth, which becomes far more powerful than the man that inspired it.

Giving the production a bit of prestige is screenwriter William D. Wittliff, who co-wrote “The Black Stallion” before embarking on a career in westerns and Midwest concerns, crafting “Country,” “Legends of the Fall,” and “Lonesome Dove.” “Barbarosa” is one of Wittliff’s purest exercises in genre craftsmanship, looking to establish the titular character as a man who’s built himself into a legend, with those in the know fearful of his reputation, including Don Braulio, who employs the tale of Barbarosa as a way to keep command of his village, sharing stories about the outlaw with generations of wide-eyed audiences, including Eduardo, who’s determined to capture the shadowy man, claiming position and honor in the process. “Barbarosa” teases a grander design of storytelling to best accentuate the genre’s power, contrasting rumor with the reality of Barbarosa’s vagabond ways, but it doesn’t connect the dots, only intermittently paying attention to this fascinating look at the dissection of western legend.

Narrative instability aside, “Barbarosa” does have a game cast, finding Nelson and Busey surprisingly compatible as opposites. They have itchy chemistry, which results in unexpected performances and a combustible energy when action heats up, and Nelson makes for a surprisingly effective outlaw, butching up his presence to portray a threat, albeit one who doesn’t have the greatest command over his impulses. Schepisi supports the onscreen talent by providing a thick western tone to the picture, capturing wide open spaces for the characters to get lost in, while scoring from Bruce Smeaton is evocative and traditional, adding a touch of cinematic thunder to the viewing experience. The feature definitely has authority and determination to examine characters in full, following Karl’s growth from simpleton to Barbarosa’s apprentice, but it really comes alive in full western mode, generating an irresistible sweep while maintaining defined personalities.

Barbarosa Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a bright view of "Barbarosa," capturing the movie's atypical cinematography with pleasing clarity and freshness. Detail is easily accessible throughout, picking up deep facial features and genre griminess, while costuming is textured and available for inspection. Landscapes are also open for survey, preserving deep distances. Colors are appropriate, holding to traditional western hues to sell the period, while greenery is secured. Skintones are natural. Delineation is largely comfortable and communicative. Source is in impressive condition, lacking noticeable damage.

Barbarosa Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix presents a comfortable listening experience for "Barbarosa," though some slight shrillness remains in the highs. Dialogue exchanges are satisfying, capturing performance speeds and accents without disruption, preserving the effort's somewhat casual atmosphere of conversation. Scoring is big and bold, carrying the movie when needed, aided by sharp instrumentation and fullness. Sound effects add to genre interests, with snappy gunfire and horse-based action. Atmospherics handle the open-air vibe of the picture, securing position and distance, while group activity is flavorful.

Barbarosa Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Music and Effects Track is offered.

• Interview (34:26, HD) with director Fred Schepisi is a rather in-depth discussion of "Barbarosa," with the helmer articulating his intentions for his American filmmaking debut after building a reputation in the Australian movie industry. Talk of production challenges, a larger budget, and performances are interesting, but most compelling is time Schepisi spends recalling a particularly rough test screening process that removed a great deal of storytelling from the finished product. Schepisi also examines Universal's reluctance to grant the feature a wide release, only doing so when Siskel & Ebert decided to champion the effort on "At the Movies."

• Interview (33:53, HD) with actor Danny De La Paz is a real treat, spending time with an extremely sharp and charismatic man who's fairly honest about his time on the "Barbarosa" set. De La Paz highlights tensions between Busey and Schepisi, likely fueled by workplace cocaine use, making the star so restless, his make-up had to applied whenever and wherever he could stand still for a moment. De La Paz retains respect for the director and his unusual vision for the feature, and he also shares stories about cast and crew camaraderie, which often resulted in late nights inside a saloon located right under his hotel room. De La Paz also covers his career highlights, including performances in "Boulevard Nights," "3:15," and "American Me."

• Interview (23:31, HD) with actress Alma Martinez also covers hostilities on set and reverence for Schepisi's style. However, Martinez has a fascinating perspective on production concerns, enduring sexual harassment from an unnamed co-star, triggering her furious refusal. Martinez also discusses her preparation for a nude scene that was ultimately cut out of the movie. The actress walks through her filmography as well, sharing stories from "Zoot Suit," "Under Fire," and pointing out her recent appearance in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:49, HD) is included.

Barbarosa Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's not just Nelson and Busey who command "Barbarosa." The supporting cast is teeming with interesting performances and defined faces, adding a sense of danger to the journey as all sides begin to close in on the main characters. The production takes the genre seriously, arranging a satisfying hunt to fuel suspense, complete with trimmings such as treacherous terrain, horse travel, and shootouts. There are shortcomings when it comes to the actual execution of ideas, including an abrupt ending, but "Barbarosa" has enough fascinating faces and flavorful western touches to pass, making it an interesting addition to the genre's trouble journey throughout the 1980s, blending classic oater allure with a new breed of screen character.