Wild Bill

Walter Hill's 1995 western "Will Bill" is an uneven affair, never certain if it wants to be pulpy, profound or a mixture of the two (a balance that it never quite achieves). Its story follows the final days of gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Bridges) as he resides in Deadwood with Calamity Jane (Ellen Barkin) and a longtime friend (John Hurt). Things take a turn for the worse when a baby-faced David Arquette shows up vowing to kill Bill, making attempt after attempt to end the man's life and consistently being outwitted and outplayed.

When the movie has momentum, mainly in its first and final half hours, it's a thrilling time. Unfortunately, it loses much of this drive in its slog of a second act, where the film becomes weighed down by prominent flashbacks and scattered musings on the myth-making legacy of its protagonist. For those who have watched HBO's "Deadwood" before, the show is an interesting spin on this same world, but I'd recommend just sticking to the series if you want something richer and more character-driven.

The transfer is stunning, however, so for fans of the western genre, Hill's capturing of sprawling landscapes, small-town roads and saloon interiors is fantastically realized. However, regarding sound, the mix feels wildly off. Scenes of dialogue are too soft, while scenes of gunfire are far too loud, leading to a constant relationship with your volume remote throughout the movie.

Bonus features are scarce, as is usual with Twilight Time releases, which come in limited batches of 3,000 units (a bonus in and of itself). There are an isolated score track and original theatrical trailer, but that's it. So all in all, whether you opt to purchase "Wild Bill" or not depends on your admiration for the western genre, your curiosity in Walter Hill's filmography and your patience for slogged down stories.

"Wild Bill"
Twilight Time Movies Limited Edition Blu-ray
$29.95
https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/wild-bill-blu-ray/