Search - Deadwood '76 on DVD

Arch Hall's Second Best Movie

Graboidz | Westminster, Maryland | 03/07/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Maybe "Deadwood '76" isn't on par with a John Ford production, but I thought it was pretty good. The story is a cut above your run of the mill horse opera, and Arch does a decent job portraying Billy May, a cowboy who gets sucked into the gunfighter lifestyle reluctantly. The side stories involving his father's relationship with a soon to be hostile band of Sioux Indians was also pretty different and effective. Don't go into this one expecting "Eegah!" type laughs, or "Sadist" like chills, but give it a shot if you enjoy westerns. If I'm not mistaken this was the last film Arch made before leaving Hollywood behind in favor of a career in aviation, so if you are an Arch Hall Jr. fan, then you owe it to yourself to own Arch's swan song."

Arch Hall Jr is lookin' for gold, not trouble.

James McDonald | Southern California | 10/01/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Here in the Los Angeles County area and Victorville area, there is a new popularity of Arch Hall Jr films thanks to the television stations KDOC 56 (38) in 2003 and currently KHIZ 44 (14) for airing "Macabre Theatre". EEGAH! (1963) is frequently shown (Starring Arch Hall (Sr.), Arch Hall Jr, Carolyn Brandt and Richard Kiel).

Another film with Arch Hall Jr. is Deadwood '76 (1965). Billy May (Arch Hall Jr.) is on his way to Deadwood. He meets up with a man Tennessee (Jack Lester) who is taking the same journey. Tennessee is in search for gold so he can start his own business, The Tennessee Mining Company. In town, Billy is mistakenly called "Billy the Kid" by an impressionitive boy. To make matters worse, he has got Wild Bill Hickok (Robert Dix) on his tail and some Indians to look out for. Can he make it alive out of this town?

This film is low-budget, but a good western story easy to follow. The print of film that Alpha Video offers is not the finest, originally made for widescreen, but this version is standard with the borders of the picture frame cropped. The picture is slightly squeezed in, but watchable like an Italian western film. Filmed in South Dakota. Devil's Tower can be seen.

If you have become a fan of Arch Hall Jr or Carolyn Brandt, I recommend you see: The Sadist (1963). Other films with Arch Hall Jr are: Wild Guitar (1962), EEGAH! (1963), The Nasty Rabbit (1964)."

Wow, what a movie.

Melanie Evans | Kansas City, Kansas United States | 05/20/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Having seen the choppers once and eegah more then a couple times (watch out for snakes!!),I purchased this movie. It sort of drags it feet for about half the movie before it starts picking up. Its not the greatest movie and I have seen worse (Manos:The hands of fate anyone). At times the performances seem a bit wooden and the line deliverances funny. It might be worth a rental."