Don't touch my canoe. (Southern Comfort (DVD))

Member Name: Yermansays

Product:	Southern Comfort (DVD)
Date:	23/09/01 (247 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suspenseful, Well directed, Soundtrack

Disadvantages: None

This movie was made in 1981 and like a good wine; it has aged very well. Walter Hill who also was responsible for The Long Riders, 48 Hours, The Warriors, Extreme Prejudice, Red Heat and Last Man Standing directed it. The story concerns a group of National Guards who set off on a manoeuvres exercise in the swamplands of Louisiana. They are part time soldiers and this becomes very evident not long into the movie.

Keith Carradine (Spencer) and Powers Boothe (Hardin) are among this group and both put in fine performances. They are the two main characters and they come across as sane, intelligent and normal which is more than can be said for other members of the party. The words loud, stupid and psychotic come to mind. Among this lot are Peter Coyote who plays Poole and Fred Ward (Reece).

Where was I? Oh yes, the magnificent nine set off onto the swamps. No problemo as yet. They somehow manage to get themselves hopelessly lost and decide to borrow / steal a few canoes. As they start paddling down river, they spot a group of Cajun gentlemen (wearing the latest in Cajun morning wear) standing on the bank. The canoes belong to these sophisticates and one of the Guardsmen with the stuff, which makes the grass grow green for brains, opens fire with his automatic. He knows he is firing blanks but the Cajuns don’t and decide to return the fire using live ammunition, killing one of the Guardsmen in the process.

This is where the story really begins as our merry bunch of nine soon find their numbers dwindling as they are picked off one by one by our Cajun (You know the type, large men, rotting teeth, bushy beards, all related, in bred, married to their sisters, banjos in the attic and pigs in the kitchen.) friends. There’s no point in telling you anymore about the story other than to say, there is a cracking ending, which is very suspenseful and will keep you guessing right to the death. This finale is accompanied by rousing Cajun music, wh
ich ties in beautifully with the final scenes.

It’s very good but be warned it’s violent and will not be to everyone's taste. It comes with a great soundtrack by Ry Cooder and Walter Hill manages to keep the tension going right to the very end. There are similarities between this and “ Deliverance” which was made nine years earlier and was directed by John Boorman. For my money “Deliverance” is a better movie but “Southern Comfort” will hold your attention and it stands up to repeat viewing.

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