He was called 'Bloody Sam', 'Picasso of Violence' or 'Hollywood's Bad Boy': US director Sam Peckinpah (1925 - 1984). His films such as SACRAMENTO, THE WILD BUNCH, STRAW DOGS, GETAWAY, PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID, STEINER - THE IRON CROSS and his inseparably linked personality shaped the 60s and 70s so profoundly that his influence can still be felt today. Filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, John Woo and Quentin Tarantino revere and cite the film work of Sam Peckinpah, who had a significant impact on filmmaking: carefully staged character studies and his now legendary depictions of violence in slow motion divided critics and audiences alike. Peckinpah's own personality, however, tore apart his personal environment: Marked by alcohol and drug addiction and weakened by countless battles with Hollywood studios and their producers, Peckinpah's rebellious and unpredictable behavior caused countless tragedies and scandals that sometimes overshadowed his own work during his lifetime. The greatest actors and film stars of their time gave outstanding performances in his films: Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, William Holden, James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Warren Oates, Ali MacGraw and Jason Robards are just a few of them, and more than half of his 14 feature films have become classics of film art. They all enjoy cult status - just like the man who created them: Sam Peckinpah. PASSION & POETRY: THE BALLAD OF SAM PECKINPAH paints a portrait of a complicated person and artist using rare film and audio recordings. Family members and companions talk about their experiences with Sam Peckinpah, but Peckinpah himself also speaks in detail in previously unreleased film and audio recordings and tells the story from his point of view for the first time in a film. This film, independently produced by Peckinpah expert Mike Siegel, was shot over a period of five years and was filmed on location in the USA, Mexico, England and Germany. (text translated from the German on the DVD cover)

Expand