Open Season

Three buddies (Fonda, Law, Lynch) kidnap a couple (Sharpe, Mendoza) up in the mountain. Forced Mendoza to be a cook and housekeeper, and the Sharpe to be a sex slave to them. And after the weekend is over, they turn them loose in the wood to hunt them, not knowing the father (william Holden)of a girl that that they raped in High School that had their retarded kid is waiting and watching to pick off Fonda and the gang one by one. I can't understand why Fonda who was getting leads in action films and drama, and Holden who is a respectable actor to be involved in a distasteful film like this. The film looks like it was shot in Spain for the supporting actors looked dubbed. Spanish Actor Simon Andreau is billed as special guest star, but is not in the US or UK print. Annoying title song sounds like Oliver Onions from Italian pop band Guido singing it. TV print loses some of the nudity, but the violence is intact. See it if you like this sort of film, others beware.

Out of the comments I have read about this movie, including the locations where the movie was supposedly shot, it appears that someone did not do their homework, or has not done much traveling. I saw this movie at a theater when it first came out, and recognized the scenery immediately. As the guys were headed out on their vacation, it showed them crossing the Mackinac Bridge, which separates lower Michigan from the upper peninsula, as they were obviously headed for Canada on their hunting trip. Whether the rest of the movie was shot in Canada is questionable, and the bridge may have been a "file shot" which is why it wasn't mentioned in the shooting locations. I have been wondering for years why this movie isn't mentioned in most of the lists of his movie credits. Good, bad, or indifferent, I for one, would like to see it again, just for old times sake. Please... would someone release this on video or DVD?!

I saw this strange film on late night cable way back in 1983 and found it oddly appealing.Obviously not filmed in the USA with dubbed dialog, weird atmosphere and the eventual appearance of William Holden as an added bonus. After searching on the internet recently I found an uncut version VHS tape for sale.* SPOILER *William Holdens character is arrested at the end which didn't occur in the edited version. The stark direction,unconventional editing techniques and haunting music make this one a seldom seen gem. I usually don't indulge in films of this type( like the repulsive, house by the lake ) but open season has enough

going for it to elevate it above other films of this genre. For Fonda/ Holden fans this film is highly recommended,others beware!

Richard Lynch often plays the villain, but seeing hero types Peter Fonda, and John Philip Law as Lynch's comrades in crime is what really makes "Recon Game" a winner. It appears the three leads had a long leash as far as improvisation goes, and their constant bantering probably strays somewhat from what might have been scripted. The film is not perfect, and there are at least a bunch of tedious moments, especially inside the hunting lodge, including a truly boring sequence involving a Monopoly game. Once the "prey" are turned loose and the hunt begins, this raw revenge flick kicks into gear. "Recon Game" compares favorably with another rarely seen hunted in the woods film, "Hunter's Blood". If you can find it, see it, and along with "Recon Game" they would make a terrific double feature. - MERK

This film is a revelation in terms of editing technique, the use of stills right in the middle of the action (this is 1974, a long time pre-John Woo)and several passages of pretty associative editing. The photography is stunning with spectacularly framed images. There is a very thought-out way of using sound, with a change of perspective (from clos up to a wide shot and vice versa) that is counteracted by the sound - a lot of close-up conversation takes place on wide shots. and finally, because some folks think this is boring - the way the topic of the movie - the use of humans as living targets - is introduced is pretty compelling - the audience is not given a clue, or a well-worded plan - we are kept just as informed as the victims, and when seeing the movie for the first time, stuff like putting the chain on the woman in the kitchen really comes as an awful surprise - yet Fonda delivers this as if it was routine as usual (which it obviously is for his character) - thrilling stuff. They did a lot of experimenting with editing and imaging in the 70s which should not be lost. this movie should be put on dvd!