High Plains Drifter 1973

High Plains Drifter is a 1973 Western film with a hint of supernatural horror directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. The film was influenced by the work of Eastwood's two major collaborators Sergio Leone and Don Siegel (Eastwood has noted that the graveyard set featured in the film's finale had tombstones reading "Sergio Leone" and "Don Siegel," intended as a comical "dedication" to both then-living directors).

High Plains Drifter was filmed on location on the shores of Mono Lake, California. The screenplay was written by Ernest Tidyman and an uncredited Dean Riesner, with Tidyman authoring the novelization. Dee Barton provided the film's eerie musical score.

Below: High Plains Drifter Universal 1973 Banner (24 x 82)

Below: How High Plains Drifter would have opened when seen in UK cinemas with its original X certificate
To view the Original trialer, click below:
             
High Plains Drifter 1973 Clint Eastwood Original UK QUAD poster 30x40

High Plains Drifter 1972 Clint Eastwood Original Australian Day bill
High Plains Drifter 1973 Clint Eastwood Geoff Lewis Original German A1 poster
High Plains Drifter 1973 DVD R1 with trailer
High Plains Drifter 1973 DVD R2 16:9 widescreen with trailer
Below: High Plains Drifter Blu-ray release

High Plains Drifter 1973 Extremely rare original set of 8 14 x 11 US Lobby cards mint condition

High Plains Drifter 1973 Original UK FOH set x 8
High Plains Drifter 1973 Original UK double sided press sheet with synopsis, cast and credits
High Plains Drifter 1973 Original Soundtrack CD on the Intrada label

High Plains Drifter 1973 German Original film program
High Plains Drifter 1973 Lobby stills x 5 German
High Plains Drifter 1973 Original Spanish Press book with great cover art
High Plains Drifter 1973 Original Film tie-in Paperback

High Plains Drifter 1973 Original Radio Spots 60, 60, 30, 10, 10secs
High Plains Drifter 1973 10 x 8 Press Stills b/w x 23 + 2 colour
High Plains Drifter 1973 UK Orig Press sheets and Ad range
High Plains Drifter 1973 U.S. Original Press book
High Plains Drifter 1973 Original Crazy magazine which Spoofed High Plains Drifter with Plain High Drifter!
High Plains Drifter 1973 original Japanese program

High Plains Drifter 1973 Some great photos collected from around the world:

Some other Material from around the World:
The High Plains Drifter U.S. 1 Sheet poster 27x41
The High Plains Drifter U.S. Half Sheet poster
The High Plains Drifter U.S. Insert poster
The High Plains Drifter U.S. International 1 Sheet poster
The High Plains Drifter U.S. 3 Sheet poster
The High Plains Drifter Italian Folio poster
The High Plains Drifter Italian Locandina poster
Below: High Plains Drifter 1973 Huge Italian Billboard Size 55 X 116
Below: High Plains Drifter Original Italian Fotobustas

Below: An alternative Australian Day bill for High Plains Drifter

Here is the Yugoslavian High Plains Drifter poster
The Japanese B2 High Plains Drifter poster
Below: High Plains Drifter 1973 French Petite Size 15.75 X 21
Below: A set of 10 French Lobby stills
Below: High Plains Drifter 1973 Original Korean poster

Below: High Plains Drifter poster from Argentina

Below: High Plains Drifter Original Polish 1 Sheet poster
Below: This is a High Plains Drifter German fold out synopsis sheet

Below: The original Super 8mm cut down version on Castle Films (200ft)

Below: Here's the U.S. Widescreen Laserdisc from Universal MCA

Above: Rare old Disco Vision version of High Plains Drifter
Below: A rarely seen High Plains Drifter Laserdisc from the Netherlands

Below: The stunning making of featurette in full, a very special thank you to Jerry Whittington who provided this for us.

While on the subject of High Plains Drifter (Behind the scenes) here's a still that doesn't come along too often! And when it does, it can reach up to $50
Below: An example of the High Plains Drifter U.S. Mini lobby card set
Original Review
High Plains Drifter (1973)
April 20, 1973
'High Plains Drifter' Opens on Screen
VINCENT CANBY, New York Times
Published: April 20, 1973

Callie Travers (Mariana Hill) is indignant. Having so successfully caught the eye of The Stranger (Clint Eastwood) that he has carried her into the livery stable and had his way with her (with her cooperation), she complains to the sheriff: "Isn't forcible rape in broad daylight still a misdemeanour in this town?"
It is not, and has not been for some time, not since the good citizens of the little frontier community of Lago banded together to murder their former sheriff, an honorable man who had wanted to reveal that the town's mining company was on Government land.

"High Plains Drifter," with Eastwood as director as well as star, is part ghost story, part revenge Western, more than a little silly, and often quite entertaining in a way that may make you wonder if you have lost your good sense. The violence of the film (including a couple of murders by bull-whipping) is continual and explicit. It exalts and delights in a kind of pitiless Old Testament wrath.

However, it is also apparent that neither Ernest Tidyman, who wrote the screenplay, nor Eastwood are taking themselves too seriously. Eastwood's characterization of The Stranger, who settles God's score with Lago, is a high parody of the soft-featured, brutal Man With No Name he played in those bitter Sergio Leone Westerns. Tidyman's dialogue is funny, and the physical setting—some weatherbeaten shacks on the edge of a body of water that looks like a dead sea—is startlingly beautiful. Eastwood, who earlier directed "Play Misty for Me," has also surrounded himself with a group of good supporting actors, including Verna Bloom, Mitchell Ryan and a 65-year-old midget named Billy Curtis.

Below: Original Newspaper Ads

Below: I-80 Outdoor Theatre, 19100 Oak Park Avenue, Tinley Park, IL 60477

Below: Co-star Verna Bloom

Below: Clint between takes playing with son Kyle

I'm constantly amazed at what comes about from a general discussion among a couple of fellow Eastwood friends. After some 40 years of collecting Eastwood material, you tentatively begin to assume that you've pretty much covered most areas - until of course something new suddenly appears. For instance, I never had a clue that High Plains Drifter was released as a Double Bill with Joe Kidd in the U.S. - I'm still not sure if it was shown as a double bill in the UK? But last night myself, Davy Triumph and Steve Saragossi were discussing Eastwood double bills on Facebook when Davy mentioned this particular pairing. Thinking about it afterwards, it of course makes perfect sense - Two westerns, both made by Universal - all completely logical...

Davy provided a picture from the U.S. Press book which enabled me to track down a picture of the Original 1 sheet poster - I carried out some digital restoration to it, in order to help show it in its best possible quality and as a result, I'm very pleased to add it here in the Archive. Thank you Davy and Steve - I guess there is always something new to be learnt in this business.

Below: Some more b/w stills from High Plains Drifter

 

Below: Some beautiful photos from High Plains Drifter, my thanks to Davy Triumph for supplying these.

 

Below: I recently stumbled across this piece of artwork, believed to be a piece of fan art or a 'mock-up' - but the result works remarkably well. 

Below: A couple of very rare Polaroid photos featuring stuntman Chuck Waters and Clint, on location during High Plains Drifter

 

Below: Here's a great selection of stills featuring stuntman Chuck Waters at work on High Plains Drifter

 

 

 

Below: Stuntman Chuck Waters takes a fall, thanks to Kevin Wilkinson 

Below: Some artwork by Ron Lesser. It is named Pale Rider - but looks very much to me like High Plains Drifter

Below: Clint about to turn up the heat in High Plains Drifter

Below: Clint playing with son Kyle on location

Below: Here is an example of the style of an original script, dated May 8th, 1972

High Plains Drifter co-star Mariana Hill joins Clint at Nicky Blair's Restaurant for dinner on September 18th, 1986

Below: Original 30 second TV spot

          

Below: Here's a great quality shot of Clint taken for publicity. My thanks to Davy Triumph.

             

Below: A great shot of Clint on location during High Plains Drifter

             

Below: More great shots from Kevin Wilkinson

Below: A selection of superb cast member shots, again provided by Kevin Wilkinson

Below: Some rare advertising from Universal

Below: from Box office magazine July, 1973

Below: Some original French material, including the French Lobby set of 12

Below: The French double sided fold out insert

Below: A set of French production notes

Below: A couple of French Newspaper ads

Below: Rare Pariscope weekly magazine, featuring High Plains Drifter cover (N° 276) from August 9th, 1973  

Below: Here are a couple of very rare, early concept artworks by Bill Gold, my thanks to Davy Triumph