SHALAKO HAS BEEN NOTORIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE FILM TO FOLLOW YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE IN 1968 FOR SEAN CONNERY IN HIS DEPARTURE FROM JAMES BOND. IN ITS OWN CELEBRATED RIGHT, IT IS A VIBRANT,HYPNOTIC WESTERN ADVENTURE, ONE OF THE EARLY LOUIS L'AMOUR ADAPTATIONS TO FOLLOW JOHN WAYNE'S HONDO(1953) AND UNIVERSAL'S TAGGERT(1964). FORMER ARMY LEGEND SEAN CONNERY ENCOUNTERS COUNTESS BRIGITTE BARDOT WITH A HUNTING PARTY IN THE PERILOUS REALM OF APACHE COUNTRY. SET IN NEW MEXICO, BUT FILMED ON RUGGED SPANISH LOCALES, CONNERY ENCOUNTERS A DIVERSE EXHIBIT OF GREED,COWARDICE, COURAGE AND SURVIVAL IN THE PERSONAS OF OPPORTUNISTIC GUNFIGHTER STEPHEN BOYD, ARISTOCRATIC COUNT PETER VAN EYCK AND HIS INTEREST IN ELUSIVE TRAVELLER HONOR BLACKMAN, CONFLICTED IN HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HUSBAND JACK HAWKINS. POMPOUS SENATOR ALEXANDER KNOX AND SEDUCTIVE WIFE VALERIE FRENCH ACCENT THE PARTY TO INTRIGUING DIMENSIONS. CONNERY'S ULTIMATE BATTLE IS WITH APACHE WARRIOR WOODY STRODE AND THEIR DARKLY SHADED HISTORY. DIRECTOR EDWARD DMTRYK WHOSE DIVERSE 1960S CREDITS INCLUDED THE CARPETBAGGERS AND MIRAGE, ACHIEVES AN EFFECTIVE BALANCE BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS, THEIR CONFLICTS AND THE LANDSCAPE. CAPABLE SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY DONALD BARRY,JULIAN MATEOS, ERIC SYKES AND HANS DE VRIES. AN UNDERSTATED WESTERN CLASSIC, SHALAKO WAS CLEVERLY FILMED IN THE STYLE OF THE 1960S EURO WESTERN WITHOUT THE OVERWHELMING VIOLENCE, SHALAKO IS WORTHY COLLECTOR TITLE FOR FANS OF THE WESTERN GENRE AND CERTAINLY FOR ADMIRERS OF SEAN CONNERY AND BRIGITTE BARDOT. THE BLU-RAY TREATMENT AND 2.35:1 WIDESCREEN TRANSFER SUPERBLY ACCENTS THE EURO FILMING STYLE. FILM HISTORIAN ALEX COX'S COMMENTARY IS INSPIRED.