Mackenna's Gold
Encyclopedia
Mackenna's Gold is a 1969
western film directed by J. Lee Thompson
, starring Gregory Peck
, Omar Sharif
, Telly Savalas
, Camilla Sparv
, and Julie Newmar
. It was photographed in Super Panavision 70
by Joseph MacDonald, with original music by Quincy Jones
.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Heck Allen using the penname Will Henry, telling the story of how the lure of gold corrupts a diverse group of people. The novel was loosely based around the legend of the Lost Adams Diggings
, crediting the Frank Dobie account of the legend (Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver) in the Author's Note.
Meanwhile, notorious Mexican outlaw Colorado (Sharif) and his gang had been tracking the old man for two weeks to get the map, all the while being chased by the U.S. Cavalry. He takes shelter in the house of the old judge of the town of Hadleyburg, stealing horses, mules and food for his journey. He kills the judge and kidnaps his daughter, Inga Bergmann (Sparv), whom Colorado mistakes for the judge's wife, as a hostage in case the cavalry catches up with him.
He finds MacKenna digging a grave for the Indian chief. When he learns that MacKenna has destroyed the map, he takes him captive and forces him to lead them to the gold. Colorado knew that in addition to being a marshal, MacKenna was a good card player with a good memory.
Colorado and one of his companions have a past history with MacKenna. Colorado was driven out of the state by MacKenna, while a fiery Indian woman, Hesh-ke (Newmar), had been his one-time love. MacKenna later had to arrest her brother, who was hanged, and it is presumed that she still holds a grudge. Colorado's main henchman is a hulking Indian warrior, Hachita (Cassidy), as well as a few other Apaches and outlaws.
On their trek, they are joined by a posse of townsmen who become "infected" by "gold fever", among them a newspaper editor, a storekeeper, a preacher, and old Adams himself. They are trailed by the cavalry, under the leadership of Sergeant Tibbs (Savalas). All, except for MacKenna, Colorado, Inga, Hesh-ke, and Hachita, plus perhaps a few others whose fates are unknown, are killed in an ambush by the cavalry or by other Apaches who are trying to protect the gold from outsiders. Tibbs periodically sends messengers back to his commanding officer, supposedly to keep him informed. Eventually, the patrol is whittled down to just Tibbs and two men. Inga is sent to the three to divert their attention. Rather than escort Inga to safety, Tibbs kills his soldiers. He returns her to MacKenna and the outlaws, wanting a share of the gold.
Finally reaching a place on the map, a tall tower called "Shaking Rock," they wait for the sun to rise on the specified day. The shadow of the pinnacle eventually points to the hidden entrance to the canyon. MacKenna, who had been skeptical, now begins to believe in the legend.
In the canyon, they find the sides interlaced with rich veins of pure gold. While all race to the canyon floor, the jealous Hesh-ke tries to kill Inga but loses the horse-back struggle and falls to her death. While the rest are celebrating their great fortune, MacKenna escapes with Inga to an Indian dwelling high up the canyon wall, realizing that Colorado does not intend to leave any of the party alive.
Hachita uses a hatchet to kill Tibbs. When his back is turn, Colorado aims a gun at Hachita and pulls the trigger. However, the guns are empty because the Apache spirits came to Hachita in a dream the previous night, instructing him to guard the gold for the Apaches only. Hachita has summoned a band of Apaches, but with a hidden knife, Colorado manages to kill him first. Colorado then pursues MacKenna and Inga up the sheer cliff to the dwellings, where a three-way fight leaves none the worse for wear.
Apaches attack. All of the shooting and shouting has shaken loose a balanced rock. It falls with a tremendous boom. After a moment's pause, large cracks appear in the walls and the crust heaves up as the sound waves trigger a massive collapse. Apaches and the survivors flee just before the walls of the canyon fall, burying the gold beneath massive tons of rubble. This is followed by the crash of "Shaking Rock."
In the rising dust, the image of old Prairie Dog, the Indian shaman, appears over the scene, relishing the action of the Apache spirits who were guarding the treasure.
Colorado warns MacKenna to not chase him. He leaves in disgust, believing the gold has been buried beyond reach. Before MacKenna and Inga ride off together, a saddlebag on the horse MacKenna took in the mad scramble is shown to be full of the large gold nuggets Tibbs had been loading into it.
. According to the legend, teamster named Adams and some prospectors in Arizona were approached by a Mexican Indian named Gotch Ear, who offered to show them a canyon filled with gold. However in the novel as well as the film, the gang abducts a Marshall named Mackenna to find a way to the Canyon. The film also adapts elements from other novels based on the same legend, like Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver (1939) by Frank Dobie.
Thompson's first choice for the role of MacKenna was Clint Eastwood
. However he was offered the lead role in Hang 'Em High
(1968) and subsequently Gregory Peck
replaced him. Omar Sharif
was in the originally decided cast following the critical and commercial success of Lawrence of Arabia
(1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). Julie Newmar
played Hesh-Ke, a former love interest of Mackenna. During the swimming scene at the pool, her character was supposed to be topless with a loincloth. In an interview, she stated that at the last minute she decided to do the scene nude and no one, especially the male actors and crew, argued with her about the decision. The film also features a stable of Hollywood veterans like Eli Wallach, Raymond Massey, Edward G. Robinson and others appearing in lively supporting roles.
with reserved seat roadshow engagements, Columbia pulled the plug on that idea, and the film was drastically cut down from nearly three hours (plus an intermission) to just over two hours.
were the locations of digging according to the legend, but the film was shot mainly at Glen Canyon
of Utah
and Canyon de Chelly of Arizona
, specifically Spider Rock. In the climax scenes, as the sun rises, the shadow of "Shaking Rock" grows longer. In reality, shadows become shorter as the sun rises higher.
The "Old Turkey Buzzard" theme song sequence was shot at Monument Valley
, on the Arizona-Utah border. Interestingly, the bird shown flying during this sequence is not a Turkey Vulture or Turkey Buzzard
but an American Black Vulture
. The two species of birds have overlapping ranges but are not in the same genus.
The pool and waterfall where part of the action takes place was man-made and the water had to be hauled in by tanker truck.
. The opening song, "Old Turkey Buzzard", is a recurring background theme. It was sung by José Feliciano
and was composed by Quincy Jones
with lyrics by Freddie Douglas.
The theme song was used on the Late Show with David Letterman
in 2007 as a random running gag. A 13-second clip would be played after Letterman threw his blue index cards through the "glass" window behind his desk, and was often combined with a video clip of the turkey buzzard soaring in the sky during the movie's opening sequence. Letterman would gradually show increased mock irritation with the clip in discussions with bandleader Paul Shaffer
, while at the same time calling it "exciting, moving, inspirational" and "stirring, haunting, beautiful". The running gag ultimately resulted in Feliciano making a guest appearance on the Late Show on October 16, 2007, singing a longer version of the song (with the buzzard video clip superimposed over him).
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
western film directed by J. Lee Thompson
J. Lee Thompson
John Lee Thompson , better known as J. Lee Thompson, was an English film director, active in England and Hollywood.- Early years :...
, starring Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
, Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.-Early life:...
, Telly Savalas
Telly Savalas
Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas was an American film and television actor and singer, whose career spanned four decades. Best known for playing the title role in the 1970s crime drama Kojak, Savalas was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz...
, Camilla Sparv
Camilla Sparv
Camilla Sparv is a Swedish actress. She was briefly married to American film producer Robert Evans in 1965....
, and Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar is an American actress, dancer and singer. Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.-Early life:...
. It was photographed in Super Panavision 70
Super Panavision 70
Super Panavision 70 was the marketing brand name used to identify movies photographed with Panavision 70 mm spherical optics between 1959 and 1983.-History:...
by Joseph MacDonald, with original music by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Heck Allen using the penname Will Henry, telling the story of how the lure of gold corrupts a diverse group of people. The novel was loosely based around the legend of the Lost Adams Diggings
Lost Adams Diggings
The Lost Adams Diggings is a Southwestern treasure story that refers to the existence of a canyon rich in gold deposits somewhere in western New Mexico in the early 1860s.- The Legend :...
, crediting the Frank Dobie account of the legend (Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver) in the Author's Note.
Plot
An old legend tells of a fortune in gold hidden in the "Canyon del Oro," guarded by the Apache spirits. Along with several others, a man named Adams found it when he was a young man, only to have the Indians capture and blind him and kill all his companions. Years later, Marshal MacKenna (Peck) wounds an old Indian shaman who tried to bushwhack him; the shaman subsequently dies, despite MacKenna's attending to him. MacKenna thereby comes into possession of a map that supposedly shows the way to the treasure. Though skeptical, he memorizes the directions before burning the map.Meanwhile, notorious Mexican outlaw Colorado (Sharif) and his gang had been tracking the old man for two weeks to get the map, all the while being chased by the U.S. Cavalry. He takes shelter in the house of the old judge of the town of Hadleyburg, stealing horses, mules and food for his journey. He kills the judge and kidnaps his daughter, Inga Bergmann (Sparv), whom Colorado mistakes for the judge's wife, as a hostage in case the cavalry catches up with him.
He finds MacKenna digging a grave for the Indian chief. When he learns that MacKenna has destroyed the map, he takes him captive and forces him to lead them to the gold. Colorado knew that in addition to being a marshal, MacKenna was a good card player with a good memory.
Colorado and one of his companions have a past history with MacKenna. Colorado was driven out of the state by MacKenna, while a fiery Indian woman, Hesh-ke (Newmar), had been his one-time love. MacKenna later had to arrest her brother, who was hanged, and it is presumed that she still holds a grudge. Colorado's main henchman is a hulking Indian warrior, Hachita (Cassidy), as well as a few other Apaches and outlaws.
On their trek, they are joined by a posse of townsmen who become "infected" by "gold fever", among them a newspaper editor, a storekeeper, a preacher, and old Adams himself. They are trailed by the cavalry, under the leadership of Sergeant Tibbs (Savalas). All, except for MacKenna, Colorado, Inga, Hesh-ke, and Hachita, plus perhaps a few others whose fates are unknown, are killed in an ambush by the cavalry or by other Apaches who are trying to protect the gold from outsiders. Tibbs periodically sends messengers back to his commanding officer, supposedly to keep him informed. Eventually, the patrol is whittled down to just Tibbs and two men. Inga is sent to the three to divert their attention. Rather than escort Inga to safety, Tibbs kills his soldiers. He returns her to MacKenna and the outlaws, wanting a share of the gold.
Finally reaching a place on the map, a tall tower called "Shaking Rock," they wait for the sun to rise on the specified day. The shadow of the pinnacle eventually points to the hidden entrance to the canyon. MacKenna, who had been skeptical, now begins to believe in the legend.
In the canyon, they find the sides interlaced with rich veins of pure gold. While all race to the canyon floor, the jealous Hesh-ke tries to kill Inga but loses the horse-back struggle and falls to her death. While the rest are celebrating their great fortune, MacKenna escapes with Inga to an Indian dwelling high up the canyon wall, realizing that Colorado does not intend to leave any of the party alive.
Hachita uses a hatchet to kill Tibbs. When his back is turn, Colorado aims a gun at Hachita and pulls the trigger. However, the guns are empty because the Apache spirits came to Hachita in a dream the previous night, instructing him to guard the gold for the Apaches only. Hachita has summoned a band of Apaches, but with a hidden knife, Colorado manages to kill him first. Colorado then pursues MacKenna and Inga up the sheer cliff to the dwellings, where a three-way fight leaves none the worse for wear.
Apaches attack. All of the shooting and shouting has shaken loose a balanced rock. It falls with a tremendous boom. After a moment's pause, large cracks appear in the walls and the crust heaves up as the sound waves trigger a massive collapse. Apaches and the survivors flee just before the walls of the canyon fall, burying the gold beneath massive tons of rubble. This is followed by the crash of "Shaking Rock."
In the rising dust, the image of old Prairie Dog, the Indian shaman, appears over the scene, relishing the action of the Apache spirits who were guarding the treasure.
Colorado warns MacKenna to not chase him. He leaves in disgust, believing the gold has been buried beyond reach. Before MacKenna and Inga ride off together, a saddlebag on the horse MacKenna took in the mad scramble is shown to be full of the large gold nuggets Tibbs had been loading into it.
Title
Although Allen's novel title and hero shared the same spelling of the name "Mackenna," and the film's title according to the studio is "Mackenna's Gold," Peck's character is listed in publicity materials as "MacKenna."Development
Screenwriter Carl Foreman and composer Dimitri Tiomkin joined up to coproduce the film. The screenplay by Foreman was based on the novel of the same name by Heck Alen. The novel released on 1963 was based on the legend of Lost Adams DiggingsLost Adams Diggings
The Lost Adams Diggings is a Southwestern treasure story that refers to the existence of a canyon rich in gold deposits somewhere in western New Mexico in the early 1860s.- The Legend :...
. According to the legend, teamster named Adams and some prospectors in Arizona were approached by a Mexican Indian named Gotch Ear, who offered to show them a canyon filled with gold. However in the novel as well as the film, the gang abducts a Marshall named Mackenna to find a way to the Canyon. The film also adapts elements from other novels based on the same legend, like Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver (1939) by Frank Dobie.
Thompson's first choice for the role of MacKenna was Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
. However he was offered the lead role in Hang 'Em High
Hang 'Em High
Hang 'Em High is a 1968 American Western film directed by Ted Post and produced and co-written by Leonard Freeman. It stars Clint Eastwood as Jed Cooper, an innocent man who survives a lynching, Inger Stevens as a widow who helps him, Ed Begley as the leader of the gang that lynched him, and Pat...
(1968) and subsequently Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
replaced him. Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.-Early life:...
was in the originally decided cast following the critical and commercial success of Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia (film)
Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 British film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegel through his British company, Horizon Pictures, with the screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. The film stars Peter O'Toole in the title role. It is widely...
(1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar is an American actress, dancer and singer. Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.-Early life:...
played Hesh-Ke, a former love interest of Mackenna. During the swimming scene at the pool, her character was supposed to be topless with a loincloth. In an interview, she stated that at the last minute she decided to do the scene nude and no one, especially the male actors and crew, argued with her about the decision. The film also features a stable of Hollywood veterans like Eli Wallach, Raymond Massey, Edward G. Robinson and others appearing in lively supporting roles.
Original production concept
Originally planned to be shown in single lens CineramaCinerama
Cinerama is the trademarked name for a widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge, deeply-curved screen, subtending 146° of arc. It is also the trademarked name for the corporation which was formed to market it...
with reserved seat roadshow engagements, Columbia pulled the plug on that idea, and the film was drastically cut down from nearly three hours (plus an intermission) to just over two hours.
Film stock
Although most of the film was photographed on 65mm stock, a handful of scenes were filmed in 35mm anamorphic.Locations and props
Zuni MountainsZuni Mountains
The Zuni Mountains are a mountain range in Cibola County of northwestern New Mexico. The range is located largely in the Cibola National Forest, lying south of Interstate 40 from southeast of Gallup to southwest of Grants. The range is about sixty miles long and forty miles wide...
were the locations of digging according to the legend, but the film was shot mainly at Glen Canyon
Glen Canyon
Glen Canyon is a canyon that is located in southeastern and south central Utah and northwestern Arizona within the Vermilion Cliffs area. It was carved by the Colorado River....
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Canyon de Chelly of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, specifically Spider Rock. In the climax scenes, as the sun rises, the shadow of "Shaking Rock" grows longer. In reality, shadows become shorter as the sun rises higher.
The "Old Turkey Buzzard" theme song sequence was shot at Monument Valley
Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes, the largest reaching above the valley floor. It is located on the northern border of Arizona with southern Utah , near the Four Corners area...
, on the Arizona-Utah border. Interestingly, the bird shown flying during this sequence is not a Turkey Vulture or Turkey Buzzard
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow...
but an American Black Vulture
American Black Vulture
The Black Vulture also known as the American Black Vulture, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the southeastern United States to Central Chile and Uruguay in South America...
. The two species of birds have overlapping ranges but are not in the same genus.
The pool and waterfall where part of the action takes place was man-made and the water had to be hauled in by tanker truck.
Cast
- Gregory PeckGregory PeckEldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
as Marshal MacKenna - Omar SharifOmar SharifOmar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.-Early life:...
as Colorado - Camilla SparvCamilla SparvCamilla Sparv is a Swedish actress. She was briefly married to American film producer Robert Evans in 1965....
as Inga Bergmann - Julie NewmarJulie NewmarJulie Newmar is an American actress, dancer and singer. Her most famous role is Catwoman in the Batman television series.-Early life:...
as Hesh-Ke - Ted CassidyTed CassidyTheodore Crawford Cassidy , known as Ted Cassidy, was an American actor who performed in television and films. At 6 ft 9 in in height, he tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction series such as Star Trek and I Dream of Jeannie...
as Hachita - Telly SavalasTelly SavalasAristotelis "Telly" Savalas was an American film and television actor and singer, whose career spanned four decades. Best known for playing the title role in the 1970s crime drama Kojak, Savalas was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz...
as Sgt. Tibbs - Eli WallachEli WallachEli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
as Ben Baker - Edward G. RobinsonEdward G. RobinsonEdward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
as Old Adams - Robert Phillips as Monkey
- Raymond MasseyRaymond MasseyRaymond Hart Massey was a Canadian/American actor.-Early life:Massey was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Anna , who was born in Illinois, and Chester Daniel Massey, the wealthy owner of the Massey-Ferguson Tractor Company. Massey's family could trace their ancestry back to the American...
as The Preacher - Burgess MeredithBurgess MeredithOliver Burgess Meredith , known professionally as Burgess Meredith, was an American actor in theatre, film, and television, who also worked as a director...
as The Storekeeper - Lee J. CobbLee J. CobbLee J. Cobb was an American actor. He is best known for his performance in 12 Angry Men his Academy Award-nominated performance in On the Waterfront and one of his last films, The Exorcist...
as The Editor - Keenan WynnKeenan WynnKeenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
as Sanchez - Eduardo CiannelliEduardo CiannelliEduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
as Prairie Dog - Anthony QuayleAnthony QuayleSir John Anthony Quayle, CBE was an English actor and director.-Early life:Quayle was born in Ainsdale, Southport, in Lancashire to a Manx family....
as Older Englishman - J. Robert Porter as Young Englishman
- David Garfield as Adams' Boy
- Victor JoryVictor JoryVictor Jory was a Canadian actor.-Biography:Born in Dawson City, Yukon, Jory was the boxing and wrestling champion of the Coast Guard during his military service, and he kept his burly physique. He toured with theater troupes and appeared on Broadway, before making his Hollywood debut in 1930...
as the Narrator
Soundtrack
The original score and songs of the film were composed by Quincy JonesQuincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
. The opening song, "Old Turkey Buzzard", is a recurring background theme. It was sung by José Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
and was composed by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
with lyrics by Freddie Douglas.
The theme song was used on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
in 2007 as a random running gag. A 13-second clip would be played after Letterman threw his blue index cards through the "glass" window behind his desk, and was often combined with a video clip of the turkey buzzard soaring in the sky during the movie's opening sequence. Letterman would gradually show increased mock irritation with the clip in discussions with bandleader Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
, while at the same time calling it "exciting, moving, inspirational" and "stirring, haunting, beautiful". The running gag ultimately resulted in Feliciano making a guest appearance on the Late Show on October 16, 2007, singing a longer version of the song (with the buzzard video clip superimposed over him).