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When penismightier mentioned Johnny Guitar in the OP of his 2009 western thread, I made a note to watch it. Anyway, I finally got around to it this past weekend. It was alright, though it felt a little bit derivative after watching a lot of Criterion's western noir playlist last year. Certainly had a striking look to it. I also watched The Shootist for the first time (pretty much the only major John Wayne I hadn't seen) and thought it was a nice coda to his career, even if the ending doesn't 100% work. Surprisingly vulnerable performance for Wayne, I thought.
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Mar 10, 2021 19:17
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General Dog posted:I also watched The Shootist for the first time (pretty much the only major John Wayne I hadn't seen) and thought it was a nice coda to his career, even if the ending doesn't 100% work. Surprisingly vulnerable performance for Wayne, I thought.
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Mar 10, 2021 19:21
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Raxivace posted:What don't you like about the ending? I think that out of the three guys he has the arranged showdown with, the two that aren't Richard Boone aren't very well established in terms of what they have to gain, nor is it really clear why the Sherriff hates him so much. Like, the Sherriff doesn't like him because he's emblematic or a more violent, lawless bygone era, but he's willing to set up and publicize this weird, grotesque exhibition to be rid of him?
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Mar 10, 2021 19:38
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Payndz posted:Did you visit Texas Hollywood? When I was last there in '18 they were halfway through building something new below the Mexican village, a large building similar to the one dominating the village in AFOD, but I haven't seen any photos of it completed and I'm curious to find out what it is. (I know they moved the stretch of railway line since I was there, and I'm wondering if it was all for a film shoot.) We were not in Almería long enough to check out anywhere else, and in hindsight we wish we'd stayed longer because we liked it better than anywhere else we went in Andalucía. Wish I could help!
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Mar 10, 2021 21:05
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Finally got around to that Silverado rewatch over the weekend and I liked it more than I remember. It certainly stands out just for being so unique for its era, basically a Star Wars Western. The action is great, the casting is mostly solid (Jeff Goldblum as a gambler ain't it), and of course there's that music that makes you want to hitch up and ride out. And I gotta say the "Popeye gets his spinach" moment is glorious. Anyway it popped up on Hulu and Prime if you ain't seen it. Kull the Conqueror fucked around with this message at 14:31 on Mar 16, 2021 |
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Mar 16, 2021 14:29
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I just watched silverado based on recommendations from this thread and it was just a lot of fun. My western tastes tend to be the more bleak/revisionist type (The Proposition is one of my favorite westerns) but this was great. I loved how much fun Kevin Costner seemed to be having and his character was great. Overall highly recommend even if you don't think the style would fit your tastes in westerns.
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Mar 18, 2021 00:14
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The sheer density of great lines in Silverado is hard to top. "How do I know this is your horse?" "Can't you see this horse loves me?" "I had a gal do that to me. It didn't make her my wife."
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Mar 18, 2021 14:14
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I watched Silverado last night as well, it's been kicking around on my watchlist for years. It's a really fun movie, especially if you grew up in the late 80's and into the 90's, the cast is pretty stacked. And you can tell Kasdan wanted to do a tribute to classic John Ford style Westerns, there's a lot of shots in the movie that I don't think you get if the director doesn't love the genre. As I watched I was wondering if Goldblum was trying to do like an homage to Warren Beatty's McCabe because he first shows up wearing that ridiculous jacket somewhat similar to McCabe, and you find out that he's like a seedy gambler who owns a brothel. Plus Goldblum has a connection to Robert Altman from one of his early roles in Nashville.
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Mar 18, 2021 14:28
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Payndz posted:In my mind, westerns [...] have sweaty Spanish extras looming into frame in close-up to a demented wailing score [...] Just saw For a Few Dollars More. 
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Mar 21, 2021 13:45
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Skipped way, way ahead in my list today, in order to watch something with a friend, and saw The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. I'd known the film's reputation going into it, and still within the first 10 minutes, when the lanterns were doused and the train came on in the dark, the film earned it. I'm not sure I'll ever call it the best Western, but it's certainly a great film.
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Mar 25, 2021 03:49
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Tbh I don’t think of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford as a western. Only the coda is set in the west (Missouri is technically west of the Mississippi but no one would call it the West) and it doesn’t really share any particular thematic qualities with most westerns. It’s a neo noir set in the 19th century. It’s got a lot more blood from Thieves Like Us, Heat, or The Friends of Eddie Coyle than any western
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Mar 25, 2021 16:05
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DeimosRising posted:the coda is set in the west (Missouri is technically west of the Mississippi but no one would call it the West) Tarantino calls Django Unchained a "Southern", and while that's accurate, I can't help but roll my eyes at it.
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Mar 25, 2021 16:18
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Yeah I always thought that was pretty funny, and Django is way more of a western than Jesse James
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Mar 25, 2021 16:57
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Mill Creek is putting out a Randolph Scott Western pack with all the classic Budd Boetticher/Scott movies. No clue as to the quality (Mill Creek, after all) but it’ll be cool to have these movies on Blu Ray.
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Mar 25, 2021 22:06
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Hell yes. https://www.criterion.com/current/p...ontent=apr-2021 "The Maestro: Scores by Ennio Morricone With more than four hundred scores for cinema and television to his credit, Italian maestro Ennio Morricone (1928–2020) left behind a monumental legacy as one of the greatest and most prolific film composers in history, instantly enhancing whatever project he touched. His sublime melodies and adventurous sonic palette—which made memorable use of whipcracks and whistles, gunshots and harmonicas, church bells and animal noises—lent grandeur to art-house masterworks (The Battle of Algiers, Days of Heaven), spaghetti-western classics (The Big Gundown; Duck, You Sucker), stylish giallo slashers (A Quiet Place in the Country, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage), and exploitation fare (Night Train Murders, Hitch-Hike) alike. Bringing together some of the composer’s most celebrated scores alongside lesser-known rarities, this Morricone sampler is as much a treat for the ears as it is for the eyes. Featuring: Fists in the Pocket (1965), The Battle of Algiers (1966), The Big Gundown (1966), Death Rides a Horse (1967), Teorema (1968), The Mercenary (1968), A Quiet Place in the Country (1968), Machine Gun McCain (1969), Burn! (1969), Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970), Companeros (1970), The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), The Automobile (1971), Duck, You Sucker (1971), Arabian Nights (1974), The Human Factor (1975), Night Train Murders (1975), Hitch-Hike (1977), Days of Heaven (1978), The Professional (1981), The Mission (1986), Ripley’s Game (2002)"
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Mar 31, 2021 18:22
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I threw on Sergeant Rutledge last night and it thoroughly rocked my poo poo. I thought I had made my way through all the tier 1 John Ford there was to see but I was very, very wrong. It's his best cavalry movie, somehow leaving the Cavalry Trilogy in the dust.
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Apr 1, 2021 15:08
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I watched Tombstone for the first time over the weekend. I know I'm late to it, but I did love it. Amazing ensemble cast, probably the best from the 90's, and amazing performances from everyone with tons of great sub-plots. It felt like Cosmatos trying to channel Altman, especially McCabe and Mrs. Miller. I also watched all the behind-the-scenes features on the blu-ray, which was really informative on how much research all the actors put into their roles, and the production design.
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Apr 12, 2021 15:35
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The story surrounding the making of Tombstone seems to indicate that Cosmatos was almost like a set/production designer and Kurt Russell actually directed the movie. Like, Cosmatos was super interested in the period detail and the sets and costumes and all that stuff and Russell was the one who got the script into a condition where it could actually be shot and then kept everything on schedule during the actual shoot etc., i.e. all the stuff the director usually does. You bring up Altman and I do wonder if the original director's script(Cosmatos as brought in after the first director was fired) had more of a McCabe & Ms. Miller bent to it, because Russell cut it by a lot and focused it more on Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. So I wonder if the original script was more meandering and spent more time following some of the side characters.
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Apr 12, 2021 15:45
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Basebf555 posted:The story surrounding the making of Tombstone seems to indicate that Cosmatos was almost like a set/production designer and Kurt Russell actually directed the movie. Like, Cosmatos was super interested in the period detail and the sets and costumes and all that stuff and Russell was the one who got the script into a condition where it could actually be shot and then kept everything on schedule during the actual shoot etc., i.e. all the stuff the director usually does. I've heard this rumor, but I don't really believe it. Watching the behind the scenes stuff, everyone gives credit to Cosmatos except for Kurt Russell, who, if you ask him, wrote, acted, produced, and "helped the director" a lot. Like it is for-sure Russell's vanity project, but all of the footage has Costmatos working with the actors, working with the cinematographer, working with the cameras, and he mentions enough insights to his process that he definitely had charge. I just think he collaborated enough with Russell and could handle his ego. I'm sure if the film had flopped it would all be Cosmatos's fault and Russell only showed up. But since it was a hit, Russell's ego wants all the credit. Ironically, it was Sylvester Stallone that suggested Russell get Costmatos to direct, and Stallone was notorious for the same thing in the 70's and 80's, with wanting producer credit and writing credit and bragged about directing when all he did was show up to act. Everyone interviewed gives credit to someone else for their work, especially Elliot, who doesn't say a single thing about himself. Except for Russell, who talks about himself or the real Earp family, and Kilmer, who does most of his interview in-character. I wish the blu-ray had a commentary, cuz I'd love to hear more about the production dynamic, but I don't think Cosmatos recorded one before his passing. Edit: I'm wrong! He did record a director's commentary, but it's only on one release, and not the one I own. Surprised this hasn't had a 4k UHD release yet. edit 2: One good point I've heard that denies Russell directing: if he was such a good director and made his vanity project so successful, why didn't he direct anything ever again? Franchescanado fucked around with this message at 15:57 on Apr 12, 2021 |
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Apr 12, 2021 15:52
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I think probably the legitimate thing that Russell gets credit for is holding the project together during that first week or two when they were in the process of firing the director and bringing in Cosmatos. Not everyone was on board with the decision and from the way Val Kilmer describes it, Russell was the one who had the passion for making the movie and was the main factor keeping it from going off the rails when some people were considering quitting in protest over the firing.
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Apr 12, 2021 16:34
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Tried to re-watch The Horse Soldiers today. It's one of the few Civil War movies I can find that has Northern troops as the protagonists, but it still suffers from a lot of Lost Cause BS and too much sympathy for the Southerners. I really don't need to watch a movie that features a Southern Belle and her loyal black slave laying a bunch of guilt on the Union Soldiers for "property damage" while raiding in the south. It's well filmed though, and apparently the movie was truncated after a stuntman died and John Ford lost interest in the picture.
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May 29, 2021 19:01
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I'd love to see Cosmatos' son Panos take a crack making a western
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Jun 1, 2021 16:25
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Cross posting from Rate the Latest Film You've Seen thread: Anyone want to watch a movie filmed in Australia about a lawman in the post-apocalypse directed by George Miller and featuring Hugh Keays-Byrne? Well, Badlands 2005 is that movie, but it's not that George Miller, it's the George Miller who directed the Man from Snowy River and the movie is a failed TV pilot for ABC. If you thought that the introduction was somewhat cliched and had been done before, you're in luck, this is how the show was as well. It's not terrible, the setting western deserts of the United States have been depopulated due to a severe drought. Now that the technology has caught up to create water in the desert, modern day settlers are moving out to the desert to start a new life, battle the elements, and do all the things that settlers in Old West Movies do. Lewis Smith is a marshal who plays by his own rules, flirts with and has a somewhat antagonistic relationship with his boss, Sharon Stone, and talks down to his android partner played by Miguel Ferrer. Ferrer's character is somewhat like Data, the Terminator, C3-PO, and innumerable other naive androids of the 1980s of the future and is stronger and more intelligent than his human partner, but is also treated like chattel and not really viewed as an equal to the humans. I dig these Old West in the future settings, and this show could have been alright, but it probably would have ended up like Max Headroom, The Highwayman, Firefly, and however many others and canceled after a short first season. The writing never quite lives up to the setting, it's like they have a lot of talented people to make the set dressing and play the parts, but keep recycling the same cliches. People keep going back to this well though, even if there generally isn't a good excuse why everyone starts talking like an old timey prospector. Did I mention the marshal likes to watch old westerns and models himself after his heroes of the silver screen? In the best case you have a series like Justified, which benefited from Elmore Lenard inspiring the show and helping to write several of the episodes. As it is, this felt like something that 100 other movies and shows already tried one way or the other and didn't offer anything too inspiring, though it wasn't horrible, it just wasn't that captivating either. Anyway 2 Stars, check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndGkKlBa3bw
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Jun 9, 2021 17:02
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PlisskensEyePatch posted:Want say all the 70s list are leaving out Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. There's of course different versions out, but I recently followed Ride The High Country with the version of PG&BtK on Amazon right now and it's a really great double bill and it's really great to see the difference and similarities of Peckinpah in '62 and Peckinpah in '73. I love it and re-watch it regularly. There’s certainly flaws but it really works for me, practically as a 90 minute Bob Dylan music video. The supporting cast is fantastic; a wonderful collection of talented actors and recognizable faces from a great era, and yes, with Peckinpah at his best.
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Jun 21, 2021 21:49
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One of my unpopular movie opinions is that I've never been a huge fan of Peckinpah, but I realize I probably shouldn't consider that a fully educated opinion because I still need to see Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. I've yet to really click with a Peckinpah film and I've watched The Wild Bunch like three times to try to get into it but each time there's a huge lull in the middle(the two main shootouts are of course, awesome) where I can't stay with it.
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Jun 21, 2021 22:00
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Basebf555 posted:One of my unpopular movie opinions is that I've never been a huge fan of Peckinpah, but I realize I probably shouldn't consider that a fully educated opinion because I still need to see Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. I've yet to really click with a Peckinpah film and I've watched The Wild Bunch like three times to try to get into it but each time there's a huge lull in the middle(the two main shootouts are of course, awesome) where I can't stay with it. Try Ride the High Country if you haven't seen that one yet. Really fun movie, and doesn't have what I normally consider Peckinpah's tics as a director. The summary on Letterboxd is laughable, cuz that's maybe the first 10 minutes of the movie.
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Jun 21, 2021 22:41
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Basebf555 posted:One of my unpopular movie opinions is that I've never been a huge fan of Peckinpah, but I realize I probably shouldn't consider that a fully educated opinion because I still need to see Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. I've yet to really click with a Peckinpah film and I've watched The Wild Bunch like three times to try to get into it but each time there's a huge lull in the middle(the two main shootouts are of course, awesome) where I can't stay with it. I love westerns and I agree with you. I don't know why because my tastes tend towards the more bleak style of western (The Proposition is one of my favorite movies) but yeah they really don't click with me. I will watch the end shoot out of the Wild Bunch every now and then since it is really good but I have never rewatched one of his movies.
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Jun 21, 2021 23:38
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It’s not a western, but I want to see Cross of Iron because Peckinpah fought in the Pacific theater of WWII and was downing multiple bottles a day at that point, and he decided to make a movie about Nazis. It sounds fascinating.
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Jun 22, 2021 00:25
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Since we're on the subject of Peckinpah, I strongly recommend checking out The Ballad of Cable Hogue, which does a great jobing showing his range as a director. It consciously evades the bleak, hyper-violent style he was known for by that point while still dealing with the themes that occupied him throughout his entire career.
Samuel Clemens fucked around with this message at 01:03 on Jun 22, 2021 |
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Jun 22, 2021 00:43
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X-Ray Pecs posted:It’s not a western, but I want to see Cross of Iron because Peckinpah fought in the Pacific theater of WWII and was downing multiple bottles a day at that point, and he decided to make a movie about Nazis. It sounds fascinating. It's worth checking out. A very gritty movie, with a solid cast (not unusual for Peckinpah). Coburn is great in it.
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Jun 22, 2021 00:59
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PTaBTK is worth it just for the Knockin' on Heaven's Door sequence. Great bit of gunplay here, Slim Pickens showing that the way to win a gunfight is to remain calm and take careful aim, and that wild shots can still get ya regardless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjR7_U2u3sM
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Jun 22, 2021 01:16
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PeterCat posted:PTaBTK is worth it just for the Knockin' on Heaven's Door sequence. Unquestionably the standout of the film. My low-key favorite, though, is the Christ-posed "Billy Surrenders" sequence and exchange between Billy and Pat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8t8-EytTy8 It's a shame it's not on the soundtrack, which is a regular listen for me.
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Jun 22, 2021 01:27
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Been scarfing down these Budd Boetticher Westerns on Criterion Channel and they are such a treat for the enthusiast. They look great, they’re short, and the plot never goes where you think it will. My favorite so far is The Tall T, which features a brilliant bad guy performance by Richard Boone.
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Sep 5, 2021 16:57
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Kull the Conqueror posted:Been scarfing down these Budd Boetticher Westerns on Criterion Channel and they are such a treat for the enthusiast. They look great, they’re short, and the plot never goes where you think it will. My favorite so far is The Tall T, which features a brilliant bad guy performance by Richard Boone. Thanks for the rec, I will check these out.
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Sep 5, 2021 17:21
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Kull the Conqueror posted:Been scarfing down these Budd Boetticher Westerns on Criterion Channel and they are such a treat for the enthusiast. They look great, they’re short, and the plot never goes where you think it will. My favorite so far is The Tall T, which features a brilliant bad guy performance by Richard Boone. Hmmm, based on an Elmore Leonard short that I'm fairly certain is in a collection I got on Kindle. Thanks!
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Sep 5, 2021 18:55
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When are we going to get a High Noon remake, but this time it’s a thinly-veiled cancel culture allegory?
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Sep 8, 2021 00:33
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Kull the Conqueror posted:Been scarfing down these Budd Boetticher Westerns on Criterion Channel and they are such a treat for the enthusiast. They look great, they’re short, and the plot never goes where you think it will. My favorite so far is The Tall T, which features a brilliant bad guy performance by Richard Boone. I watched The Tall T some time ago and loved it, it was a particularly mean mix of noir and western. I really liked Randolph Scott’s performance, and if I remember it felt pretty gay.
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Sep 13, 2021 20:53
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The Harder They Fall is out on Netflix and it's a really fun western about some rival black gangs in the west. It's fun.
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Nov 6, 2021 21:25
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Does anybody know what type of cameras they shot The Harder They Fall on? In several shots it looked like there was film grit but it seemed compressed so there appeared to be some artifacts in the image and I couldn’t tell if something went weird when converting film to digital or if it was a digital film grit effect added in post gone wrong or if Netflix just has a lovely compression algorithm.
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Nov 7, 2021 15:41
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I sincerely doubt they shot on film. Like, there's basically 0 chance they shot on film. They almost certainly used one of these. If they had used film I'm sure it would've come up in this interview or
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Nov 8, 2021 03:22
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