|
|
|
Comment |
Sorted by
Date Written |
... (Reply to this comment)
by WilliamJones
Bad Day at Black Rock in black and white? I don't think so.
WJ
|
Nov 13 '06
2:20 pm PST
|
|
and a One-Armed Man (Reply to this comment)
by minifin
Aloha,
Thank you very much Howard. When I see where you and your dad is coming from I understand completely his excellent list. My history with Westerns was similar. My dad took me to see Wild West shows. I used to watch reruns of Bobby Steele and the boys filmed at the old Republic Studios, down on Sunset and Hollywood Blvd.
Look at what we have in chronological order:
“Stagecoach (1939).” nominated for seven Oscars
“Red River DVD (1948),”
“My Darling Clementine (1948),”
“High Noon DVD (1952),”
“Shane (1953),”
"Hondo (1953)," story “The Gift of Cochise,” by Louis L'Amour. The picture was released in 3-D.
"The Searchers DVD (1956),"
"The Magnificent Seven DVD (1960),"
"Wild Bunch restored directors cut DVD (1969),"
This is the short list of the history of Westerns. This list could be used as a basis for a community college class. We see the evolution from classic John Wayne, to town westerns like Clementine, High Noon and Shane. Next Apache’s, leads right up to Kurosawa. Thirty years of some of the finest film that has ever been shot. I am sorry that I can’t say much about the intervening thirty years.
This covered the period from shortly after horse operas and silent movies. Up through radio and black and white television, prime time westerns. Right into the dawn of megabucks Hollywood films.
The spaghettis filled a void; Hollywood is still searching for some direction. TV has done some good stuff like "Conagher (1991) (TV)," and "Crossfire Trail (2001) (TV),"and the HBO "The Last Outlaw (TV) (1994).”
There is hope on the horizon; Dwight Yoakam got a movie made, with some Easy Riders. It did not cost Hollywood megabucks, so far it’s “The best western of the century.” It is so much better than, Hollywood stuff like "American Outlaws DVD (2001),"with its distortion of the facts surrounding Jesse James or BBC imports like, "The Claim DVD (2000)."
Yoakam wrote the music before the script. They went ahead and filmed it without financing. So many people wanted it to work, that it came together great. The DVD has some deleted scenes with a commentary by the director. It can be seen normal or just with the music. When producers get this DVD technology figured out it will be real good for Westerns.
|
Nov 26 '01
7:46 pm PST
|
|
Fine choices... (Reply to this comment)
by RdeCassia
...and moving evocation of your father. I've only seen some of these films, but I'll have to be sure and check the other ones out, as well as your other film reviews.
|
Jun 14 '01
9:59 am PDT
|
|
Thanks for the . . . (Reply to this comment)
by gungian
. . . powerful and evocative posting.
I am certain that your Dad is giving it a heavenly VH.
Write On!
|
May 29 '01
7:14 am PDT
|
|
I give up. (Reply to this comment)
by purrkitty
Howard, I'm sorry, this is the third time I've HR'd the same review...
My HR seems to keep disappearing... and it looks like I didn't rate it...
If my HR doesn't stay this time, well, I give up...
Sorry,
{=^.^=}
P.S. Is it me???? I have noticed the same thing with a few others people reviews I rated. Suddenly my rating is not there the next day??? Am I doing something wrong? Or am I on some kind of block list or sumthin?
|
May 24 '01
8:00 pm PDT
|
|
You've definitely captured the spirit (Reply to this comment)
by Sloucho
(or perhaps more accurately, your father's perception of the spirit) of the Western, but I just don't see how you can neglect a film as perfect as _The Big Country_. I don't mind if a guy wears a brown hat sometimes, so long as I know just how he intends to wear it.
|
May 24 '01
7:41 pm PDT
|
|
Another Bull's Eye, Howard (Reply to this comment)
by kcfoxy
And as usual, what could easily have been three separate reviews. I've seen all these films, most of them in those deliciously igloo cool theaters of my youth and can heartily concur with your Dad's picks.
I wonder what he thought of Silverado, a movie that Richard and I dearly love, which would seem to have classic written all over it?
Thanks for the history, small moments of love and sharing and movie tidbits!
Casey
|
May 20 '01
3:56 am PDT
|
|
Remember me? I made a shameful confession as one of the first comments in here? (Reply to this comment)
by lorendiac
A couple of days ago I found Bad Day at Black Rock at a nearby Hollywood Video. As I said, I hadn't recalled seeing it catch my eye on previous visits. The reason for this was simple: it wasn't in the "Western" category, it wasn't in the "Drama" category, it was actually in the "Classics" category and it was invisible to the casual glance because its position had it located squarely behind a laminated sheaf of summaries of recommended movies that was attached to the rim of the shelf immediately above. So it was all their fault, not mine! (Nothing is ever my fault!)
I was a bit surprised to learn it was set as recently as 1945, and didn't have a single instance of anyone sitting atop a horse as near as I can recall. I admit that seeing such old friends as Walter Brennan and Lee Marvin wearing cowboy-style clothes helped reassure me that it was indeed a Western, at least if you squinted a little and looked at it sideways. I'm glad you reminded me of it.
|
May 19 '01
10:53 am PDT
|
|
This was a wonderful (Reply to this comment)
by purrkitty
tribute to your Father. The movie reviews were written with style as all your reviews are.
I have to admit your writings made me reflect on my own parents too. My Mom died a few days before Xmas in 1997, and my Dad passed away in 1993 in May just a month before his 55th birthday when he would have received a full teachers pension.
I wish I had of paid more attention to the classical music my Dad listened to so I could put up the same a classical music tribute with some sort of intelligence.
This review in particular I found truly inspiring.
I'm sure your Dad is looking down smiling proudly at at his Son.
{=^.^=}
|
May 19 '01
8:09 am PDT
|
|
:-) (Reply to this comment)
by jankp
I loved this, Howard! I've seen a few of the non Wayne ones here and think it's a great list. This is a very touching tribute to your Dad. Thanks.
Jan
|
May 19 '01
2:11 am PDT
|
|
lovely tribute (Reply to this comment)
by mjhollingshead
lovely tribute to your dad
Daddy liked westerns too, he must have read each and ever Zane Grey at least a dozen times,
......... ;0)
|
May 18 '01
5:14 pm PDT
|
|
Outstanding! (Reply to this comment)
by Don_Krider
What a great read, Howard! Thank you very much!
Don :)
|
May 18 '01
3:17 pm PDT
|
|
Your heart was in this review! (Reply to this comment)
by whalewatcher
What great movie picks - I love them all, with the addition of 'The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly', if for nothing else but the music!!
You must have had a very special relationship with your Dad and now, all those wonderful memories!
This review was a joy to read.
Claudia
|
May 17 '01
2:42 pm PDT
|
|
Hi Howard! (Reply to this comment)
by George_Chabot,  in Movies
Your dad (and by extension, you) had impeccable taste in films. I've seen them all and heartily concur. Nice exegesis.
Regards,
George
|
May 17 '01
11:37 am PDT
|
|
Re: Great+picks! (Reply to this comment)
by ekayb
"Shane" what a movie! I read and watched the book in High School... I remember EVERYONE cracking up when that little boy said "Shane, come back Shane"
lol! I had totally erased that from my memory until reading your opinion. Thanks!
*Kay*
|
May 17 '01
9:01 am PDT
|
|
Great picks! (Reply to this comment)
by mrkstvns
I love almost every one of these westerns.
Gotta love that scene in "Shane" with the kid forlornly howling "Come back Shane!" A classic!
Of course I'm partial to Bogy too and love "Treasure of the Sierra Madre". Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no steeenkin' badges! We are the federales!
Hey, thanks for the time machine trip back to Saturday afternoon TV movies from the 70s...
Mark
|
May 16 '01
11:00 am PDT
|
|
The great thing about lists is picking and dithering.... (Reply to this comment)
by NFP
...with them.
Can't really argue with any of your choices, though (here goes)....
1) Personally I'd sub "The Shootist" for "True Grit" as latter-day Wayne at his best, and I'd have to consider "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" as an early masterpiece.
2) I can't help but feel at least one of Sergio Leone's "Spaghetti Westerns" needs to be in there, given the impact they had in serving us up Eastwood and Van Cleef as steely-eyed Western archetypes.
3) Gotta to include Altman's remarkable "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" with Warren Beatty and Julie Christie for its offbeat dark vision and gold miner setting (as well as working in Leonard Cohen songs in a manner that you wouldn't get up and walk out).
4) Note about Shane: If memory serves, the fight scene at the end was the first one where the camera was down at ground level looking up as the two men wrestled, rather than shooting straight-on. An Amazing scene when you consider that. And those mountains at dusk in the backdrop! Aaaah!
5) I still think the interior cinematography in "Stagecoach" may be among the best ever.
6) What? No "High Noon?" No Gary Cooper? I'd just swallow hard and send Old Yeller home and put that in the animal movie category and make sure Gary and Grace got their due.
Ah! Fun stuff.
Good post, Howard.
nick
|
May 16 '01
10:31 am PDT
|
|
A supposed fan of old-time westerns hangs his head in shame (Reply to this comment)
by lorendiac
Reading your list, I made a humiliating discovery: I've never seen Bad Day at Black Rock. Until then, I thought I was headed for a perfect score. (I've even seen the runners-up from your Dad's favorites, though personally I would have placed High Noon in the Top Ten.) I swear I always meant to see Bad Day! Honest! Not that I recall noticing it in any of the local video stores lately, but I can take another look.
|
May 15 '01
6:14 pm PDT
|
|
Excellent ! (Reply to this comment)
by mike24
Anyone that can honor their Dad, great
Western movies AND diner food deserves
recognition. Welcome to my WOT.
Totally enjoyable review.
Thanks
mike24
|
May 15 '01
5:11 pm PDT
|
|
Thanks (Reply to this comment)
by mtbat
My husband has been on a big John Wayne/Western kick recently-We have watched some of the movies you listed, but not all of them-you gave me some great ideas of what to look for
Fridai/mtbat
|
May 15 '01
4:08 pm PDT
|
|
Thanks again Howard! (Reply to this comment)
by JustCathy
You picked a few of my favorites in there as well. Clint Eastwood's old Spaghetti Westerns however are on my top list as well. I love it when TNT does a Clint Marathon Weekend - can watch the same movies over and over again! Thanks for sharing! JC
|
May 15 '01
3:23 pm PDT
|
|
your dad & mine (Reply to this comment)
by sumo_rhino
My dad was born in East Texas in 1922. He was in the Navy in WWII. And his taste in movies runs right along side your dad's. It would've been a fun time for the four of us to get together.
My dad died in April of 1994. I remember watching the Maverick movie (with Mel Gibson and James Garner) and thinking Dad would really have had fun seeing that one.
You've inspired me. I'm gonna go watch my Dad's all-time favorite movie and review it on his birthday.
Thanks so much.
And welcome to my WOT.
- sumo_rhino
|
May 15 '01
1:41 pm PDT
|
|
|
|
