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Into the West
Into the West rocks! No, it's not terribly ground breaking, it's not even terribly unpredictable so far, but if you have a thing for American Natives and the Lakota language and subtitles, and visions, and parallel montage, and if you liked Dances With Wolves or A Man Called Horse then this is just the thing for you. The story is pretty archetypal, the photography beautiful, the pacing intelligent. I am reminded of Hanta Yo and the Harka-books that I read as a teenager. I just watched the first part and can't wait for the second. Although I must admit that there hasn't been an overabundance of Westerns movies lately, so I'm a bit starved...
And since I'm talking about Western shows/movies, here's a list of my favorites:
- Outlaw Josey Wales - because I love how the movie plays with clichés and the way the characters end up together almost by accident
- High Plains Drifter - because the idea is nifty, and it's fun watching Clint screw the towns people. Plus great twist at the end.
- Unforgiven - because its a masterpiece of disenchantment but not entirely cynical (and Clint rocks!)
- Once Upon a Time in the West - because of music, camera angles, and the sparse diaglogue. A classic!
- El Dorado and Rio Bravo - because the banter is good, the heros are broken, and friendship rules. Leigh Brackett rocked!
- Support your Local Sheriff - because it's funny and charming and I adore James Garner.
- Big Country - because Gregory Peck makes a wonderfully resourceful greenhorn.
- Silverado - because both story and cast are excellent. Plus it's pretty.
- Dances With Wolves - because it's beautiful and Kicking Bird is cute.
- True Grit - because John Wayne is so wonderfully grumpy.
- Man in the Wilderness - bizarre but fascinating story about the power of sheer stubbornness.
- Little Big Man - because... well, do you really need to ask?
When I was a kid I read what I could about American Indians, I even tried to take Indian names apart in order to create my own vocabulary of Indian terms. And while I'm otherwise a pretty forgetful person, I can still tell you that matto = bear, sapa = black, uitko = crazy or wild, etc.
And since I'm talking about Western shows/movies, here's a list of my favorites:
- Outlaw Josey Wales - because I love how the movie plays with clichés and the way the characters end up together almost by accident
- High Plains Drifter - because the idea is nifty, and it's fun watching Clint screw the towns people. Plus great twist at the end.
- Unforgiven - because its a masterpiece of disenchantment but not entirely cynical (and Clint rocks!)
- Once Upon a Time in the West - because of music, camera angles, and the sparse diaglogue. A classic!
- El Dorado and Rio Bravo - because the banter is good, the heros are broken, and friendship rules. Leigh Brackett rocked!
- Support your Local Sheriff - because it's funny and charming and I adore James Garner.
- Big Country - because Gregory Peck makes a wonderfully resourceful greenhorn.
- Silverado - because both story and cast are excellent. Plus it's pretty.
- Dances With Wolves - because it's beautiful and Kicking Bird is cute.
- True Grit - because John Wayne is so wonderfully grumpy.
- Man in the Wilderness - bizarre but fascinating story about the power of sheer stubbornness.
- Little Big Man - because... well, do you really need to ask?
When I was a kid I read what I could about American Indians, I even tried to take Indian names apart in order to create my own vocabulary of Indian terms. And while I'm otherwise a pretty forgetful person, I can still tell you that matto = bear, sapa = black, uitko = crazy or wild, etc.