estepheia: (It's only a movie...)
estepheia ([personal profile] estepheia) wrote2005-06-22 12:36 am
Entry tags:

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.

[identity profile] estepheia.livejournal.com 2005-06-22 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
'Pale Rider' is not bad either. I really think that Mr. Eastwood's contribution to the Western genre is remarkable. :-)
But OJW? my favorite. Have seen that one at least a dozen times over the years....
ext_2541: (Default)

[identity profile] transtempts.livejournal.com 2005-06-22 07:20 pm (UTC)(link)
I own it. It's just..good. Love the humor...the way he seems to 'collect' people along the way..

[identity profile] estepheia.livejournal.com 2005-06-22 08:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, definitely a film to own. Nice rag tag collection of all the Western archetypes.
ext_2541: (Default)

[identity profile] transtempts.livejournal.com 2005-06-23 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
oh dear. i think i need to watch it again now. :)am going to look up those other two titles you mentioned (the clint ones) sounded interesting, thanks for the recs.

::bounce::