HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
A few weeks ago, I picked up Appaloosa, a western starring Ed Harris, as Virgil Cole, and Viggo Mortensen, as Everett Hitch, because Lloyd likes a good western. What with one thing and another, we hadn't watched it until today. The movie certainly qualifies as a "shoot-em-up" as three people are shot dead before the opening credits and several more before the movie's end. However, there's plenty of time for some interesting introspection.
Renee Zelweger, as Mrs. French, certainly plays a very different character than she did in Miss Potter. There is evidence that the town fathers partake of the same character traits as Mrs. French. Jeremy Irons, as the villain, did not chew scenery—a refreshing relief. The town is gritty with no glaring anachronisms, and no Peckinpah dwelling on the blood and guts. The hero, if that's the right term, rides into the sunset at the end.
This is not John Wayne or Hopalong Cassiday, much more in the noir vein with a deserved R rating. Ed Harris directed the Robert Knott/Ed Harris screen-play based on a novel by Robert B. Parker. An excellent movie, but not light-hearted.
SPOILER ALERT: Everett Hitch killed the wrong person at the end—of course, if he'd killed the right one, he couldn't have ridden off into the sunset.
The word of the day for February 14, 2009 is "thrasonical" — Pronunciation: \thrā-'sä-ni-kəl, thrə-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin Thrason-, Thraso Thraso, braggart soldier in the comedy Eunuchus by Terence
Date: 1564
: of, relating to, resembling, or characteristic of Thraso : bragging , boastful
Our quotation is from Harris/Knott, Appaloosa, Phil Olson, played by Timothy Spall:
Evidently, Bragg's claim of association with our president wasn't just thrasonical.;^)
-
spoiler: Agreed. He should have shot Renee. I saw this recently and it's on my 'to be reviewed' pile. I loved the way Harris morphed into a giggling kid when she first appeared. It was just a splendid piece of acting.
ReplyDeleteAs you may/may not know I'm a huge Parker fan, and even named my only son (Smiley) after him. Just for mentioning RBP here, your stock has risen even higher with me :)
Been a very long time since I watched a western. Maybe because my Dad used to take us to the cinema twice a week and there were a lot of westerns in those days!! I think I saw them all. Sort of put me off the newer ones.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite western was Lonesome Dove. I read the triology of that series and just LOVED them. I guess they were the only true western I read and I loved the movie too.
ReplyDeleteThrasonical is a word I have never heard of.
Guess I havn't seen a western for years.What I used to love though was the old western program BONANZA on TV LOL!!Have a great day.Take care God Bless Kath xx
ReplyDelete