Back in '69 a western movie called the The Wild Bunch. What stood out and remembered to this day was it was the first time being shot was made to look realistic. By the standards of today this was like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.
We've never looked back. I like this movie but not because of the violence. That's what people talked about after seeing it - was the realism for the time.
There's little if any of that in this clip. We are obsessed with violence and the tool for dealing with issues here is guns.
After all it's just business ya know.
I would say The Wild Bunch is a metaphor for the USA today.
ReplyDeleteJust a note...Jesse James is considered an American hero??? and the man that shot him is a coward. I do love my westerns tho...
ReplyDeleteThe Wild Bunch anybody sees these days is just an ordinary western. The original Peckinpah had realistic carnage, filmed in slo-mo, woven throughout the film in some grotesque ballet of death. Whatever his vision for the film was, the studios did not let it last long before they pulled all the copies and chopped it down to what you see today. It's still a bloody film but it makes little sense or much of an impression compared to the original, which was about a half hour longer.
ReplyDeleteThis just popped into my head today and I had forgotten about the cutting they did on this. They still got the job done. It was a first for spurting blood I believe.
ReplyDeleteI think the new True Grit is in the top 10 of good westerns.
This is one of, if not my all time favorite movie.
ReplyDeleteI can not tell you how many times I have seen this.
It was and is the true example of brotherhood, and friendship. Of a dying era, where men had to survive with their principals. Their word was their one and all.
The cast was one of the best casts put together ever.
i can see Strother Martin kissing his rifle on the roof top. LOL
It represents what men would do for their fellow compadre even if they were Angel a Mexican.
I knew Jack Elam, you guys remember him he was the western character actor with one eye going the other way.
Well, he passed up the part of the old man. His wife told him - - - no way am I letting you go to Mexico with Peckinpaw, and Holden and the rest of that crew.- - -Both were known as boozers and womanizers.
I bet I know almost every line of that movie.
That's funny and I'm glad this struck a chord with you RZ!
Deleteooh gee...someone else (besides me) liked that version of True Grit!! But I'm a fan of Jeff Bridges...
ReplyDeleteOthers you know didn't like it?
ReplyDeleteThey're loyal to John Wayne
ReplyDeleteNot me.
ReplyDeleteIf I could pick a time in history...and I have several times I would like to pick...the early 1900's would work for me. Although, I don't know how to shoot or to even hold a gun. I wouldn't learn I just want to live back then.
ReplyDeleteLinda
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You would have. I think that was just part of the equation for the girls back then.
ReplyDeleteI think a couple years after WW11 ended and the shock of losing everyone lessened was a fun time for what would be our parents generation.