From June 22 through June 26, join us in celebrating western movies and TV shows, anything and everything involving cowboys and celluloid.
As in years past, Heidi and I will provide a blog tag for people to fill out if they so desire. We'll also do some games or other activities... and maybe a small giveaway. The rest of the partying is up to you!
There's no sign-up roster or anything like that. But if you want to discuss a post idea with us, drop a comment on my post or Heidi's, and we'll happily chat! You can contribute a movie or TV show review, a list of favorites, a character analysis, a game of your own -- whatever your western-loving heart dreams up.
The only real rule is that your posts must have celebratory, not derogatory, attitude toward the western genre. If you dislike westerns, spend the week thinking about something else, mmkay?
Save and use any or all of these buttons on your own blogs, in your posts, etc. We'd love it if you helped spread the word about the event so lots of people can join the fun :-)
Hurrah! Can't wait! Really so excited to start off the summer this way. 🥳
ReplyDeleteSame! :-D
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ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHqxl3uNfNQ
I mentioned this before but I highly recommend one of Val Kilmer’s more obscure roles, the 1989 Billy the Kid. While receiving little general attention, the 1989 TV-movie Billy the Kid seems to have a cult following especially with those who study the historical Billy the Kid due to its comparative historical fidelity. Kilmer was praised for his portrayal based on his extensive work to not only physically resemble the real Billy the Kid as much as possible, but also to capture his personality as related in historical accounts.
The film has never been released on DVD as far as I know but is preserved form VHS tapes (such as the one linked above). Personally, I think it is better than 1988’s Young Guns. I thought it delivered a more accurate depiction of BTK. The final scene is quite affecting and hits differently now that Kilmer himself has passed away since.
I bring this version up because Billy the Kid is one of those historical figures that is still more myth than fact, due to the countless portrayals of him on screen and TV, most of them being more fiction than following any aspects of the real man. Even the Young Guns films took more dramatic license than necessary. However, I actually wonder if Val Kilmer's performance might be the most important Billy the Kid film of all.
Sam Fraser, yup! You've definitely mentioned that version a time or two. Thanks to your bringing it to my attention, I did watch it sometime last year. I liked it enough to want to watch it a second time before reviewing it, so I can fully appreciate it :-) Just need to find the time for that now.
DeleteI have had plans now for almost 10 years of comparing the 1960 American version of The Magnificent Seven to the 2016 remake. (Possibly even contrasting it to Kurosawa's original Seven Samurai if I can find a copy...) I just checked out the two American ones from my local library today.
ReplyDeleteQuiggy, that is awesome!!! I really should see the 2016 remake a second time. I saw it in theaters and really should give it another shot because there were a lot of things I did like about it. Especially Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke's characters.
DeleteI have been meaning to get more into Westerns. I will participate in this event--though it starts on my birthday (June 22), so maybe I'll get a western in, we'll see. Right now, I'm watching "Treasure of the Sierra Madre," I'm not sure if this counts as a Western film noir??
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