"The Big Country" (1958)

”TRUE GRIT” (2010) Review

I have never read Charles Portis’ 1968 novel called ”TRUE GRIT”. And my only glimpse of Henry Hathaway’s 1969 film adaptation was of John Wayne charging horseback toward a band of outlaws, while armed with a weapon in both hands. So it was with great curiosity that I went to see Joel and Ethan Coen’s hivi karibuni film adaptation of the novel.

”TRUE GRIT” told the story of 14 year-old Mattie Ross’s efforts to seek justice and retribution for the murder of her father in post-Civil War western Arkansas. Due to the local law’s failure to arrest her father’s...

"ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO" (1953) Review

Years ago, I used to watch a great deal of old sinema on late night television. My two inayopendelewa channels that offered these sinema were Turner Network televisheni (TNT) and the American sinema Classic (AMC), which used to air sinema without any commercial breaks. On TNT, I had stumbled across a Western movie originally released kwa MGM Studios in 1953 called "ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO" (1953) and fell in upendo with it. After watching my recently purchased DVD copy of the movie, I could see why it became a inayopendelewa of mine.

Directed kwa John Sturges during the...

"BROKEN LANCE" (1954) Review

Six years had passed since I last saw a movie based upon a William Shakespeare play. Needless to say, I was not that impressed kwa it. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid another cinematic adaptation of one of the playwright's works for years. Image my surprise when I discovered that the 1954 movie movie, "BROKEN LANCE" proved to be another.

Although set in the Old West of the 1880s, "BROKEN LANCE" is based upon elements from Shakespeare's 1606 play, "King Lear". It is also a remake of the 1949 movie, "HOUSE OF STRANGERS", but critics have found connections to...

Below is the introduction to an makala about Hollywood's depiction about the westward migration via wagon trains in the United States - especially during the 1840s:


"WESTWARD HO!": Introduction

I. History vs. Hollywood

Between 2001 and 2004, the A&E Channel used to air a series called "HISTORY vs. HOLLYWOOD". Each episode featured experts that were interviewed about the historical accuracy of a film au televisheni special that was based on a historical event. These experts au historians would examine a newly released film - usually a period drama - and maoni on the historical accuracy...

"THE LONE RANGER" (2013) Review

My memories of the 1950s televisheni series, "THE LONE RANGER", is a bit sketchy. Actually, it is downright vague. I can recall Clayton Moore and jay Silverheels in their costumes - the latter wearing a mask. I can recall Moore bellowing "Hi ho Silver!" every once in a while. And I do recall that the series was shot in black-and-white. I have no memories of a particular episode au storyline. I never invested any genuine interest in the series during my childhood.

When I learned that the Disney Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer planned to produce a movie about the Lone...

"CENTENNIAL" (1978-79) - Episode Nine "The Crime" Commentary

The ninth episode of "CENTENNIAL" proved to be an improvement over the last installment. Picking up a few months after "The Storm", "The Crime" proved to be an intriguing episode that featured a blossoming romance, psychological warfare and two shocking events.

"The Crime" begins during the spring of 1888, which finds Oliver Seccombe at the end of his reign as manager of Venneford Ranch. Unable to face a future in disgraced and unemployed, Seccombe commits suicide to end his misery. His widow, charlotte Seccombe returns to England...

"HOW THE WEST WAS WON" (1962) Review

The 1962 movie, "HOW THE WEST WAS WON", was among the last of the kikale, kale fashioned "epic" films that was released kwa Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Filmed using the Cinerama widescreen process, it featured an all-star cast directed kwa at least three directors.

After making the decision to use the Cinerama wide-screen process, MGM decided to produce a cinematic adaptation of LIFE magazine's 1959 series of makala about the history of the American West. Screenwriters James R. Webb and John Gay (uncredited) achieved this kwa focusing the film on two to three generations...

"CENTENNIAL" (1978-79) - Episode Ten "The Winds of Fortune" Commentary

This tenth episode of "CENTENNIAL" called "The Winds of Fortune" marked the last one set in the 19th century. The episode also featured the end of several story lines - the troubles with the Pettis gang, Axel Dumire's suspicions of the Wendell family, Hans Brumbaugh's labor problems and Jim Lloyd's romantic problems with charlotte Seccombe and Clemma Zendt.

The range war that the ranchers began in "The Shepherds" finally gasped its last breath in this episode. The last remnants of the Pettis gang (the killers hired kwa the...