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cigar joe
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easy come easy go
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« Reply #441 on: September 17, 2007, 05:01:46 AM » |
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Done Cal  The stand I'm making has to do with plausible reality, could all the ridiculous plot points happen in real life, no, the director asks you to check in your brains at box office. This may be exactly what some people seek. Watch the shiny objects and pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. But if you have a certain degree of common sense of how the world works, then the absurdity takes you out of the film at some point, depending on your individual tolerances. I'm so happy you pointed this out. You say that when the gang members ride into town, that the lawman should open fire right away. Um no, not necessarily. The reason why they don't is because they have good in them, they're moral men. They're not evil like these men. That was obvious. They're trying to do things the right way, by law, and not go down to their level. They're not assasins. You can see that they in the film that they were scared of being outnumbered. That was evident. This is not unrealistic by no means. Also, there were many innocent people out in the street walking around, in broad daylight no less.
Wanted Dead or Alive gives the lawmen all the excuse in the world. The James Gang at Northfield Minnesota found out the hard way what deternined townspeople can do, it also happened to a few other real Old West gangs. But again dave jenkins explains better: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=6074.240 I do want to make it clear to TB and lovelyrita that this is not, however, where I'm coming from. I am no respecter of genres. I hold all films to pretty much the same standard, no matter if they be Westerns, SF stories, war films, crime dramas, or what have you. That standard is this: the story must not include anything that flagrantly violates what we know of human psychology and/or the laws of physics. This is necessary to preserve the illusion that what we are seeing on film has some kind of connection to the real world. Without such a connection, I am unable to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the action. The whole thing just becomes a meat cartoon, and I've already seen all the cartoons I'm ever going to need. (One other requirement I have for films with historical settings: they must make some concession to the culture and practices of the period being used. Otherwise, the whole thing comes off as a modern drama in fancy dress, which is just ridiculous).
I can appreciate that the central point of interest in a film like 3:10 may not be the action so much as the relationship between Dan and Ben. But that interest is seriously compromised when the characters are not presented as thinking human beings, but rather as mindless puppets under the control of mercurial filmmakers. Human relationships in films are of interest to me only if they come off as convincing representations of the real thing, and for that you have to have convincing representations of human beings to begin with. In 3:10 the Dan and Ben characters do so many things (or fail to do so many things) that real people in those situations wouldn't/would do that I lose all respect for the characters. And if I can't respect the characters, I can't respect the relationship between the characters.
There are, apparently, people who like films regardless of how well or how poorly they are made. For such people, there are no bad films, the experience of viewing is enough for them. But I've always been acutely sensitive to shoddiness in literature, drama, and cinema. I love well-made narratives, but experience has taught me that such things occur rarely. Most films are badly made, but good films do exist and it is worth seeking them out. I cannot pretend that a bad film is entertaining when I know that better experiences await me. There are just too many films in the world, more than can be viewed in a lifetime, and it's silly to settle for anything but the very best.
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« Last Edit: September 17, 2007, 05:13:39 AM by cigar joe »
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WeAllHaveItCominKid
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They got a sign on him in front of Greely's?
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« Reply #442 on: September 17, 2007, 05:40:41 AM » |
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Leave your brain at the door? You clearly don't make any sense!!! You act like this is a fantasy film, with no reality whatsoever. I've seen the film cigar with my own two eyes. You're breaking down of the film and saying it defied logic is ridiculous. You just don't like it, therefor ripping it apart. It's absolutely funny that you're going around using what dave jenkins said, AN OPINION no less, and using it as FACT. Well, it's not a fact.
Ok cigar, we get it, you don't like the film, now move on buddy.
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« Last Edit: September 17, 2007, 05:47:00 AM by WeAllGotItCominKid »
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"It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have."
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moviesceleton
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« Reply #449 on: September 18, 2007, 12:20:55 PM » |
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WeAllHaveItCominKid
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They got a sign on him in front of Greely's?
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« Reply #458 on: September 19, 2007, 08:17:51 AM » |
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I guess I'm the only one who found Seraphim Falls to be one big western cliche? As well you get a long drawn out pursuit scene at the beginning before the audience has any invested interest in the characters, thereby reducing the suspense and tension to nothing.
That's just me. A lot of people seem to enjoy the movie, but I found it average. It's certainly no The Outlaw Josey Wales. Maybe I'd need to see it again to appreciate it more...?
Well Doug, you're right about "The Outlaw Josie Wales" being a overall better film. No doubt about that. I just thought the first half hour and 45 minutes of Seraphim Falls was magnificent. After that, it's a little dull in spots, but still held my attention. I'd go into some of the sequences I didn't like but I don't want to post any spoilers. Overall, I liked the film, but it could have been so much better.
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"It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have."
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Phantomstranger
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I Have A Horse, And The West Is Wide.
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« Reply #459 on: September 19, 2007, 11:32:44 AM » |
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"Cowboy" (1958) -Glenn Ford. Jack Lemmon
Chicago hotel clerk Frank Harris dreams of life as a cowboy, and he gets his chance when, jilted by the father of the woman he loves, he joins Tom Reece and his cattle-driving outfit. Soon, though, the tenderfoot finds out life on the range is not what he expected
This is a great movie. As usual Glenn Ford give a terrific performance as the tough trail boss who takes the young tenderfoot under his wing. Fine performance from Jack Lemmon as the young Hotel clerk, who goes from tenderfoot to cowboy.
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They'd never forget, the day the stranger rode into town.
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