Fill Your Hands, You Sumb*tch
By Brian Prisco | Posted Under Miscellaneous | Comments (30)
As film critics, we often tear down without creating. We usually complain about how certain genres like horror and fantasy have gotten weaker. We complain and complain, but we never offer up solutions. So I’ve decided to run a column this week to cull suggestions of what you as a moderately rational filmgoing base are craving in your genre films. What would you like to see done on the big screen?
I love a good western. And I was mortally against the Coens doing a remake of True Grit. Then I saw it, and it was glorious. They don’t make many westerns anymore. But when they do, they’re usually pretty fucking amazing. Tombstone, The Quick and the Dead, Unforgiven, True Grit — and that’s just the modern ones. Hell, I’m watching Silverado as I type this.
The question is, do you think there’s room to do new stuff with the westerns? With the lax moral code, can we do better, gritty, more hardass westerns? The classics didn’t need people getting there heads blown off or their scalps scalped to be awesome. But then again, The Wild Bunch, so eat that.
Is there room to tell new stories in the Wild Wild West without it turning into The Wild Wild West? On that same regard, is there a way to do a sort of western that isn’t set in the 1800’s? Do you think there’s room for more projects like No Country for Old Men or even Last Man Standing? Do you think we could pull off an interesting neo-western?
I personally would like to see them be a little creative and push the boundaries on the western. Not everything has to be Cormac McCarthy, but the Coens have done a fine job keeping the faith alive. I’d like to see someone crack the code on this, but everyone seems to be doing a fine job dropping a gold nugget every three years or whatnot.
By the way, this was going to be a science fiction post, but I leave that to Steven Wilson. As I do not have a fucking clue on how to even crack that nut, since it goes all over the world. Then again, we’re about to see Cowboys & Aliens, so let’s hope.
High noon, hombre. Are you my huckleberry?
Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance
← Whom Would You Rather See Under The Lens? | Looking For Some Hot Stuff | F/X's "Lights Out" Review | Super Punch-Out! →
Comments
Posted by: Mrs. Julien at January 24, 2011 12:07 PM
I want some historical realism in my westerns: accurate clothing, set design and speech as much as possible. If you can successfully create a milieu, then the vast part of creating the 4th wall is done for you. I realise that is a no-brainer and applies to all movies, but for period films in particular it is so important. In Sense and Sensibility I GASPED when Marianne shouted Willoughby's name at the party because they had so successfully created the world they live in. The audience will better understand and experience the characters, if the production team has been able to really do their job. Having said all that, we have just watched the first two episodes of Deadwood and I'm a little overwhelmed by the "realism" of the series*. I understand that the creators said they made conscious stylistic choices to drive home to the audience the realities of the era through language use etc., but I find it kind of overwhelming.
My wish list -
1. A grizzled veteran All dry and acerbic like. Laconic is a nice of an evening as well.
2. Vistas
3. 1870s period clothing (swoon)
4. I don't think I've ever seen a western set in a larger city, perhaps San Francisco or one of the larger towns people are always headed towards in these movies.
The best neo western I can think of is Star Wars.
*Who would have thought one could say, "He's the DEVIL," so many times during one 60 minute show?