Open Range
01/19/2004 15:05 Filed in: Movies and Television
A traditional western for modern times...
The movie Open Range will be released on DVD January 20. Not only is it rare to see a western these days, it's even rarer to find a good one. I originally saw Open Range when it was released at the theaters last Fall. My thoughts below are adapted from an email I sent to a few friends after viewing the movie.
Parts of Open Range are very bloody, and a few of its elements seem a bit forced, but it is a good movie overall. It had the feel of a 1950's western, although much more violent than would have been made back then. Some of the dialogue seemed so hokey (Costner: "I'd better go rustle up them cows."), but I think that it was done purposefully, not as camp mind you, but as a throw back to the kind of western that used to be made and that style is taken very seriously in this movie.
Robert Duvall was perfect, but his age is really starting to show. I think if he is smart, this (or at least Secondhand Lions with Michael Caine) will be the last of his rough and tumble action pictures. In the shootout, he is injured, though it is never really shown to what extent. Afterwards, he is seen with this hand at his waist and it almost looked like my grandfather holding his pants up after he has loosened up his from a big meal.
Kevin Kostner's character was reminiscent of the kind of role Clint Eastwood used to play in movies like Pale Rider in which he is struggling to put a past violent way of life behind him but current circumstances force him to resort to his old ways.
Annette Benning is quite beautiful in this movie, and I don't really think I've ever seen her so attractive. With her hair long, she probably looks ten years younger than in real life.
However, the romance between Costner and Benning seemed a bit of what I call a "Love Boat" romance in which people who have only known each other for a few hours or days suddenly realize they are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together. She talks about the fact that it is a small town, but my gosh, did her life not exist before Costner walked into town? But again, I think this is a throw back to the genre they were trying to produce--a traditional Western with traditional values.
Another aspect that was very traditional, not just for movies, but for the culture is that Costner and Benning never kissed until after he asks her to marry him. From what I understand of 19th century courtship, this is pretty accurate as a lady would never allow herself to be kissed until at least there was an engagement of some kind.
There is a very human scene as Duvall and Costner stand over the grave of their slain friend and attempt say a few words. Duvall, although really the moral center of the two, refuses to speak to God because he is so angry with Him over the situation He has let them get in. Costner's character prays, though, but at the end of his words, also acknowledges that he is angry with God, and then says "So, I guess that means 'amen.'"
The movie seemed a bit long at times, but that may be what I have been preconditioned to in movies over the past few years. There were lots of really nice scenes and conversations that could have been easily cut out, but added to the overall charm of the characters. Leaving some of these things in and the attempt to make a more traditional movie almost makes this movie "experimental" by today's standards.
I've gotten to where I don't read any reviews anymore before I go see movies. I simply base my decision on whether I want to see it on the trailer (the marketing people would be glad to hear that I am sure). But I did read Roger Ebert's review afterwards and he is spot on in the way he describes its strengths and weaknesses. I would recommend it to you after you see the movie or if you probably won't see it at all.
I also recommend the movie to you if you like traditional westerns with traditional values (as opposed to something like Sam Raimi's 1995 The Quick and the Dead [which I also like]). Be warned though, although the genre and values are traditional, the movie is fairly violent in keeping with modern standards, so it is not for the squeamish.
The movie Open Range will be released on DVD January 20. Not only is it rare to see a western these days, it's even rarer to find a good one. I originally saw Open Range when it was released at the theaters last Fall. My thoughts below are adapted from an email I sent to a few friends after viewing the movie.
Parts of Open Range are very bloody, and a few of its elements seem a bit forced, but it is a good movie overall. It had the feel of a 1950's western, although much more violent than would have been made back then. Some of the dialogue seemed so hokey (Costner: "I'd better go rustle up them cows."), but I think that it was done purposefully, not as camp mind you, but as a throw back to the kind of western that used to be made and that style is taken very seriously in this movie.
Robert Duvall was perfect, but his age is really starting to show. I think if he is smart, this (or at least Secondhand Lions with Michael Caine) will be the last of his rough and tumble action pictures. In the shootout, he is injured, though it is never really shown to what extent. Afterwards, he is seen with this hand at his waist and it almost looked like my grandfather holding his pants up after he has loosened up his from a big meal.
Kevin Kostner's character was reminiscent of the kind of role Clint Eastwood used to play in movies like Pale Rider in which he is struggling to put a past violent way of life behind him but current circumstances force him to resort to his old ways.
Annette Benning is quite beautiful in this movie, and I don't really think I've ever seen her so attractive. With her hair long, she probably looks ten years younger than in real life.
However, the romance between Costner and Benning seemed a bit of what I call a "Love Boat" romance in which people who have only known each other for a few hours or days suddenly realize they are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together. She talks about the fact that it is a small town, but my gosh, did her life not exist before Costner walked into town? But again, I think this is a throw back to the genre they were trying to produce--a traditional Western with traditional values.
Another aspect that was very traditional, not just for movies, but for the culture is that Costner and Benning never kissed until after he asks her to marry him. From what I understand of 19th century courtship, this is pretty accurate as a lady would never allow herself to be kissed until at least there was an engagement of some kind.
There is a very human scene as Duvall and Costner stand over the grave of their slain friend and attempt say a few words. Duvall, although really the moral center of the two, refuses to speak to God because he is so angry with Him over the situation He has let them get in. Costner's character prays, though, but at the end of his words, also acknowledges that he is angry with God, and then says "So, I guess that means 'amen.'"
The movie seemed a bit long at times, but that may be what I have been preconditioned to in movies over the past few years. There were lots of really nice scenes and conversations that could have been easily cut out, but added to the overall charm of the characters. Leaving some of these things in and the attempt to make a more traditional movie almost makes this movie "experimental" by today's standards.
I've gotten to where I don't read any reviews anymore before I go see movies. I simply base my decision on whether I want to see it on the trailer (the marketing people would be glad to hear that I am sure). But I did read Roger Ebert's review afterwards and he is spot on in the way he describes its strengths and weaknesses. I would recommend it to you after you see the movie or if you probably won't see it at all.
I also recommend the movie to you if you like traditional westerns with traditional values (as opposed to something like Sam Raimi's 1995 The Quick and the Dead [which I also like]). Be warned though, although the genre and values are traditional, the movie is fairly violent in keeping with modern standards, so it is not for the squeamish.