Western Wednesdays: Keoma (1976)

     Keoma was released on November 25th, 1976. It is directed by Enzo G. Castellari and written by Castellari, Luigi Montefiori, Mino Roli, Nico Ducci, and Joshua Sinclair. In it Keoma (Franco Nero), a half breed Indian, returns home to find his half-brothers in alliance with a petty tyrant named Caldwell (Donald O'Brien), who has contaminated the town's water supply, causing a plague to break out among many of its poorer inhabitants. Keoma sets out to defeat Caldwell and restore justice to the town.

     Originally conceived as (yet another) sequel to Sergio Corbucci's Django (1966). It went through many rewrites before going into production (as is probably apparent from the sheer number of writers) and, ultimately, director Enzo Castellari ended up improvising and rewriting much of the film on set. Joshua Sinclair, who plays Keoma's brother Sam, wrote most of the dialogue, though Franco Nero contributed many of his own lines. Suffice to say, Keoma is a really strange western. Echoing Django, Sam Pechinpah's Pat Garret & Billy the Kid, and even Shakespeare's Macbeth, Keoma takes the classic spaghetti western trope of a man who places himself between competing factions in a town and ends up freeing it from their influence, and infuses it with social commentary, spiritual themes and existentialism.

     The western protagonist often seems to exist in two worlds, torn between the wilderness and civilization. This theme can be traced back to the very beginnings of the genre, in the novels of James Fenimore Cooper. At times there is a spiritual element to this. Characters like Shane and The Man With No Name posses almost supernatural qualities. Keoma takes this a step farther. He seems to drift between the spiritual and physical realms throughout the film. He continually converses with a mysterious old woman (played by Gabriella Giacobbe), referred to simply as "The Witch" in the credits, who seems to represent or be an embodiment of fate, similar to the witches in Macbeth. She tells him, "I changed destiny when I decided that you alone should survive that useless massacre," suggesting that she guided his adopted father to rescue him when his village was massacred.

     Another common trope in westerns, and especially in spaghetti westerns, is the Christ figure. Protagonists like Shane and Silence (from Corbucci's masterpiece, The Great Silence) suffer or sacrifice themselves for others at the hands of wicked men, as Jesus did. Keoma fits into this category as well. Nero is particularly adept at this kind of role. There's a danger behind his pale eyes but also a vulnerability. He brought those qualities fully to bear in Django and he does again here. Like Django and The Great Silence this film is concerned with the oppression of the poor by the rich, and Keoma is as much or more a figure of Marxist liberation as he is of Christian suffering. There was a strong current of Marxism in Italy in the years following WWII and it shows through in many Italian westerns. Caldwell uses his power and wealth to exploit the people of Keoma's hometown. Keoma is alone in opposing him through much of the film and is ultimately betrayed by his brothers and the people of the town. After defeating Caldwell, his brothers string him up on a wagon wheel (an image evocative of the Crucifixion) and convince the townsfolk that Keoma is to blame for their troubles. He is at first a source of inspiration for oppressed, but ends up becoming a scapegoat.

     Perhaps unsurprisingly given its haphazard script, Keoma is a somewhat messy film. There's a lot going on, between the central conflict between Keoma and Caldwell (who is ultimately a rather superfluous antagonist and is defeated rather easily), the not quite romance between Keoma and the pregnant woman with the plague who he rescues from Caldwell's men, and the family drama between Keoma, his adapted father, and his three brothers, who work for Caldwell only to betray him when their father is killed, there is a lot of plot to manage, and some things work better then others.

     The bizarre musical score, inspired by Bob Dylan's music for Pat Garret & Billy the Kid (1973), is easily the weakest aspect of the film. The rather banal lyrics, by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis, are severely lacking in subtly. "Yeah, I'm here, In front of these men. Gun in hand, And waiting for what will be" (yes these are the actual lyrics). I can understand what they were going for, the film has a psychedelic feel and the score does contribute to this, but it was lacking in execution.

     It has a great cast. Nero is at his best here, bringing his striking facial features and unique physicality fully to bear. Woody Strode and William Berger, familiar faces for any fan of the genre, are also great. George, the broken down, disillusioned Civil War veteran, is one of Strode's best role while Berger, usually regulated to playing villains, puts in a really subtle and touching performance as Keoma's father William Shannon. Orso Maria Guerrini, Joshua Sinclair, and Antonio Marsina are all solid as Keoma's jealous brothers.Olga Karlatos is wasted in a rather thankless role as the woman Keoma saves as is Donald O'Brien as Caldwell. Leonardo Scavino fares better as the doctor who is sympathetic to Keoma and helps him to defeat Caldwell.

     Enzo G. Castellari's direction is superb. The flashbacks to Keoma's childhood are really well done and are blended seamlessly with the present, giving the film a disorienting, out of time quality. The action scenes are simply fantastic, anticipating John Woo with the use of slow motion camerawork. Aiace Parolin's cinematography is really striking and creates a contrast between the apocalyptic/medieval looking town and its picturesque surroundings.

     Keoma is on of the last great Spaghetti westerns. A flawed film, to be sure, it's also a fascinating one and features great performances from Franco Nero, William Berger and Woody Strode and exceptional direction from Castellari.

Score: 9/10

Western Wednesdays: Young Guns (1988)

     Young Guns was released on August 12, 1988. It is directed by Christopher Cain and written by John Fusco. It is a retelling of the Lincoln County War, focusing on the exploits of William Bonney (Emilio Estevez) better known as Billy the Kid.

    Going into Young Guns, I expected a light hearted star vehicle for the cast (including Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, and Kiefer Sutherland) featuring a watered down portrayal of the Lincoln County War. The former turned out to be the case. The young, popular actors are clearly the main draw here and the film is generally lighthearted and moves at a quick pace. At the same time, however, its unexpectedly dark in places. The writers don't really romanticize Billy the Kid the way I expected them too. As portrayed by Estevez he's a highly unstable, cold blooded killer. This is not to say that he wholly unsympathetic, he and the regulators are clearly on the right side of this conflict, but he's a much darker character then I expected.

     This, in some ways, is both a good thing and a bad thing. On one hand, its more historically accurate and makes for a more unpredictable story. On the other hand, because of the more lighthearted, 80's action film approach the filmmakers take, it creates some tonal inconstancy. I was greatly surprised when Charlie Sheen's character, Dick Brewer, was unceremoniously killed halfway through the movie, but I was positively shocked when, earlier in the film, Billy murders fellow regulator J. McCloskey in cold blood for suspecting (rightly, it turns out) that he is working for Jack Palance's corrupt rancher, Lawrence Murphy.

     Though, like most westerns, Young Guns is not all that historically accurate, I was surprised that it was closer to the real story then one might expect. The scene where Billy kills a bounty hunter by surreptitiously removing the bullets from his gun is taken straight out of the history books, though it happened later in the outlaw's life. It also shows how he got his nickname from the newspapers although, again, this happens at an earlier time and is facilitated by Chavez. To be clear, the film contains far more historical errors then historical facts but, to borrow a quote from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, "This is the West, sir."

     Young Guns feels a little dated at times. Compared to other contemporary westerns (Lonesome Dove, Silverado, Pale Rider) which have aged gracefully, it's apparent pretty quickly that your watching an 80's movie. There's nothing inherently wrong with that but it does take me out of the movie at times. The score by Anthony Marinelli and Brian Banks, which often utilizes electronic instrumentation, is particularly egregious in this regard as is the sequence where the regulators get "high" after Cahvez offers them Navajo peyote.

     It has a good cast. Emilio Estevez is really quite good as Billy, giving the psychotic protagonist just enough charm to make you like him. Keifer Sutherland is also solid as the more morally centered Doc Scurlock, providing a nice contrast to Billy. Dermot Mulroney and Casey Siemaszko are also good as "Dirty Steve" Stephens and Charlie Bowdre respectively. The casting of Lou Diamond Phillips, a Filipino-American actor, as the Native American Jose Chavez y Chavez (who was of Spanish ancestry in real life) is a little odd while Charlie Sheen (certainly the most well known of the main cast today) sort of ruins his performance as Dick Brewer with an hilariously bad accent. The real stars, as far as this western movie fan is concerned, are the supporting cast. Jack Palance is great as always (if a bit underutilized) as the film's main antagonist, Lawrence Murphy. Patrick Wayne does a good job with his limited screen-time as Pat Garret (I'm not sure why he was recast for the sequel). Terrance Stamp (Zod from the Superman movies) brings a dignified, fatherly air to John Tunstall, who's murder sets the plot of the film in motion. Terry O'Quinn brings his gravitas to the role of Tunstall's ill fated attorney, Alexander McSween. Finally, Brian Keith is pitch perfect as Buckshot Roberts, his history in the genre adding an extra layer of credibility to the role.

     Young Guns is not a great western film by any means but it is worth watching. The actors (mostly) are in top form and director Christopher Cain keeps things moving at a good pace. Avoid it if your looking for an accurate retelling of the Lincoln County War or a classic western of the caliber of Lonesome Dove or Tombstone, but if you just want to be entertained (and maybe even surprised) for 100 minutes you could do worse.

Saturday Evening Cartoons: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

     The Hunchback of Notre Dame was released on June 21, 1996. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise with music by Alan Menken (all of whom worked on Beauty and the Beast five years prior) it is an adaption of the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo (Les Misérables). It tells the story of Quasimodo (Tom Hulce), a hunchback who is raised by the vile Judge Claude Frolo (Tony Jay). When Quasimodo befriends a gypsy named Esmeralda (Demi Moore), who runs afoul of the law, he must choose between his loyalty to Frollo and his feelings for her.

     The Hunchback of Notre Dame has a lot on its mind, at least for a Disney animated movie. Frollo, in particular, is far more complex then your average Disney villain. He's a man consumed by pride, hate and lust and there's a part of him that realizes this and fears for "his immortal soul" as the opening musical number "The Bells of Notre Dame" suggests. On the one hand, in his quest to rid Paris of the "corruption" of the gypsies, he really believes (or has deluded himself enough to believe) that his tyrannical, even genocidal, treatment of them is justified. On the other hand he recognizes that his feelings of lust toward Esmeralda are perverse yet, at the same time, he feels powerless to overcome these feelings.

     Quasimodo is also fairly complex. At the beginning of the film he has an understandably naive worldview. Hidden away by Frollo in the Cathedral of Notre Dame since his infancy, Quasimodo's only real contact with the outside world has been the judge. As a result he, like Frollo, believes the outside world, and especially the Gypsies, to be evil and corrupt. He longs to go "out there" but fears that the world will hate and fear him. He sees himself as a monster because that's how Frollo has treated him. It's only through meeting Esmeralda and later Phoebus (Kevin Kline), the handsome soldier who falls in love with Esmeralda, that he begins find a sense of self-worth and a hope that, perhaps, the world can accept him as he is.

     His feelings toward Esmeralda grow and mature throughout the course of the film. At first he idolizes her, referring to her as an "angel". He also hopes that, perhaps, she loves him and this causes him to feel jealousy toward Phoebus, who Quasimodo thinks unworthy of her love. As the film progresses and he and Phoebus gain respect for each other, he begins to see Esmerelda as a person, a flesh and blood individual with her own thoughts and desires. This allows him to display a more selfless kind of love for her, as he risks his life multiple times to save her from Frollo. By the end of the film he is able to let go of her, and accept her love for Phoebus. He also realizes that Frollo is the real monster and that the world view he inherited from him is warped and twisted.

     The musical score by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz is one of the best of the Disney Renaissance. All of the songs (excepting one) help to move the story forward and inform the characters. The opening number, besides establishing Frollo's villainy and his fear of damnation, also sets up the movies main thematic query "who is the monster and who is the man." "Out There" establishes Quasimodo's desire to leave the confines of the Cathedral and explore the world outside and his fears of what might happen if he does, fears cultivated by Frollo. "Topsy Tury" sets the stage for the confrontation between Frollo and the gypsies, while "God Help the Outcasts" establishes Esmeralda as a compassionate and socially conscious individual. In "Heaven's Light" Quasimodo expresses his love for and adulation toward Esmeralda and his new found hope for a better life. In "Hellfire" Frollo confesses his feelings of lust toward Esmeralda and, in his hypocrisy, asks to be delivered from them even while pleading, "And let her taste the fires of hell; Or else let her be mine and mine alone!" "The Court of Miracles" introduces the audience to the seedy, underground world of the gypsies. Finally the reprise of "The Bells of Notre Dame" rephrases the opening query, "What makes a monster and what makes a man?" The answer is, of course, a person's actions, the way you treat others is what makes you a monster or a man.

     But I'm making the film sound a lot more brilliant then it actually is. Unfortunately, at 91 minutes, the story is really condensed. Frollo's lust for Esmeralda, for example, is really only dealt with in "Hellfire". There's no real indication, outside of this scene, that he has any feelings toward her other then disgust. Quasimodo's arc is handled better but the resolution, his acceptance by the people of Paris, doesn't quite feel earned. The film hasn't done enough to convince me that Frollo was wrong about the world. He tells Quasimodo, "Out there they'll revile you as a monster" and everything that happens after seems to bear that out. Esmeralda and Phoebus treat him with dignity but no one else really seems to.

     It could be argued that this material is simply too mature and complex for a family friendly movie. I'm not sure that I completely agree with this assessment but I do think the film-makers (and the studio) failed to fully realize the dark nature of the story they were trying to tell. The film is plagued with tonal inconsistency. One moment we're watching Frollo try to commit infanticide and the next there are anthropomorphic gargoyle's singing a campy tune encouraging Quasimodo to pursue Esmeralda. The gargoyles are the film's main source of comic relief and it just doesn't work. For one thing it feels like a desperate attempt to recreate the magic that was Robin Williams genie from Aladdin. But the real problem is that the style of comedy (largely improvisational and slapstick) simply doesn't fit with the rest of the film. There was a seed of a good idea behind the gargoyles. They seem to represent Quasimodo's inner thoughts, and would suggest that he is maybe a little crazy, mentally conjuring companions from the stone statues of the cathedral, but this idea is lost when the Gargoyles continually interact with the world around them, suggesting that they are more then mere figments.

     The animation is truly stunning. This was Disney's first major use of digital animation to enhance the more large scale scenes and it holds up really well. The animators make some really remarkable use of light and shadow and Notre Dame itself is a sight to behold. The orchestral score, making liberal use of monastic chant, is also really great, and adds to the film's heavy, religious feel. The cast are quite strong all around, especially Tom Hulce as Quasimodo and Tony Jay as Frollo. Heidi Mollenhauer was called in to do the musical numbers for Demi Moore and the it works pretty well (I would certainly prefer this to having Moore try to sing herself). Moore and Kevin Kline have pretty decent chemistry as Esmeralda and Phoebus. There romance is really given time to blossom but I sort of believe it anyway.

     The Hunchback of Notre Dame is certainly a flawed film. It's overly ambitious in many ways, and this is a blessing and a curse. Still, with its awesome score, beautiful animation, and psychologically complex story, it remains one of the better films of the generally disappointing late-Disney Renaissance.

Score: 8/10

Saturday Evening Cartoons: The Cat Returns (2002)

     The Cat Returns was releases in on July 20th, 2002. It is directed by Hiroyuki Morita and written by Reiko Yoshida from an original concept by Hayao Miyazaki. It tells the story of Haru Yoshioka (Anne Hathaway), a quiet, shy teenage girl who becomes engaged to Prince Lune (Andrew Bevis) of the magical Cat Kingdom, after saving him from being run over by a car.

     This film is a about a young girl who gets swept up in a magical world, meets a dashing young prince, and becomes a kind of hero in the process. If this sounds familiar its because The Cat Returns, maybe more then any film I've seen aside from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, evokes old fairy tales and children's fantasy stories. The Brothers Grimm, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Lewis Carrol, Frank Baum, P.L. Travers, this film recalls the works of all these authors in one way or another. What impressed me the most was its portrayal of the fantastical elements of the world. The Cat Kingdom feels like a natural part of this world, one lying right on the periphery of human perception. Consequently, and in the tradition of great fairy tales, the line between fantasy and reality is often blurred. 

     The main thrust of the story is Haru's gaining of confidence in herself (yet another pervasive fantasy trope). At the beginning of the film we see that she is ridiculed by her classmates after arriving late for school. When she saves Prince Lune and the Cat King (Tim Curry) offers her a place in his kingdom she is, at first, tempted to say yes, as it would be an escape from her troubles. This changes, of course, when she learns that she must also marry the prince. Obeying instructions from a mysterious voice, Haru goes to the Cat Bureau, where she meets The Baron (Cary Elwes) a cat figurine brought to life by the his creator. The Baron agrees to help her get out of the marriage, but the King's agents arrive at the bureau and carry her away. In the end, she stands up to the king herself, finally showing some initiative. Her experiences have taught her to take responsibility for her actions.

     The animation is wonderful, as one would expect from a Studio Ghibli film. It may not be as breathtaking as Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke and the character are much more "cartoonish" and simplistic then most of Ghibli's output but, in many ways, that fits the story their telling. This is a lighthearted faerie story, not an epic. The animators do a good job making the world of the film (both the real world and the Cat Kingdom) alive and populated. The way the characters move is particularly striking. Some standout scenes include a chase scene, where Haru is carried of by a large group of cats and pursued by the Baron and Toto, and a scene later on where Haru, the Baron and Muta descend from the sky on a flock of crows, summoned by Toto, who act as a staircase.

     The cast (I saw the english dub) all do a good job. Anne Hathaway displays the right mixture of awkwardness and pluck as Haru. Cary Elwes is perfectly cast as the swashbuckling Baron Humbert von Gikkingen (a character originally conceived in Whisper of the Heart). Peter Boyle is a hoot as the lazy, overweight but ultimately heroic Muta. Tim Curry is absolutely despicable as the Cat King. Morita's direction is also impressive, as he slowly introduces the fantasy elements, making them feel more natural and earned, and gradually increases the sense of danger for Haru giving the film a lighter, less menacing tone then many of its counterparts.

     The Cat Returns may not be as stunning a piece of animation as many of its Studio Ghibli counterparts but it more then makes up for it with its sheer whimsy, imagination, and sense of adventure.

Score: 9/10

Western Wednesdays: Broken Arrow (1950)

     Not to be confused with the John Woo film from the 1990's, Broken Arrow was released on July 21st, 1950. It is directed by Delmer Daves and with a screenplay by Albert Maltz (under the pseudonym Micheal Blankfort) from the novel Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold. It tells the true story of Tom Jeffords (James Stewart) an Indian agent who helped to secure the peace treaty with Cochise (Jeff Chandler).

     In many ways Broken Arrow anticipates Kevin Costner's Dances With Wolves. Both films feature largely positive portrayals of Native Americans and a more condemnatory view of our country's treatment of Native Americans. Both also focus on a white man who intermarries into a native tribe. This film was way ahead of its time. Many westerns of the 40's and 50s portray white/native relations in a critical way, but none, at least that I've seen, take it quite this far. Near the end of the film Jeffords' wife is killed by hateful white men, and this nearly breaks him. He is ready to pursue vengeance against these men and throw away the peace he has built with Cochise and it's Cochise himself who restrains Jeffords and saves the treaty.

Like most westerns, Broken Arrow takes some liberties with history. The biggest is the romance between Jeffords and Sonseeahray (Debra Paget), which is a complete fabrication. The real Jeffords was never married, much less to an Apache bride, and the marriage ceremony shown in the film is not an authentic Apache one. Besides this, however, the film is surprisingly historically accurate. Tom Jeffords really did befriend Cochise and help to forge the treaty which was overseen by General Oliver Howard also known as "the Christian General" (played in the film by Basil Ruysdael).
 

In general, the romance is the weakest part of the film. It feels rushed as the two characters simply don't have enough time to believably fall in love. With that said, director Delmer Daves does a good job with the scenes between Jeffords and Sonseeahray. Daves is a skilled director and makes good use of tracking shots and interesting framing throughout the film. The cinematography by Ernest Palmer, is not the best. The lighting is a little bland and the bright technicolor look does not suit the dark, violent nature of the narrative.

    For a film made in 1950, Broken Arrow is unexpectedly dark and violent. The film opens with Jeffords nursing a wounded young Apache back to life, only to be captured by his fellow tribesman. They let him go free but only after slaughtering a group of prospectors. Jeffords watches, bound and gagged, as the survivors are tied up and covered in syrup, so that ants can feast on their flesh. This kind of dark violence helps to give the film's message more weight. In the face of this kind of violence, Jeffords and Cochise's efforts toward peace is all the more admirable.

     Of the cast, Stewart and Chandler are clearly in command. They relationship between Jeffords and Cochise is easily the best part of the film, and a lot of that comes down to the performances. Stewart brings his usual mix of lovably affable and darkly short-tempered to Tom Jeffords. This is a man who could help to forge a peace with a desperate, warlike tribe but also one who reacts with violent outbursts when insulted or attacked. Chandler's Cochise is every bit the noble leader. His leadership of the Apaches is guided by prudence. He tells the elders of his tribe, "If a big wind comes, a tree must bend or be lifted out by its roots." At the same time he seems genuinely human, possessing a keen sense of humor and an obvious affection for those closest to him. As he and Jeffords grow in respect for each other, so do we as an audience.

     Broken Arrow broke (no pun intended) new ground for the portrayal of Native Americans on film. A western more grounded in historical fact then most, it also features solid direction from Delmer Daves and stellar performances from its two leads. For genre fans, it's indispensable.


Score: 8/10