Western Coen Brothers Style with Classic John Wayne "True Grit" Remake

Western Coen Brothers Style with Classic John Wayne "True Grit" Remake


We read in the New York Times that the Coen brothers' are working on a remake of "True Grit" "True Grit" is scheduled to hit theaters at the end of this year, on December 25.

This is great news for western aficionados wanting westerns introduced to another generation who seem more preoccupied in the science fiction and fantasy of the future than the history of their ancestors past. Coens are capable of making a film the next generation will embrace and maybe open the door a crack for more westerns.

Jeff Bridges reunites with the Coens, taking the Rooster Cogburn role that was previously made famous by screen legend John Wayne. Also cast are Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, as Cogburn sidekick La Boeuf and main villain Tom Chaney, respectively. An unknown actress, Hailee Stanfield. 13-years-old, has been cast for the character of Mattie Ross.

"True Grit" is the story of Mattie Ross, a teenage girl who convinces Cogburn to help her find justice for the murder of her father at the hands of Chaney. Also investigating the crime is Damon's character, a Texas Ranger, whose idea of justice is more within the bounds of U.S. law than Ross and Cogburn's.

If you have never seen the original John Wayne "True Grit" movie, pick it up at BlockBluster or in the discount bin at Wal-Mart. It's a classic worth viewing over and over again.

Lamplight Room Dining Review

Lamplight Room Dining Review
by LA Sharpe
Bronco Bill Pakinis and his lovely wife Colleen invited us to dinner at The Lamplight Room at the Tombstone Boarding House, 108 North Fourth Street, Tombstone, Arizona 85638 (520) 457-3716, (877) 225-1319.

Liz Ingalls had been showing us around town all day and she and her friend Miguel were asked to join the evening party. We arrived to find a delightful private dining room set aside for our group of 7. Owner Sylvia Prysant welcomed us, shared a bit of family history, and left us in the capable hands of her server Andrea. Chips and vesty salsa came to the table right away as our drink orders were being filled. My margarita was delicious, made exactly to order and generous in size.

A very talented traditional Spanish Flamenco guitarist played softly in the background for a wonderful southwestern warm and romantic atmosphere. He even stopped by our table to ask if we had any requests.

The Lamplight Room has a dual sided menu with both Authentic Mexican Fare as well as a more Traditional American Lunch and Dinner Menus. Most of the group chose the Mexican Fare, although Bill’s wife selected the Fettuccine Alfredo off the American Menu.

The Authentic Mexican Menu included such classics as Albondigas soup Cup $2.95 Bowl $4.95, Guacamole, Served with corn chips $5.95, Quesadilla, Monterey Jack cheese & chili $5.95 w/chicken $6.95 w/beef $7.95, and something called The Mother Lode (Nachos Supreme) $7.95.

A nice Taco Salad, served in a flour tortilla basket refried beans, lettuce, cheese and topped with guacamole, sour cream and salsa Mexicana was only $5 .95 w/chicken $6.95 w/beef $7.95 looked good, both generous in size and ingredients.

I chose the 2 Chicken Enchiladas, rice & beans $6.95, taking Miguel’s recomendation since he frequents the establishment regularly. It was a good sized portion with plenty of chicken filling and had a nice flavor. It also came with lots of rice and beans. It was all more than I could eat but delicious!

They also have 2 Cheese Enchildas for $5.95, 2 Beef Enchiladas, rice & beans. $7.95. Or 2 Beef Tamales, rice & beans $7.95, Chile Relleno, enchilada, rice & beans $7.95, 2 Tacos. Soft flour or crispy corn, rice & beans w/chicken $6.95 w/beef $7.95. Macho Burrito, Jumbo tortilla stuffed with refried beans. cheese and mild green chilies topped with enchilada sauce and melted Jack cheese $6.95 Meat & Bean Burrito $7.95. Green Chile Pork Burrito, (a little spicy) and served enchilada style with sauce & cheese $8.95
Pasta a la Petra (Mexican Spaghetti)Small $5.95 Large $8.95.

The Lamplighter featuries a Full Bar with Great Margaritas! Original Margarita $4.25 Grande Margarita (a double) $7.00. Imported Beer $3.25. Domestic Beer $2.75
Open Monday- Thursday 11:30 am until 8:30 pm Friday & Saturday 11:30 am until 9:00 pm and Sunday 11:30 am - 7:00 pm. www.TombstoneBoardingHouse.com (Prices and Menu are subject to change without notice).

I assure you the food will be wonderful and the atmosphere warm and cozy. Tell them you heard about the Lamplighter in the Wild West Gazette and they will give you an extra warm smile!

Find more restaurant reviews and recipes online
at www.wildwestgazette.com

3:10 to Yuma Movie Review

Movie Review
3:10 to Yuma
By LeeAnn Sharpe

A 20 something friend told me he had been to the movie theatre the night before and there were these really long lines waiting to get in to see “3:10 to Yuma”. He noticed the average age of those standing in line was mostly 40 and over. He asked, “Why is that generation so into westerns?” I thought about it and the answer seemed simple. We all go back to our comfort zone to feel good. The baby boomer generation grew up with westerns and continues to hold them dear.

They say the western movie market is making a resurgence evidenced by HBO’s “Deadwood” TV series, setting the bar for the modern western with over the edge, in your face, muddy smutty reality attracting the younger generation. But thinking about what my friend said, I think it’s mainly the tail end of the baby boomer generation holding on to their Saturday morning love affair with Gene and Roy, albeit grown up and doing all those naughty adult things we never even imagined back in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. Movies like “Brokeback Mountain” pushed the envelope even further. But maybe there is more to it. Maybe the western is just a good vehicle to tell a compelling story about life.

There are a few new westerns coming out this year with big name stars. "3:10 to Yuma, "with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, with Brad Pitt as Jesse James and Casey Affleck as Robert Ford coming out Sept. 21st, and "No Country For Old Men" with Tommy Lee Jones and Woody Harrelson coming out Nov. 21st.

“Experts” say the western reappears in a cycle resurfacing every 7 to 10 years. But I think westerns have always been with us in some shape or form. They may go hi-tech like “Wild Wild West” or dive into comedy like “Shanghai Knights”. But they are always with us. Just look at the Tombstone movies. There has been a retelling of that story at least twice a decade since the teens.

“One of the reasons I started the Wild West Gazette newspaper is recent interest in the old west. Every western state in the union is in the process of celebrating their 100th anniversary. They see the need to preserve their history and tell the stories,” says Sid Hagel, Publisher of Wild West Gazette (www.wildwestgazette.com) “People love hearing the story of how their ancestors survived tremendous hardship to settle the west.”

The reviews were saying that "3:10 to Yuma," a remake of a 1957 film starring Glenn Ford and Van Heflin, based on an Elmore Leonard story first published in Dime Western Magazine in 1953, was the best western since “Unforgiven”. Leonard is a prolific writer of gritty realism and strong dialogue with a long list of westerns to his credit including “Last Stand at Saber River” and “Hombre” both made into hit movies. “3:10 to Yuma” is an excellent good versus evil story.

Director James Mangold of "Walk the Line" fame, says he wanted to make "a film that didn't look like a video game." He incorporated more dirt and violence along with new characters including the psycho to kick it up a notch. "Most great Westerns are more psychological than action-oriented," Mangold says. "When you're talking about “Unforgiven” or “Shane” or “High Noon” I never feel like it's about the gunfights between those guys." Mangold was really thinking about the “Unforgiven” when he made this film giving it a similar dark palette and frequent close-ups.

Peter Fonda portrays a Pinkerton agent, another new character in the movie, who has been hunting Wade (Crowe) and gets shot during a stagecoach robbery. In a recent interview Fonda said, “You cannot take your eyes off the screen with this film, because it has such compelling characters and the violence is unbelievable.” Fonda seemed to homage Eastwood in this role with superior results.

All of the actors were superb. Either Mangold solicited excellent performances or the New Mexico air kicked them up a notch. They can all be proud of their part in this film. Mangold says the actors he picked are some of the best horsemen in Hollywood, “They are comfortable, alive on a horse and carry a sort of timeless masculinity”. And he figures they are among only a few in Hollywood who could carry it off.

Bale’s character Dan Evans is the good man who is attracted to the villan. He doesn’t want to be corrupted by a corrupt society. His conscious struggles with his decisions. There’s a battle of wills and clash of philosophies that makes their relationship tension into movie magic.

Crowe says he especially enjoyed playing Ben Wade, the bad man who is confident and cheerful. Crowe took the attitude Ben doesn’t believe in a benevolent God, got stuck in the Old Testament. One line he’s told “You’re not all bad” and he responds “Yes I am” kind of sums him up.

And about the ages viewing the movie that I started this article discussing, well maybe it was just an off night, because on Friday there were plenty of younger 20-30 something folks there. And everyone really liked this film. Rated R for language and violence. Lionsgate 120 minutes. I give it 5 stars! * * * * *


+++++

2nd Annual Wild Western Festival Pioneer Living History Museum

The 2nd Annual Wild Western Festival came to Pioneer Living History Museum in North Phoenix at Pioneer Road and I-17 on Saturday and Sunday, September 23rd-24th. Thousands of western lifestyle enthusiasts came out to enjoy the beautiful fall Arizona weather and plenty of cowboy shootin’, hootin’ and hollarin’, cowboy music and good eats.

DR “Buck” Montgomery bills his event as “Where History meets Hollywood”. Stars of the old westerns including Whitey Hughes, Donna Martell, Peter Brown, Don Collier, Gregg Palmer, Bob Hoy, Marie Harmon, and authors Cheryl Rogers-Barnett and Charlie LeSueur were on hand to sign autographs.

One man from Wittman says he came in to see some of his favorite entertainers from the golden age of the silver screen. “It was a time when the western reigned and the cowboy code was the way we lived.” Donna Martel commented, “It was a simpler time.” Marie Harmon reminisced about all of the stars she had worked with, “So many are gone now.”

From the moment you entered the old west town, musicians greeted you with old west ballads. A mix of modern vendor booths selling everything from resort hotel vacations to guided desert excursions for tourist and beachfront properties in Mexico, stood next to the old west merchants with cowboy hats and sheriff stars for the kids. The big barbeque pit had burgers, dogs, ribs and chicken smelling mighty good. Traditional festival fare like snow cones and kettlekorn were doing a steady business too.

Decked out in classic cowgirl fringed riding skirt and shirt Pistol Packin’ Paula entertained a good-sized audience seated comfortably on the lawn. Her rope tricks, gun spinning and whip cracking had the crowds oohing and aaahing throughout her performance. After, she took time to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans.

Sourdough Slim and Dave Bourne took the stage at noon with a duet of piano and song. Bourne, known as the piano player in the HBO hit series “Deadwood” where his music is used as background in the Gem Saloon, showed his historian expertise as he told stories about each of the songs he played. Some were familiar, but most never made the top 40 list of hits, even back in 1880.

A nice group of award winning traditional cowboy musicians were on hand playing at one of three stages throughout the weekend. Paula Strong and Walt Richards were Western Music Association Best Duo Harmony of the Year in 2005, Tom Hiatt and the Sundown Riders, known as an Arizona Cowboy Balladeer, and Bill Barwick, “voice of the Western Channel” sang and told stories of the old west.

The World Champion Moontee Sinquah Indian Dancers and Flute player added to the traditional western flavor of the event.

Most popular were the gunfights in the old west town with Kowboy Kal, Joey Dillon, Gary “Bad Dog” Bennett, DR “Buck” Montgomery, and Pioneer’s stunt cowboys shooting it out. Crowds gathered early for seats in the grandstand or to stake out a place along the fence to catch the action up close. These gunfighters used more humor than fear in their act and the crowds enjoyed their antics.

All in all, it was a very worthwhile and entertaining festival of old west fun. A bit of advice if you attend next year, wear a hat. Even with the cooler temperatures, the sun was intense with little opportunity for shade. And drink plenty of water.
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