Sam Elliot is the quintessential cowboy, and this film allows him to portray the Louis L'Amour character perfectly. He is dangerous, gruff, decisive, courteous, as well as gentle and loving. He can stay in the fight after sustaining injuries that would lay-up a normal man, and prosecute the fight to the fullest extent. He can spend days on the trail, enduring the hardships, but will wash his hands before eating dinner. He is the perfect gentleman to a lady, as well as a hard-boiled barroom brawler. He always plays fair - one reason the cowboy in film history has become such an admirable personality. Sam also is able to portray "the same character" in The Quick & The Dead, with Kate Capshaw and Tom Conti, also a Louis L'Amour adaptation. The only reason not to absolutely love this picture is that is "made for network TV" picture, and there is limited to the fullscreen format and only has mono sound.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Ronin
(1998)
Great movie - we need more like this
20 March 1999
This is truely a "thinking man's" movie. I liked that they developed Deniro's character slowly, and the interaction between Deniro and Reno. I waited for the DVD to see this movie, and I wish I had seen it in the theatre instead. I understand where all the previous comments came from, but I was not bothered by what was in the box. As Deniro says to Sean Bean when Bean asks him about his choice of weapons "It's a toolbox - I use the right tool to get the job done." I really feel the box was just the right tool to get the job done. I won't spoil the ending for anyone who hasn't seen the movie, but it was a wonderful twist to end it.
Soldier
(I) (1998)
Spare me the pans... there's a lot to like
1 November 1998
Yeah, Kurt Russell has the best lines (I think he has three or four), but the movie isn't as bad as the critics are all saying.
Kurt plays a soldier, trained from birth, who is being replaced by the "newest" models. He is defeated in a ****ing contest between two of his commanding officers when he fights Jason Scott Lee, who whips him and two of his comrades severely. The officers decide to dispose of the bodies somewhere far away from where they are. They miss the fact that while the other two are dead, Kurt isn't.
The story progresses where Kurt is landed in a society of people who want to leave the planet they're on, but lack the means. The planet is assumed to be deserted, and has become one big trash dump. Try as they may, the people can't get the attention of the trash dumpers which they figure are automated. They are a relatively peaceful, normal society. They take Kurt in, who can't fit in well because of his upbringing.
I won't give away any more of the story, but this movie has a lot to say about our society using an individual and not giving him the respect he deserves when he is no longer "the best". It is also a story about brains over brawn, and learning to deal with emotions. There are several scenes which are touching, buried in the over-abundance of violence associated with a movie of this genre.
The story slams our throw-away society. Out with the old and in with the new. Sometimes the new isn't as good as the old...
In some ways, I was reminded of the Rambo movies, especially the fact that Kurt couldn't fit in, but felt there was more hope.
I give this movie 4 of 5 stars for the Kurts portrayal of the soldier, learning how to feel, the good over evil triumph, and Connie Nielsen's beauty.
Kurt plays a soldier, trained from birth, who is being replaced by the "newest" models. He is defeated in a ****ing contest between two of his commanding officers when he fights Jason Scott Lee, who whips him and two of his comrades severely. The officers decide to dispose of the bodies somewhere far away from where they are. They miss the fact that while the other two are dead, Kurt isn't.
The story progresses where Kurt is landed in a society of people who want to leave the planet they're on, but lack the means. The planet is assumed to be deserted, and has become one big trash dump. Try as they may, the people can't get the attention of the trash dumpers which they figure are automated. They are a relatively peaceful, normal society. They take Kurt in, who can't fit in well because of his upbringing.
I won't give away any more of the story, but this movie has a lot to say about our society using an individual and not giving him the respect he deserves when he is no longer "the best". It is also a story about brains over brawn, and learning to deal with emotions. There are several scenes which are touching, buried in the over-abundance of violence associated with a movie of this genre.
The story slams our throw-away society. Out with the old and in with the new. Sometimes the new isn't as good as the old...
In some ways, I was reminded of the Rambo movies, especially the fact that Kurt couldn't fit in, but felt there was more hope.
I give this movie 4 of 5 stars for the Kurts portrayal of the soldier, learning how to feel, the good over evil triumph, and Connie Nielsen's beauty.
The Big Lebowski
(1998)
I thought the movie stunk.
13 September 1998
I thought the movie was pure crap. It wasn't worth the dollar I paid to rent it.
I am a Vietnam vet, and have many friends that are the same, and I don't know anyone like the Goodman character. John Goodman plays a major screw-up , totally unbelievable that someone could be THAT stupid.
The character played by Sam Elliot should be ashamed calling "Dude" a hero, a "man for our times". In the times we live in where the world is "going to hell in a handbasket", we need not immortalize a character who is a dope smoking, booze swilling, careless, jobless, wreck as a hero. The Coen brothers need to get out of their Hollywierd environment and get a grip on what's real in our society.
The fantasy scenes with Dude flying through the air and the bowling sequence are interesting, and point out the best thing you can say about this movie - someone must have been on drugs who created it.
I am a Vietnam vet, and have many friends that are the same, and I don't know anyone like the Goodman character. John Goodman plays a major screw-up , totally unbelievable that someone could be THAT stupid.
The character played by Sam Elliot should be ashamed calling "Dude" a hero, a "man for our times". In the times we live in where the world is "going to hell in a handbasket", we need not immortalize a character who is a dope smoking, booze swilling, careless, jobless, wreck as a hero. The Coen brothers need to get out of their Hollywierd environment and get a grip on what's real in our society.
The fantasy scenes with Dude flying through the air and the bowling sequence are interesting, and point out the best thing you can say about this movie - someone must have been on drugs who created it.
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