It’s colder than shit where I’m at, so let’s revisit something hot and warm our cockles out in the Australian heat!
FIVE THs???? You ask… HELL YES!! This movie is that bad ass!!! The cinematography is some of the best I’ve ever seen. The characters and acting are fucking brilliant. The effects and violence are incredible. Some of this is even heart breaking. Guy Pearce and Ray Winstone are AWESOME and that really is Danny Huston as the savage and wild Arthur…. This really is one of my favorite Westerns ever. And boy is it bloody. And violent. And wicked. I could probably watch this once a week for a year and never get tired of it…. Love it!! I should probably add this: if you haven’t seen this and are giving it a think, this is very brutal and doesn’t come equipped with a happy ending.
Man…. Guy Pearce is such a stud when it comes to his movies – I am still dumbfounded that he did LOCKOUT. Oh well…. in this he’s Charlie Burns of The Burns Gang infamy that goes around raping and pillaging. It’s not ever implied that Pearce’s character does any raping but the other members of his gang must since one of them had their way with a pregnant woman (which is why they are being hunted down so ferociously to begin this movie). Oh – and one of them intends to Get Down with Emily Watson against her will later on towards the end. So we start this off with Pearce and his little brother Mike getting into a fire fight at some whorehouse and they captured by Ray Winstone and his boys.
It seems the cops are more interested in the Burns’ older brother Arthur (Huston) and Winstone vows to kill Mike unless Charlie goes out and kills Arthur. He gives him just a few days to come back with his brother’s head or he’ll hang Mike by the neck!!! Did I mention this takes place in the late 1800’s Australian plains? No telephones or electricity in this one, friends! It’s horses and guns and knives and spears and blood and flies and dirt and drinking and a couple of beheadings and floggings and aborigines and all around gritty, dirty awesomeness. This is a total must see in my opinion. Don’t delay!!
Great film man and great right up. I stumbled on this years ago, not knowing much about it at the time. It took me by surprise.
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Thanks Mark! I know – one day I just checked it out and I was like – WTF? This is awesome!! Worked just as well the second time around!
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I know you like the 310 to Yuma remake – but I saw it shortly after The Proposition and so it suffered greatly by comparison (and still does). I was lucky enough to see it in a theater in LA opening weekend and Danny Huston came out and did a short intro… Great script by Nick Cave – great soundtrack – also Cave w Warren Ellis – Essential viewing…and as ever a lovely and lively writeup from IPC
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THANKS Lem! That sounds like it was a good time! I agree – essential viewing! (Didn’t you have lunch with Huston once?)
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It wasn’t me at lunch – but My buddy met Huston and we got his signature and a doodle of a gunslinger on our half-finished script…he was extremely nice and generous about the whole thing…
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AHHHHHHH – I thought it was you out and about on one of your Hollywood lunches eating lobster and rare Filet Mignon on Sunset Boulevard… while I slaved away dealing with people who cannot be named… we’re totally gonna rock it on Monday!!!!!! The Internet is not prepared for our post!!!! (I am working on it right now)
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I did not know Nick Cave was a screenwriter.
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Great job dude! Love this film, should really watch it again, been a while.
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THANKS FRIEND!! The Proposition rocks other Westerns’ lame asses!! This one would have been good for a double take but I think people are really going to enjoy our next one. See ya!
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Yeah, but I’m a lazy man so something that gets another chalked off my top 250 list means less work for me, so win/win 🙂
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Yes – I think when I write your bio for the interview session i’ll include that… “T Carter is a lazy fucker who….” : )
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LOL! Yeah, I mean I have a lot of projects and always editing/posting stuff, but thats to create an appearance of looking busy, when in reality I try do what I can to give myself as little to actually write 🙂
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LOL – your bio is going to be awesome….
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I look forward to it. I liked the one we used last time, that I sent you, that doesnt put me in a bad light 🙂
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I will never publish anything that paints my friends in a bad light. Except for maybe Chris – because he probably deserves it….
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I’m not much on Westerns so I think I’ll skip it but great write up and I’m glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
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Well – if you ever have NOTHING to do – you should check this out!! It’s really good : )
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Hahaha, if I have NOTHING to do, that’s hilarious… 😉
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I know!! You are the busiest person I’ve ever met…..!
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Love a good western personally and this one did not disappoint – most definitely worthy of 5 top hats.
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Thank you sir!!
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Five Top Hats? Yes, I did ask when I saw the title and your rating – and you answered! I must see this.
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You must, my friend!! Required viewing!!
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Sweetest Pappy
A Full mark?! Woohoo!!
Love,
Kigney
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Dearest Kidney!!!
YEP!!!! LOVE IT!!!!
XOXOX
Sugar Pappy
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I really dug this movie Eric, something so brutal and bleak about it.
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Great post Eric! Nice to see some love for an Aussie flick. I’m with you on Guy Pearce, the guy is one of our best actors. He is also in Lawless, which is by the same director and was written by Nick Cave. You might like it mate
Also this director (John Hillcoat) is making ‘Triple 9’ which comes out in march I think. Looks like it will be a good one
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I’ll have to look that up!
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SSC,
I am totally going to hunt this down and give it a go, looks great!
JJB
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GBJB,
I bet you love it!!!
SPSC
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As a rule I can’t fucking stand westerns but this one shits all over the rules, sets them in fire and flings them out into space. I fucking love everything about this film, it is an astonishing work of cinematic excellence.
As an aside, Nick Cave lives near here and I once saw him in our local Indie cinema. We were watching that Aussie horror, The Babbadook. He’s just as tall in real life as he looks on screen.
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