A morning in the Western world

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movieman1957
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by movieman1957 »

I have a copy I taped from an earlier run but I don't remember it being that noticeable. I'd have to dig it out and check it. You are probably more aware of it than I was.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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mrsl
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Re: A morning in the Western world

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Dear Ms Wit:

I've seen Trooper Hook so many times, I couldn't begin to count the total. I've seen it on the Encore Western Channel, and TCM, and right now I have it on order to buy as soon as I decide on my fourth choice, to take advantage of special pricing. But in answer to your question, I think it was just bad editing. When I get the DVD, I'll watch again, and let you know because I've seen it so many times that I know the dialog and can pretty much follow it scene by scene.

Moira:
About Nanchez' feet in Trooper Hook, I actually sat down with pen and paper to take notes, and this is exactly what I have written after watching yesterday afternoon when I realized its still on my DVR.

First Scene: Shows broken chains hanging off his wrists. In other words, his feet are not the main focus of the shot, they just happen to be in due to the camera angle. They main thing to see is the fact that "he broke his chains", so he's now free. And that is the only scene of his feet. It's quite a striking point made, so possibly you thought there were more than one shot.
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Anne


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mrsl
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by mrsl »

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Moira:
In case you're interested, I added to yesterday's post in response to your comment about Nanchez' feet. You might want to read it and tell me what you think.

I've only seen The Stalking Moon once and then only by bits and pieces because it seemed like a remake of Trooper Hook, so I didn't really pay a lot of attention. Is it that much of a copy, or is it it's own story. I can buy a copy for $5.00, which is why I ask. I like Peck in nearly everything he does, so I kind of want to buy it, but not if it's a direct remake.

Thanks,
.
Anne


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mrsl
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Re: A morning in the Western world

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Yesterday I watched Trooper Hook and The Stalking Moon with the intention of comparing one against the other. However, TSM is not really a remake, or even a copy of TH. You might say it is a continuation of what might happen when they reached Joel's ranch. On previous viewings I had missed the first 15 minutes of Stalking Moon and was not aware of some of the pertinent facts. Actually, the only similarity is that the boy is the son of the chief. If Nanchez had not been killed in the escape from John Dehner's farm, the time Greg and Eva spend in the cabin and the ultimate search and killing of the chief takes more film time than the rest of the movie. (which explains my meaning of continuation.) I missed the cheerful camaraderie injected by Earl Holiman. His character made everyone feel comfortable with such total strangers. Although Joel and Greg both played strong military men with little softness made very obvious, Joel, with his winks and occasional pats on the boys rump showed him to be much more human than Gregs stone face and attitude. Barbara also showed more affection to the boy than Eva did. I know Eva explained it was the Cheyenne way, but I'm sure the Apache way was similar since they were also a warrior nation. But Indian children were doted on until the time girls became of age to marry or boys to start training as braves. There was a whole warm attitude about Trooper Hook that was missing from Stalking Moon. Although Trooper Hook was a shorter movie, it had so many more vivid characters that added to the trauma that Barbara and the boy were going through.

If someone disagrees with me or has a better explanation, I would love to hear it, but as it stands right now, I believe that Trooper Hook is a far better movie.
Anne


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MissGoddess
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Re: A morning in the Western world

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i prefer trooper hook on the whole. it's much more entertaining. the stalking moon is a bit on the sour side to me.
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by mrsl »

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Over the last weekend, I watched several movies and something occurred to me. It never clicked in my head that the original locomotives were steam engines, and I never wondered where the steam came from. Saturday and Sunday morning I watched three movies and all had the big tanks as a kind of supporting character. In Cattle Drive, little brat Dean Stockwell gets off the train when it stops to gather water, and misses his chance to return in time to catch the train. I can't recall the names of the other two movies, but in one, after a bank robbery, the gang was to scatter and meet at the water tank in a month to divvy out the money. Finally, I'm not sure if it was a movie, or an episode of The Virginian, where the bad guy hid the wounded good guy in the water tank so he wouldn't be found.

Do any of you have a couple or three movies that all are connected by some remote item like the water tanks? Once I realized this, I tried to think of some but couldn't. I'm talking about unique things, not just the next town up the road.
.
Anne


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pvitari
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Re: A morning in the Western world

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There's a memorable water tank gag in Buster Keaton's The General (though I don't think that qualifies as a Western). :)

http://www.filmsite.org/gene2.html:

The spies stop the General at a water tower and load up on a fresh supply of logs and water spewing out from a watertank spout. After getting an ingenious idea in his head (to load and fire the cannon at the train ahead), Johnnie attaches the cannon to the tender on the back of his train and continues the chase with it hitched and in tow. When Captain Anderson's men see Johnnie fast in pursuit with the Texas, they make a hasty departure and leave the waterspout hanging (without turning off the water). As Johnnie passes by the same pipe in his train, he sticks his head out of the cab and is drenched through the window. Quizzical and bewildered, he glances up at the sunny, cloudless sky, holds out his palm and can't quite figure out the mystery of the water flow until he looks back.
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by MissGoddess »

I don't know if this is what you're looking for Anne, but in
John Ford's Three Godfathers (1948)...the outlaws have to miss the water refill train stop
because Ward Bond and his posse get to it first. Due to this and the destruction
of the well, they run out of water in the desert.
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
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pvitari
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by pvitari »

Miss Goddess said the magic words! 3 Godfathers and water tank. :)

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JackFavell
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by JackFavell »

At the beginning of The Train Robbers, Ben Johnson is the first on screen, but is interrupted in his clock watching.

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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by MissGoddess »

Perfect, Paula! I couldn't remember the name...Apache Wells.

Wendy, why do those screencaps of Ben remind me of Once Upon a Time in the West...I must be crazy.
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JackFavell
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by JackFavell »

I wonder if they were filmed at the same place? They do look similar I think, though I have only seen OUATITW once.
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movieman1957
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by movieman1957 »

If you all are referring to the opening sequence in "OUTITW" it is not the same location. I checked my copy and though there is a water tower and wind vane they are in different positions and the water tower is painted white.

Probably too much detail....
Chris

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JackFavell
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by JackFavell »

Not at all, Chris! Thanks for checking. I only remembered that they both had these wooden stations in a vast bleak landscape.
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Re: A morning in the Western world

Post by movieman1957 »

To April's point about TROOPER HOOK and THE STALKING MOON (see first post) and would agree that is really isn't a remake and also that the latter can be slow and without much of a soul to it.

Aside from one scene where Peck invites Saint and the boy to join him in the meal and feel free to talk about anything there isn't much connection. It is slow to start and I didn't feel that anxious or deep about the characters. The landscape is well used but overall there is little action and not even much dialog. I think Saint is quite good but and Peck is okay but I don't find a lot to recommend for it. If you going to watch one I would think TROOPER HOOK mind be more satisfying for the characters.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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