‘EL PURO’ TO BE RESURRECTED!

The gang at Chip Baker Films is at it again!  Major movers and shakers in the Euro-Western world, last year’s Almeria Western Film Festival led directly to their making of SIX BULLETS TO HELL (read my coverage HERE  ) immediately before this year’s festival, in the famous Tabernas  and Almeria locations and sets.  Immediately after this year’s Festival, maybe a month ago, Chip Baker Films announced they’d soon be filming REVEREND COLT, a Neo-Spaghetti Western, also shot at the classic Spanish locations, and starring villainous western icon James Russo (if you missed that article, go HERE ) . 

Now Chip Baker and Unity International Films have put another western into pre-production, EL PURO RESURRECTED, headlining the original El Puro, Euro-Western star Robert Woods (if you missed my interview with Robert, go HERE ).  Made in 1969, EL PURO, directed by Edoardo Mulargia, is known in Italy as LA TAGLIA E TUA…L’UOMO L’AMMAZZO IO.  It was one of Wood’s most popular films in Europe, though perhaps not as well known stateside.  I had seen a short trailer for EL PURO RESURRECTED posted during the festival, and added it to the Round-up Facebook page, but assumed that it was just Woods and company having fun on the great locations.  You can see the trailer below.

It turns out that I was right, initially, but then things took off.  A Chip Baker exec told me, “We did that trailer originally just for fun,” but then people started getting interested, and it seemed like a good idea after all. 

So the pretend trailer is growing into a real movie, and star Robert Woods couldn’t be happier.  When I spoke with him on Friday, he’d just come back from stirring up interest in the project at L.A.’s American Film Market.  He told me, “They asked me to do this trailer, and then they sent me a script.  It looks like it’s going to turn out really well.  And it’s an exact sequel to EL PURO.  It looks like I get killed in the end of that, but you don’t really know.  So we’re starting out with a revisit to that last scene.  It’s all in dusk and twilight, so you don’t see who it is, which man is El Puro.  One man buries the other in a grave, fashions a cross of stones, puts his holster and his guns there, and his holster is embossed ‘E.P.’  And as he rides off to Allesandroni’s music – I love him, love that we have his music – he turns back and says, ‘Now El Puro is dead.’  Thirty years later, he shows up in a bar.  But he’s removed from that life.  Then he beats a kid in a gunfight,” and that triggers EL PURO RESURRECTED’s story.  “All Hell breaks loose, and it’s like HIGH NOON from then on.  It’s great fun – it really is.  And it’s not gratuitous; it’s got some thought behind it. 

Robert Woods in the original EL PURO

“The original script lends itself so well to doing a sequel.  It just fits.  And Leone’s village, it’s gorgeous.  You can do interiors, exteriors; it’s such a cool place to shoot.  You get cameras, armaments, stagecoaches, wagons, horses – whatever you want, it’s all there. ” 

Joining Woods will be several actors familiar to Spaghetti Western fans: Antonio Mayans, of A TOWN 

CALLED HELL and MORE DOLLARS FOR THE MACGREGORS; Nicoletta Machiavelli, of NAVAJO JOE and THE HILLS RUN RED, and Simone Blondell, who co-starred with Robert Woods in PRAY TO GOD AND DIG YOUR GRAVE (1968), also directed by Mulagria, and HIS NAME WAS SAM WALBASH, BUT THEY CALL HIM AMEN (aka SAVAGE GUNS).

The link to the official Facebook page in HERE .  I’m sure I’ll have more information as they get closer to rolling camera, but to get you up to speed in the meantime, below is the entire original EL PURO.  Enjoy!

AUTRY  HOSTS AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS 2013

On Saturday and Sunday, November 9^th and 10^th, the Autry welcomed more than 180 American Indian artists to what has become the largest Annual American Indian Marketplace in Southern California.   Over forty tribes from across the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico, were represented. 

Mother-of-pearl inlay from boat, above

This event has gotten larger and better attended with each passing year, and on Saturday the 26,000 square foot tent was comfortably full, with thousands of visitors.  In addition to the art displayed and offered for sale, there were dance and music performances in the indoor Autry courtyard, artist demonstrations including jewelry-making, weaving, basket-weaving, soapstone carving, mask-making, gourd art, and glass blowing.  The longest line by far was for Auntie’s Frybread Kitchen.

Basket-weaving by Jessica Lomatewama - Hopi

Monte Yellowbird Sr., Black Pinto Horse Fine Arts

JT Willie Designs - Navajo

I had the chance to speak stunt man and actor Michael Horse – Tonto in 1984’s LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER.  In addition to his acting career, he’s a talented and respected artist whose works have been exhibited at the Smithsonian.  Look for an interview with Michael in the Round-up, in the near future. 

Michael Horse with his art - Yaqui

On my way to the frybread line I ran into Zahn McClarnon, who stars on LONGMIRE as the untrusting Tribal Policeman Officer Mathias.  One of the stars of INTO THE WEST and YELLOW ROCK, next year he will be seen in the new Sundance Channel series THE RED ROAD.  Zahn was with Patrick Shining Elk, who has stunted in LAST SAMURAI, HIDALGO and THE ALAMO, and recently acted in LA MISSION.

Patrick Shining Elk and Zahn McClarnon

‘HATFIELDS & MCCOYS’ ACTOR SUES OVER HORSE-FALL INJURY

Tom McKay, who played Jim McCoy in the award-winning History Channel miniseries, is suing over permanent injuries he claims he received during the making of the Romania-lensed film.  According to Deadline: Hollywood, McKay alleges, “…defendants… intentionally misrepresented to Plaintiff that their horses were safe, well behaved, and were suitable for riding by Plaintiff.”  McKay claims he was injured when, “…the subject horse became uncontrollable again during filming of a scene, bolted, and subsequently threw Plaintiff into a tree, resulting in serious and permanent injuries and harm to Plaintiff.”  McKay is currently starring the BBC / STARZ series THE WHITE QUEEN.

PRODUCERS  SUE ONE-TIME ‘JANE GOT A GUN’ DIRECTOR LYNNE RAMSAY; RAMSAY CALLS CHARGES “SIMPLY FALSE”

‘JANE’ producers are suing the celebrated WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN director who famously walked off JANE in March, the weekend it was supposed to roll camera.  According to Deadline: Hollywood, the producers are seeking the return of $90,000 she was paid to direct the film, $50,000 she was paid to rewrite the script – neither job being completed, according to suit, and $750,000 The William Morris Agency is holding in escrow.  They further want $500,000 in damages.  In a 44 page filing, the producers claim Ramsay was “…repeatedly under the influence of alcohol, was abusive to members of the cast and crew and was generally disruptive.”

After a brief production shutdown, ‘JANE’ was directed by WARRIOR helmer Gavin O’Connor.  Natalie Portman, the star and a producer of the film, is not a party to the suit.  Ramsay representatives responded that although Ms. Ramsay has not yet seen the suit, the claims in the news stories, “…are simply false.”

‘THE ACTIVIST’ SCREENS WED. AT VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL

Written and directed by Cyril Morin, the drama is set against the 1973 Wounded Knee uprising, and stars Chadwick Brown, Michael Spears, Circus-Szalewski, Alen Von Stroheim and Henry LeBlanc.  It shows at 8 p.m. at the Laemmle Noho 7, as part of the San Fernando Valley Film Festival.

THAT'S A WRAP!

That’s it for this week.  Most of us have Monday off because it is Veteran’s Day.  It’s not just a three-day weekend; it’s an opportunity to thank the men and women who have kept us free and safe at great personal risk and cost. 

Time flies.  When I was a kid, everyone’s granddad had been in World War One, and everyone’s dad had been in World War Two.  Now, there is not even one veteran of The Great War left alive.  The ranks of World War II vets shrink greatly with each passing day.  Those who fought in Korea and Vietnam are showing their age.  Make the time, make a point, to thank them now.  I know how glad I am that I thanked my dad while there was time.  Because of  them, we have all the blessings in the world; but we don’t have all the time in the world.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

Sincerely,

Henry C. Parke

All Original Contents Copyright November 2013 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved

‘BRISCO COUNTY JR.’ HANDS ARE CRAFTING NEW TV WESTERNS

Back in December I was relieved to report that HELL ON WHEELS, whose 3^rd season was put on hold until a qualified show-runner could be found, was now merrily chugging down the track under the able hands of exec producer and show-runner John Wirth, who has previously performed similar duties on PICKET FENCES, FALLEN SKIES, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, and several other series. Most heartening of all, back in 1993 he was a writer and producer on THE ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY JR.  It was one of the few memorable Western efforts of the 1990s, which featured a wonderful line-up of genre-beloved guest stars, in addition to Bruce Campbell in the title role.   

This week I reported on the Round-up Facebook page that according to Deadline: Hollywood, NBC had ordered a Western pilot entitled ‘6^TH GUN’.  Based on the Oni Press graphic novel, it’s another supernatural Western, this one about six mythical, mystical guns.  It’s scripted by Ryan Condal, whose HERCULES: THE THRACIAN WARS, to star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, is in pre-production.  Producer is Carlton Cuse, who has two others shows coming up: BATES MOTEL for A&E and the FX pilot The Strain, in collaboration with Guillermo Del Toro.  I was contacted by Round-up reader Col. Kurtz, who informed me that Cuse had produced LOST, and was also one of the creators of THE ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY JR.  In fact, Cuse created the show with Jeffrey Boam, wrote fourteen episodes and exec produced all 27 episodes.   Nice to have two shows to look forward to!  I hope we see Bruce Campbell turn up in both!

S.A.G. AWARDS HONORS WESTERNS

Tonight’s Screen Actors Guild Awards recognized some of the very fine work done this year by actors in Western or Western-ish stories.  Kevin Costner won Best Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries for his portrayal of Devil Anse Hatfield in HATFIELDS & MCCOYS.  Daniel Day Lewis won Best Actor in a Motion Picture for his portrayal of the sixteenth President in LINCOLN.   Tommy Lee Jones won for Best Supporting Actor in a motion picture for his portrayal of Thaddeus Stevens in LINCOLN.

‘CODY!’ DETAILS THE LIFE OF HERO IN ONE-MAN SHOW

There are few icons of the Old West more controversial that William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody.  The Pony Express rider, Indian fighter, buffalo hunter, scout and showman has been worshiped and reviled since he first gained fame.  Playwright and historian Eric Sorg has crafted a historically accurate single-character play that reveals many aspects of Cody’s life, some of them eye-opening and amusing, but not all of them attractive, and some quite tragic. 

The real Buffalo Bill Cody

If there is one role Peter Sherayko was born to play, it’s Buffalo Bill Cody, and Peter covers the range of Cody’s moods, from the cheerfully cocky, to arrogant, wistful, and heartbroken.  The details of how buffalo were hunted, the encounters with unfriendly Indians, the story of how Cody came to be the subject of dime novels, are revealing and entertaining.  The details of his personal life are humanizing.  The downward personal and financial spiral of Cody’s life was, to me, unexpected and moving.  This is not a whitewashing of Cody, nor is it a hatchet job.  He talks easily of the best way to kill Indians, and later, his friendship with them.   And he talks much about his relationships with other legends of the west, notably Bill Hickock, as well Ned Buntline, Sitting Bull and Yellow hand.  Amusingly, he talks about one of Cody’s stage co-stars in his first theatrical appearance, Texas Jack Vermillion, whom Sherayko portrayed in the movie TOMBSTONE.

Peter Sherayko in TOMBSTONE

Sherayko has performed the play in Nebraska; Ohio; Pennsylvania; New York; Texas; in Sheridan and Cody, Wyoming; at the Autry; and at the Karl May Festival in Germany.  This filmed performance was done on a stage splendidly decorated with historical artifacts, without an audience.  Shot largely in a medium shot, there are a very few cutaways to a high-angle shot, and hardly any editing; it’s nearly a one-take, unbroken performance.  Faded in from time to time is historical footage of Cody himself performing in his Wild West Show.  The original stage production was directed by Ted Lange.  This filmed version is directed by Josh Seat, with music by Jon Butcher.  It’s available for $20 dollars from Peter’s company, CARAVAN WEST, HERE. 

WHY IT’S ‘ROUND-UP LITE’ TONIGHT

If the Round-up seems a bit briefer than usual today, I’ve got a good excuse.  Fellow screenwriter and western historian C. Courtney Joyner and I spent the day doing audio commentary for the Blu-Ray release of THE GRAND DUEL, the Lee Van Cleef spaghetti western from 1972, which BLUE UNDERGROUND is releasing.  It was a lot of fun, but it takes a lot of preparation.  They’ve done a beautiful restoration on it – I’ll have more information as the release date nears.

Until then, Happy Trails!

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright January 2013 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved

  

COSTNER'S 'HATFIELD' ON MEMORIAL DAY

Mini-Series Review – HATFIELDS & MCCOYS

HATFIELDS & MCCOYS is the History Channel’s first dramatic production, and it would be hard to find a more dramatic subject than the infamous feud that festered and sporadically exploded for twenty-five years along the Tug Fork River which separates Kentucky and West Virginia.  Starting on Memorial Day and continuing for the next two nights, it is an engaging, entertaining, and occasionally horrifying study of two families bent on mutual destruction.

Kevin Costner as Devil Anse Hatfield

Though shot in Romania and Transylvania, there is nothing that gives it away as not being a stateside production, and the green hills and thick forests stand in admirably for the Kentucky and West Virginia back-country. Polish cinematographer Arthur Reinhart, who previously collaborated with director Kevin Reynolds on TRISTAN + ISOLDE, reveals beauty in fields and tumbling shacks; and lurking fear in misty, mazelike forests. 

Hatfield Family Portrait

In trying to elevate the feud to the level of Shakespearean tragedy, it makes kings of the tale’s two patriarchs, Devil Anse Hatfield (Kevin Costner) and Randall McCoy (Bill Paxton).  After a brief but exciting Civil War sequence, the Confederate neighbors meet on the battle-field, each demonstrating bravery, yet their differences are quickly revealed: McCoy pledges his allegiance to his God and his country above all else.  Hatfield scoffs at religion and feels allegiance only to his family and himself.  Seeing the war is about to end, and against their side, Hatfield has no qualms about deserting, to get back to his family and get a leg up on Reconstruction.  McCoy has the chance to put a bullet in what he considers a man without honor, but does not.  It is a decision he will regret to the end of his days. 

Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy

Every ‘period’ movie reflects both the time it portrays and the time in which it was made, and HATFIELDS & MCCOYS balances those times very well.  Beyond minor points like the ability to say ‘bullshit’ in a TV show, the current permissiveness allows a plot element which could never have been portrayed before: one of the early insults that sets the feud in motion is the suggestion that one of the principals has a carnal relationship with his dog!  But even more remarkable today is that this modern production convincingly portrays a time when shame had meaning; when a young woman who had spent a night, unchaperoned, away from her father’s home was ‘ruined,’ and unlikely to ever be married. 

McCoy Family Portrait

The women who stand by their men are Sarah Parish as Levicy Hatfield and Mare Winningham as Sally McCoy, Mare having the more involved – though unenviable – role, and they are both sympathetic and tragic.  The young lovers are Matt Barr as Johnse Hatfield and Lindsay Pulsipher as Roseanna McCoy, and they are utterly convincing as a pair whose youthful self-centeredness puts so much horror in motion.  Yet they are likeable kids, and victims of the malignant forces that surround them.

THE GOOD - Lindsay Pulsipher and Matt Barr

While the leads must be stoic, the most showy roles are a group of loose cannons who manipulate the feud to further their own ends, and they are generally the most fun to watch.  Ronan Vibert plays Perry Kline, a McCoy cousin and would-be slick lawyer who endlessly muddies the waters while trying to get the McCoys ‘justice.’  Lovely Jena Malone plays Nancy McCoy, a heartless tramp whose jealousy leads to more than one death.  Andrew Howard is ‘Bad’ Frank Phillips, former Pinkerton, now a bounty hunter for the McCoys, and trying to get a controlling interest in the family.  Most unexpected of all is Tom Berenger as Hatfield cousin Jim Vance.  All but unrecognizable, with a paunch and a wreath of dense whiskers, the obnoxious, brutal and irresponsible Vance is easily the single most to-blame character in the story. 

THE BAD - Jena Malone

Also cast against western-type is Powers Boothe, as Judge Valentine Wall Hatfield.  Usually seen as a swine in shows like TOMBSTONE and DEADWOOD, here he is the long-suffering, and rarely listened to, voice of reason. 

...AND THE UGLY - Tom Berenger

It is a strong ensemble cast, and tying it together are the performances of Costner and Paxton.  As the feud drags on year after year, with both men surrounded by death, and  neither seeing himself getting closer to his goals, Costner becomes more glum and removed, while Paxton veers ever closer to breakdown.  Kevin Reynolds, who previously directed Costner in ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES and WATERWORLD, and screenwriters Bill Kerby, Ted Mann and Ronald Parker, give human form and dignity to these real men and woman who have usually been portrayed as mindless subhuman hillbillies whose slaughter was comic rather than tragic. 

If there is a downside to the project, it is that it takes three nights to tell a story that often lacks anyone to root for.  There were a couple of battle scenes towards the end where I realized that, well presented though they were, I didn’t care which side won; I just didn’t want too many people to die.  It would be ‘neater’ to have one, not two, Shakespearean tragic heroes, and with only one fatal flaw.  But the truth is usually not neat, and what we have in HATFIELDS & MCCOYS is probably closer to the truth than any previous portrayal.  I found it mostly fascinating.

8 MINUTES OF ‘DJANGO UNCHAINED’ SCREENED AT CANNES AMIDST CAST MUSICAL CHAIRS!

Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx

Among the actors glimpsed is the long rumored but never confirmed original Django, FRANCO NERO! Although 62 additional days of shooting are scheduled, producer Harvey Weinstein screened a reel of scenes from Tarantino’s film, which is planned for a Christmas release.  Also seen in clips are Jamie Foxx as Django, plus Christoph Waltz, Don Johnson, Kerry Washington and Leo DiCaprio. 

Noticeably absent were Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Sacha Baron Cohen, who were to play brothers, and Kurt Russell.  Gordon-Levitt ankled a month ago, and Cohen bowed out saying he had to work full time promoting THE DICTATOR (also known as throwing good money after bad). 

More surprising is that Kurt Russell, who acted for Tarantino previously in KILL BILL VOL. 2 and the DEATH PROOF segment of GRINDHOUSE, is abandoning the role of Ace Woody, a fight trainer of slaves at Leo DiCaprio’s MANDINGO-style casino-brothel-plantation.  Ironically, Ace Woody was originally announced to be played by Kevin Costner, who then backed out to do HATFIELDS & MCCOYS (see the review above).  But wait; there’s more irony.  Kurt Russell previously replaced Kevin Costner for Tarantino when Kevin backed out of DEATH PROOF at the last minute. 

JUSTIFIED villain Walton Goggins has a nice if small role in the picture, and the talk (at Ain’t It Cool?) is that his character may be built up to take on a lot of the Ace Woody action.

   

NATALIE PORTMAN SIGNS TO STAR IN WESTERN ‘JANE GOT A GUN.’ 

Natalie Portman in COLD MOUNTAIN

Per the Hollywood Reporter, CAA is busily packaging the film at Cannes.  It’s based on the original screenplay by first timer Brian Duffield, and was a highly touted ‘Black List’ script.  (Note: this ‘Black List’ has nothing to do with politics.  It is a list of highly respected scripts that haven’t been sold.  Stupid name, considering the ‘Black List’ connotation, isn’t it?)  It is to be directed by Lynne Ramsay, helmer of WE’VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. 

Portman previously starred in the Western COLD MOUNTAIN (2003).  JANE GOT A GUN is about a woman whose bandit spouse comes home shot to pieces and nearly dead.  When his ex-associates come to finish him off, the woman turns to an ex-beau to save them.

MGM ANNOUNCES MAGNIFICENT 7 REMAKE STARRING TOM CRUISE!

MGM, recently out of bankruptcy, is planning a slew of remakes of already-owned properties, and John Sturges' MAGNIFICENT 7 is one of them. The conjecture is that he would be taking on the Steve McQueen role, but that’s only conjecture.  If they’re going for physical type, the Horst Buchholz seems like a better match.  Thanks to Nilton Hargrave for the tip!

NEW YORK’S FILM FORUM RUNS MARINARA RED! 

A three-week Spaghetti Western Festival will run for three weeks, from June 1^st through the 21^st, featuring 26 films, and with repeat playdates for most.  Sixteen feature Ennio Morricone scores.  Directors include the two Sergios, Leone and Corbucci, plus Tinto Brass, Giancarlo Santi, Damiano Damiani, and many more (surprisingly no Enzo Castellari).  The titles: DJANGO; A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS; THE BIG GUNDOWN; DEATH RIDES A HORSE; FACE TO FACE; TEPEPA; DJANGO KILL…IF YOULIVE, SHOOT!; THE MERCENARY; A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL; NAVJO JOE; COMPANEROS; HELLBENDERS; THE GREAT SILENCE; FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE; SARTANA; THE PRICE OF POWER; THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY; THE HILLS RUN RED; THE BIG SHOWDOWN; SABATA; CHINA 9, LIBERTY 37; DUCK, YOU SUCKER!; KILL AND PRAY; YANKEE; ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST; and THE RUTHLESS FOUR.  Star Tony Musante will be present for the June 4^th screening of THE MERCENARY.  Spaghetti Western maven Arthur Cox will introduce THE PRICE OF POWER on June 7^th.  The event is presented in association with CSC-Cineteca Nazionale (Rome), with support from the Italian Cultural Institute of New York.  To learn more, go HERE. 

TV WESTERNS ALL OVER THE DIAL!

More and more, classic TV Westerns are available all over the TV universe, but they tend to be on small networks that are easy to miss. Of course, ENCORE WESTERNSis the best continuous source of such programming, and has been for years. Currently they run LAWMAN, WAGON TRAIN, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, LAREDO, RAWHIDE, GUNSMOKE, THE REBEL, and MARSHALL DILLON, which is the syndication title for the original half-hour GUNSMOKE.

RFD-TV is currently showing THE ROY ROGERS SHOW, first at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Pacific Time, then repeated several times a week. They show a Royfeature every Tuesday as well, with repeats -- check your local listings.

INSP-TVshows THE BIG VALLEY Monday through Saturday,LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE seven days a week, DR. QUINN: MEDICINE WOMANon weekdays, and BONANZA on Saturdays.


WHT runs DANIEL BOONE on weekdays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time, but they’ve just stopped showing BAT MASTERSON. They often show western films on the weekend, but the schedule is sporadic.


TVLAND has dropped GUNSMOKEafter all these years, but still shows four episodes of BONANZAevery weekday.

For those of you who watch TV with an antenna, there are at least a couple of channels that exist between the standard numbers – largely unavailable on cable or satellite systems – that provide Western fare. ANTENNA TV is currently running RIN TIN TIN, HERE COME THE BRIDES, and IRON HORSE.


THE AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER

Built by cowboy actor, singer, baseball and TV entrepeneur Gene Autry, and designed by the Disney Imagineering team, the Autry is a world-class museum housing a fascinating collection of items related to the fact, fiction, film, history and art of the American West. In addition to their permenant galleries (to which new items are frequently added), they have temporary shows. The Autry has many special programs every week -- sometimes several in a day. To check their daily calendar, CLICK HERE. And they always have gold panning for kids every weekend. For directions, hours, admission prices, and all other information, CLICK HERE.

SATURDAY, June 2nd, see a double bill of Gene's movies, MELODY TRAIL (1935)  and SOUTH OF THE BORDER (1939), noon in the Imagination Gallery's Western Legacy Theater.


HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE MUSEUM

Across the street from the Hollywood Bowl, this building, once the headquarters of Lasky-Famous Players (later Paramount Pictures) was the original DeMille Barn, where Cecil B. DeMille made the first Hollywood western, The Squaw Man. They have a permanent display of movie props, documents and other items related to early, especially silent, film production. They also have occasional special programs. 2100 Highland Ave.,L.A. CA 323-874-2276. Thursday – Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. $5 for adults, $3 for senior, $1 for children.

WELLS FARGO HISTORY MUSEUM

This small but entertaining museum gives a detailed history of Wells Fargo when the name suggested stage-coaches rather than ATMS. There’s a historically accurate reproduction of an agent’s office, an original Concord Coach, and other historical displays. Open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Admission is free. 213-253-7166.333 S. Grand Street,L.A. CA.

TCM FANATIC - WESTERN NOW ONLINE!

That's right, the segment I was interviewed for is now viewable here:

That's it for today's Round-up!  Remember that ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS. ZOMBIES is available starting on Tuesday, and LONGMIRE premieres on A&E On Sunday, June 3rd.  And in next Suday's Round-up I'll feature my review of the new HALLMARK CHANNEL WESTERN, HANNAH'S LAW, along with my interview with it's writer-producer John Fasano.  Have a great Memorial Day Weekend, and don't forget the men and women who gave their lives to protect our freedoms!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright May 2012 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved

LONE RANGER – LEON RIPPY’S REPORT FROM MONUMENT VALLEY

Actor Leon Rippy, who plays Collins in THE LONE RANGER, has just returned from several weeks of location shooting, much in and near Monument Valley and Canyon DeShay. 

I asked him how the shoot had gone.  “I had a blast.  What a magnificent experience it is, and will continue to be:  I get to go back in another six or eight weeks.  So I’m excited, and can feel the spirit of John Ford, John Wayne and all the countless character actors who galloped across that sacred ground before me.  I would step outside the trailer and think, I cannot believe that I’m actually in this place.  You’d have to slap me to get the smile off my face.”

Leon Rippy in THE ALAMO

I asked him what he could tell us about his character, Collins.  “Well, he’s a crusty old tracker.  Not much of a stretch for me – that’s what I see in the mirror every morning.  Interesting character: he plays both sides of the fence.  There’s room for some fun, and alcoholism and emotion; all the things that a character actor looks for in a role.” 

New Lone Ranger Armie Hammer

It’s his first time working for director Gore Verbinski.  “And it didn’t take long to notice his excellent eye for detail.  The slightest nuance, he’s very interested in.  I had a great time working with him. 

“Monument Valley is all on a Navajo Reservation.  Just to be there, with the history of the Spaniards trying to take control; being in those same canyons and hearing those gunshot reports from on top of those cliffs echo throughout those canyons – it was chilling.  Wondering what it was like so many years before.  I had a ride that ended where White Corn Woman was taken by Kit Carson back in the day, and you can still see the remains of her home, the foundation.   Historical chills.”

Johnny Depp's stunt double

I knew he hadn’t had any scenes with Johnny Depp yet, but wanted to know what he thought of the other actors.  “Excellent, everybody was great.  I spent time with some incredible actors.  Their riding skills were great – we had a lot of riding to do.  I had a small scene with Armie Hammer (The Lone Ranger), which was excellent; had a fun time.  I’ve loved riding ever since I was a kid, and don’t get to do much of it in L.A.  To do it, and get paid for it!  I had known several of these wranglers from other films I had done in the past, so it was a treat to be put back with them, this time as an elder,”  he laughed. 

“I got to meet (producer) Jerry Bruckheimer, and he made an interesting comment.  Carol and I were having our breakfast in the hotel one morning, and I told him it was unsettling, after being cast, when Disney pulled the money out and said it was too expensive, leaving us in limbo.  He said, ‘Yes, that was a shock.  But the long and short of it is it wouldn’t have made any difference to me because I’m bound and determined to bring the Western back.’  To hear this coming from the mouth of someone like him gave me reason to quietly celebrate.  There’s so much to be said for the Westerns, and I live for Saturday morning and watching reruns of THE RIFLEMAN and what have you.  There was some moral content in all of it and it was clear-cut, who was good and who was bad.  I think Hollywood gets cold feet after the dismal box-office of one or two things that they’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars in, so everyone kinda gets gun-shy.  And hats off again to Gore for saying, ‘No, we’re going to do this there.’  It’s not an easy thing to truck that many people and that many tractor trailers and horses (so far).  They’re going to Moab, Utah; Santa Fe; Colorado and other locations.  It feels like they’re putting together something very special.” 

‘BAD BLOOD: THE HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS’ PREVIEWED

Sunday morning at ten, a crowd of invited guests packed theatre 1 of the Laemmle Town Center in Encino, to be the first to see Fred Olen Ray’s story of the famous blood feud. To this day there is no firm agreement as to the number of lives the Hatfield and McCoy feud claimed in Kentucky and West Virginia at the time of the Civil War. 

Lisa Rotondi, Perry King, Jerry Lacy, Kassandra Clementi

Fred and his cast and crew braved freezing December weather to make the film in Kentucky, where the events actually occurred.  Among cast members who attended were Perry King, who plays Ran’l McCoy, patriarch of his clan; Priscilla Barnes, who plays Vicey Hatfield; Lisa Rotandi and Kassandra Clementi, who play Sarah and Rosanna Hatfield; Dylan Vox, who plays Elias Hatfield; Griffin Winters, who plays Tennyson Hatfield; Ted Monte, who plays Special Agent Frank Phillips; and Jerry Lacy, who plays General Burbridge.  Among other attendees of note were director Jim Wynorski and beautiful Sybil Danning. 

Priscilla Barnes

Also attending were executive producers Barry Barnholtz and Jeffrey Schenck and writer/director/producer Fred Olen Ray.  All three men spoke before the movie, and voiced their gratitude to the hard-working cast and crew, and to each other.  In a nod to some of his recent movies, just before the lights went down, Fred added, “I just want to say that this is not a Christmas movie, there are no sharks in the movie, and none of our female leads have to land a disabled plane.” 

Fred Olen Ray

BAD BLOOD: THE HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS, which will be released on June 5^th, also stars Jeff Fahey as Devil Anse Hatfield, Christian Slater as Governor Bramlette, Sean Flynn as Johnse Hatfield and, in one of the stand-out performances of the movie, Tim Abel as Uncle Jim Vance.

Exec. Producer Barry Barnholtz

When the lights came up, more than one person commented that it might be the best film Fred has ever directed.  For a man with more than 120 directing credits, that is no small compliment.  My review will be in next week’s Round-up.

TOMMY LEE JONES TO SCRIBE, HELM, AND STAR IN ‘THE HOMESMAN’

On the eve of the release of his new starrer, MEN IN BLACK 3, Tommy Lee Jones is set to adapt, direct and star in THE HOMESMAN.  It’s based on the novel of the same title by Glendon Swarthout, whose previously filmed novels and stories include the unforgettable THE SHOOTIST, as well as THEY CAME TO CORDURA, BLESS THE BEATS AND CHILDREN, WHERE THE BOYS ARE, and the Randolph Scott starrer 7^TH CAVALRY. 

It’s the story of a man with dubious morals who undertakes the transporting of three insane women from Nebraska to Iowa.  A project that has been in the works for decades, it had long been owned by Paul Newman, who at one time had it set up at First Artists, with John Milius slated to direct.

It will be produced by Michael Fitzgerald, who previously produced THE PLEDGE and THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA.  THE THREE BURIALS was Tommy Lee Jones’ feature directorial debut.  Jones, who was in last year’s CAPTAIN AMERICA, will also be seen in Steven Speilberg’s LINCOLN, portraying Thaddeus Stevens.  My thanks to C. Courtney Joyner for historical details on this project.

CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES ON BOTH COASTS

100 years of Universal Studios film history is being celebrated, in May and June in California at the Billy Wilder Theatre of UCLA, and in July and August in New York at the Film Forum.  Taking part here in the west is Carla Laemmle.  Not only is she a niece of Uncle Carl Laemmle, who built the studio, and an actress who appeared in their films, including DRACULA; she is also proud of the fact that she pre-dates the studio by three years!  The representation of Western movies is woefully small: at UCLA on June 17^th there’s a double bill of HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER and WINCHESTER 73, and at Film Forum on July 21^st there’s a double bill of WINCHESTER 73 and DESTRY RIDES AGAIN.  But they both have a wonderful selection of non-westerns scheduled.  You can find details for UCLA here: http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2012-05-04/universal-pictures-celebrating-100-years.  Details for Film Forum are here: http://www.filmforum.org/

On the plus side, next week I’ll tell you about Film Forum’s mind-blowing three-week festival of Spaghetti Westerns in June!

MORGAN KANE UPDATE

As I first reported here last July (see HERE), WR Films is planning at least a trio of movies about Morgan Kane, Louis Masterson’s western hero of 83 novels written between 1966 and 1978.  Masterson’s real name was Kjell Hellbing, and his Kane is the most popular fictional character in the history of Norwegian literature.   The adventures of a Texas Ranger and U.S. Marshall, they’ve sold twenty-million copies internationally – ten million in Norway alone, which has a population of only five million! They’re popular in Spain and France and Germany and, translated into English, they sold well in Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Canada by Corgi Books.

But they’ve never been available before in the United States, and by way of introducing the character to American readers, a new e-book has been released every month or so.  There are ten available now, with number eleven coming soon.  The screenplay for the first film is still in the development stage, but it will be based on the first two novels in the series, EL GRINGO and EL GRINGO’S REVENGE, and will be entitled MORGAN KANE: THE LEGEND BEGINS.  The intention is to make him a Western James Bond-like hero.  One of the things that strikes you when reading them is the influence that Ernest Hemingway had on Masterson.  It’s an influence he clearly acknowledges by naming one of his female protagonists ‘Pilar,’ after a similar character in FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS.  It’s not an exaggeration to say that, if not for the template of FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, the first two Morgan Kane novels would not exist.  They are fast and exciting reads, and often more emotional than traditional westerns.  The first ten e-books are all available from iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobobooks.  Number eleven, THE DEVIL’S MARSHALL, will appear shortly.    

WESTERN FILM FESTIVAL IN ORVIETO, ITALY

I am hugely jealous of anyone who gets to attend the event Sara Monacelli is organizing on May 11-13, in Orvieto. In addition to a great line-up of films to be screened, here are some of the guests who will be making personal appearances: composer Ennio Morricone; Spaghetti Western stars Tomas Milian, Fabio Testi and Gianni Garko; director Giancarlo Santi (The Grand Duel); screenwriter Sergio Donati (Once Upon A Time In The West); editor Nino Baragli (all of Leone’s Westerns!); and producer Claudio Mancini (many Leone films). For more information, go here: http://www.westernfestival.it/

 TV WESTERNS ALL OVER THE DIAL!

More and more, classic TV Westerns are available all over the TV universe, but they tend to be on small networks that are easy to miss. Of course, ENCORE WESTERNS is the best continuous source of such programming, and has been for years. Currently they run LAWMAN, WAGON TRAIN, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, LAREDO, RAWHIDE, GUNSMOKE, THE REBEL, and MARSHALL DILLON, which is the syndication title for the original half-hour GUNSMOKE.



RFD-TV is currently showing THE ROY ROGERS SHOW, first at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Pacific Time, then repeated several times a week. They show a Roy feature every Tuesday as well, with repeats -- check your local listings.

INSP-TVshows THE BIG VALLEYMonday through Saturday,LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE seven days a week, DR. QUINN: MEDICINE WOMAN on weekdays, and BONANZA on Saturdays.

WHT runs DANIEL BOONE on weekdays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time, and on Saturdays they run two episodes of BAT MASTERSON. They often show western films on the weekend, but the schedule is sporadic.

TVLAND has dropped GUNSMOKE after all these years, but still shows four episodes of BONANZA every weekday.

For those of you who watch TV with an antenna, there are at least a couple of channels that exist between the standard numbers – largely unavailable on cable or satellite systems – that provide Western fare. ANTENNA TVis currently running RIN TIN TIN, HERE COME THE BRIDES, and IRON HORSE.

Another ‘in between’ outfit, ME-TV, which stands for Memorable Entertainment TV, runs a wide collection: BIG VALLEY, BONANZA, BRANDED, DANIEL BOONE, GUNS OF WILL SONNETT, GUNSMOKE, MARSHALL DILLON,RAWHIDE, THE RIFLEMAN, THE REBEL, and WILD WILD WEST.Some of these channels are hard to track down, but if they show what you’ve been missing, it’s worth the search.


THE AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER

 Built by cowboy actor, singer, baseball and TV entrepeneur Gene Autry, and designed by the Disney Imagineering team, the Autry is a world-class museum housing a fascinating collection of items related to the fact, fiction, film, history and art of the American West. In addition to their permenant galleries (to which new items are frequently added), they have temporary shows. The Autry has many special programs every week -- sometimes several in a day. To check their daily calendar, CLICK HERE. And they always have gold panning for kids every weekend. For directions, hours, admission prices, and all other information, CLICK HERE.


HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE MUSEUM


Across the street from the Hollywood Bowl, this building, once the headquarters of Lasky-Famous Players (later Paramount Pictures) was the original DeMille Barn, where Cecil B. DeMille made the first Hollywood western, The Squaw Man. They have a permanent display of movie props, documents and other items related to early, especially silent, film production. They also have occasional special programs. 2100 Highland Ave.,L.A. CA 323-874-2276. Thursday – Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. $5 for adults, $3 for senior, $1 for children.



WELLS FARGO HISTORY MUSEUM


This small but entertaining museum gives a detailed history of Wells Fargo when the name suggested stage-coaches rather than ATMS. There’s a historically accurate reproduction of an agent’s office, an original Concord Coach, and other historical displays. Open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Admission is free. 213-253-7166. 333 S. Grand Street,L.A. CA.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for tonight, but be sure to check our Facebook page during the week for updates and news.

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright May 2012 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved