‘TURN’ PREMIERES ON AMC, COWBOY FEST TICKET GIVEAWAY, PLUS FIRST LOOK AT ‘THE HOMESMAN’!

‘TURN’ - SERIES PILOT REVIEW

Tonight, April 6^th, at 6 p.m. Western time, 9 p.m. Eastern, AMC’s new drama series, TURN, will premier.  Set in the midst of the American Revolution, it is based on the true story of the Culper Ring, a group of grown-up boyhood friends who became a spy network working to get information on Redcoat troop movements for General George Washington.  

Based on the best-selling history book WASHINGTON’S SPIES by Alexander Rose, it is a spy-thriller with three-cornered hats, and I found the pilot enthralling.   Shot in Virginia, and set in New York’s Long Island, the story centers around farmer Abraham Woodhull, a married man with a baby son.  Long Island is occupied by the British, and the Woodhulls are among the families suffering the indignity of having a British soldier quartered in their home. 

Woodhall has other problems as well: his crop of cauliflower is infested with maggots, which makes it unlikely that he’ll be able to pay off his debts – owed to a tavern-owner now married to Woodhall’s former beloved.  With the government controlling commerce, the desperate Woodhall tries to sell a few head of cauliflower on the black market, unsure of whether he has more to fear from British or the gun-toting colonists – and his simple act sets wheels in motion that will change the lives of everyone he knows.

The at-first reluctant spy Woodhall is played convincingly by Jamie Bell – remarkable to realize that at the turn of the last century he amazed us all as the title character of BILLY ELLIOT.  Meegan Warner plays Mrs. Woodhall who wants her husband to have nothing to do with spying.  Heather Lind, who played Katy on BOARDWALK EMPIRE, plays Anna Strong, whom Woodhall would have married if she hadn’t spurned him.  And Seth Numrich, late of the grim comedy series GRAVITY, plays Colonial Army officer and Woodhall’s childhood friend Ben Talmage, who approaches Woodhall to help his country-in-the-making. 

Written by Alexander Rose and producer-writer Craig Silverstein, whose voluminous credits include NIKITA, TERRA NOVA and BONES, the plotting is clever, the telling is smart, quick and sensible, with a fine eye for historical detail that creates reality without screaming about it.  The action is exciting and not for the squeamish – the occupying army is unflinchingly brutal, and the occupied must at times answer in kind.  

Rather than being played as symbols, as is often the case with movies of this historical period, and despite the powdered wigs, the characters are motivated by a mix of practicality and ideals, just like real humans. 

For myself, the most unnerving aspect of the show is that Robert Rogers, of Rogers’ Rangers, is one of the principal villains of the piece!  Having grown up loving the NORTHWEST PASSAGE series, starring Keith Larsen in that role, as well as Spencer Tracy in the feature, it’s troubling to see the rest of his history on the screen.   For hero though Rogers was in the French and Indian Wars, he was fighting alongside the British against the French.  It’s disappointing, but not unreasonable that he sided with the British again during the American Revolution.  Here he is played with gravitas by Angus McFayden, who was excellent in the recent COPPERHEAD, and is perhaps best remembered as Robert The Bruce in BRAVEHEART.  

Tonight’s opener is ninety minutes, and will be repeated later tonight, plus on Monday, and next Saturday and Sunday.  The regular episodes will be an hour.  I’d make a point to see the pilot if I were you – it’s fine stuff, and my guess is it will continue to improve.

FIRST LOOK AT ‘THE HOMESMAN’!

Here are the first images from THE HOMESMAN, which will premiere on May 24^th at the Cannes Film Festival!  Co-written, directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones, based on the novel my Glendon Swarthout, Jones plays a rustler who takes on the job of transporting three madwomen across the desert to an asylum in Kansas. 

Joining Oscar-winner Tommy Lee Jones are fellow statuette owners Hilary Swank and Meryl Streep, as well as John Lithgow, James Spader, Hailee Steinfeld – Mattie Ross in the TRUE GRIT remake, William Fichtner, and Barry Corbin.  It’s produced by Luc Bresson, the French writer-producer-director who created the LA FEMME NIKTA, TRANSPORTER and THE PROFESSIONAL franchises.

Novelist Glendon Swarthout has an excellent record in the cinema.  Films adapted from his novels include BLESS THE BEASTS AND CHILDREN, WHERE THE BOYS ARE, and the Westerns 7^TH CAVALRY, THEY CAME TO CORDURA and, most famously, John Wayne’s final film, the marvelous THE SHOOTIST.  Glendon’s son, Miles Swarthout, wrote the screenplay for THE SHOOTIST, and was involved in THE HOMESMAN as well. 

I’ll be interviewing Miles Swarthout about his own and his father’s career at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, at Melody Ranch, on Saturday and Sunday, April 26^th & 27^th, at the Buckaroo Book Shop.  We’ll talk at 12:30 on Saturday and 2:30 on Sunday. You can learn all about the events at the Buckaroo Book Shop by going HERE.  https://www.facebook.com/events/434317293370585/434413240027657/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

You can learn all about the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival HERE http://cowboyfestival.org/

WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE COWBOY FESTIVAL!

Speaking of the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, and yes, I’ve been speaking about it a lot, it’s coming to the Veluzat family’s Melody Ranch on Saturday and Sunday, April 26^th & 27^th.   What started as a working ranch has been a popular location for filmmakers for nearly a century.  Owned at one time by Monogram Pictures, then purchased by Gene Autry and christened Melody Ranch after his radio show, nearly every A or B Western star worked there at one time or another.  A very busy movie ranch, in growing demand with the resurgence of the Western movie and TV series, it was home base for both DEADWOOD and Quentin Tarantino’s DJANGO UNCHAINED, as well as many other films, music videos and TV commercials.

The Festival is an outgrowth of a Cowboy Poetry Festival held annually at Santa Clarita High School.  When the 1994 earthquake demolished the school’s auditorium, the Veluzat family offered the use of their movie ranch, and a twenty-year tradition was born.  There’s still poetry, as well as food, shopping for all things Western, strolling the ranch and visiting its museum.  There activities for children and adults, and all manner of entertainment, including magician Pop Haydn, gun-slinger par excellence Joey Dillon, and lariat-tosser Dave Thornbury.  Then there’s the music – at five different venues big and small throughout the ranch, more than twenty acts will perform, including Don Edwards, Sons of the San Joaquin, Waddie Mitchell, Cow Bop, Dave Stamey and many more. 

Miles Swarthout & C. Courtney Joyner

And at the Buckaroo Book Store, run by the folks at OutWest, Western fact and fiction writers will be meeting fans, signing books, and giving talks.  Among the authors attending will be Cheryl Rogers-Barnett (daughter of Roy and Dale), Margaret Brownley, Jim Christina, Peter Conway, Steve Deming, Edward M. Erdelac, J.P. Gorman, Dale B. Jackson, Jim Jones, C. Courtney Joyner, Andria Kidd, Antoinette Lane, Jerry Nickle (a descendant of Harry Longabaugh, alias the Sundance Kid), J.R. Sanders, Tony Sanders, Peter Sherayko, Janet Squires, ‘Cowgirl Peg’ Sundberg, Miles Hood Swarthout, Rod Thompson, and Nancy Pitchford-Zee. 

And in addition to the interviews I’ll be doing with Miles Swarthout, I’ll also be moderating a pair of authors’ panels.  On Saturday from 1:30 to 2, the topic is THE WEST IMAGINED, and I’ll be talking with Western novelists Edward M. Erdelac, author of COYOTE’S TRAIL; Jim Christina, author of THE DARK ANGEL; and C. Courtney Joyner, author of SHOTGUN. On Sunday, from 1:30 to 2, the topic is THE WEST LIVED, and I’ll be talking to non-fiction writers Jerry Nickle, great-grandson of the Sundance Kid; JR Sanders, author of SOME GAVE ALL; and Peter Sherayko, author of TOMBSTONE – THE GUNS AND GEAR. 

Admission is $20 per day for adults, $10 for kids, but the good folks at OutWest – click their logo at the top of the page to learn all about ‘em – are going to give away a pair of tickets to the event!  Thousands will pay, but you won’t have to if you’re our lucky winner!  How do you win?  Answer this question: For a long time, after Gene Autry had stopped making movies at the ranch, Gene held onto the property to provide a home to one particular horse.  What was that horse’s name?  E-mail your answer, along with your name, address, phone number, and what day you’d want the tickets for, to swansongmail@sbcglobal.net , with ‘Cowboy Festival Ticket Giveaway’ in the subject line.  The winner will be selected randomly from all correct entries, and announced in next week’s Round-up.  Good luck!

ROBERT DUVALL IN ‘A NIGHT IN OLD MEXICO’

Check out the trailer for the new present-day Western starring Robert Duvall, Jeremy Irvine, and Angie Cepeda.

TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL OPENS THURSDAY APRIL 11

For details on what Westerns are playing, check out last week’s Round-up here: http://henryswesternroundup.blogspot.com/2014/04/free-tcm-movie-locations-tour-heston.html

For details on all films and events, go here: http://filmfestival.tcm.com/

SEE TY POWER AS ‘JESSE JAMES’ SATURDAY, APRIL 12 AT THE AUTRY

As part of the Autry’s ‘What is a Western?’ series, Henry King’s dazzling Technicolor telling of the James Brothers myth will be screened in 35mm!  The original screenplay is by the great Nunnally Johnson.  The cast includes Henry Fonda as brother Frank, Nancy Kelly, Randolph Scott, Henry Hull, Brian Donlevy, John Carradine, Donald Meek and Jane Darwell.  The film will be introduced by curator Jeffrey Richardson, who always provides fascinating background and insights into the films in this fine monthly series.  It’s at 1:30 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Theatre, free with your museum admission.

MICKEY ROONEY DIES AT 93

Just heard that the Mick has passed away.  I saw him at a number of events, but never got to talk to him.  But I had the pleasure of speaking with many child stars of the 1930s and 1940s over the years, and without exception they all held that the most talented and versatile of them all was Joe Yule Jr., a.k.a. Mickey Rooney.  A tremendous talent who will be sorely missed.  I’ll have more in next week’s Round-up.

THAT’S A WRAP!

I’ve got the TCM Festival coming up this week, Rob Word’s Cowboy Lunch @ the Autry saluting THE WILD BUNCH a week from Wednesday, and the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival the week after that!  Should be a lot of interesting stuff coming up in the Round-up!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright April 2014 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved

WESTERN PILOTS ORDERED!

Happy Easter!

There are many stages between the twinkling of an idea, and a realized television series.  For all the thousands of pitches that broadcast and cable and internet networks hear or read every year, only a tiny percentage receive the order for a script, and far fewer have a pilot shot.  And of the pilots shot, only a small number will lead to a season of shows.  Last week I wrote about the Hallmark’s WHEN CALLS THE HEART, from the CANADIAN WEST book series by Janette Oke.  It will premiere as a TV movie, and ten one-hour episodes have been ordered.  The series has not yet been cast, so it’s not known yet if the stars of the TV movie (see details HERE)  will continue in their roles.  Spinning a series from a TV movie is known in the industry as a ‘back-door pilot,’ and among the notable successes of this process are DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN and THE WALTONS.  There are two pilots ordered this season that are definite Westerns, as well as one more that is, though not truly Westerns, American-history based.   

BIG THUNDER

 

Speaking of back-door pilots, ABC, which is owned by Disney, has ordered a TV movie of BIG THUNDER, continuing with their pattern of adapting successful E-ticket park-rides into movies -- often with great success, like PIRATES OF CARIBBEAN (and sometimes like THE COUNTRY BEAR JAMBOREE).  The story centers on the gold-rush era mining town of Big Thunder in the Southwest. After a natural disaster, a doctor and his family come to town, in what is supposed to be a great opportunity for them, but soon learn that not everything in Big Thunder is as it seems, especially as it relates to the mysterious tycoon who runs the town.

 

To be shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, the script is by Jason Fuchs, whose ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT was a big hit.  He’ll also exec produce.   Director Rob Bowan is best known for his work on X-FILES, and has also directed eighteen episodes of the current series CASTLE.  Cast in the lead is Irish-born Ed MacLiam, who has been a very busy telly actor across the pond.  Also in the cast are Ana De La Reguera, recently seen in COWBOYS AND ALIENS; Alex Hassell, who had a small role in COLD MOUNTAIN; Alex Meraz, who played Paul in the TWILIGHT films; Ruth Bradley of FLYBOYS and the TITANTIC miniseries; RESIDENT EVIL star Spencer Locke; and the actor Western fans will be happiest about, Zahn McClarnon.  Zahn has been seen in LAKOTA MOON, THE LAZARUS MAN, CRAZY HORSE, DR. QUINN, INTO THE WEST, COMANCHE MOON, BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE, YELLOW ROCK, THE LEGEND OF HELL’S GATE, and is currently playing the very difficult Indian policeman Officer Mathis on LONGMIRE. 

 

THE SIXTH GUN

NBC has ordered THE SIXTH GUN to be produced by UNIVERSAL TV/Oni Press, based on the Oni Press graphic novel of the same title.  It’s an other-worldly western about six mythical guns with supernatural powers – or else six supernatural guns with mythical powers. 

It’s written by Ryan Condal, whose HERCULES: THE THRACIAN WARS, to star Dwayne Johnson, is also in pre-production.  Director Jeffrey Reiner is currently directing DO NO HARM episodes, and did 18 of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.  The pilot will star Laura Ramsey, known for horror films THE RUIN and THE CONVENT; Holland-born Michiel Huisman of THE YOUNG VICTORIA; W. Earl Brown, who was in 2004’s THE ALAMO, and will soon be seen in THE LONE RANGER; HOBBIT actor Graham McTavish; Aldis Hodge of A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD, and Russian-born redhead Elena Satine, currently in the MAGIC CITY series. 

TURN

AMC Studios has ordered a pilot for a Revolutionary War story.  Set in New York in the summer of 1778, farmer Abe Woodhull and a group of childhood friends band together to become spies known as The Culper Ring.  Based on the book WASHINGTON SPIES by Alexander Rose, the script is by Craig Silverstein, whose many TV credits include NIKITA and BONES.  Director Rupert Wyatt recently helmed the excellent RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.   In the cast, lead Jamie Bell was recently the voice of TINTIN; Seth Numrich had a continuing role on GRAVITY; Burn Gorman is in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES; Heather Lind is a regular on BOARDWALK EMPIRE; Kevin McNally plays Gibbs in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films; and Angus Macfadyen played Robert the Bruce in BRAVEHEART, was the lead in SHADOWHEART, and just completed the Civil War drama COPPERHEAD.

34^TH ANNUAL VINTAGE PAPERBACK COLLECTOR SHOW APRIL 7

On Sunday, April 7, 2013, the Vintage Paperback Collectors Show will be held at the Valley Inn and Conference Center, at 10621 Sepulveda Boulevard, Mission Hills, CA 91345.  From 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., dozens of dealers will be offering thousands of paperback books, from the pricey, untouched and rare, to the battered, dog-eared books I buy, which are sneeringly described as ‘reader copies’, and for which I rarely pay more than a dollar or two.  I’ve tracked down many a Luke Short here, not to mention plugging the holes in my Edgar Rice Burroughs collections.  Admission is only five bucks, and best of all, about forty well-known authors will be autographing their books – for free!  They tend to mostly be sci-fi and mystery writers, and Brian Garfield, who was to attend, had to drop out.  But Earl ‘The Waltons’ Hamner is still attending.  To get a complete schedule of who will be signing, and when, go HERE.   

 

‘LONE RANGER’ FINED $61G IN WELDER’S DEATH

CalOsha, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has fined Silver Bullet Productions $61,000, ruling they were directly at fault in the death of diver and welder Mike Bridger, who died in September, while cleaning an under-water tank.  Among other violations, they ruled that Bridger had been allowed to dive without a tether, without a partner, and without a stand-by diver.

WILL SMITH TURNED DOWN ‘DJANGO’: “HE WASN’T THE LEAD!”

In not the first time in recorded history that an actor has let his ego get the better of his brain, Will Smith revealed, in an Entertainment Weekly interview, why he passed on starring in Quentin Tarantino’s Western blockbuster, ‘DJANGO UNCHAINED.’ 

He felt that Dr. King Schultz, Christoph Waltz’s character, actually had the leading role.  “Django wasn’t the lead.  So it was like, I need to be the lead. The other character was the lead!  I was like, ‘No, Quentin, please, I need to kill the bad guy!’”  Not surprisingly, writer-director Tarantino did not jump at the chance to massage Smith’s ego with a re-write.  And yes, Christoph Waltz won an Oscar, for supporting actor, because of course he was not the lead.  Still, Smith is a fan of the film.  “I thought it was brilliant.  Just not for me.”  Those who have seen WILD WILD WEST will undoubtedly agree.

THE WRAP-UP

There are a lot of exciting events coming in April.  On the 21^st and 22^nd, the Annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival will again be held at Melody Ranch.  And from April 25^th through the 28^th, The Turner Classic Movies Festival will be held in Hollywood.  Also this month, Blue Underground will be releasing a quartet of classic Spaghetti Westerns under the title SPAGHETTI WESTERNS UNCHAINED, as well as a beautiful version of Lee Van Cleef in THE GRAND DUEL, to which I and C. Courtney Joyner contributed a commentary track.  There’s plenty more in store.  Hope you had a great Easter!  And brace yourself – Monday is April Fool’s Day!

Happy Trails,

Henry

 

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