Open Range

[Gold Trumpet]

Ghostboy,
I understand your point, but I didn't get any feel that the movie was that realistic, a realism where it seemed spontaniety and improvisation was prevelent to where I felt like I was watching other men living life so the history of Costner and even Duvall came off as bad fiction.

~rougerum

[Winston Wolf]

I haven't seen it but other than having gratuitous violence and profanity while on the silver, every western not starring the great Eastwood is just like any other TNT original starring Emilio Estevez.

[Ghostboy]

Um well...no.

[Winston Wolf]

well then is it definetly worth the 7 dollars

[modage]

liked this one too.  but not as much as i had hoped.  i couldnt help but feel the parallels between this and unforgiven, with the badass gives it up for a peaceful life. is forceced to kick ass again by bad guys.  sort of a coiled spring effect, where you're waiting for hell to \unleash during the whole movie.   this just wasnt as good.  the characters werent as interesting. it was a little too long,  and the love story at the end seemed to be too much for the movie to handle. it had some good scenes/dialogue, but if i bought this and were to reach for one or the other i would go the other probably every time.  it was the un-unforgiven.

i still havent seen Wyatt Earp with Costner, (because when it came out i was Tombstone obsessed and i felt it was neccesary to be on one side of the fence of the other.)  does anybody want to per-dis-uade me from seeing that one?

[Anachronism]

Well let me preface this by saying that I think Ghostboy's synopsis/review of "Open Range" was as accurate as it was articulate. I am wholly in agreement that this movie really is worth the exhorbitant prices Canadian theatres are charging these days. I must also say that while I agree whole heartedly with Themodernage's reference to Unforgiven, I think that this movie should be evaluated by its merits alone, and not cheapened by accusing it of repetitious rehashing of redundant themes and plots. While there are obvious parallels that can be drawn between Kevin Costner's character and Eastwood, so too can there be parallels drawn between a plethora of other movies along those lines, such films as "The Patriot," "The Quick and The Dead," "Young Guns II," "Bloodwork," the list goes on. The paradigm of the once violent man who has tossed away his "fighting gloves," and is forced by others to come back to that life has been repeated by so many films that to criticize "Open Range," on that qualification alone is an injustice. What I think is the pivotal quality to this film is the rich tapestry of landscapes and backdrops used. I often found myself almost having a tactile response to some of the establishment shots. Duvall and Costener lend their considerable acting talents to a blessedly simple and refreshing piece of writing. In my mind, for a movie wrought with such tangible human emotions and issues, to complicate the matter further by adding in hundreds of characters and psychological twists and turns in my mind detracts from the overall effect. I found the violence very satisfying and cathartic, and I was left thinking at the end of the film how worthwhile that 2 hours had been. I would recommend this film to anyone who would like to remember simpler times where life was lived in black and white and not the miasma of greys we find ourselves hip deep in today.
In terms of Wyatt Earp vs. Tombstone... they are two completely different movies centering around the sam concept. I thoroughly enjoyed Wyatt Earp, in fact I nearly enjoyed it as much as Tombstone. The main fault I would find with Wyatt Earp is that it isn't quite as well paced as Tombstone, and due to the rollercoaster ride of rising action, tension, climax and sub-denouement I was often left feeling a sense of structural vertigo. It is definitely worth watching, and in fact I think I will go out and buy it if I can find it.
All in all I would have to say that: "Open Range" - ****/5
and "Wyatt Earp" - ***.5/5

While I am sure many will disagree with my defense of Wyatt Earp, I think Costener has fundamentally conveyed his intuitive understanding of the western heroic epic. The cinematography is stupendous and more than makes up for faltering dialogue which at times might convince you to take a breather or turn it off. In the end, Costener is synonymous with a certain era of actors and films which we won't soon see repeated. My advice to you is to re-evaluate Costener and his works from a less jaundiced 22nd century eye.

P.S I don't consider "The Postman" Costener's responsibility. Everyone is entitled to one mulligan  

[MacGuffin]

Beautifully shot movie. The vistas were a pleasure to look at. I'm with Ghostboy on this one. Costner did right to not force a faster pace on this film and just let it run at a leisurely one. Duvall was made for this role, it's like he is this character. The dialogue was quite poetic in a way, and the actors do justice to it in not letting sound cliched or corny. I guess we all agree about the love story, and it might have worked better as an unrequited one if Bening's character was married. As it is, though, it takes a while to get to a suitable ending.

It's not as great as "Unforgiven" (and it is kinda is hard not to compare them, given their similar themes), but it's right up there. It was great seeing the characters who deserved it get their comeuppance because the ending will blow everyone away...literally.

[modage]

Touchstone Home Entertainment have released the official artwork for the western Open Range which stars Kevin Costner, Annette Bening and Robert Duvall. I'm afraid we don't know a great deal about the disc at this early stage, but we can tell you that it will be available to own from the 20th January this year. The retail price is set at around $29.99.

[modage]

Further Details
Touchstone Home Entertainment have officially announced the region one release of Open Range which stars the combined talents of Kevin Costner, Annette Bening and Robert Duvall. The disc will be available to own from the 20th January next year and should retail at around $29.95. The disc specs are attached below along with another look at the official artwork which we posted a few days ago. I'm afraid we have no other details on the featurettes at this time but we'll let you know if we hear anything more:

-2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer
-English DTS 5.1 Track
-English Dolby Digital 5.1 Track
-Audio Commentary by Director Kevin Costner
-Extensive Featurettes
-Deleted Scenes
-Various Trailers

[Gold Trumpet]

I saw this movie a second time. I'm glad I did because I enjoyed myself through it and was able to get past a lot of the complaints I originally had. Its just that the movie still isn't really overwhelming. The movie hung itself on a very tired story and tried to go for classic filmmaking at the same time. It just shows no relevance in the story at all for now. It reverts back to an old style and no doubt, gets compared to every other Western ever made back then. The filmmaking suggests no advancement in the western at all. No new grounds of how to present the story or characters. This movie is a charming love letter to some old friends. Its just you can still visit those old friends instead.

~rougerum

[modage]

i KNEW it was too good to be true, i knew it...



any chance of me buying it just went straight out the window!

[pinkerton310]

Touchstone Home Entertainment have released the official artwork for the western Open Range which stars Kevin Costner, Annette Bening and Robert Duvall. I'm afraid we don't know a great deal about the disc at this early stage, but we can tell you that it will be available to own from the 20th January this year. The retail price is set at around $29.99.

I thought this was the "official" artwork......damn!    :x

[Pas]

This DVD must have the lamest menus I've ever seen in my life. So ugly.

Great movie though. I love Kevin Costner's directing style. Hell, I even love The Postman.