shipes_j

thanks to howard hawks (who had a knack for realism) john wayne seems very much the animal catcher...in fact all of the crew seem to be on a documentary film due to their supreme realistic approach to their characters...its hard to realize sometimes that this is a movie and not a documentary type film...it is one of the few movies that allow wayne to come up with "egg on his face"...which makes for great humor....it is definitely a classic....and in my opinion...john wayne's best...(with the rooster cogburn films...a close second place)....hatari! is a very unique film indeed...cant remember any other movie that captures that realism so well........

the mid sixties...back before we were so culturally/politically correct...this movie wasn't ever meant to be correct anyway...it was a spoof of course and anyone who comments on it negatively without considering that needs some help.....Texas across the river is a signature film for dean....westerns that he loved so much...also a comedy which he was famous for...(many confirm that off camera he was far funnier than jerry lewis back in his earlier days)

Texas across the river is a perfect example of a spoof done in the sixties...and if you consider it as such you will find it to be excellent!....some have commented about joey bishop (jew) playing an Indian...well (hello) that is exactly why it works...it was meant to be tongue in cheek!...one should have little wonder as soon as the organ spits out a 60's rhythm and melody every time the indians are seen...or the surf sounding guitar also used in the soundtrack....I love this movie for what its worth....escapism....during a time (1966) of tragedy....the Vietnam war.

well near it.....I remember seeing errol morris one autumn afternoon as he stood in the street with tripod and camera back in 1981....I had just gotten off from work at the elementary school (where I still teach)....its hard to remember how different things were then...because the physical side of vernon is still the same....although this is going to change soon....the widening of the main street is going to literally wipe out the town as we know it.

the jury is still out on the purpose of morris' film....most of the town folk look at it today as a mockery....however some who were in it thought differently then (movie stars)....I watched it recently (again) and took it at face value...it was funny....however knowing vernon like I do...I must say that in my days at vernon high school...I remember variety in the culture....all were not rednecks or eccentrics...

morris just let the cameras roll....if there were any genius in the filmaking....it was in the editing...as these characters were patched together to create this look at a seedy, unique town.

to me the "condescending" (as some of the critics have declared) part is summed up in the music (if you can call it music) at the very beginning...this sets the tone for the entire picture....on the other hand...the genuine honesty and realism in the turkey hunter's interview is just that...the reason I know that.... he is my cousin...I have known him all of my life...that attention to details is the way he tells stories...I have heard countless ones through the years.