www.westernpolicy.org http://www.westernpolicy.org Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 Secrets of the Western Movie Stunt Doubles http://www.westernpolicy.org/2013/04/19/secrets-of-the-western-movie-stunt-doubles/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2013/04/19/secrets-of-the-western-movie-stunt-doubles/#comments Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=26 Cowboy movies were a bonanza for early filmmakers. The hot Western desert might have been inhospitable to life, but it was saturated with brilliant white light every day. The well-known sounds of galloping horses and popping pistols were easy to recreate in the Foley studio to give the sound a fidelity that could never be achieved with portable microphones. Most importantly, the cowboy’s costume was ideal for makeup artists, sound technicians, and stunt doubles.

The classic Hollywood cowboy’s costume is a treasure trove for a filmmaker. The hats and bandanas are easy to recognize at a distance, so a character can be identified even when they are far back in the frame, but they also conceal the actor. This means that a stunt double can be substituted for an actor without difficulty. So long as he is wearing the same hat the audience will accept that he is the same character.

This allowed some of the greatest acrobats and equine artists that the world has ever known to ply their trade. If you want your main character to fall off a horse only to grab on to a passing stagecoach and climb back aboard, then you had only to hire the best circus acrobat that you could find and dress them in the right cowboy costume. Their expertise will dazzle the audience and advance the story at the same time.

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2013/04/19/secrets-of-the-western-movie-stunt-doubles/feed/ 0 The Best Unknown Western Actresses Of All Time http://www.westernpolicy.org/2012/06/25/the-best-unknown-western-actresses-of-all-time/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2012/06/25/the-best-unknown-western-actresses-of-all-time/#comments Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=25 Western movies have been popular throughout history, but oftentimes, the female characters and actresses are overlooked. Here are some of the greatest western movie actresses of all time:
• Reno Browne: Reno Browne worked as a professional stuntwoman in early western movies. She is mostly known for her trick-riding with horses.
• Maureen O’Hara: Maureen o’Hara is noted for playing passionate heroines in western cinema and worked alongside John Wayne.
• Claudia Cardinale: Claudia Cardinale entered western movies through beauty pageants and her early roles in Italian cinema. She made her starring debut in “Once Upon a Time in the West.Is this new to you? Catch up here”
• Felicia Farr : Felicia Farr’s earliest screen appearances were in the mid-fifties in westerns such as “Jubal” and “3:10 to Yuma.”
• Kim Darby: Kim Darby had numerous television role in the 1960’s and also appeared in a television movie series called, “The Road West.”
• Catherine Craig: Catherine Craig was for obscure roles in a variety of movies, including the western “The Bride Wore Boots.”

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2012/06/25/the-best-unknown-western-actresses-of-all-time/feed/ 0 The Best Unsung Western Actors Of All Time http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/11/15/the-best-unsung-western-actors-of-all-time/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/11/15/the-best-unsung-western-actors-of-all-time/#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 www.westernpolicy.org http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=14 John Wayne and Clint Eastwood are the two actors whose names always spring to mind when western movies are discussed. They both starred in some epic westerns, and without them the genre would just have not been the same. Movies such as The Searchers, Red Rivers, 3 Godfathers, Unforgiven and a Fistful of Dollars were created with these actors in the lead roles. They transformed how the movies were made and they really managed to put on stellar performances. Olivia de Havilland and James Stewart also had great careers as western actors. They performed so many different kinds of roles and appeared in so many different movies. The bottom line is that they are two great actors who did the western genre a great service. Havilland appeared in Dodge City and Stewart starred in The Shootist and both were critically and audience acclaimed movies at the time of release.

William Holden and Kevin Costner are sometimes forgotten when westerns are discussed. You can find a quick rundown here. They both had other projects and key roles in their careers, but they were great western actors. Kevin Costner starred in Dances with Wolves and Silverado. Holden played key roles in The Wild Bunch and Texas. They will forever be remembered and cherished.

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/11/15/the-best-unsung-western-actors-of-all-time/feed/ 0 More Than Just Saloon Girls: Women In Westerns http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/11/12/more-than-just-saloon-girls-women-in-westerns/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/11/12/more-than-just-saloon-girls-women-in-westerns/#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 www.westernpolicy.org http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=13 Actresses in western themed films and television have come a long way in their portrayals of their characters. One notable example is the depiction of Calamity Jane, the rough-and-tumble historical character whom has been portrayed in a variety of roles. A western is unlike other genres in that it utilizes many conventions not found elsewhere, such as slower pacing, wide shots, and so forth. A female character historically would have had a secondary role to play at best, it is only in modern cinema that we find female characters taking a starring role in this genre. Didn’t catch that? This explains it. A western is perhaps the most compelling genre of cinema, with its opus being found in the Spaghetti Westerns of the 1960′s. memorable characters are found here, but few of them female and even fewer with significant roles. Frontier society was a lawless place, in which women could be abused without the force of government to maintain order. For this reason, women in the west were compelled by economics to perform jobs men could not. However the status of women in this era is a fascinating one, and film treatment which recognize the potential in stories in this era are manifold, and vary greatly.

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/11/12/more-than-just-saloon-girls-women-in-westerns/feed/ 0 The Five Best Westerns You’ve Never Head Of http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/10/17/the-five-best-westerns-youve-never-head-of/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/10/17/the-five-best-westerns-youve-never-head-of/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=12 Like any film genre, the western has its share of solid films that never receive the full appreciation they should. Here are five examples.

“Dark Command’ (1940): Directed by Raoul Walsh, this was John Wayne-s follow-up to “Stagecoach’, the film that made him a star. Based on the story of William Quantrill, the film co-stars William Pidgeon, Claire Trevor and Roy Rogers.

“Ride the High Country’ (1962): Sam Peckinpah-s film stars Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott as aging cowboys guarding a shipment of gold through hazardous territory. The film has a strong supporting cast and gained notoriety for Peckinpah.

“The Way West’ (1967): The story of a wagon train en route to Oregon stars Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark. The cast includes a young Sally Field and a group of veteran character actors.

“Will Penny’ (1968): Charlton Heston stars an aging cowboy in a subtle western that is stronger on character study than outright action. The film features beautiful cinematography and one of Heston-s best performances.

“Ulzana-s Raid’ (1972): Director Robert Aldrich created a raw, tough western with graphic violence not seen in the genre at the time. Burt Lancaster stars as an army scout hunting down a renegade Apache warrior.

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/10/17/the-five-best-westerns-youve-never-head-of/feed/ 0 Best Recent Westerns http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/09/28/best-recent-westerns/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/09/28/best-recent-westerns/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 www.westernpolicy.org http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=10 If you’ve gotten some great Direct tv deals lately you’re in luck! Some of the best Western movies in decades have come out in the last few years and should be making the rounds on the rerun circuit. Check out one of our favorites and find yourself struggling to remember the genius of John Wayne:
All the Pretty Horses – Matt Damon actually plays a pretty convincing cowboy and this tale of love and lust has all the hallmarks of a great Western film. The film quality is better than you’d find in the 50s but that’s why we like it.
3:10 to Yuma – We’d like to say this is one of the best Westernever, but we know people will get all fired up. Let’s just say it’s simple and classic and it’s going to stand the test of time better than most other Western on any list.
No Country for Old Men – Not a Western in the traditional sense, this tense thriller will leave you wanting more. It’s particularly bloody, though, so be prepared when you put this one on and send out the kids.

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/09/28/best-recent-westerns/feed/ 0 The Most Expensive Western Ever Made http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/08/the-most-expensive-western-ever-made/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/08/the-most-expensive-western-ever-made/#comments Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=9 There are two movies, of the western genre that must share the title of most expensive movie ever made. They are Wild, Wild West and Rango. The reason for the shared titleone of the movies is animated, a non-traditional western movie format.

First up, the Wild, Wild West released in 1999 was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. It starred Will Smith as Capt. James West; Kevin Kline in the dual role of Artemus Gordon and Ulysses S. Grant; Kenneth Brangh as Dr. Arliss Loveless; and Salma Hayek as Rita Escobar.

Shot at multiple sites that include Santa Fe New Mexico, Idaho and the Warner Brother lots, the film cost approximately 170 million to produce.

Identified as steampunk (films based on the late 19th century with unusual steam powered mechanical inventions),the film ,which was based on the popular TV series that ran from 1965 to 1969, did not do as well as expected and actually came in 36th place on the list of Worst Movies Ever.

In March of 2011, the movie RANGO an animated western was released. Directed by Gore Verbinski, it starred Johnny Depp as Rango”a chameleon, Isla Fisher as Beans”an iguana and Abigail Breslin as Priscilla”a mouse. The actors dressed in western costumes to help them get into character as they performed the voice overs. The animation was created by Industrial Light and Magic Company. The final cost of the movie was 150 million.More info here: Rango review

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/08/the-most-expensive-western-ever-made/feed/ 0 Why Western Movies Became Popular In America http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/05/why-western-movies-became-popular-in-america/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/05/why-western-movies-became-popular-in-america/#comments Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=8 The Western became a popular movie genre as America’s industries and urban areas experienced significant growth. The genre showed a simpler view of the country. People could own a parcel of land, pack up and move west, and work with their hands under the open skies.

Contemporary and revisionist westerns have also become more popular in recent years. Revisionist westerns show a nuanced view of the Old West, and contemporary westerns often portray an anti-hero struggling with his place in a civilized world.The whole story can be found at http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/04/favreau-cowboys-aliens/ These two styles have increased in popularity as omnipotent media covers all of the sides of domestic and international news stories.

Other movie genres such as action and science fiction have borrowed certain elements from westerns. For example, the high noon standoff is a favorite scene for moviegoers.

The confrontation between the hero and antagonist is something that moviegoers may not be able to do in their lives. For example, a confrontation between a moviegoer and his boss would probably not end well for the moviegoer. However, he can live vicariously through the experience in the movie.

Because America continues to rely heavily on cities and industries, Americans will continue to enjoy Westerns’ portrayal of simpler times.

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/05/why-western-movies-became-popular-in-america/feed/ 0 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Spaghetti Westerns http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/01/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-spaghetti-westerns/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/01/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-spaghetti-westerns/#comments Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=7 When it comes to everything you ever wanted to know about spaghetti westerns, the first question would likely be about the name. These types of westerns started popping up in the early 1960s and continued into the middle of the 1970s. The name “spaghetti western” came about because the majority of them were directed and produced by Italians who were frequently associated with other European countries such as Germany and Spain. Foreign critics felt these mainly low-budget films were second-rate to American westerns and tagged them with what was intentionally meant to be a belittling name.

It’s believed that this style of westerns surfaced after the huge success of Sergio Leone’s “A fist Full of Dollars” was released in 1964. In the following two years, Leone released “For a Few Dollars More” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” These three films are identified as the “The Dollars Trilogy” and are responsible for paving the way for future spaghetti westerns.

Even though the films weren’t so popular at the time, many of the Spaghetti westerns were ground-breaking with talent; however, in the 1980s the popularity of these westerns increased and the name isn’t used unfavorably anymore. While they are still remembered as spaghetti westerns, in Italy they are now frequently called “western all’italiana” which means westerns Italian style. In addition, it is most interesting that Japan now calls them macaroni westerns.Can’t get enough? There’s more: Life With Father

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/07/01/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-spaghetti-westerns/feed/ 0 Five Things You Never Knew About “The Duke” http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/06/27/five-things-you-never-knew-about-the-duke/ http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/06/27/five-things-you-never-knew-about-the-duke/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westernpolicy.org/?p=6 John Wayne’s real name is Marion Robert Morrison. He never legally changed his name to John Wayne. John Wayne was called “The Duke” because of a family pet he had when growing up. He played football for The University of Southern California. Wayne had an athletic scholarship but lost it due to injury that he never recovered from. Because of his injury John Wayne only played football for one year. John made his first television appearance on “ The Milton Berle Show” in 1953. Many fans believe his first television appearance was on “I Love Lucy” in 1955. He avoided being on television because he didn’t like to show his face on TV. much. John Wayne was also nominated for a Grammy award for his spoken album called “America: Why I Love Her”. Wayne didn’t win the award but his album was a best seller. In the early 1950′s he founded a production company called Batjac Productions. He founded this so he could produce and star in his own movies, but obviously this didn’t work. John Wayne lost alot of money while producing and starring in his movie “The Alamo”. He was an outstanding man and will be remembered for everything.

]]> http://www.westernpolicy.org/2011/06/27/five-things-you-never-knew-about-the-duke/feed/ 0