Tombstone

Rating:
Summary: All-Star Western
Review: Tombstone is an excellent western that spares no expense in terms of its starring cast.

The movie begins with the three Earp brothers--Wyatt, played by Kurt Russell; Virgil, played by Sam Elliot; and Morgan, played by Bill Paxton--journeying to a small mining town called Tombstone to, in Wyatt's words, "make our fortune." As an aside, I just want to say that Russell bears an uncanny resemblance to the real Wyatt Earp. If you don't believe me, then do a web search and check it out for yourself.

After crossing paths with a thuggish band of criminals known as "The Cowboys," Virgil decides to become town marshall, with Morgan as his deputy--much to the consternation of Wyatt. As a showdown with The Cowboys looms, Wyatt eventually throws in with them for the legendary Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Without a doubt, my favorite character was the doomed Doc Holliday, played flawlessly by Val Kilmer. Kilmer may have a reputation of being difficult to work with, but he nails the Holliday character and was deserving of an Oscar nomination (which he didn't receive). His smugness, wrapped in a Georgia accent, is truly a joy to behold. He has so many wonderful lines and scenes that they are too numerous to list here. As was historically accurate, Holliday also throws in with the Earps for the OK Corral shootout.

The movie goes on to detail the events after the OK Corral confrontation--including the murder of Morgan and the maiming of Virgil, and Wyatt's subsequent revenge against The Cowboys. Minor plotlines include Wyatt's interest in a stage performer, played by Dana Delaney; and Wyatt's wife's addiction to opium.

The all-star cast includes Michael Biehn as the sadistic Johnny Ringo--a mirror image of Doc Holliday; Powers Boothe, as Curly Bill Brocious, the self-annointed "founder of the feast" known as The Cowboys; Billy Bob Thornton, as the bullying Johnny Tyler; and Charleton Heston, in a cameo as Henry Hooker.

While the film may not be as historically accurate as some accounts, it certainly is enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Best (Modern) Western
Review: 1993 found a memorable cast working together to make a great film... Kirk Russell (as Wyatt Earp), Val Kilmer (as Doc Holliday), Sam Elliott (as Virgil Earp), Bill Paxton (as Morgan Earp), Powers Booth (as Curly Bill), and Michael Biehn (as Johnny Ringo). Not to mention superb supporting roles by Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Zane, Charlton Heston, Jason Priestley, and Dana Delaney. "Tombstone" takes you back to 1881 when the Earp brothers stumble into Tomstone, AZ to settle down with their spouses. It isn't long before the outlaw "Cowboys" led by Curly Bill and Johnny Ringo make trouble and the Earps decide to take action. Val Kilmer plays a witty and charasmatic Doc Holliday - the best I've ever seen - probably one of Kilmer's finest Hollywood roles. A chunky Billy Bob Thornton has a memorable role as Johnny Tyler - as Wyatt's first punk to pick on. The first half of the movie sets up the characters nicely. The second half of the movie really gets going when Wyatt Earp yells at Johnny Ringo at the train station... "You tell him I'm coming! And Hell's coming with me!" You just know that the Earp's and Doc are going to kick some major as*. The gunfights were excellent. The town with it's buildings and surroundings were believeable. Director George P. Cosmatos has not put out a finer movie to this date. This special (2002) director's cut 2-disc set gives the audience superior 5.1 dolby sound; approx 5 minutes of extra movie footage; a director's commentary; a timeline of the story, 3 different production featurette's; a corny "collectable" Tombstone map; and a game of chance (you'll play once and probably never play again). A classic western and a personal favorite.

Rating:
Summary: Tombstone. Serious stuff.
Review: There's a lot to be said for this version of the 'Gunfight at the OK Corral.' Like many westerns, it's a story of honor, loyalty, and an inescapable journey wrestling with one's character.

In many ways, it bears striking similarity with Alan Ladd's portrayal of Shane many, many years ago. Both Shane and Wyatt Earp have a violent past, to some extent supported by a sense of honor, yet violent nonetheless. Both men imagine they can escape that past and live a life of peace and normalcy. Both men fail. Kevin Costner faces a similar conflict in "Open Range," and all men have a similar narrator, so to speak, Dana Delaney in "Tombstone" being the most recent.

Powerful roles are fulfilled by Sam Elliott as brother Virgil, but perhaps the most telling observation is made by the youngish Bill Paxton playing the role of brother Morgan, who tells Wyatt when he won't go along with him and Virgil to again strap on the six-shooters, "you gotta' back your brother's play."

If I found pleasure in the movie it was superlative qualities of all of the actors, and the grittiness of the scenery. On occasion it almost left you with a feeling of dust in your mouth. If there was a let down it was the eventual union with Dana Delaney which, when acted out, almost seemed inconsequential in light of the ensuing carnage following the 'OK Corral' incident. I found equally unsatisfied with the ending of "Open Range," where again 'true love' did not appear to be much of an antidote for the extraordinary emotional and physical trauma earlier experienced. And a lot of blood. To me, it seemed much more logical when a weary Alan Ladd rode away at the ending of the much earlier "Shane."

Having said that, "Tombstone" carries the day with brilliant acting on all levels, especially Sam Elliot and Val Kilmer, who carry the supporting roles they are assigned as the ailing Doc Holliday and Virgil with a high level of skill. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury

Rating:
Summary: Excellent western with great cast
Review: Tombstone is the retelling of Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the city before and after the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The movie begins with Earp trying to start over and forget his past in the mining town of Tombstone. The Cowboy gang holds a stranglehold on the town that cannot be broken. Before long, Earp and his two brothers must strap on their guns once again to clean things up. This may be a familiar story, but it is anything but. An impressive cast, excellent action, and even some humor makes this western fully enjoyable.

While Kurt Russell is excellent as Marshal Wyatt Earp, Val Kilmer steals the show as dying gunman Doc Holliday. His performance is truly great and should have earned him an Academy Award for his performance. Even as tuberculosis takes its toll on him, he remains the same hard drinking, card playing gunfighter that he always was. The relationship between the two men is fully believable and one of the better points of the movie. Michael Biehn and Powers Boothe are also excellent as Johnny Ringo and Curley Bill, the leaders of the Cowboy gang. The fantastic supporting cast includes Dana Delaney, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Stephen Lang, Charlton Heston, Jason Priestley, Robert Burke, Joanna Pacula, Michael Rooker, and Billy Zane. As well, look for old western star Harry Carey JR as the marshal of Tombstone. The Vista Series DVD is loaded full of extras which are all very good. The best may be the deleted scenes that are included. At times during the movie, it seems a bit choppy with editing, but the movie is still very good. For fans of westerns check out this action-filled western!

Rating:
Summary: Pure entertainment - Finally in Dolby Digital 5.1!!!!
Review: I'm your huckleberry.

Tombstone is pure entertainment. I found that Kurt Russel and Val Kilmer were most excellent in their roles as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Sure, there are inaccuracies here and there that all of the Earp historian-fanatics out there are going to rip to tiny pieces, but this movie beats the pants off of Costner's snooze-fest version.

But on to this new DVD release! I have been waiting for this for around a year since I first heard that it was rumored to be re-released. There were many complaints because the original DVD released by Hollywood Studios was only in Dolby 2.0. Now we will finally be able to enjoy this film in Dolby Digital 5.1!! The fun doesn't stop there though. Buena Vista is releasing Tombstone in a 2-disc set, which means more features. Among the featurettes - "An Ensemble Cast," "Making An Authentic Western," and "The Gunfight At The O.K. Corral". We will also be treated to storyboards for the shootout at the OK Corral. Additionally, I am pleased to see that they are releasing this DVD in anamorphic widescreen, which will be good news for all of you people out there with 16:9 TVs.

This 2-disc DVD edition is going to be a must-have for Tombstone fans. I personally never bought the original DVD since I had heard the rumors of this version's release. Whether you might want to get rid of your old one and get this one is up to you, but I know that I am pre-ordering this DVD today!

Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile Viewing
Review: There have been several movies centered on the famous "Gunfight at the OK Corral." I have seen at least six over the years. Tombstone is probably the best of them other than John Ford's classic "My Darling Clementine," which remains in a class of its own.

The central roles in any OK Corral movie are always Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday is the finest I have ever seen on screen. Kurt Russell plays Wyatt Earp. His performance will never erase memories of Henry Fonda, but it is solid. Russell captures some of the moral ambiguity of the real Wyatt Earp.

The supporting cast is very good, led by a magnificent performance by Sam Elliott as Virgil Earp. Also noteworthy are Powers Boothe and Michael Biehn as the Earp's foes, Curly Bill and Johnny Ringo, and Dana Delany as Josie Marcus, Wyatt's love interest. Western buffs will also want to watch for veteran Dobie Carey in a small role.

Tombstone is also a visually beautiful movie--some of the cinematography is spectacular.

The one weak part of the film is the final segment (about the last 20 minutes or so), which degenerates into a montage of gunfight scenes where it is nearly impossible to keep track of what is going on or who's just killed who. But overall, Tombstone is a very fine Western.

Rating:
Summary: this movie is a joke
Review: What a cartoon compared to the superior WYATT EARP (coming to DVD May 18 2004.) This movie was paled by the other instantly. Not only is the characterization way off here, but the whole "Cowboys" and red scarf thing has nothing to do with anything related to the events or characters. What a shame some fine talent is wasted in this overrated mess.

Rating:
Summary: Who's your Huckleberry?
Review: This is a fun movie. Kurt Russell is dead-on as a wiley Wyatt Earp and Val Kilmer steals every scene he appears in as Doc Holliday. Bill Paxton is good as Wyatt's brother Morgan. Is there anyone that looks better under a cowboy hat than Sam Elliot? He plays brother Virgil Earp. Not so much a true narrative as a series of vignettes featuring the above characters (with the centerpiece Shootout at the OK Corral) the film is nonetheless a very entertaining look at these characters. Powers Boothe is menacingly bad as Curly Bill, the leader of the outlaw Cowboys.

Kilmer's Doc Holliday, in particular, is a load of fun. "I'm your Huckleberry" he taunts Johnny Ringo, and although I have no idea where this saying originated, Kilmer repeats it in this film to entertaining effect. Later on he is asked why he sticks his neck out for Sheriff Earp. "Wyatt Earp is my friend", he replies simply. The other man scoffs "I've got LOTS of friends". "I don't" says Doc.

This is the kind of movie that perpetuates the "Legend of Wyatt Earp", but it's also the kind of movie that grown men still quote liberally with big smiles on their faces more than a decade after it's initial release.

Rating:
Summary: Wooo!!! Dosey doe and around we go!!!
Review: In 1993/94, the already controversial story of Wyatt Earp got a big boost with the almost back to back theatrical debuts of two (hope to be) Hollywood blockbusters. Tombstone and Wyatt Earp.
If you dont think the story of Wyatt Earp and the famous gunfight is controversial (or rather the telling of it) then you have not read through the reviews on Amazon for either film. Then go look up books on the subject and the furr flies. Now the controversy comes from there being two side to the story.
side 1. the most famous side has of couse Wyatt and his brothers as reluctant lawmen defending the town of Tombstone against a band of ruthless outlaws led by Ike Clanton and Curly Bill Brooches.
side 2. the side rarely taken by Hollywood (a surprise in this day of revisionist history) has Wyatt as a opportunistic criminal who wore a badge when it suited him, and hid behind it in order to dispatch his enemies. To this day the kin folk of the Clantons tell this version of the story...and believe it!!
When ever a book or movie on the subject is released the two factions (just like the two factions of Tombstone) start verbally swinging. Now I'm a sideone person,as are most folks I have met, more or less. So both of these films appealed greatly to me. Although they are distinctly different.
Tombstone is in many ways the classic western, bright(read Technicolor), loaded with plenty of humor, plenty of action, and several big name stars. But unlike westerns of yore it is bitingly violent at times, and violence lies just under the surface waiting to spring. Much like I imagine Tombstone was like in the 1880s.
This film was also the first to show drug use of the period, and to make homosexual references about a few of the characters. Both of these things certainly exsisted in abundance in the west, and kudos to Cosmatos and the producers for allowing them into the film.
All of the acting is very good here with the performers obviously having fun Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday is by far the most memorable performance. He should have been nominated for an Oscar. It is far superior to Victor Matures(Darling Clemintine), Kirk Douglas(Gunfight at OK Corral) and yes better than Dennis Quaids( Wyatt Earp). While many will hail Quaids as much more realistic ( and I believe this is probably true), Kilmers certainly had an edge of realism but at the same time was very entertaining. It was easy to forget you were watching Val Kilmer.
I believe the story when properly told revolves around Wyatt and Doc, and their friendship. The chemistry between Russel and Kilmer is terrific, and is noticeably missing with Quaid and Costner.
This brings us to the most argued point, Wyatt Earp himself. Well, I never knew Mr. Earp, and the professional historians cannot agree, was Wyatt the silent, stoic, and haunted man of Costners portrayal, or the tough when he had to be, money making, somewhat charming, very reluctant lawman. Who knows, from the histories and archived newspaper reports it could go either way. But if I had to choose one over the other I would certainly choose the Wyatt of Kurt Russell, I mean boil it down which one would you want to kickback with and have a shot of whiskey, smoke a cigar, and play a round or two of Faro??
As far as this DVD release it is excellent, great picture and audio.The extras are fairly intresting, the commentery track by Cosmatos is ok.
I say saddle this one up and enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: this movie is a joke
Review: What a cartoon compared to the superior WYATT EARP (coming to DVD May 18 2004.) This movie was paled by the other instantly. Not only is the characterization way off here, but the whole "Cowboys" and red scarf thing has nothing to do with anything related to the events or characters. What a shame some fine talent is wasted in this overrated mess.