The Wicked Flee - The Score from the new version of "True Grit'

I have not posted here for some time as I am not teaching Film Studies at present. However,  I intend to do so in future and produce teaching and student resources next year. My intention is to produce a wide ranging website for English Media and Film and place decent resources on it for several exam boards.

In the meantime, here's Carter Burwell's memorable score from "True Grit", something all teachers need these days. The tune is a rendition of the old gospel hymn, "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms." The following video is also an interesting example of exchange, what ordinary folks do with films using WEB 2.0 once they have been released.

The Score from True Grit
Iris DeMent sings "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms". The Song is played at the end of the film.

Carter Burwell writes on his own website about why his music was not eligible for the Oscars because of his inclusion of adapted gospel hymns from the nineteenth century.
http://www.carterburwell.com/projects/True_Grit.html

Here is Carter Burwell discussing his use of music in the new film in both an interview and  in the film below.
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/19/133877190/true-grit-a-new-score-from-old-familiar-tunes

"The Outlaw Josey Wales" form Shooting Down Pictures

This is an excellent website for detailed information on this key film.

http://alsolikelife.com/shooting/2008/05/914-55-the-outlaw-josey-wales-1976-clint-eastwood/

Here is brief commentary on Eastwood, his star image and his work as a director. There is also a list of interviews, articles and books for detailed research on the man and his work.

http://www.filmreference.com/Actors-and-Actresses-Da-Ea/Eastwood-Clint.html

"Stagecoach" and approaching the western either through genre or through Ford as an Auteur (Concept Map)

Click on the image to enlarge.
What's missing from this graphic is the big macro features on narrative. When analysing Western for its genre we will need to consider narrative structure and plots, etc. Studies would also benefit from nexamination of key scenes which will allow a fruitful discussion of Macro features of the genre as well as the auteurs' treatment of them and their view of America at a given point in time.

Westerns - narratives and themes

//history.sandiego.edu/GEN/filmnotes/western-narrative.html

A detailed review of the DVD of "The Outlaw Josey Wales"

Click on the image to enlarge

This essay with helpful images should prove useful for a deeper understanding of this ground-breaking western from 1976; in particular how Eastwood created new conventions that were afterwards imitated by later westerns. The themes of revenge, masculinity and violence are also worth focussing on in this post. Clint Eastwood as an auteur is also present in the technical aspects of the film as well as in its vignettes, female and native indian characters. As with John Ford humor is also an important feature in Eastwood's films.

http://alsolikelife.com/shooting/2008/05/914-55-the-outlaw-josey-wales-1976-clint-eastwood/

The Revisionist Western

Explanations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Western

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/westerns/51004

http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/581608

A leading example
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outlaw_Josey_Wales

An overview of The Western genre

Read Gary Johnson's excellent seven page overview of The Western from the online magazine, Imagesjournal. As you read jot down some of the article's key points so you can use them later when examining how John Ford's "Stagecoach" fits within conventions of the Western genre. It's important that you make your reading active by noting down important ideas and concepts from key paragraphs and also writing down questions of your own that you might wish to clarify by investigating further.

http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue06/infocus/western.htm

Don't rely on Internet research only. Remember hard copy magazines and books. An old tutor of mine, Brian Spittles, wrote a book on John Ford. It's called "John Ford (On Directors)". It would pay to see if your local library could find and lend this to you. Then focus on genre and John Ford as an auteur in "Stagecoach".

"Stylistically Ford was instrumental in developing new camera techniques, atmospheric lighting and diverse narrative devices. Thematically, long before it became conventional wisdom, Ford was exploring issues that concern us today, such as gender, race, the treatment of ethnic minorities and social outcasts, the nature of history and the relationship of myth and reality. For all these reasons, John Ford the man and his films reward thought and study, both for the general reader and the academic student. Ford's pictures express the world in which they were made, and have contributed to making what Hollywood is today. "

http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Ford-Directors-Brian-Spittles/dp/0582424046/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236162467&sr=1-1

Hollywood's hero deficit

An academic article on Hollywood's current inibility to present Americans as heroes. Fascinating stuff.
http://www.american.com/archive/2008/july-august-magazine-contents/hollywood2019s-hero-deficit

Thirty Great Westerns - by Images Journal

A superb article and links for articles and information on these westerns and the genre itself.

http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue10/infocus/

Character Types in "Stagecoach" (1939): genre and the western

The character comments listed below were found on Bristol City College's website

These characters featured in one of the greatest westerns of all time - John Ford's "Stagecoach" (1939). The reason for the film's importance is Ford's ingenuous revamping of the western's narrative conventions as he set the standard for westerns to come. For instance, the stagecoach itself acts as an enclosed theater; among several conventions introduced by Ford were: character types below, the cavalry charge in the nick of time and the final shoot-out. He also introduced John Wayne's character, in Wayne's breakthrough role, in a particularly flamboyant way. Ford also dispensed with the singing cowboys which were a feature of westerns until the late 1930s (and in some films some time after).

Characters – what do they stand for?

Taking these summaries of character, can you map them onto the basic opposition of EAST and WEST? This is a model of the the structure of westerns suggested by Jim Kitses in his 1969 essay, "Authorship and Genre: Notes on the Western".

Doc Boone – A Drunk but not bad. Still thinks about people’s good qualities. Supports Dallas against prejudiced towns-women (League of Decency?). Politically in opposition to Hatfield (yet they manage to be reconciled a little after the baby is born). Dallas comes to him for advice about Ringo’s proposal. He becomes a father figure to her.

Curly (Sheriff) – Father figure to Ringo. Represents social ethics. The Law of the land. The future. Knew Ringo’s father – looks out for Ringo. Has authority in the group – makes decisions (esp. for Buck).

Buck (Driver) – Comic character. Not bad, just not bright. Simple family orientated. Focused on the trivial, not socially important issues. Feels his authority has been taken by Curly. Likable. But childish.

Mrs. Mallory – High status. Prim & proper. Aligned with League of Decent Ladies in town. Feels uncomfortable about present company. Toffy-nosed. Thinks too much of herself. Wife of a military man (becomes more friendly with Dallas but it is not to last): Daughter of a military man from the Southern Confederate army. The daughter she gives birth to is a product of this southern and northern blood – the future reconciles the past.

Dallas – Poor reputation. Thrown out of town by Ladies who don’t. Considered a ‘loose’ woman. Is afraid of what Ringo might think of her past. Is the downtrodden who deserves a second chance. Can still be a good mother despite her past.

Peacock – Family man. Represents commercial future of the country. In many ways the most interesting combination of things: sells whiskey but is often called reverend, has clear gentlemanly qualities (looks out for the ladies, a father of 5!), yet is treated like a child by Doc Boone. A clear Easterner.

Ringo Kid – Jail bird but not bad because is protecting everyone and sticks up for Dallas. Young & handsome. Represents traditional cowboy hero. Respectable members of coach look down on him. Associate him with lower class (i.e. of Dallas)

Gatewood (Banker) – Has left wife – run off with stolen money from bank. Is a blusterer – selfish, esp. when it comes to women – in many ways is the opposite of Peacock. Represents corruption. Is caught in the end. Represents the ‘bad apples’ in the future of the country.

Hatfield – Southern gambler gentleman. Supports Mrs Mallory’s status as a Lady. However has a bad side in that has killed people in gambling disagreements. This makes him an obvious candidate for catching a bullet from the Indians in the chase sequence. Has some regard for Doc Boone’s profession after the baby is born. Dies with honour? As the Southern Confederacy must for the good of the country?