Some of you know that I am a movie western nut. Maybe because I'm from the southwest I'm a bit biased. It's not every western ;however, but those with a certain theme, that being the changing of the west and how the 'cowboy' was displaced by the industrial age [MONTE WALSH, BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE and LONELY ARE THE BRAVE being excellent examples, not to forget JUNIOR BONNER a sort of modern day western about a rodeo cowboy at the end of his career.
One of the best is PAT GARRETT and BILLY THE KID set right here in Lincoln county, New Mexico. Keep in mind that there are two versions of the film: the theatrical version released by the studio and the 'director's cut' released on DVD. This might make some purists mad but I prefer the theatrical version because of one scene in particular.
As posted here, the music track with the scene is from the studio version. The director's cut version downplays the music track and for me takes away from the scene. Slim Pickens and Katy Jurardo are only on screen for a scant few minutes and yet you understand their characters from this scene alone, as if they have always been in this time and place and always will be. I highly recommend PAT GARRETT and BILLY THE KID.
I'm out.
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