Film Review: Bone Tomahawk

Y’all, I don’t even know where to start with this movie. First of all, let me say that I think it is a very well-made film. The dialogue is excellent, the pacing spot on, and visuals are stunning. S. Craig Zahler may be a first time filmmaker, but nothing about this picture says “amateur.” In fact, it is expertly crafted! The man should probably win an Academy Award (if not for directing, certainly for the writing—I can’t remember a recent movie that has such wonderful dialogue).

Like many good westerns, this is a slow burning film. The last thirty minutes or so are action packed. We’re talking edge of your seat type stuff. But until then we have time to really get to know the characters. That’s a good thing, because they’re aptly crafted. I particularly loved Deputy Chicory. I have no doubt Richard Jenkins should have won an Oscar for that role. Beyond Jenkins, the whole cast was stellar. Hey, it’s Kurt Russel in a western…you can’t beat that.

The action is adequately staged. Rather than large set pieces of major battles, we get tense, taut burst of violence. So, what’s my gripe with Bone Tomahawk? It’s savagely brutal. It’s not a huge spoiler to say the villains in this film are far from traditional. They’re cave dwelling cannibals (we find this out very early on, long before we actually see them).

Minor Spoilers Below…

We see a man split in two (this is after he’s scalped), and then consumed. Yep, that’s the level of violence we’re dealing with here. In perhaps the most disturbing part, viewers briefly see the women of the inbred cannibalistic tribe, pregnant, but amputated and blinded so they cannot escape. That didn’t sit well with me. It was effective, as I’m sure Zahler intended such a reaction. But it’s certainly not my cup of tea.

End Spoilers…

It has been described as a western-horror hybrid. However, I think it can be better described as traditional frontier tale that has a few horror elements. There is nothing supernatural in this film, and it does not fit into the “weird western” genre like Cowboys & Aliens. Some of the lines are outright funny, and there’s even some sentimental sweetness to it. A conversation regarding a flea circus is so well written, beautifully acted, and touching that one can't help but smile in the midst of all the carnage. Beyond this, the heroes are truly likable, and you’re rooting for them all the way.

Bone Tomahawk comes so close to being a perfect western! I almost added it to my cannon of classic oaters. In the end, the violence was just too off-putting for me. It’s too bad, though, as there’s a lot to love in this movie. James Reasoner recently reviewed the film, and he commented that he hopes S. Craig Zahler will try his hand at a more traditional western. I share those same sentiments. He darn near created a modern classic.

My Interview with John Hegenberger

With my graduate work dominating most of the past two years, my blogging has been nonexistent. Thankfully, all of that is behind me. I’m excited about some upcoming projects which I will be revealing shortly. But today I’m excited about a recent “conversation” with author John Hegenberger. John is the author of the newly released Spyfall. I can say that this book delivers on all fronts! The pop culture references fly fast and furious, and the story is rich with crackling dialogue. The protagonist is a P.I. named Stan Wade, and the setting is Los Angeles in the late 1950s. In fact, Stan offices out of the famous Brown Derby, and just that premise alone had me hooked! Throw in my love of all things Eisenhower Era and Kennedy Era, Cold War intrigue, and it’s as if John wrote the perfect book for me! I have a more detailed review coming soon, but for now I’m pleased to present John’s thoughts on writing, the state of publishing, and advice he has for others entering the field.

Ryan: First of all, I have to ask, where did your inspiration for Stan Wade come from? He’s such a great character and you manage to weave so many pop culture references and icons into his stories. Have you always been a fan of classic Hollywood? Is he modeled on anyone? In other words, if you had to pick an actor from Tinsel Town’s golden era to play him, or any era, is there anyone you picture in your mind?

John: Okay, let’s have some fun!  I came to the idea by thinking about all the great television shows I used to watch as a kid and wondered what might happen if the characters were to team up.  In other words, what if Mike Hammer visited 77 Sunset Strip in order to work with Sky King to help stop something from happening to Joe Friday.  When I think of Stan Wade, I picture Anthony Perkins.  Young, hip, but maybe troubled.

Ryan: It seems as if your work is appearing regularly now, but until earlier this year, I was unfamiliar with it. Is publishing something new for you? Have you written for years and just recently put it out there or is writing new to you entirely?

John: I wrote some science fiction starting in the ‘70s. I had a couple of nonfiction books published in the late ‘80s and lots of articles and a newspaper column. SPYFALL is published by Black Opel Books and, as with most authors, it was simply a case of travelling each day to the marketplace where dreams are bought and sold, hopefully taking my place among the sellers.

Quite a number of years back, it occurred to me that if you were a writer, you could work anywhere.  That's all I needed.

Ryan: I have to ask about rejection, as I think every writer has faced it. Did you face much of it? If so, how did you handle it and what advice do you have for other writers when facing it?

John: Rejection never goes away, especially if you set your aim high. You just have to expect that, like a salesman knocking on doors, you have to play the numbers game and keep going until you get a sale. Rejection is not your fault. Usually the buyer has all sorts of problems of their own that you know nothing about. That means it's their problem, so just keep on keeping on.

Ryan: Digital publishing has certainly changed the game. Do you think this is a good thing? What are your thoughts on the era of Kindles and Nooks and more freedom as an author?

John: I think digital publishing will continue to expand. Eventually the large houses will incorporate it to a point where there's a clear dividing line between self-publishing and traditional publishing. We may be there already, but it is still possible for a small press publisher to have a big hit. And that's the beauty of electronic digital publishing.

Ryan: Do you have a goal of “words per day” that you try to meet? Do you keep a regular writing schedule?

John: No real goal, except perhaps to have four pages per day, on the days that I'm writing. And I'm writing about four days per week. Usually in the afternoons. Reading time is considered a part of the process and that happens every day

Ryan: Do you work from an outline or just wing it as you go? Do you usually have the whole story mapped out, or do you just sort of see where the characters take you, working from a general idea?

John: I have to outline, mostly because I want to know who done it and I want to know where I can stick in some clever or exciting twist or setting and have it makes sense. However, during the writing process, I probably re-re-outline three times at least.

Nothing pleases me more than to have an entire story figured out and then at the last moment recognize that there's another whole aspect of the story which I haven't spent any time on at all.  It's an opportunity to jump in with a nifty new twist.

Ryan: Who are some of the other authors you enjoy?

John: I like to read stories that surprise me and gave me a chuckle. Favorite authors right now include: Craig Johnson, Dick Lochte, Mark Coggins, and Paul Kemprecos.  And, I keep coming back to most of that works by Stuart Kaminsky.

Ryan: Do you have any advice for “wannabe” authors like myself who dream of one day being published?

John: Have fun! If it's not fun, it's not worth doing. If you're writing and it's not fun, maybe you shouldn't be writing.  Maybe you should be outlining.  But whatever the case, don’t let the bastards grind you down.

Also, never throw anything away. Everything has a place; you just have to figure out where it goes in the overall process. Beyond that, just sit down and see what you’ve typed and how you can make it better.

Ryan: What should we look for coming up from you? Will Stan be back often? What genres are you currently working in?

John: Yes, Stan will be back! His next book, STARFALL, will be out in February. I expect to have maybe two additional novels in the series out later in 2016. I have another series about a private eye in 1988 and the next book is called CROSSFIRE, scheduled for publication in January. Finally, there are a few science fiction books that will be published in 2016. One is part of a trilogy called, interestingly enough, TRIPLEYE and it involves the first private I agency… on Mars.

If you want to know more about John, click here. If you want to purchase one of his fine novels (and I highly suggest you do), click here. A big thank you to John Hegenberger for taking the time to answer these questions!

Film Review: Vacation

I don’t think it is hyperbole to call National Lampoon’s Vacation a classic. Nor do I feel it is an exaggeration to bestow such status upon National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. European and Vegas were passable, if not slightly forgettable, comedies. But if I had to sum up the new Vacation film with one word, it would be “disappointing.” Don’t get me wrong, the film isn’t horrible and perhaps the problem is with me; maybe I built the movie up too much and there was no way it could live up to my expectations. I’m a huge fan of the franchise and in my mind I figured it would be just like old times. There are some very funny parts! The two leads, played by Ed Helms and Christina Applegate, are likable and sympathetic. Some of the predicaments they find themselves in are hilarious. But then we come to their children: the oldest one is fine, but the youngest Griswold son is the epitome of obnoxious and almost ruined the movie for me in certain parts (the kid who plays him is a fine actor, but the character itself, as written, is the problem). He curses like a sailor and it got old for me in a hurry! There are some rare movies where excessive profanity adds to the humor. For example, The Heat uses its frequent foul language to set up several very funny gags (Smokey and the Bandit is an example of an older movie that does this effectively, too). But in Vacation I just didn’t find the cursing very funny. Perhaps it was supposed to be the gag, “Hey, this kid has a mouth that would make truckers blush,” but the gag completely misfired for me.

There were also several out-of-place references to one character’s political beliefs that had nothing to do with the plot. I don’t care if the filmmakers are liberal, conservative, or somewhere in the middle; just leave politics out of your pictures and dispense with the agenda. Maybe if the story had anything to do with politics it would have been different. But, as it is, it came across as completely needless.

Another issue I had was the film seemed to outstay its welcome. It is not a good sign when I’m fighting the urge to check the clock twenty minutes before the movie wraps up. Vacation clocks in right under two hours, and truth be told, about thirty minutes could have been shaved off.  There came a point where I found myself thinking, “Okay, let’s just get to whatever the next bad thing is that’s going to happen and get it over with.” The plot pretty runs as follows: family gets in tricky situation, end scene with gross-out gag, repeat ad nauseam, etc.  

I know I’ve had little positive to say about this picture, but it really isn’t all bad. There are more than a few laugh-out-loud moments, but a shorter run time, and leaving one character on the side of the road, would have benefited this film a great deal. Overall, Vacation is a decent film but a missed opportunity. 

Final verdict: 2.5 out of 5.

Review: Outlaw Ranger

I’ve been away for a while, but it is time to blog again! So, let’s jump right into my latest review…

Outlaw Ranger by James Reasoner is one of the best western novels I’ve read in a long time. I won’t give away any plot details (there will be no spoilers here), but I will tell you that this book is just a ton of fun! The plot isn’t overly complex, and that’s okay with me. The characters are still fully developed, and by the end of the book I felt like I knew G.W. Braddock, the Outlaw Ranger himself, pretty good. And speaking of characters, this story features one of the meanest villains I’ve come across in a long time! In fact, he’s so downright evil you’re rooting for him to get every bit of what’s coming to him.

The novel is short and that is not a knock. In fact, I think the briskness works in the book’s favor. It comes out of the gate strong and never lets up, and there’s not a dull moment to be found. Elmore Leonard once made a statement that a writer should leave out the parts readers tend to skip. In other words, dispense with the “filler.” Mr. Reasoner understands this as there’s not a lot of padding. Instead, we get a taut, lean thrill ride with more than enough action.

Unfortunately, the big publishing houses have canceled many of their Western titles. The news might sound bad, but I’m actually not worried. I feel like we’re living in a great time for Western readers and writers as the ebook era is opening up even more avenues of possibility. While we may not be able to pick up paperbacks at the local drugstore anymore, we can sign onto our Kindle and download hundreds of good titles in an instant. I’m grateful for authors like James Reasoner who are making their older titles available when possible, and releasing new works often. In fact, Reasoner launched his own publishing arm sometime back called Rough Edges Press. Not only can you find many of his works at reasonable prices, but also other talented authors to boot.

If you’re in the mood for a good, fast paced Western, check out Outlaw Ranger. Thankfully this is a series, and I’ll be reading the second and third installments soon! For more information about this book, click here.

PS…If you’re a member of Kindle Unlimited, which I highly recommend, you can read it for free!

Flop Watch: The Lone Ranger

Heading into the Independence Day (long) weekend, which will actually start Wednesday for many folks, the big question at the box office is will The Lone Ranger flop? Here are my thoughts…

As has been documented extensively, the film has an extremely high budget! It has a far higher budget than any Western should have. But, then again, this is no ordinary Western. This is a “Disney tent pole summer potentially franchise starting Western produced by Jerry Bruckheimer”. Since the budget has ballooned into the $250+ range, the film would have to come out like gangbusters to recoup that kind of investment. Going up against Despicable Me 2, I would be shocked if Ranger opened at Number 1 and owned the weekend. In fact, I’ll go on a limb now to say it won’t happen. Despicable Me 2 will most surely earn the top spot as families flock to animated features that appeal to children as well as adults (look at Monsters University, which stayed in the lead this weekend in its second week of release).

So, look for critics and industry watchers to jump on The Lone Ranger bashing bandwagon. With a troubled start (Disney scrapping the project over budget fears, then green lighting it again), and a long production history, I promise you there are those who want this movie to fail!  Also, look for critics to point to the picture as evidence of the “death of the Western,” and how the genre is no longer relevant. For those who care what critics say, this sort of word-of-mouth will hurt the film.

I expect The Lone Ranger to be a moderate success. However, with its high production cost, the odds of being a blockbuster are already stacked against this film. My hope is that a sequel is still green lit, as I long for more big-budget Westerns on the silver screen. My final prediction: The Lone Ranger will not be a flop the epic proportion of Heaven’s Gate, but it will not exactly set the box office on fire, either. I hope I am wrong, but we’ll know this weekend. Have you seen the film? Let me know in the comments section what you think of it.

Forgotten Gem: Backlash

One of my favorite directors…in fact maybe my absolute favorite director…is John Sturges. I will not take the time to list all of the Sturges movies I like, but I am particularly fond of his westerns. Recently, I had the chance to catch one of his oaters that I haven’t seen before. Backlash, from 1956, is excellent! I had not heard of the film until I came across it on Encore Westerns, but I am glad I found it!

The movie stars (the underrated, in my opinion) Richard Widmark, joined by Donna Reed. I will not give too much away regarding the plot (no spoilers here), and will only say that the story revolves around Widmark searching for the man who left a group of men stranded. This man ran off with quite a sum of gold, leaving others behind to be slaughtered by Apaches. The search for this man, and the quest to learn his identity, is well handled and very suspenseful. In fact, the premise, and suspense that stems from it, has caused some reviewers to classify this film as a “psychological western.” This subgenre is known for building slow burning suspense, relying more on tension rather than scenes of action (the original 3:10 to Yuma is a good example). Backlash certainly has elements of this, but make no mistake, there is a ton of action in this picture! In fact, I was amazed at just how many gunfights there were. The film practically opens up with one, and never slows down. Widmark battles a band of gunfighting brothers, Apaches, hired gunhands, and a ruthless cattle rancher.

The film is only 90 minutes, and the story moves along at a brisk pace with little to no filler. It’s a lean, action-packed gem of a western with excellent pacing, an exciting story, and great acting. I am not sure why this movie is not more well-known, or why it has not received a wide DVD release. It is a forgotten treasure that every western fan should see. It’s just the type of movie I love, and while not a masterpiece of epic filmmaking or groundbreaking, I give it a perfect 5 stars out of five.

Film Review: Night of the Creeps

Save for the Universal and Hammer classics, I’m not a huge fan of the horror genre. But, for whatever reason, several weeks ago I found myself watching Night of the Creeps from 1986. And, while I almost always avoid modern horror like the plague, sometimes a good cheesy scary flick from the ‘80s can be fun, and Creeps did not disappoint.

First of all, there seemed to be a trend in the ‘80s to mix horror with comedy, and Night of the Creeps does this effectively. In fact, this may be more of a comedy than an outright horror film, with some elements of sci-fi thrown in for good measure. Without giving too much away, the opening scene, taking place on an alien spacecraft, is very funny! This scene is short, and is about as “sci-fi” as the film gets. The movie then shifts to 1959 (presented effectively in black and white), before moving to the main story set in the mid-1980s (returning to color). The plot involves “creeps” (little slug like space creatures) that attach themselves to a host body and turn their victims into zombie like creatures who then try to kill other people. Yes, you read that plot description right. Oh, there’s also an escaped asylum patient with an ax, who makes an appearance during the 50s sequence, as well as in zombie form in the 80s portion.

Basically, this is just your standard horror comedy with elements of science fiction featuring aliens, mutant slugs, zombies and college students fare.

And because this is a ‘80s movie featuring college kids, there is a fair share of partying and a bit of nudity (I think it was a requirement for most “teen” films in the ‘80s…I envision some studio executive reading the scripts and then exclaiming, “I know what this picture needs: more boobs!”). The nudity is pointless and brief, and very typical of the era. In addition to this, there’s some random cursing, so better not watch this one with the kids around. There is also some over-the-top gore, but it’s so cheesy and all done in good fun, which made it hard to get offended. Let’s just say special effects have come a long way since 1986, but that adds to the charm and fun of the movie.

There are clichéd characters in this one; the college kids featuring nerds and mindless jocks, the washed up cop with a lot of emotional baggage (played very well by Tom Atkins), and of course, the pretty girl all the boys like. It’s hokey in parts, but to be fair, it was the point. And, unlike many modern horror movies, this film is not mean spirited and is certainly not taking itself too seriously. The bottom line is, I like this film probably more than I should, and give it a rating of 3.5 out 5. If you’re in the mood to revisit the ‘80s, then give Night of the Creeps a try.

Two side notes: There’s a reference to Christian glam rock band Stryper that I thought was very funny and really dated this picture! Also, the music during the 50s portion of the movie was great!