© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p22
18/05/2013 11:50 par tellurikwaves
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p22
18/05/2013 11:50 par tellurikwaves
*
Roger Ebert -(fin)
The film has been directed by Ed Harris and bears absolutely no similarity, as you might have anticipated, to his "Pollock" (2000), the story of an alcoholic abstract expressionist. Harris as a director allows the actors screen time to live. They're not always scurrying around to fulfill the requirements of the plot.
They are people before the plot happens to them -- and afterward too, those who survive. He has something to say here about hard men of the Old West and their naive, shy, idolatry of "good" women.
Harris comes ready for the gunplay. He just doesn't think it's the whole point. The shootin' scenes are handled with economy. Everett observes that one shootout is over lickety-split, and Virgil tells him: "That's because we're good shots." At the end of the day, everything works out as I suppose it had to, and we're not all tied in emotional knots or existential dread. I know I want me another slice of that hot pie.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p20
18/05/2013 05:26 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p20
18/05/2013 05:26 par tellurikwaves
Roger Ebert -(suite 2)
Virgil and Everett reminded me immediately of Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call in "Lonesome Dove," not only in their long-practiced camaraderie, but also in their conversations about women. So smitten is Virgil that he abandons his tumbleweed ways and starts building a house for the widow. Meanwhile, Bragg sends three boys into town, who get themselves killed. A showdown approaches, viewed warily by the town leaders. Phil Olson (Timothy Spall) is their spokesman, and who better than Spall? He is the master of telegraphing subdued misgivings.
No more of the plot. What is seductive about "Appaloosa" is its easygoing rhythm. Yes, we know there will be a shoot-out; it can't be avoided. But there is also time for chicken dinners and hot pies and debates about the new curtains, and for Miss French to twinkle and charm and display canny survival instincts. What makes the movie absorbing is the way it harmonizes all the character strands and traits and weaves them into something more engaging than a mere 1-2-3 plot. I felt like I did in "Lonesome Dove" -- that there was a chair for me on the porch.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p19
18/05/2013 05:24 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p19
18/05/2013 05:24 par tellurikwaves
Roger Ebert -(suite)
Then a lady comes into town on the stage. This is Allison French (Renee Zellweger), a widow, she says. No, she's hasn't come to Appaloosa to find work as a schoolmarm or a big-hearted whore (the two standard female occupations in Westerns). She plays the piano and the organ, and dresses like a big city lady in fancy frocks and cute bonnets. She inquires at the sheriff's office about where she might find respectable lodgings. Her budget is limited. She has one dollar.
Zellweger is powerfully fetching in this role. She wins the sheriff's heart in a split second, and he "explains" to the hotel clerk that Miss French will be staying there and will play the piano. Virgil Cole has practiced for a lifetime at avoiding the snares of females, but he's a goner. Everett looks at him quizzically. But you don't keep a friend if you criticize his women --too quickly, anyway. Is there anything about Alison to criticize? The movie has a ways to go.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p18
18/05/2013 05:19 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p18
18/05/2013 05:19 par tellurikwaves
Reste l'interview que je ne vais pas couper en petits bouts.Juste deux parties pour une meilleur lisibilité,avec les 2 dernières photos (tournage).En attendant qq images sans texte,vite postées car j'aimerai bien terminer ce dossier avant la foudre,la coupure de courant...
La critique de Roger Ebert -October 2, 2008
"Appaloosa" started out making me feel the same as I did during the opening chapters of Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove," and its TV miniseries. At its center is a friendship of many years between two men who have seen a lot together and wish they had seen less. This has been called a Buddy Movie. Not at all. A buddy is someone you acquire largely through juxtaposition. A friend is someone you make over the years. Some friends know you better than you know yourself.
That would be true of Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen), who for years has been teamed up with Virgil Cole (Ed Harris). They make a living cleaning bad guys out of Western towns. Virgil wears a sheriff's badge, and Everett is his deputy, but essentially, they're hired killers. They perform this job with understated confidence, hair-trigger instincts, a quick draw and deadeye aim. They're hired by the town of Appaloosa to end a reign of terror under the evil rancher Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons).
So already you've got an A-list cast. Harris plays a man of few words, many of them pronounced incorrectly, and steel resolve. Mortensen is smarter than his boss, more observant, and knows to tactfully hold his tongue when he sees the sheriff making mistakes, as long as they're not fatal. Irons plays the rancher as one of those narrow-eyed snakes who is bad because, gosh darn it, he's good at it.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p17
18/05/2013 05:10 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p17
18/05/2013 05:10 par tellurikwaves
Author: The Amazing Spy Rises (fin)
What I enjoyed most about the film is that it really made me feel like I was out west...right down to the little details, such as sandstorms,the presence of Native Americans,small drawls from the actors (thankfully none besides Zellweger had a bad one), and the different kinds of horses & guns in the film.
Harris keeps the film moving nicely, and there's only a few moments where I felt it dragged a bit. Like I've said it's hard to find a real fault here;the film is just well done all around, from a production standpoint.When all is said and done, I knew how I felt about this film the second the lights went on. I clapped and said, "that was great".
Appaloosa is an old school western that has everything a fan of the genre could want including a suspenseful and tense gunfight and crazy Native Americans on horses! It's definitely one of the most complete westerns and films I've seen this year, and should be in contention for a few awards come Oscar season.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p16
18/05/2013 04:59 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p16
18/05/2013 04:59 par tellurikwaves
Author: The Amazing Spy Rises (suite)
Viggo Mortensen's near silent performance is not short on talent either, as one of silent acting's kings continues to show incredible versatility (the guy is a fantasy king, Russian mobster, and now an old west Deputy Marshall). To complete the trifecta of greatness, Jeremy Irons is the only guy I can imagine in the role of the film's villain.
His freezing stare, mixed with the icy cold voice he is most known for, makes him one of the most memorable villains of the year.Renee Zellweger really didn't add anything to the movie, though her character wasn't too interesting, and just serves as a plot device. This is what keeps the film from getting that "10" from me. The rest of the supporting cast is really a non-issue, as the story really only revolves around a few characters.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p15
18/05/2013 04:53 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p15
18/05/2013 04:53 par tellurikwaves
Author: The Amazing Spy Rises (suite)
Set in 1882 New Mexico, Appaloosa follows the fate of the town of the same name, which has fallen into the control of a ruthless outlaw (Jeremy Irons), and the powers that be have hired new hands to take control of the situation (Harris and Viggo Mortensen).
However,when a mysterious widow(Renee Zellweger)arrives in town, loyalties will be tested, friendships will be put on trial, and guns will be fired.The strong point, as I've said, is Ed Harris, who pulls the quadruple threat of acting,directing, writing, and producing. Despite all the work he did on this film, he still manages to turn in an Oscar worthy performance as the steadfast and unwavering commander of the town.
Harris is subtle, nuanced, and never out of control. He commands the screen every time he's on it, without yelling or doing anything too crazy.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p14
18/05/2013 04:44 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p14
18/05/2013 04:44 par tellurikwaves
Author: The Amazing Spy Rises (suite)
Films are made for us to escape to a new reality, whether that reality be complete fantasy, present day, the future, or in this case, the good old West. What we have here is a great western that looks and feels like a classic in the making, an old school western with an old school touch of directing (and acting) from Ed Harris.
Appaloosa is very accessible in a film genre that isn't so accessible. It's a straightforward film that, despite that, never becomes predictable and formulaic. Harris's wonderful job on all fronts make Appaloosa one of the most complete films of the year. It's got it all, great writing, killer acting, and a great atmosphere that allows the viewer to get trapped in this old western world.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p13
18/05/2013 04:39 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p13
18/05/2013 04:39 par tellurikwaves
La critique U.S
An old school western that more than gets the job done. It's a tour de "force" for Ed Harris, 2 October 2008 Author: The Amazing Spy Rises from United States
Films are made for us to escape to a new reality, whether that reality be complete fantasy, present day, the future, or in this case, the good old West. What we have here is a great western that looks and feels like a classic in the making, an old school western with an old school touch of directing (and acting) from Ed Harris.
Appaloosa is very accessible in a film genre that isn't so accessible. It's a straightforward film that, despite that, never becomes predictable and formulaic. Harris's wonderful job on all fronts make Appaloosa one of the most complete films of the year.It's got it all,great writing, killer acting, and a great atmosphere that allows the viewer to get trapped in this old western world.
© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p12
18/05/2013 04:34 par tellurikwaves
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© DR - APPALOOSA de Ed Harris (2008) p12
18/05/2013 04:34 par tellurikwaves