Not just an Eclipse (which is a rare enough event in itself) but a Super Blood Wolf Moon Lunar Eclipse!
If such events mean anything – such as Portents (and I think they must) – then there must be a humdinger of a story behind this one.
The trick is – as always – in figuring it out.
I don’t by any “End of the World” or Apocalypse crap, but I do try to see what ‘rings true’ for me.
I’d like to think that I have the Spiritual tools within me to discover this for myself.
And sometimes I do. But I don’t have answers yet.
Meanwhile I’ll just howl at the moon.
Wolf Howl
A friendlier Golden Moon.
The next chance for another glimpse of a Super Blood Wolf Moon won’t come until. Nov. 8, 2022.
The Three Mesquiteers: Overland Stage Raiders (1938)
1938
The Great Depression is ending.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is US President.
Hitler’s Third Reich marches into Austria.
Howard Hughes flys Round the world in 3 days.
Orson Welles’s broadcasts The War of the Worlds.
Seabiscuit beats War Admiral at Pimlico.
A gallon of Gas costs 10 cents.
Douglas Fairbanks dies.
Evel Knievel is born.
The 3 Mesquiteers (1938 Edition) John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, Max Terhune with Louise Brooks
The Three Mesquiteers: Overland Stage Raiders (1938)
Consider this a review. I know these B grade Serial Westerns are often looked back on with fondness by some folks. But not by me. As an 8 year old kid watching Westerns every Saturday morning in 1956, I gotta tell ya, this is the last thing I wanted to see. They seemed to contain everything that I figured shouldn’t be in a Western: Dolled up Cowboys wearing little kerchiefs; often singing with some sappy sidekick; cars! trucks!! buses!!! airplanes???!!!!; and Ventriloquist dummies! MY GOD! What kind of Western is that!! ?? Turned my stomach. I wanted to see Rory Calhoun or Randolph Scott or Audie Murphy. Anybody but this stuff. This definitely wasn’t the Golden Era of Westerns.
Fortunately!!! this would soon be coming to a merciful end 1939 when Director John Ford Directed Stagecoach (Starring John Wayne). Ford saw that Westerns could be legitimate Art. So he did it. And created some Classics: Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, … This changed everything. Oh Yeah things still occasionally fell back in formula pulp, but there was more than enough good stuff on the way.
Pals of the Saddle / by “Just Me and Dad” The Cantrell Family of Springfield MO.
Back about February 6, 2017, I left off my series of posts called John Wayne Western Filmography.
I had progressively worked through most of John’s early Westerns
and left off after Pals of the Saddle (1938).
Amongst all that I had done posts or Rio Bravo (1959 )and The Shootist (1976)
along with The Merchandising of John Wayne: Booze, Smokes …
don’t think I’ve done John’s Guns yet.
I’ll get to that one day.
Pals of the Saddle / The Overstake Sisters c.1936
John Wayne Early Westerns
At that time I had done profiles on these early John Wayne Westerns:
1930
The Big Trail
1931
The Range Feud
1932
Two-Fisted Law
Texas Cyclone
Ride Him Cowboy
Haunted Gold
The Big Stampede
1933
The Telegraph Trail
Somewhere In Sonora
Sagebrush Trail
Riders of Destiny
The Man From Monterey
1934
West of The Divide
The Trail Beyond
The Star Packer
Randy Rides Alone
The Man From Utah
The Lucky Texan
The Lawless Frontier
Blue Steel
Neath The Arizona Skies
1935
Westward Ho
Texas Terror
Rainbow Valley
Paradise Canyon
The New Frontier
Lawless Range
The Desert Trail
The Dawn Rider
1936
Winds Of The Wasteland
The Lonely Trail
The Lawless Nineties
King of The Pecos
1937
California Straight Ahead
1938
Born to The West
Santa Fe Stampede
Red River Range
Pals of The Saddle
Early Westerns yet to be covered:
Overland Stage Raiders (1938)
1939
Wyoming Outlaw
Three Texas Steers
The Night Riders
New Frontier
Allegheny Uprising
Stagecoach
It’s not likely I’ll stay on track this time either,
but we’ll venture forth anyway.
Christmas has it’s share of novelty songs and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
would be number one on that list.
But the back story is rather amazing – and inspiring.
The real story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
A man named Robert L. May, depressed and broken hearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.
Little Barbara couldn’t understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad’s eyes and asked, “Why isn’t Mommy just like everybody else’s Mommy?”
Bob’s jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob’s life. Life always had to be different for Bob.
When he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he’d rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in.
Bob, after completing college, married his loving wife Evelyn and was grateful to get a job as a copywriter at the Timothy Eaton Department Store, in Toronto, during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn’s bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the poorer area of Toronto.
Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.
Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn’t even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn’t buy a gift, he was determined to make one – a storybook!
Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal’s story
to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again, Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling.
Who was the character? What was the story all about?
The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day.
But the story doesn’t end there.
The general manager of the T. Eaton Store caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. They went on to print, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores.
By 1946, Eaton’s had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Eaton’s to print an updated version of the book.
In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Eaton’s returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller.
Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn’t end there either. Bob’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of “White Christmas.”
The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn’t so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.
Giddy up, Giddy up, Let’s go !
Just look at that snow!
Dedicated to Marilyn and Garry over at Serendipity blog. https://teepee12.com/
Marilyn is a big Roy and Dale fan and this version
of Sleigh Ride is special. It has a bonus song: Jingle Bells
plus Roy does some yodelling! Alright!
Many people believe Blue Chrismas was first done by Elvis, but it was written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson and first recorded in 1948 by the great Country Crooner Doye O’Dell. (who nobody remembers anymore). There have been many renditions since including Elvis‘.
Somebody forgot to check his gun at the door.
Brenda Lee is another artist who did many great versions of Christmas Carols.
Her phrasing was always brilliant.
When I was a kid the annual School Christmas Pageant was a staple of Canadian culture. Thus it was in the small town of Coutts in 1958 (?) on the Alberta / Montana border. I was in Grade 4.
Some poor teacher had been assigned to teach all us kids to sing some Christmas Carols. I can imagine that was no easy task.
Yet, over all years I only recall two Christmas Pageants that I was in. The other was in Michichi, Alberta, a very small farm township on the Prairie.
In Coutts, I played a shepherd in our re-enactment of the Nativity. I wore an old purple robe that passed as shepherd getup. Luckily there was no sheep involved so my duties were light.
My pal Bryce Tolley sang O Little Town of Bethlehem. He had a great voice.
All was well.
O Little Town of Bethlehem
The text was written by Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an Episcopal priest, then rector of Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia and later of Trinity Church, Boston. He was inspired by visiting the village of Bethlehem in the Sanjak of Jerusalem in 1865. Three years later, he wrote the poem for his church, and his organist Lewis Redner (1831-1908) added the music.
If there’s anything Barbra can’t sing beautifully I haven’t found it.
Pat Boone does a nice version. Yeah, he could sing pretty good.
By playing all these Christmas Carols, I’m sure some people think I’m promoting Christianity.
I’m not. I’m not Christian. I just love a lot of the Christmas music.
It’s beautiful, uplifting and Joyous.
I hope you feel the same way
The Little Drummer Boy
Wikipedia says: “The Little Drummer Boy” (originally known as “Carol of the Drum“) is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. First recorded in 1951 by the Trapp Family Singers, the song was further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry Simeone Chorale; the Simeone version was re-released successfully for several years and the song has been recorded many times since.
It almost requires a Heavenly Choir to return this piece of music
to the place it comes from.
A Divine Masterpiece.
Attempted my many. Achieved by a few.
I offer a few notable interpretations.
Ahhh … there are a few others,
but I have to stop somewhere …
A couple of years ago I discovered this version of ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’. It is not new song/poem, but an inspired update. And although it’s author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
never wrote it as a Christmas Carol, it’s become
a favorite of many people.
There have been a several Lyric changes/versions over the years.
Some History
Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heard_the_Bells_on_Christmas_Day says:
“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” is a Christmas carol based on the 1863 poem “Christmas Bells” by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The song tells of the narrator’s despair, upon hearing Christmas bells, that “hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men”. The carol concludes with the bells carrying renewed hope for peace among men.”
It’s said that two personal tragedies inspired the poem: his wife being badly burnt in a fire, and his son going to fight in the American Civil War, where he was badly wounded.
“Longfellow first wrote the poem on Christmas Day in 1863. “Christmas Bells” was first published in February 1865, in Our Young Folks, a juvenile magazine …” “References to the Civil War are prevalent in some of the verses that are not commonly sung”.
In “1872 the poem is known to have been set to music.” by English organist, John Baptiste Calkin.
The poem as evolved through several different versions over the years and in In 1956, Bing Crosby released as a single that reached No. 55 in the Music Vendor survey.
Then Burl Ives put out a version in 50’s? 60’s?
Harry does a great job (1958):
and on and on … with versions by
Frank Sinatra, Sarah McLachlan, The Carpenters … and more.
Sadly, I must agree, that there will never be Peace on Earth.
But I do believe we can find it in ourselves.
I like Christmas and I love Christmas Carols. Christmas – like most things – is what you make it. But this wonderful music already exists. So I play it.
My lady Rose turned me on to this wonderful version of
my favorite Christmas Carol, Silent Night. If you haven’t heard it already, I hope you enjoy.
God’s careless beauty is thrown o’er the moments
Like the golden coins of my fancy.
– Coins of Gold / Paul Twitchell
On the way … the Rockies ahead
The whole Elbow River basin had been devastated by flood in 2013 which had ravaged the area destroying Park facilities and terrain.
A rugged escarpment.
The Elbow Falls itself is not running high at this time of year. During Spring runoff it has twice the water flow and very spectacular.
On a beautiful Summer day this is a favoured spot for Lovers to Propose, for Picnicking, Wedding shots, Hikers, and young folks who dare to jump into the pool.
You must have noticed I’ve been doing a lot of editing … and re-Posting on my Posts recently.
This is because some strange things are going with my Blog.
The first thing that started to go wrong was that any time I posted a clip from You Tube it often didn’t appear on the the Post. It was fine in the Preview, but screwed somehow up in the Posting. And each I tried to fix it, it wouldn’t fix. But I couldn’t tell that until I Posted. Very aggravating.
The other thing was line spacing. It sometimes added extra spacing or none at all. It didn’t look very good. And I care about how my Posts look.
These a couple of other ongoing issues have required me to keep Editing and Posting until things come out correctly.
Of course, I also sometimes make mistakes – typos and such – which I am inclined to correct. But not the extent that I’ve been having to do lately.
I don’t know if the video issue a You Tube fault or a WordPress fault??? I just know it never happened before.
I hope it clears up by itself because it’s a mystery down here.
In the early 60’s two scruffy kids from Liverpool named John Lennon and Paul McCartney
formed a skiffle group/band and started banging out some tunes.
Though they surely had some dreams, I highly doubt they had any idea they would soon be at the vanguard of a
Renaissance Era that literally exploded into an immense wave of change
that swept around the planet and forever changed things.
So … on November 22, 1968 the Beatles released the White Album. This is it’s 50th Anniversary.
It followed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour
and is possibly their most perplexing album.
There must have been tremendous pressure on these guys to continuously produce something
that measured up to – or surpassed – their previous work.
And we all waited very impatiently for whatever they were going to do next.
Yet I didn’t buy The White Album. I was probably broke at the time.
I was saving every nickel to go to Art College.
Anyway … I really was perplexed by the White Album. As many were. It was large … and so different.
It wasn’t what anybody expected. Not that there wasn’t a lot of good music on there.
There was. But some was forgettable too.
I still don’t own it today, but I can get any tune from it that I want for free via YouTube.
Sometimes my guitar gently weeps … but I’m still doing pretty good.
What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.
It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.
– Blackfoot proverb
Take a Tour …
Amazing what God can do with a pile of rocks …
and a few pounds of clay.
Can you see the deer crossing the river on the left?
The are many good versions of I Put a Spell on You,
but just as some Actors seem to be born to play a certain role,
some Singers seem to born for a certain song.
This is Bonnie Tyler’s song.
Besides the Petroglyphs, this is also a wonderful place for Camping, hiking, swimming and there’s lots of wildlife.
My Favorite Westerns Photo
Net Image
The Milk River
The water is shallow, slow, and warm – with a nice beach.
The purple hills in the background are The Sweetgrass Hills in Montana.
The Petroglyphs
The amount of Petroglyphs/Writing is extensive. They are now protected and accessible only by Tour.
Net Photo
Net Photo
Net Photo
Net Photo – Blood? Real or simulated? Can’t say.
You might say the most impressive of the Petroglyphs is
The Battle Scene
Protected by fence. Previously many of the Petroglyphs had been defaced with graffiti.
Click on the image to read the plaque.
Above: an inaccurate mock up I made of the images. Otherwise they are very faint and hard to see.
Some people might think that Canadian History is not as interesting and exciting as American History.
That’s not true. We’ve just never developed a Film Industry that took advantage of it.
Right after I claim my prize for the Longest Title inBlog history!
I’ll get to posting !
Eagles / Hotel California
OK!!! back a ways I posted Essential Swashbuckling : Candle Slashing.
(I’m sure you remember *Coff*)
We now move to another SwashbucklingEssential :
The Clinch !!!
I’m not sure you’ve noticed (pay attention!), but in most any Classic Cinematic Climactic Sword Fight
the combatants at some point come together in what we call The Clinch ! (Indeed!)
The Clinch: a Definition:
When two fighters grapple or come together at close quarters.
Whereby, in film, the combatants often exchange pithy taunts, insults or threats!
In The Mark of Zorro (1940 ) we see Zorro (Tyrone Power)
and antagonist Capt. Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone) engage in 2 Clinches:
Clinch #One
(In a Gentleman’s Duel the opponents often start off in a courteous exchange):
But shortly things will likely degrade to Insults, Taunts, Threats, Spitting, Biting, Pinching, Kicking, etc …
Shameful .. but often effective. Always entertaining.
Comment excerpt from the film makers: “The Legend of Ben Hall’ was a 100% indie film. We made the film for less than $1million. Most people working on it were first timers, busting their ass to get a break in the film industry. A film like this would normally cost upwards of $5m. Film funding bodies turned us away. Investors told us to get lost. We had to use crowdfunding just to get a leg up. My cast and crew worked for weeks on end on deferred pay – or no pay – battling the cold, the rain and fighting endlessly against a system that just wanted to ignore and squash us, and still continues to do so. We made this film outside of the Hollywood and Australian film industry establishment. Both told us we could never achieve it, yet we did … “
BRAVO!!!
A job very well done.
The Legend of Ben Hall Trivia
Via Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
Director Matthew Holmes spent seven years researching Ben Hall‘s history to ensure the screenplay,
characters and plot were as historically accurate as possible.
Actors Jack Martin (Ben Hall) and Jamie Coffa (John Gilbert) bear striking
physical resemblances to the historical characters they portray.
Ben Hall carries a Tranter revolver. The Tranter revolver was an English ‘cap and ball’ revolver
invented around 1856 by William Tranter.
Tranter revolvers were regarded as reliable and functional, and were extensively used by Confederate forces during the American Civil War.
‘Brave’ Ben Hall is one of Australia’s most infamous Bushrangers but like many others
such as ‘Mad Dog’ Daniel Morgan and ‘Gentleman Bushranger’ Martin Cash
he is often overlooked as the most popular and well known one is of course Ned Kelly.
It’s very safe to say that the Bushrangers hold exactly the same legendary stature to Australians
as Billy the Kid and Jesse James do to Americans.
Whiskey in the Jar / Krisenka Finley A nice country interpretation.
These are the last of guns I’m going to profile from The Legend of Ben Hall.
There are others, but this particular firearm called the
Tranter Revolving Rifle
This seems to be a very rare gun. In fact, it was hard to find any images of it.
Because is uses a cylinder it looks like a pistol with long barrel and a stock.
Almost a buntline.
In the film we see John Gilbert (Jamie Coffa) mainly using it and, indeed,
when Gilbert was killed it’s said he had one on him.
It’s also claimed that this weapon – or a version of it – was used in the American Civil War.
though I don’t recall ever seeing depicted in any Civil War films?
Callisher and Terry .53 caliber breech loading Percussion Carbine
53 calibre??! Goodness. Look at the bore on that thing!
That’s it for the guns. It’s interesting to me. Hope you enjoyed it
I’ve been going to Sedona, Arizona on and off since the 70’s. Love that place. Back then although Sedonaand it’s Waterholeweren’t really a secret, things weren’t overly crowded either. That changed. Some major magazine (was it Look?) published an article on America’s great waterholes. Next thing you know the place was packed. Now it’s called Slide Rock State Park. And you have to pay to get in. Like many National Parks in the US and Canada the whole area has become a Tourist Trap. Frankly, many Parks are being ruined by too many visitors. Hell, Yellowstone has had traffic jams for years. Banff National Park in Canada will soon be forced to limit access. Just too many people. And if you want to camp in most any major Park up here you have to book WAY ahead. Sometimes a year ahead. It’s a crisis situation. Some Parks I visited you can’t even take a photo without 10 people in it. Or more. ??? So I’ve been dismayed for many years on how badly Sedona is being impacted. Jeep Tours, ATV rentals, mountain bikers, motocross cycles – a lot of different things. The place is being destroyed. When I hiked up to Cathedral Rock back in the 70’s I felt like I was in a remote area. Not now. Most of the following photos are from a visit in 2013 (?). Here’s what it looked like that day. We snuck in – it woulda costs 20 bucks otherwise.
Here’s where we snuck in. I hear they have guards of Wardens there, but we never saw any. ??
When it’s hot that water is sweet.
You can see how gorgeous it is there, so I can’t really blame folks.
It was HOT so I sat in the shade for a bit. Look how young and wonderful I was.
That’s Rose on that little bridge.
The famous Water Slide.
We didn’t have any swim gear so we did a bit of wading …
… and cooled our feet.
BOY ! Did that feel good !!
You bet !
But if you don’t want the crowds you can still hike into spots up creek.
Or you can always take a dip back the hotel. It’s nice … but NOT the same.
And one time … long ago … back in the early 70’s … on a warm summer evening I swam at famous Oak Creek Crossing beneath Cathedral Rock. What a magic moment that was!
Whisky in the Jar / The Brothers Four Many versions of the great folk song.
This one is good.
Guns
Westerns have guns. Lotsa guns.
In fact, along with horses, it’s questionable whether it’s really a Western
if it doesn’t have guns in it. Or even worth watching.
Yet I don’t often profile Guns in the Westerns anymore. I stopped.
Not for Political, Social or Spiritual reasons. But because most Westerns use the same guns.
Over and over.
It just became redundant. Ben Hall, however, has a few new (old) Guns that I’ve never seen before.
Let’s check ’em out.
Firstly, you might be wondering why Ben and his friends are bristling with a rather large number of firearms.
There was a good reason.
This was the Cap and Ball era. Pre-cartridge.
Re-loading was a timely exercise – very impractical during a fight.
Solution: carry lots of guns.
I’ll cover Cap and Ball loading and Bullet Making in my next post.
Below: One of Ben’s revolvers: 1856 Tranter .38 caliber, double trigger, five shot, percussion revolver. A revolver of this make was found with Ben Hall at the Billabong where he was killed.
Here’s it’s Cap and Ball Gun Kit.
1856 Tranter .38 caliber, double trigger, five shot, percussion revolver gun kit. Unlikely Ben toted a kit around – but he definitely had all these tools.
May I now confess that I am no gun expert?
I cannot identify everything in this kit.
Though I was in the Calgary Highlanders Militia
and did a lot of shooting when I was kid, I don’t even own a gun now – of any kind.
And haven’t shot one in a long – except in computer games (Where I’m an expert).
Those of you out there who can ID the items in the kit please step forward.
There’s no reward, but I’ll be grateful.
Proper cleaning and maintenance of your guns was essential.
Otherwise jamming, misfires, fouling and other evils could occur.
So we’re half way through the Rockies – which we can’t see because of the smoke. – in Yoho National Park – near Kicking Horse Pass (that’s just South of Greenhorn Gulch – just kidding)- on our way to Vernon – and Rose gets a notion to make a little side trip to see the Natural Bridge …
Though I had passed by it a hundred times, I’d never bothered to check it out.
The name Yoho comes from the CreeNative word for awe and wonder.
Here’s the Natural Bridge:
From this vantage point it looks like it would be pretty easy to get across there, Right?
Wrong!
It’s entirely different once you get out on the bridge.
The threat of falling in being killed here is real.
I wonder how many may have fallen in here over the years?
Not many I guess – or they wouldn’t let them do it.
That being said, I only saw one person – a young man – go across while I was here.
Two adventurers venture forth.
Ladies first …
This would be a great place to Propose wouldn’t it?
But they just took some pics.
And they never crossed that Bridge.
I venture out …
Trying to figure out my new camera …
What you can’t see from over there …
I try a short video …
I didn’t go across either. I’m ashamed to admit that I was scared.
But I didn’t feel it was worth the risk.
I saw only one person go across – a young man.
Good for him.
Why you wouldn’t want to fall in that water …
A Tale of 3 Hikers
Circa: early ’80’s
Myself, my buddy Pete, and a friend of his, go hiking into the backcountry.
Destination: Lake of the Hanging Glaciers.
We encounter a strong and rapid Glacier stream.
We have to cross.
Image from net – similar to what we experienced.
A makeshift bridge of 3 narrow logs spans the 15 feet gap.
It looks precarious.
I decide I’ll wade across – holding on to the bridge for support.
A bad idea.
A very bad idea.
The water’s only about 2 feet deep, but is so rapid and powerful
that when it hits you it rides up on you much higher.
I get about 5 feet out …
… then it hits me.
Like a ton of icebergs.
I have NEVER EVER experienced COLD like this before!!!
You can’t imagine it until you do yourself.
It hits my central nervous system.
It’s almost like instantly going into shock.
I can’t breathe …
I start to hyperventilate.
I realize that I will shortly be completely paralyzed.
But I’m still close enough – and strong enough – to Get the Hell back to the bank.
I do. I recover.
I decide to use the bridge instead.
Good idea.
I heave my pack across the stream.
Essentially I crawl across the rickety log bridge.
I takes about 5 minutes.
I make it.
BUT …
When I turn around I see Pete is in the water!!! He’s trying to wade across too!!!
Weren’t these idiots watching what I had just gone through!!??
I start yelling like hell:
“PETE STOP! STOP! GO BACK!! YOU WON’T MAKE IT!!!”
“IT’S TOO COLD!!!”
He won’t listen.
“I’m going to be OK”, he yells.
And he keeps going.
Incredibly, he actually makes it about half way across!!?
THEN … it hits him …
I see him seizing up …
He’s starting to hyperventilate …
He’s paralyzed …
He’s done.
Soon he’ll lose his grip on the bridge …
and be swept downstream.
He’s going to die …
EIther from drowning or hypothermia.
OR both.
I have to do something!!!
I look at his buddy on the other side …
It’s evident to me that he’s not going to do a thing.
I get a back a short distance …
Then I run and leap into the creek …
… and grab Pete.
I know, however that in a few short seconds I’m going
to be just like him.
“I’VE GOT YOU PETE!” I yell.
“WE’VE GOT TO GET OUTTA HERE!”
“ON THE COUNT OF THREE WE’RE GOING FOR BANK!”
“ONE .. TWO .. THREE!!!”
The bridge breaks.
(I don’t think Pete was able to let go of it.)
We’re floating down stream …
Do you believe GOD and Miracles?
I do.
Because the next thing I know we’re both at the bank!
How we got there I have no idea.
The bank is high, but there’s some willow type branches hanging over the edge.
“GRAB THESE BRANCHES.” I yell.
We do.
I grab Pete the rump.
“ONE, TWO, THREE …”
I throw him up on the bank.
(It’s amazing what you can do when death is calling)
Then I get myself up before I’m frozen.
We lay there for ten minutes.
Soaked and exhausted.
But alive.
The audience will always forgive you for being wrong and exciting, but never for being right and dull. – Burt Reynolds
At his height Burt Reynolds’ Star Power and sex appeal took him to the top Box Office Star in the film industry.
His popularity and charisma were unchallenged and some of his movies still hold a massive Cult following.
Among them were several Westerns though I consider none to be Western Classics.
Nearly 50 episodes between 1962 and 1965.Doc, Festus, Kitty, Burt and Matt.
Gunsmoke was definitely and unchallenged TV Western Classic.
Bet none of them suspected Burt would be the Number 1 Box Office Movie Star in a few short years.
Blow that horn Burt. Tell ’em you’re coming.
Burt goes Injun’ His first Western film.
Spaghetti. Top Billed.
Spaghetti can be tasty. Some can be Classic.
This is not one of them. MFW Rating: Worth watching as a curiosity.
Angie and Burt
MFW Rating: 50/50
Another curiosity – you can still buy this on Amazon.
It feels like an uncompleted project. MFW Rating: Not a clue.
The Bimbo and Beefcake formula. The 60’s had a lot of these.
Likewise the movie is famous for Welsh taking a shower.
Burt is Billed 3rd playing a character called Yaqui Joe.
(Guess they couldn’t find John Saxon)
MFW Rating: I watched it. Once.
Burt does Clint. Sorta.
It’s 1973. Spaghetti is still hot. Sarah Miles co-Stars.
Burt’s Star is high now – and rising – he had just made Deliverance.
and he’s starting to look like the Bandit.
Good Support Cast: Lee J. Cobb, Jack Warden and George Hamilton.
Possibly Burt’s best Western.
But there will be no sequel. MFW Rating: Not bad.
Leap ahead to 1996 – The Cherokee Kid – TV Western Comedy
Burt is 60.
His Star has fallen. But he still has chops.
But Billed 6th !!?? Really??
Hell of a Cast though: James Coburn,Gregory Hines … MFW Rating: Not bad at all.
Cathedral Rock at Sedona Arizona in the background
2002 Mini Series I missed out on.
I going to look this up. Looks like a quality production.
Supposed adaptation for the famous Range War.
MFWRating: Unknown
Burt’s last ride. He was 67. MFW Rating: Worthy
Thanks Burt … it was a good ride.
AWARDS
Academy Awards, USA 1998 Nominee
Oscar Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Boogie Nights (1997)
Golden Globes, USA 1998 Winner
Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Boogie Nights (1997) 1993 Nominee
Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical
Evening Shade (1990) 1992 Winner
Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical
Evening Shade (1990) 1991Nominee
Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical
Evening Shade (1990) 1980 Nominee
Golden Globe Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Starting Over (1979) 1975 Nominee
Golden Globe Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
The Longest Yard (1974) 1971 Nominee
Golden Globe Best TV Actor – Drama
Dan August (1970)
Primetime Emmy Awards 1992 Nominee
Primetime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Evening Shade (1990)
For playing: “Wood Newton”.1991Winner
Primetime Emmy Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Evening Shade (1990)
For playing “Wood Newton”.
BAFTA Awards 1998 Nominee
BAFTA Film Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Boogie Nights (1997)
20/20 Awards 2018 Nominee
Felix Best Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
American Movie Awards 1980 Winner
Marquee Favorite Film Star – Male
Awards Circuit Community Awards 1997 Nominee
ACCA Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Boogie Nights (1997)
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 1997 Nominee
BSFC Award Best Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 1998 Winner
CFCA AwardBest Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
Crystal Reel Awards 2002 Winner
Lifetime Achievement AwardDallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards 1998 Winner
DFWFCA Award Best Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
Daytime Emmy Awards 1990 Nominee
Daytime Emmy Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show
Win, Lose or Draw (1987) 1989 Nominee
Daytime Emmy Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show
Win, Lose or Draw (1987) 1988 Nominee
Daytime EmmyOutstanding Game/Audience Participation Show
Win, Lose or Draw (1987)
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards 1998 Winner
FFCC AwardBest Ensemble Cast
Boogie Nights (1997)
Golden Boot Awards 1990 Winner
Golden BootKey West Film Festival 2016 Winner
Golden Key Career Achievement
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards 1998 Winner
Sierra Award Best Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards 1997 Winner
LAFCA Award Best Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA 1998 Winner
NSFC AwardBest Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
New York Film Critics Circle Awards 1997 Winner
NYFCC AwardBest Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
Online Film & Television Association 1998 Winner
OFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
Online Film Critics Society Awards 1998 Winner
OFCS Award Best Supporting Actor
Boogie Nights (1997)
Wikipedia:
“Bob Flick, John Paine, Mike Kirkland, and Dick Foley met at the University of Washington, where they were members of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity in 1956 (hence the “Brothers” appellation). Their first professional performances were the result of a prank played on them in 1958 by a rival fraternity, who had arranged for someone to call them, pretend to be from Seattle’s Colony Club, and invite them to come down to audition for a gig. Even though they were not expected at the club, they were allowed to sing a few songs, and were subsequently hired. Flick recalls them being paid “mostly in beer.”
Stunning Soundtrack by Ronnie Minder. Haunting and powerful.
There’s lots of posters for The Legend of Ben Hall. But I discovered that some are made by fans.
If so, they’re damn good. I’m certain there’s no intention at deception. They just liked the movie.
I’ve created more than a few images myself for other Westerns that are circulating around the net.
I hope people like and enjoy them. Just for fun.
The third of the Preview Trailer of The Legend of Ben Hall:
Reviews
‘6 out of 10’? I don’t agree. But I’m often not in agreement with Critics.
I wouldn’t say that The Legend of Ben Hall is a Western Classic. But it’s a damn good Western and a well made Movie.
And I’ll watch it again. As I said, I think the average Western Fan would appreciate it.
Internet Movie Database (IMDB) is probably the foremost Movie site on the Net. And it has a lot of good features.
One thing it doesn’t have though (that Rotten Tomatoes does) is an Audience Score.
Which I think is definitely important.
Below you can see why:
The Audience liked The Legend of Ben Hall. “79%“.
That’s a 30% difference with the Critics!!!
Myself I rate it 8 out of 10. 80% The Audience and I agree!
So there.
Zorro’s Rapier from the Mask of Zorro
A Swiss Sabre
That’s it for the guns. It’s interesting to me.
