The Highwaymen / Live Forever
Kris Kristofferson Western Filmography / Part 1
Kris’s Kristofferson’s Western film career started off with a definite Bang!! TWO HUGE BANGS to be exact. He first Starred in Sam Peckinpah’s Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973). Peckinpah was already a controversial figure – and the story surrounding the making and dismemberment of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is legendary stuff – Sam eventually walking away from the project – the movie undergoing several edits –
resulting in 3 different versions.
Kris’s second Western – Heaven’s Gate (1980) may be the most controversial movie project in Film History – bankrupting United Artist Film Studio – due to the outrageous behavior of Director Michael Cimino – equally as controversial as Peckinpah.
The parallel between Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Heaven’s Gate is amazing: Two controversial renegade Director’s – possible both genius’s – who made two controversial Western movies – which were both dismembered by their respective Studios – ending up in multiple versions of each – but which were ultimately manifested into what many people consider as Westerns Classics. The verdict is still out on Heaven’s Gate –
but Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is in solid.
And Kris was in both of them. Amazing stuff.
In 1986 Kris made two Westerns: A remake of Stagecoach and The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James. Stagecoach Starred Kris, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James Starred Kris and Johnny Cash. Willie had a bit part in that one too.
Yep … these guys eventually formed the Country Music Supergroup
The Highwaymen.
Kris appeared in at least 16 Westerns …
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Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid was a great one.
Hi Rick.
Yeah I even liked the original butchered version. But the restored version that his friends put together is the best.
Poor Kris! Having to work with Peckinpah and Cimino and before costarring with Striesand and director Pierson. Wonder he ever worked in movies again. But I can only imagine the fun he had working with Willie and Johnny.
Peck’s drinking and behavior – not sure how he got things done. But he did. Chimino wasn’t like that – just eccentric. But It must have been bizarre on that set.
Kris won 1976 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor (A Star Is Born). Has been nominated for Raspberry’s too though – one for Heavens Gate. Don’t know why? He wasn’t bad at all.
The Highwaymen. yeah, obviously those 4 guys got along pretty good. I noticed all four of them have some history of substance abuse – booze and drugs.
There’s a good movie in there somewhere.