The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
|
| ||||||||||||
 Oscar worthy performances This movie was great, one of the best movies I have seen in years. The cinematogrphy should be a hands down win for an Oscar, as well as best support actor for Casey Affleck's portral of Robert Ford. I felt that Brad Pitt's performance as Jesse James deserved atlest a nomination for best actor. Unfortunatly this film did not recieve the proper publicity that it deserved when it was in theaters. It is a bit on the long side, but it never left me feeling bored. And you should not expect to see an action packed western with Jesse James and his gang robbing trains and banks through the whole movie. The movie follows Robert Ford and his fascination/obsession with Jesse James. If you enjoy westerns in the style of "Dances with Wolves" I would recommend this movie.  Warner Brothers Has Betrayed Us I was looking forward to owning this title. However, Warner Brothers has been bought and paid for by the corrupt executives at Sony. They, having been paid $400 to $500 million dollars by Sony, have abandoned their HD DVD customers in full support of Blu-Ray. Due to contracts with both formats, they have to release the titles on HD DVD until May. However, to make sure HD DVD's death knell is rang, they're releasing those titles three weeks delayed to ensure that most movie buyers will have already purchased the Blu-Ray or regular DVD formats before HD DVD is available. This is ridiculous and I hope their companies suffer for what they're doing to the consumers. This title would probably be pretty decent had Warner not decided to taint it with their corporate sell-out treachery. I'll not buy it and neither should you. Look for Paramount and Universal titles. Fox and Warner betrayed the consumer by being bribed by the inferior format. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford (Spoilers) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a misunderstood masterpiece to me. Instead of a long pretentious film that people complained about I saw amazingly detailed portrait on fame and the curse it brings for those who seek it. Thats the driving force of the movie and book, the idea of fame. Jesse James who is nothing more than a common criminal is idolized by a country who reads dime novels of his exploits. At first Robert Ford seeks to join his gang and become famous like his hero who He assists in the roberery f a train. But after an incident involving Dick Liddl and Wood Hite that ends with Ford killing Hite, Jesse's cousin Ford seeks out the help of the government to escape prosecution and Jesse whos become slowly unstable and paranoid killing people who He fears have turned. I think I had a lead on this movie before it hit theatres when I read the book. To me the movie didn't seem too long or overdrawn. It was long and eloquent with nary a wrong scene in the movie. Every scene from the movie was in the book, a novel I absolutely loved. And smartly director Andrew Dominik adapted the book almost verbatim. He doesn't cut a small movie but one that takes it time telling its story however long and testing that might be to some. Dominik also takes a running narration from the book and lays it over several scenes at times focusing the camera on small scenes where it observes characters. This was something that was criticized as being arty and pretentious but I liked this alot. It didn't feel arty or pretensious but felt more in line with the running subtitles Zodiac in letting us get a better understanding of time, place and character. To me I couldn't imagine the movie without the narration and this is from someone who hates unnessecary dialogue. I guess the last thing I'll speak on is the acting which has taken some hits in areas. All of the side actors are good from Garret Dilahunt as the doomed Ed Miller, Mary Louise Parker in a severly cut role as Zee Jesse's wife, Sam Rockwell as Charley Ford and in a minor role James Carville as Thomas Critenden. The movie though belongs Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. Sure I'll say Pitts one of the more overrated actors in my opinion, an actor I can't see the star appeal of. But here I thought he had a nice bit of range as Jesse James. At the begining He comes off as the cocky good ole boy nice to hang around, but quick to temper. He's dangerously unstable something that becomes more apparent when he kills a man he thinks has betrayed him while seeking out another. He's switches between the charm and evil at other times seeming scared at what his life choices have lead him to. To me he was quiet impressive better than his over the top performance in Twelve Monkey's that scored him his first nomination. The real star of the film and main actor though is Casey Affleck. I've seen one performance of Charley Ford portraying him as a glory hog who shoots Jesse for the glory and fame. I haven't seen Sam Fullers take on the Jesse James story but Ford here is more complex than a simple glory seeker. At first He's in awe of his position being chosen by Jesse to stay with him hiding out in Kansas City. After shooting Wood he knows that the only way to survive Jesse is to join officials in capturing him something that even then He's trying to take center stage in doing leading of course to the actual killing hours into the movie. His Ford doesn't contemplate or plot like a murderer He just comes to the decision that the best way to be famous is kill Jesse something that He does in an offhanded way moments before He, Charley and Jesse are to go on a job sabotaged by police and the governor. After this though Afflecks Ford changes and so in a way does the movie itself. For a time its been contemplative of the lives of its characters. With the killing it changes becoming mournful with Affleck learning that there is no fame for killing supposed heroes. A vaudville act where he and Charley re-enact the killing is turning money for them until Charley falls into depression and alcoholism suddenly killing himself while seeking redemption from Zee. But its Afflecks portrayl of Robert Ford who can't enjoy his fame and his hounded from people who want to avenge him for his crime and kill the dirty little coward in a duel. Its a superbly sad but wonderfully realized role from Affleck who deserves all the acclaim He's gotten. One last note and then I'll end this rambling essay. I'd be remiss if I didn't focus on two parts of the production, mainly Roger Deakins photography and Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' score. Deakins is a photographer I've noticed here and there but on the big screen his work in this film was amazing. He shoots the seasons in a lot burnished war colors but at the right times tonally shifts in the cold and drear of winter rightly for a lot of scenes. I loved scenes where the gang prepares to rob the train at the begining stacking logs on the rails with the incredible ammount of backlighting highlighting the darkness to the total almost complete darkness for the final scenes with Garret Dillahunt as Ed Miller. Cave and Ellis previously performed the score for The Propositon. Here they made something beautiful and melodic in tune with the music of Terrence Malick's Badlands. To me I hope this score is at least considered for nomination as most attention has been going to Howard Shore's score for Eastern Promises. In my opinion this one is better and deserves notice. Thats all I can say for now. I've been rambling on the movie and not the DVD itself which I hope can match up to my love of the film in its presentation. See it for yourself and know that your in for a long movie that might test your patience if you expect something like 3:10 to Yuma. To me its a masterpiece. The Best Film of 2007 This film is a breathtaking account of the life and times of Jesse James. I am in complete awe that this movie wasn't more widely released because it was the best film of the year. Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell and Casey Affleck give astounding performances, but Affleck's portrayal of the tormented and obsessive ally to James is beautiful and absolutely unforgettable. It is a shame that movies like this can come out and be mostly ignored...it should at least be nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Cinematography. This is a must see and once you do yourself the favor of indulging in this epic, you will then know why. | |||||||||||||
