SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB: Week 55 Discussion - Bone Tomahawk

[Guestx]

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Here's a quick list of all movies watched by the SMC. Or if you prefer, here's a more detailed examination.


@AndersonsFoot raised his arms and said, "Let there be Westerns!" And it was so. This week we will be discussing. . .

Our Director

From Wikipedia:

Zahler has written novels in various genres, including western, crime and science fiction, and these works have received support from major award-winning names in both genre literature and film, most notably, Walter Hill, Kurt Russell, Larry Niven, Joe R. Lansdale and Jack Ketchum. His debut noir western novel, A Congregation of Jackals, was nominated for "The Spur Award" by the Western Writers of America and "The Peacekeeper" by the Western Fictioneers. Corpus Chrome, Inc., A Congregation of Jackals and Mean Business on North Ganson Street all received starred reviews for excellence in Booklist.

As a drummer, lyricist and singer, Zahler (under his stage name Czar) collaborates with his longtime friend Jeff Herriott (as JH Halberd) to write and perform songs as the heavy metal band Realmbuilder, who have three albums on Swedish label I Hate Records. This is following Zahler's foray into black metal with the project Charnel Valley, for which he played drums, wrote lyrics and shared songwriting duties with Worm. The two Charnel Valley albums were released by Paragon Records.

Zahler also wrote the script for a 2011 horror film Asylum Blackout (also released as The Incident at Sans Asylum and The Incident), which was directed by Alexandre Courtès.

In 2015, Zahler made his directorial debut, writing and directing the horror western Bone Tomahawk, which stars Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Lili Simmons, David Arquette and Richard Jenkins. The film was released on October 23, 2015, in theaters and on video on demand.

Bone Tomahawk received critical acclaim and won numerous awards. The film is 'Certified Fresh' by Rotten Tomatoes, where it has received positive reviews from 89% of critics.The New York Times called it "[a] witty fusion of western, horror and comedy that gallops to its own beat",while the LA Times said "There's a humming genre intelligence at work in the grim, witty horror-western Bone Tomahawk." The Hollywood Reporter called it "[a] handsome Western with horror overtones", and Variety described it as "...a most violent delight", while Leonard Maltin said "[T]his modest feature leaves The Hateful Eight in the dust. It’s provocative, original, extremely violent and extremely good." Twitch Film said "[Bone Tomahawk] succeeds in demonstrating the voice of its massively talented creator." At the Sitges Film Festival Bone Tomahawk won the critic's award for "Best Picture", and Zahler was given the award for "Best Director". The Independent Spirit Awards nominated Richard Jenkins for "Best Supporting Actor" and S. Craig Zahler for "Best Screenplay". Kurt Russell won the "Best Actor" award at the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.

Our Stars:​

Kurt Russell: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000621/?ref_=tt_cl_t1

Patrick Wilson: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0933940/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Matthew Fox: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0289142/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Richard Jenkins: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420955/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Lili Simmons: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3827455/?ref_=tt_cl_t5

Film Overview and YouTube Videos​

Premise: Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.

Budget: $1.8 Million
Box Office: $232,000

​

Trivia
(courtesy of IMDB)​

* Principal photography began on October 6, 2014, in Malibu, California, where it was filmed for 21 days at the Paramount Ranch.

* The final movie represents the first draft of the script.

* When the movie was officially announced in October 2012, Peter Sarsgaard and Jennifer Carpenter were set to play the O'Dwyers, while Timothy Olyphant was going to play John Brooder.

* Jim Broadbent replaced original cast member Richard Jenkins for a few months, when the project was delayed. Jenkins was then re-cast in his role.

* S. Craig Zahler's directorial debut.

* S. Craig Zahler wrote the script in 2007.

* Matthew Fox has said that he enjoyed making this movie more than any other film, and always wanted to be in a western.

* Before choosing Southern California, the producers considered the possibility of shooting the movie in New Mexico and Utah.

* John Brooder (Matthew Fox) wears the same style pistol holster as Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) in Tombstone (1993).

* Patrick Wilson and Zahn McClarnon appear in season 2 of the television series Fargo (2014), Wilson as a cop, and McClarnon as a henchman to a crime family.

Members: @shadow_priest_x @europe1 @iThrillhouse @chickenluver @jeicex @MusterX @Coolthulu @AndersonsFoot @TheRuthlessOne @Scott Parker 27 @Mr Mojo Lane @WebAlchemist @the muntjac @Caveat @FierceRedBelt @RabidJesus

 

[Guestx]

Just a heads up everyone, we have a new member: @RabidJesus. He hit me up with a PM a few days ago so let's all welcome him to the Club!

 

[Guestx]

For anyone who wants to know more about what went on behind the scenes in getting this movie made, here are two good articles:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/feb/15/craig-zahler-on-bone-tomahawk

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2015/10/21/an-interview-with-the-producers-of-bone-tomahawk

 

[The_Renaissance]

I liked it. It was a bit slow at times but I liked the dry wit throughout and when the violence landed it was pretty savage.

 

[Guestx]

I liked it. It was a bit slow at times but I liked the dry wit throughout and when the violence landed it was pretty savage.

I've heard a lot of people say they thought it was slow, and while I can understand the criticism, it was precisely those "slow" parts that I enjoyed the most. Because that's where we get most of the great dialogue and character interactions.

 

[BisexualMMA]

Did anyone spot Alan Frog from The Lost Boys as the mayor?

 

[Higus]

Great performances by Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, and Kurt Russell

 

[europe1]

I think that we see a very interesting filmmaking philosophy on display in this film.


First, we see entires scenes from beginning to end in real time.

What I mean by this is...

Take the scene where they approach the building in the beginning... or when they approach the cave near the end.

The scenes doesn't start by the entrances. A normal scene in a normal film would start with them at the door/entrance. Here, we see them slowly approaching said entrances, threading carefully as they do so. There are no edits so to compress the time-line, to make the trek speedier (as is normally done). The filmmakers deliberately draw out the scene to be very long and very slow, ignoring the normal ways films are shoot.

Basically, it's filmed in real-time. All those long, careful steps lulls us into the tempo of the film. Likewise, the scenes of violence are also in real-time, meaning that they're quick and gruesome, not really action scenes. This also makes the gore more impactful. By pulling us into such a slow, demure pace -- the violence is contrasted by this, and thus appear much more shocking. If similar acts of violence had happen in, say, an action movie, then they wouldn't be so startling because the (in comparison) frantic pace would already have geared-up our adrenaline and expectations. The slow pace pulls down our guard, attunes us to be more sensually sensetive and observant, and thus the violence is felt stronger.



One major downside of the film I thought was the surroundings. The nature just feels to domesticated. It's not wild enough. And those cave walls near the end also have a rather manufactured feel. This hurts the immersion of the movie. Which I think is rather grevious since it's a movie that's so much about lulling you into it's state-of-mind and immersing you into it's atmosphere.

 

[Guestx]

I think this is a great fucking movie. This will be the third time I've watched it and I've been hoping that we would get to discuss it in the Club.

I can never quite tell what exactly the state of the modern Western is. The genre often feels like it's dying off, but every so often a good one will still come down the pipe. There was 3:10 to Yuma, Appaloosa, and the (highly underrated) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, then a couple of years later True Grit, then another couple of years and we got Django, then another couple and The Homesman was released, and then in 2015 we got The Revenant, The Hateful Eight and Bone Tomahawk all bunched together.

I love Westerns. I had to reach adulthood before I began really appreciating the genre, but now good Western films are something I yearn for, something I crave.

And I think that Bone Tomahawk a great addition. Some have called the film slow, but I always find myself very engaged when I've watched it: Engaged by the performances, the visuals and the story. The entire cast is just fucking AMAZING. Who knew that Richard Jenkins could play a role in this way? The dude is unrecognizable! And Matthew Fox, who just might be the MVP, does a great job as the gentleman fighter: always so smooth, unceasingly competent and, when necessary, deadly. And Patrick Wilson--for whatever reason this dude is just not a favorite of mine--does a fine job as the distraught husband on a mission.

And of course then we have Kurt Russell. It's very surprising when you think about it, but after Tombstone Kurt Russell did not appear in a Western until this film (and then The Hateful Eight in the same year). I'm sure we can all agree though that he is PERFECT for the genre. No one can play the hard-nosed, grizzled lawman with a good heart like Kurt can.

Beyond the film itself, what is particularly interesting to me is its production. The fact that it was made on only $1.8 million just proves that, with the right story and the right talent involved, you don't need Matrix money even to make a film with some action in it. $1.8 million is usually very low-budget drama territory, not the kind of budget you're going to make a Western with. But from what I read, Kurt was really wanting to make this happen and kept trying to push it forward, and the rest of the cast was also very passionate. I'm pretty sure the cast didn't even have trailers and the usual amenities. So to come into the project and work almost around the clock for 21 days, in the hot sun, for very little money, that shows dedication.

I have more to say, but I'm going to leave it there for now and let some other people chime in. But all in all, I think this is a great film with a really interesting story behind it (both the story in the film, and the story of its production), and I also think it feels fresh and original within the Western genre.

8/10

 

[Guestx]

One major downside of the film I thought was the surroundings. The nature just feels to domesticated. It's not wild enough.

I can't say I felt this way. It seemed rugged enough to me, as much as the typical Western.

More info on the Paramount Ranch for anyone who is interested:

https://www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/paramountranch.htm

And those cave walls near the end also have a rather manufactured feel. This hurts the immersion of the movie. Which I think is rather grevious since it's a movie that's so much about lulling you into it's state-of-mind and immersing you into it's atmosphere.

I'm not so sure I felt this way about the WALLS, but I did feel this way about the inside of the cave, which was clearly a set. That's just a small gripe for me though, especially since so little of the movie takes place in that location. It's a not Vertical Limit-level of offense.

 

[europe1]

Oh btw, this film lands around a 7/10 for me.

I can never quite tell what exactly the state of the modern Western is. The genre often feels like it's dying off, but every so often a good one will still come down the pipe. There was 3:10 to Yuma, Appaloosa, and the (highly underrated) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, then a couple of years later True Grit, then another couple of years and we got Django, then another couple and The Homesman was released, and then in 2015 we got The Revenant, The Hateful Eight and Bone Tomahawk all bunched together.

I think that we should also point out that many of those are very idiosyncratic westerns. Only Yuma, True Grit (both remakes) and Appaloosa are what you'd call Westerns anchored in a tradiitonal vein (and maybe, possibly, in some respects Homesman). The rest are rather different and non-traditional.

And Matthew Fox, who just might be the MVP, does a great job as the gentleman fighter: always so smooth, unceasingly competent and, when necessary, deadly.

Got to wonder how he kept that white suit so clean though.

I can't say I felt this way. It seemed rugged enough to me, as much as the typical Western.

Dunno... maybe it was the lack of wide-shoots? Everything was filmed rather in-close, unlike traditional westerns that don't tend to skip on the grand vistas, so to say. Which was probably done due to budget constraints.

 

[Guestx]

Oh btw, this film lands around a 7/10 for me.

What would you say your average rating is for a Western?

I think that we should also point out that many of those are very idiosyncratic westerns. Only Yuma, True Grit (both remakes) and Appaloosa are what you'd call Westerns anchored in a tradiitonal vein (and maybe, possibly, in some respects Homesman). The rest are rather different and non-traditional.

Yeah, that's true. Even True Grit was somewhat ideosyncratic in the way that all Coen Bros films are.

There are a few fairly recent ones I still haven't seen, like Meek's Crossing and Slow West. Not sure where they fall on the spectrum.

Got to wonder how he kept that white suit so clean though.

That's a @BeardotheWeirdo question!

Dunno... maybe it was the lack of wide-shoots? Everything was filmed rather in-close, unlike traditional westerns that don't tend to skip on the grand vistas, so to say. Which was probably done due to budget constraints.

There were a few wide shots, but yeah, we don't get the same kind of scenery that we see in many Westerns. But then again, it's a smaller story. I guess more intimate photography for a more intimate story.

 

[europe1]

What would you say your average rating is for a Western?

According to IMDB, its an 5.68 with 249 westerns viewed.

But westerns is a genre that I tend to have an affinity for.

Could have sworn there were more...

In comparison to the ones you mentioned.

6.5
Slow West

7
Yuma, Appolosa, Jesse James, Hateful 8, Homesman

7.5
Django, The Revenant

8
True Grit

9
Tombstone

and Slow West. Not sure where they fall on the spectrum

It's a bit more on the traditional side.

It is unusual sort of like Tarantino's Hateful 8 is, in that despite the characters being in the wild, isolated frontiers -- all manners of nationalities and wordly eccentrics have managed to show up in the excact same spot and time to partake in the story. Postmodern hulabalo, basically.

 

[HelloJapan]

That one dudes death near the end...my god. I really enjoyed it, better then I thought it would be.

 

[europe1]

That one dudes death near the end...my god. I really enjoyed it, better then I thought it would be.

Yeah they went full-on Cut and Run on that guy!

 

[The Diplomat]

Not apart of the movie group, but I really liked this one. Great performances, nice setting and a somewhat original plot -even if its still basically cowboys and injuns.

 

[Andersons Foot]

I really enjoyed watching this. I thought the cast was fantastic. I don't know where people stand on Patrick Wilson but I haven't watched a movie that he appears in and didn't enjoy it. Big fan of him. It took me a while to notice that the old man is the dad from Step Brothers, good performance by him as well. I happen to agree with what @shadow_priest_x said about the pacing. It was "slow" I guess, in certain parts, but I really enjoyed those scenes. I loved the characters and the actors playing them so I never once felt bored throughout this movie. I would love a sequel but that really isn't possible, or necessary I guess.

I wasn't sure that the brutality out of the gate was the best way to go. I thought it may have scared some people off that aren't really into that type of thing. IIRC the very first scene was pretty brutal, but in the end nothing compared to the scene in the cave. It didn't bother me, I just hope that some people didn't shut it off right out of the gate because of the first scene. There wasn't too much action in the early part of the movie and even though I expected it, like I said earlier I didn't mind it. I really enjoyed the interactions between these characters. I thought the line by Kurt Russell was really great; "Say goodbye to my wife, I'll say hello to yours". That really stuck with me. I thought the old man and Kurt had a nice relationship and it was fun to watch.

I passed up on this movie to watch Mad Max when it first came out on Blu Ray and I don't regret that, but I wish I had came back to this sooner. A really fun movie that I enjoyed almost every minute of. I'm not sure why i have such positive thoughts, probably the cast and possibly the atmosphere that is created, but overall this was a very good time for me.

7.5/10

 

[chickenluver]

I liked this quite a bit. I think the horror western has probably been done before, but maybe not like this in the way it's a classic rescue adventure filled with horror elements.

The setup with the two drifters was really good. Very much a classic horror movie setup, except I liked how the one who survived ran to the town and brought the troglodytes with him, instead of in most horror where it's some randoms that get killed just to give you a taste of the villain/killer. Basically the events of the opening were essential to the events of the rest of the film.

Lot of darkly comical lines in that early scene, hell the very first line is Purvis asking "why do they always wet themselves?" How's that for an opening shot by the way? Guy getting his throat cut then robbed. Really brought me into the ugly, violent world of the film. I laughed when they were hearing the creepy calls from the troglodytes, Purvis calls it melodious wind or something like that and says "It's ominous!"

All four leads did very well, especially Matthew Fox. I watched the whole movie without realizing that's Richard Jenkins. I liked his character, but I kind of felt like he spoke too much, he was starting to get annoying. I think they included several lines and moments of comic relief or moments of levity so that the movie wouldn't be overwhelmingly grim. I didn't think any of it was bad, but I kind of wished they had gone ahead and made it overwhelmingly grim. I think after the abduction there shouldn't have been any more moments of levity.

There was a lot of build up to their finding of the caves, but the payoff was so good it was all worth it. The scene where they creep up to the cave and suddenly get attacked was brilliant. As europe said, the contrast between the slow build up with the immediacy and brutality of the violence really elevated the scene. That's my favorite kind of movie violence. I love some over the top action some times, but a scene like in this movie that lasts for only about a minute I would rather watch over and over again than the warehouse shootout in Hard Boiled to use a previous Club entry as an example, even though I did really like that movie.

Speaking of violence, my word was that scalping and dismemberment scene brutal. I was quite surprised how graphically that was depicted, especially the 3 or 4 big hacks of the tomahawk straight to the dude's groin, and the subsequent pulling apart of his body.

The escape was really great too, with the Sheriff hitting Boar Tusks' foot with the tomahawk just in time for Patrick Wilson to crawl in and shoot him. I originally thought the married couple wasn't going to make it back alive, then as the movie went along I started to think they would be the only survivors, with the other men dying to rescue the woman and send them home. I was surprised Richard Jenkins lives, I thought he was a goner for sure after he said the first thing he would do when he got back was buy a music stand so he could read in the bath tub.

Even though I think the troglodytes were very good villains, I find the whole concept of them a little silly. We're supposed to believe this tribe of cannibalistic indigenous people are still around in the 1890s? They made the world so authentic, yet they have these literally monstrous villains with tusks and signal devises inserted into their windpipes. They don't have a name or a language? Wtf, do they not speak? Is there any group of people in history without their own spoken language? I guess it doesn't bother me enough to lower my opinion of the movie, because like I said I did really like the way they were used in the film.

 

[chickenluver]

Did anyone spot Alan Frog from The Lost Boys as the mayor?

Or Rachel from Blade Runner as his wife?

I've noticed Westerns often portray the mayor of the town as being useless/incompetent/stupid/corrupt, while the Sheriff is the real authority in the town.

 

[Guestx]

I don't know where people stand on Patrick Wilson but I haven't watched a movie that he appears in and didn't enjoy it. Big fan of him.

I have enjoyed several movies that he's been in but for some reason the guy is kind of off-putting to me. Maybe it's his face, I dunno.

But I did enjoy The Conjuring, The Phantom of the Opera, Bone Tomahawk and Fargo.

It took me a while to notice that the old man is the dad from Step Brothers, good performance by him as well.

Yes, and isn't that fucking crazy? I would've NEVER guessed if I had not known that going into it. Just an outstanding performance. A complete transformation.

I happen to agree with what @shadow_priest_x said about the pacing. It was "slow" I guess, in certain parts, but I really enjoyed those scenes. I loved the characters and the actors playing them so I never once felt bored throughout this movie.

Yep!

I passed up on this movie to watch Mad Max when it first came out on Blu Ray and I don't regret that.

I have to tell you, I think Mad Max is kind of overrated. It's pretty awesome on a technical level, but I just was not gripped on a narrative level and the bleak, post-apocalyptic desert landscape never does it for me.

A really fun movie that I enjoyed almost every minute of. I'm not sure why i have such positive thoughts, probably the cast and possibly the atmosphere that is created, but overall this was a very good time for me.

As you say, I think it all comes down to the atmosphere of the film. The story is pretty simple when you think about it but what really makes the movie are the characters, their interactions with each other, and the feel and tone of the film.