SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB: Week 55 Discussion - Bone Tomahawk

Another thought is how we see both the worlds of the townspeople and the trogs treat their women.

-The mayor's wife was really the one in power as we see her doing most of the talking and how the sheriff directly speaks to her even though she sternly tells him to talk to the mayor.
-Arthur and the sheriff both have wives they love and adore, and Chicory is a widower who still regularly visits his wife's grave and leaves flowers. He obviously still loves her.
-Arthur sets out against all odds with a bum leg to save his wife's life even if it may cost him his.
-Mrs. O'Dwyer is given an important role in the community as the town's doctor.
-In the sheriff's dying moments, he thinks of his wife and pays respects to his friend's late wife.
-Even though Brooder doesn't fancy the idea of marriage, he was tramautized by the loss of his mother and sisters at the hands of natives, which gave him a lifelong goal to kill as many as he could.
-Even when the sheriff and Chicory are captured and tell Mrs. O'Dwyer that her husband's on the way, she scolds them for bringing him along and calls them stupid. They both hang their heads like dogs, and don't say a word.

Now could you imagine a trog woman talking back like that to one of the trog men? Hell no. In fact, she probably couldn't speak because her tongue has already been cut out along with the other mutilation she's been put through. The trog women are just incubators. Nobody's bringing flowers to their graves, or writing poems for them. Pretty sad.
 
Also interesting that during the most violent scene of the movie, we'll call it the "splitting of Rick", the sheriff says the Calvary will come avenge you, then later Chicory tells the sheriff I'll avenge you sheriff but in the end, the sheriff avenged himself by killing the final 3 members of the tribe, 3 gunshots.

I saw this as Chicory making his best attempt to pay the same respects towards the sheriff as the sheriff did for the deputy. Although, when the sheriff did it, it was convincing and more grandiose (even if the audience knew it was a lie), and even Chicory believed it, or wanted to believe it. But when Chicory does it, it's more blunt, but also sort of an unintentional lie because who would really believe that Chicory could find a way to avenge the sheriff at that moment? Not even the sheriff could have been buying it. But Chicory was a man of all heart, and even if his claims of avenging the sheriff seemed unrealistic, Chicory damn well believed in it because he hated watching his friend get tortured.
 
I saw this as Chicory making his best attempt to pay the same respects towards the sheriff as the sheriff did for the deputy. Although, when the sheriff did it, it was convincing and more grandiose (even if the audience knew it was a lie), and even Chicory believed it, or wanted to believe it. But when Chicory does it, it's more blunt, but also sort of an unintentional lie because who would really believe that Chicory could find a way to avenge the sheriff at that moment? Not even the sheriff could have been buying it. But Chicory was a man of all heart, and even if his claims of avenging the sheriff seemed unrealistic, Chicory damn well believed in it because he hated watching his friend get tortured.

Chicory is a great character. At first I was like wtf is up with this old dude, he's spitting soup all over the place but he grows on you. The sheriff was a bad ass though so he avenged himself before dying. Then my mind was blown when it was pointed out by someone that Chicory is Richard Jenkins who played the father in the movie Step Brothers. Mind blown.

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Another thought is how we see both the worlds of the townspeople and the trogs treat their women.

-The mayor's wife was really the one in power as we see her doing most of the talking and how the sheriff directly speaks to her even though she sternly tells him to talk to the mayor.
-Arthur and the sheriff both have wives they love and adore, and Chicory is a widower who still regularly visits his wife's grave and leaves flowers. He obviously still loves her.
-Arthur sets out against all odds with a bum leg to save his wife's life even if it may cost him his.
-Mrs. O'Dwyer is given an important role in the community as the town's doctor.
-In the sheriff's dying moments, he thinks of his wife and pays respects to his friend's late wife.
-Even though Brooder doesn't fancy the idea of marriage, he was tramautized by the loss of his mother and sisters at the hands of natives, which gave him a lifelong goal to kill as many as he could.
-Even when the sheriff and Chicory are captured and tell Mrs. O'Dwyer that her husband's on the way, she scolds them for bringing him along and calls them stupid. They both hang their heads like dogs, and don't say a word.

Now could you imagine a trog woman talking back like that to one of the trog men? Hell no. In fact, she probably couldn't speak because her tongue has already been cut out along with the other mutilation she's been put through. The trog women are just incubators. Nobody's bringing flowers to their graves, or writing poems for them. Pretty sad.

There does seem to be some underlying messages in this film about stuff like that. As I posted before, Chicory specifically mentions Manifest Destiny when talking to Arthur. Manifest Destiny was characterized by 3 major points.

  • The special virtues of the American people and their institutions
  • The mission of the United States to redeem and remake the west in the image of agrarian America
  • An irresistible destiny to accomplish this essential duty[3]
That first one, the special virtues of the American people includes things like the Christian God and really our treatment of women as well. So I think some of these ideas were layered into the film.
 
Damn....I should NOT have looked that video from Bone Tomahawk up on Youtube....
 
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how Mrs. O'Dwyer didn't seem roughed up at all when they find her in the cave. This is a tribe a cannibal, uncivilized men that incapacitate their women to just be breeders, and you're telling me she wasn't gang raped as soon as they got her back there? Yeah, it's sick, but this action fit the bill for these villains.
I think it was implied that she had been. When the Sheriff asks her how many troglodytes there are she gets really quiet and sad, the men look away and don't press her further, then finally says "12 males, maybe more."
 
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And Tombstone is the only 11/10 Western

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It's definitely MY favorite Western. That is indeed a fact.

It's just so much fun and Kilmer's performance alone is worth the price of admission.
 
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What makes this film stand out to me are subtle things such as the sparing yet effective use of music

Sparing indeed. In case I'm just not remembering, I think the ONLY use of music is one time in the third act when Patrick Wilson's character is hobbling to the rescue.

This film may be just the tired, simple story of the good guys rescuing the girl from the bad guys, but be damned if it doesn't leave a bigger impression than just that.

It's a great example of how you can take an old, well-worn formula and make just a few tweaks and it will feel fresh again.

I didn't realize Richard Jenkins was the same guy I've seen in countless other movies until I looked him up after watching this for the first time. He's one of those actors you see and say, "Hey it's that guy," but you can never think of his name. Wow, did he immerse himself in this role that I didn't even recognize him. Great stuff.

Just an AMAZING performance.

Perhaps I have a few hang ups with the film, and one is how Mrs. O'Dwyer didn't seem roughed up at all when they find her in the cave. This is a tribe a cannibal, uncivilized men that incapacitate their women to just be breeders, and you're telling me she wasn't gang raped as soon as they got her back there? Yeah, it's sick, but this action fit the bill for these villains. Perhaps the movie didn't want to come off as that dark, which I guess I can understand, but it's just one facet that doesn't feel genuine to me. Heck, I'll compromise with she should have at least looked more roughed up. She was still way too pristine looking considering her environment and situation. It all felt a little too convenient for me, and kinda cheapened her rescue.

I kind of felt the same way, but at the same time, just for the sake of my psyche, I was kind of glad they went the route they did. Kind of like I was telling @chickenluver, if the film was any darker and more depressing than it already is, I think my enjoyment level would have decreased.
 
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.

Yes, but at least the mayor in Tombstone is also the Captain of the Fire Brigade and Chairman of the Nonpartisan Anti-Chinese League. That has to count for something.
 
Sparing indeed. In case I'm just not remembering, I think the ONLY use of music is one time in the third act when Patrick Wilson's character is hobbling to the rescue.
That same music was played again towards the end. I think after they left the Sheriff behind.

I thought that musical theme was very beautiful. Looks like the writer/director co-scored the film.
Yes, but at least the mayor in Tombstone is also the Captain of the Fire Brigade and Chairman of the Nonpartisan Anti-Chinese League. That has to count for something.
Never saw it.
 
lmao there's a lot of those "everybody has seen it" type of movies that I never saw. Didn't see Unforgiven either.

Well, I mean, when do you intend to rectify that? You can't just walk around in the world having not seen Tombstone.
 
lmao there's a lot of those "everybody has seen it" type of movies that I never saw. Didn't see Unforgiven either.

Well that's something we shall have to remedy, isn't it?

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Well, I mean, when do you intend to rectify that? You can't just walk around in the world having not seen Tombstone.
It's not very high on the priorities list, so it could be years unless it becomes a club movie
 
It's not very high on the priorities list, so it could be years unless it becomes a club movie

Emergency Club Meeting:

Should we eject chickenluver from the Club for refusing to watch Tombstone?

It seems that some standards simply must be enforced.

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