True Grit (1 Viewer)

[mikemiller1955]

I'm taking the other side here...I have seen them both...the original many times...the remake twice...

I'm a huge John Wayne fan...but I prefer the remake much more...

Bridges was perfect in this role...couldn't have been cast better...a cantankerous, crabby, tough drunkard with grit...he was made for this role...

Damon played his part well...a proud Texas Ranger trying to live the legend he romanticised...I wish he had gotten some more lines...I'm a huge fan of his...

while I thought Kim Darby stole the show in the original...Hailee Steinfeld really took the cake in the remake...her horse/saddle trading scene was a classic...along with all her threats of her attorney..J. Noble Daggett...even the senior one armed spinster that plated Mattie was perfect in her brief appearance...the way she called the retired gunfighters in the Wild West Show "trash"...

I miss Martin Strothers and Dennis Hopper...two characters that can never be replaced or equaled...but Brolin was a nice addition...

while I love Barry Pepper...he's not Robert Duvall...I'll concede that...but he handled his role like he was made for it...

both were great shows...both will be classics...I prefer the remake...

 

[lancer]

Al, I misread your post somehow. Yes, I see we both agree. If I had never seen the original, I still would have liked the remake more I'm sure.

One of the remakes I really like was "The Getaway" with Alec Baldwin and Kim Bassinger.

Walt

Problem with the original Getaway was Allie McGraw couldn't act and Struthers annoyed the crap out of me. Thought the remake was good, too. -- Al

 

[mikemiller1955]

this Johnny Cash song was a great addition to the remake...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gah5cTO5As

I have always been a big fan of his...

 

[maddadicus]

this Johnny Cash song was a great addition to the remake...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gah5cTO5As

I have always been a big fan of his...

Loved the trailer..Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to see it now. I am a big Wayne fan. ( Searchers, True Grit, and The Shootist being my favorites..(With a nod to most of his WW2 stuff ......AWWFORGETIT..started down his movie list and found at least 12 FAVORITE MOVIES!...):redface2: Michael

 

[binder001]

JW remade El Dorado, as Rio Bravo, and Rio Lobo. Pretty much the same plot and characters. All fun movies.

Minor correction - Rio Bravo was the "original", filmed as a response to "High Noon". El Dorado came in the 60's with the extremely mediocre "Rio Lobo" later.

Gary B.

 

[Combat]

The most interesting difference between the movies is the ending. In John Wayne-world the hero rides off into the sunset after saying his goodbye. Everything is wrapped up nice and tidy. The audience leaves happy. In the remake (per the book) the hero dies off screen. An anticlimax. The ending is realistic, depressing, and the story is left feeling incomplete. One odd thing I didn't like for some reason was when Mattie calls Frank James "trash" after learning of Cogburn's death. That just seemed out of place in that moment.

 

[mikemiller1955]

One odd thing I didn't like for some reason was when Mattie calls Frank James "trash" after learning of Cogburn's death. That just seemed out of place in that moment.

I thought that was a great touch...as he didn't rise to his feet in a woman's presence...she insulted him for being ill mannered...to me...it just made her character stronger and displayed how her personality evolved...

 

[lancer]

The most interesting difference between the movies is the ending. In John Wayne-world the hero rides off into the sunset after saying his goodbye. Everything is wrapped up nice and tidy. The audience leaves happy. In the remake (per the book) the hero dies off screen. An anticlimax. The ending is realistic, depressing, and the story is left feeling incomplete. One odd thing I didn't like for some reason was when Mattie calls Frank James "trash" after learning of Cogburn's death. That just seemed out of place in that moment.

I thought the scene where Mattie called Frank James "trash" was great and I thought was perfectly within her prim and proper character type. I think the whole point to the scene was that Cole Younger rose to his feet when a lady approached, as proper manners would dictate, while James just sat on his butt. Younger then introduced themselves and conversed politely, providing her with the info she needed. James did and said nothing, an etiquette violation Mattie apparently didn't care for, thus the parting shot calling James "trash". I just thought it fit perfectly. -- Al

 

[mikemiller1955]

I thought the scene where Mattie called Frank James "trash" was great and I thought was perfectly within her prim and proper character type. I think the whole point to the scene was that Cole Younger rose to his feet when a lady approached, as proper manners would dictate, while James just sat on his butt. Younger then introduced themselves and conversed politely, providing her with the info she needed. James did and said nothing, an etiquette violation Mattie apparently didn't care for, thus the parting shot calling James "trash". I just thought it fit perfectly. -- Al

Well said Al...I wish I was so eloquent......I like that the Coen brothers put the last 5 minutes in there for some closure...that particular scene showed she still had her "spirit" after losing her arm and maturing...

 

[lancer]

Well said Al...I wish I was so eloquent......I like that the Coen brothers put the last 5 minutes in there for some closure...that particular scene showed she still had her "spirit" after losing her arm and maturing...

I liked the remake ending, too. Thought that both films were very good. The Coens did their usual great job. Both versions would go in my film library. Can't say the same for most remakes. -- Al

 

[maddadicus]

Just saw the new True Grit and was disappointed by the almost line for line duplication of the original. With the quality of the actors involved, I expected more. The original is still the classic and clear winner, in my opinion. Michael

 

[Ragnar]

I prefer the new version all though i found the ending rather morbid.
I did like the ending better on the original but Kim Darby's hairstyle was way off for a girl in the 1800's.
As mywife pointed out they just did not have short styled haircuts back then {eek3}

 

[UKReb]

I liked the remake ending, too. Thought that both films were very good. The Coens did their usual great job. Both versions would go in my film library. Can't say the same for most remakes. -- Al

I'm with you Al

Although a life long fan of the Duke's movies (good and bad) I did prefer this new version-in fact I consider it will be a true Americana classic in a few years time.

Wayne's version of TG was adapted to fit his new persona that he had forged for himself after realising that he couldn't play the combat hero anymore whilst the Coen's film is more faithful to the Portis novel.

I also bought the very moving soundtrack .

Bob

 

[lancer]

I'm with you Al

Although a life long fan of the Duke's movies (good and bad) I did prefer this new version-in fact I consider it will be a true Americana classic in a few years time.

Wayne's version of TG was adapted to fit his new persona that he had forged for himself after realising that he couldn't play the combat hero anymore whilst the Coen's film is more faithful to the Portis novel.

I also bought the very moving soundtrack .

Bob

Hi Bob. I really liked the "period" sound track on the re-make as well. Really set the mood and didn't distract from the show as some sound tracks tend to do when not time period correct. There was an excellent western called "The Long Riders" that I think kind of set the standard for "time period correct" sound tracks. It is still a favorite of mine. -- Al

 

[UKReb]

Hi Bob. I really liked the "period" sound track on the re-make as well. Really set the mood and didn't distract from the show as some sound tracks tend to do when not time period correct. There was an excellent western called "The Long Riders" that I think kind of set the standard for "time period correct" sound tracks. It is still a favorite of mine. -- Al

Al

This "cross dressing" between us is getting quite scary ^&grin

As I too love Ry Cooder's soundtrack to The Long Riders and no doubt you know that the track Archie's Funeral is rooted in the old Methodist hymn Hold To God's Unchanging Hand. The exact same hymn that is played prominently in Carter Burwell's soundtrack music for the Coen's True Grit.

Well I'll be danged!!!

Bob

 

[lancer]

Al

This "cross dressing" between us is getting quite scary ^&grin

As I too love Ry Cooder's soundtrack to The Long Riders and no doubt you know that the track Archie's Funeral is rooted in the old Methodist hymn Hold To God's Unchanging Hand. The exact same hymn that is played prominently in Carter Burwell's soundtrack music for the Coen's True Grit.

Well I'll be danged!!!

Bob

^&grin^&grin^&grin I also liked the version of "I'm a Good Old Rebel" in Long Riders. I have recently done quite a bit of reading on the ACW in Missouri. It was a particularly vicious form of guerrilla warfare with atrocities pretty standard for both sides. It is no wonder the James' and the Youngers lived and died as they did. -- Al