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- In the end it's a shame, really, because the film never realizes its full potential. I'm convinced that if this movie was true to history, it could only have been better.
- Legendary marshal Wyatt Earp, now a weary gunfighter, joins his brothers Morgan and Virgil to pursue their collective fortune in the thriving mining town of Tombstone. But Earp is forced to don a badge again and get help from his notorious pal Doc Holliday when a gang of renegade brigands and rustlers begins terrorizing the town.
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- 2 Hours 9 Minutes
In the western boomtown of tombstone, arizona, crime rules the streets. Violence is a way of life, and law and order have surrendered to the ruthless gunmen who wreak havoc and terror on the innocent. ..until Wyatt Earp rides into town. After retiring as marshall of dodge city, Wyatt has come to tombstone to settle down and run a business. However, he is soon compelled against his wishes to take a stand against the lawless, whose malevolent actions threaten to consume the entire town. Despite his longing for a peaceful life, Wyatt has no choice but to strap on his holster and pin the U.S. marshall's badge to his vest. Along with his friend, the lethal and unpredictable Doc Holliday, and brothers Morgan and Virgil, he sets out to wrest control of the city from the clutches of anarchy. On a stark, windswept day seething with tension, these four men stride toward a battle they neither wanted nor expected. All hell breaks looses as Earp and his men come face to face with the evil that grips tombstone, and they are drawn into one of the bloodiest feuds in the history of the old west.
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In the western boomtown of tombstone, arizona, crime rules the streets. Violence is a way of life, and law and order have surrendered to the ruthless gunmen who wreak havoc and terror on the innocent. ..until Wyatt Earp rides into town. After retiring as marshall of dodge city, Wyatt has come to tombstone to settle down and run a business. However, he is soon compelled against his wishes to take a stand against the lawless, whose malevolent actions threaten to consume the entire town. Despite his longing for a peaceful life, Wyatt has no choice but to strap on his holster and pin the U.S. marshall's badge to his vest. Along with his friend, the lethal and unpredictable Doc Holliday, and brothers Morgan and Virgil, he sets out to wrest control of the city from the clutches of anarchy. On a stark, windswept day seething with tension, these four men stride toward a battle they neither wanted nor expected. All hell breaks looses as Earp and his men come face to face with the evil that grips tombstone, and they are drawn into one of the bloodiest feuds in the history of the old west.
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Ratings and Reviews
688 Ratings
Critics Consensus:If you're seeking a stylish modern western with a solid story and a well-chosen ensemble cast, Tombstone is your huckleberry.
Very popular and very violent Wyatt Earp story.
Cast & Crew
- Cast
- Kurt Russell
- Val Kilmer
- Sam Elliott
- Bill Paxton
- Powers Boothe
- Michael Biehn
- Charlton Heston
- Jason Priestley
- Jon Tenney
- Stephen Lang
- Thomas Haden Church
- Dana Delany
- Robert Mitchum
- Paula Malcomson
- Lisa Collins
- Dana Wheeler-Nicholson
- Joanna Pacula
- Michael Rooker
- Harry Carey
- Billy Bob Thornton
- Tomas Arana
- Milt Joyce
- John Philbin
- Robert Burke
- Billy Zane
- Wyatt Earp
- John Corbett
- W.R. Bo Gray
- Forie J. Smith
- Peter Sherayko
- Buck Taylor
- Terry O'Quinn
- Charles Schneider
- Gary Clark
- Billy Joe Patton
- Frank Stallone
- Bobby Joe McFadden
- Pedro Armendáriz
- Michael N. Garcia
- Grant Wheeler
- Jim Dunham
- Stephen Foster
- Grant James
- Don Collier
- Cecil Hoffmann
- Charlie Ward
- Clark Ray
- Chris Mitchum
- Sandy Gibbons
- Evan Osborne
- Shane McCabe
- Director
- George P. Cosmatos
- Producers
- James Jacks
- Sean Daniel
- Bob Misiorowski
- Screenwriter
- Kevin Jarre
Artists in This Movie
See All I'm your Huckleberrywww-soulreaper55528 September 2007
Warning: SpoilersProbably the best Western I have ever seen, if mostly due to Kilmer's outstanding portrayal as Doc Holliday. He lacks, in my opinion, much of the gruffness of John Wayne which, although good, gets boring after so many films. The look on Ringo's face when he realises his opponent is Holliday, not Earp, is priceless, and shows you just how great a reputation Doc has that a man praised as 'The deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill' is now making excuses not to go up against him. Russel's performance is also commendable, showing a man who has seen too much blood in his life and wishes simply to settle down, but Kilmer simply cannot be ignored as the drunken but suave gambler.
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Cowboys are my weakness!Permalink
princesss_buttercup319 June 2008
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It's funny, but I notice most of the prior comments are from guys, but speaking as a woman, this is by no means just a guy's flick. It's been one of my favorite films since the day it came out. It's got everything- drama, romance, action, and an honest to goodness story. There are even interesting themes, like the moral dilemma that Wyatt finds himself in-- Is he compelled to help fight the Cowboys even though he's 'retired' and just wants to live out his life in peace? Is there a moral equivalence between killing for justice and killing for retribution? How far can a man go to sacrifice his own integrity and better judgment? Even though the Earps are the 'good guys', the movie doesn't glamorize violence. Doc Holliday and some of the Earps' other sidekicks ('Creek Johnson' and 'Texas Jack') are obviously pretty shady characters, but at the end of the day, are forced to choose between right and wrong, and they choose correctly. It doesn't get much better than Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday, and I can't for the life of me understand why he didn't get nominated for it. I also appreciate the fact that the love story between Wyatt and Josephine didn't dominate the film and take away from the real plot, ala 'Titanic'. The love story simply served its purpose in helping viewers to better understand the character of Wyatt. Also the friendship between Wyatt and Doc was portrayed tenderly but not wussily. And okay, as a woman, let me just say that there is no one sexier than Sam Elliot. Man alive, if there ever was a person born to portray a cowboy, that guy is IT. If you've never seen a Western, or are not a fan, try this movie. It will make a believer out of you.
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A Terrific Homage to Classic Westerns!Permalink
TOMBSTONE, one of two epic westerns about Wyatt Earp released within a few months of each other (1993-94) lacks the lyrical, 'warts-and-all' quality of Kevin Costner's WYATT EARP, but is a more successful film, with tighter pacing, more clearly drawn characters, and a reverence to the genre that has made it the most popular Western of the last twenty years.
From the opening scene, narrated by the legendary Robert Mitchum, a nod to the great Hollywood Westerns of the past is evident; a gang of outlaws calling themselves 'The Cowboys' break up a Mexican wedding in a small town, ruthlessly killing nearly all the men, including village priest Pedro Armendáriz Jr. (son of the legendary Western actor), in a scene reminiscent of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. Led by two of Hollywood's flashiest character actors, swaggering Powers Boothe, and coldly psychotic Michael Biehn (playing Johnny Ringo), the presence of such pure evil sets the stage for the Earps' arrival in Tombstone.
A powerful cast is essential for a great Western, and you couldn't find a better group of actors as the Earp brothers; Kurt Russell, chiseled, squinty-eyed, and razor-thin, is an ideal Wyatt; Sam Elliott, one of Hollywood's best Western actors, plays Virgil with a growl but a twinkle in his eye; and Bill Paxton, soon to achieve stardom in APOLLO 13 and TWISTER, makes a terrific Morgan. Then there is Val Kilmer, as Doc Holliday..While Dennis Quaid, in WYATT EARP, gave the most realistic portrayal of the dying dentist-turned-gambler/gunfighter ever recorded on film (he was superb), Kilmer, relying on bloodshot eyes, an ambiguous sexuality, and a Brando-esque line delivery, literally steals TOMBSTONE, and has become the 'Doc' everyone remembers. He is so charismatic that you nearly forget that the Earps are the focus of the story! Watch for his early scene confronting a shotgun-wielding (and chubby!) Billy Bob Thornton (three years before SLING BLADE), out to kill Wyatt, and you'll see my point.
The events leading up to the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral are clearly and decisively presented, from Wyatt's first meeting with future wife Josie (Dana Delany), to the murder of Tombstone's Marshal (Harry Carey, Jr., son of another legendary Western star, and a staple of many John Ford films), which leads to Virgil taking the badge and making his brothers (in Wyatt's case, reluctantly) deputies, to the friction with Ike Clanton (GODS AND GENERALS' Stephen Lang) that explodes into the short but bloody shootout that became legendary.
Where TOMBSTONE and WYATT EARP both excel is in presenting the aftermath of the gunfight. Unlike MY DARLING CLEMENTINE or GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL, the true story doesn't tie up neatly with a happy ending at the Corral, but becomes darker and bloodier. The Earps are placed under house arrest, and after they are acquitted in court, friends of Clanton (in TOMBSTONE, Ringo and other Cowboys), cold-bloodedly murder Morgan and cripple Virgil. Wyatt explodes, and grimly sets about, with Holiday and a small band of gunmen, to execute every possible Clanton ally he can find ('You tell him I'm coming! And hell's coming with me!'). Becoming a wanted fugitive himself, he only stops his mission of vengeance long enough to take the ailing Holiday to a friend's cabin (Charlton Heston has a brief but memorable cameo as the rancher), but the gambler returns in time for the gunblazing climax of the film.
TOMBSTONE is the kind of Western that critics love to say aren't made anymore, a throwback to the golden days of Ford and Hawks, when Good and Evil were clearly defined. Director George P. Cosmatos grew up on those films, as well as those of Sergio Leone, and he said, of TOMBSTONE, that it was made to honor the Westerns he loved so much.
It is his love of the Western that makes TOMBSTONE a truly superior film!
From the opening scene, narrated by the legendary Robert Mitchum, a nod to the great Hollywood Westerns of the past is evident; a gang of outlaws calling themselves 'The Cowboys' break up a Mexican wedding in a small town, ruthlessly killing nearly all the men, including village priest Pedro Armendáriz Jr. (son of the legendary Western actor), in a scene reminiscent of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. Led by two of Hollywood's flashiest character actors, swaggering Powers Boothe, and coldly psychotic Michael Biehn (playing Johnny Ringo), the presence of such pure evil sets the stage for the Earps' arrival in Tombstone.
A powerful cast is essential for a great Western, and you couldn't find a better group of actors as the Earp brothers; Kurt Russell, chiseled, squinty-eyed, and razor-thin, is an ideal Wyatt; Sam Elliott, one of Hollywood's best Western actors, plays Virgil with a growl but a twinkle in his eye; and Bill Paxton, soon to achieve stardom in APOLLO 13 and TWISTER, makes a terrific Morgan. Then there is Val Kilmer, as Doc Holliday..While Dennis Quaid, in WYATT EARP, gave the most realistic portrayal of the dying dentist-turned-gambler/gunfighter ever recorded on film (he was superb), Kilmer, relying on bloodshot eyes, an ambiguous sexuality, and a Brando-esque line delivery, literally steals TOMBSTONE, and has become the 'Doc' everyone remembers. He is so charismatic that you nearly forget that the Earps are the focus of the story! Watch for his early scene confronting a shotgun-wielding (and chubby!) Billy Bob Thornton (three years before SLING BLADE), out to kill Wyatt, and you'll see my point.
The events leading up to the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral are clearly and decisively presented, from Wyatt's first meeting with future wife Josie (Dana Delany), to the murder of Tombstone's Marshal (Harry Carey, Jr., son of another legendary Western star, and a staple of many John Ford films), which leads to Virgil taking the badge and making his brothers (in Wyatt's case, reluctantly) deputies, to the friction with Ike Clanton (GODS AND GENERALS' Stephen Lang) that explodes into the short but bloody shootout that became legendary.
Where TOMBSTONE and WYATT EARP both excel is in presenting the aftermath of the gunfight. Unlike MY DARLING CLEMENTINE or GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL, the true story doesn't tie up neatly with a happy ending at the Corral, but becomes darker and bloodier. The Earps are placed under house arrest, and after they are acquitted in court, friends of Clanton (in TOMBSTONE, Ringo and other Cowboys), cold-bloodedly murder Morgan and cripple Virgil. Wyatt explodes, and grimly sets about, with Holiday and a small band of gunmen, to execute every possible Clanton ally he can find ('You tell him I'm coming! And hell's coming with me!'). Becoming a wanted fugitive himself, he only stops his mission of vengeance long enough to take the ailing Holiday to a friend's cabin (Charlton Heston has a brief but memorable cameo as the rancher), but the gambler returns in time for the gunblazing climax of the film.
TOMBSTONE is the kind of Western that critics love to say aren't made anymore, a throwback to the golden days of Ford and Hawks, when Good and Evil were clearly defined. Director George P. Cosmatos grew up on those films, as well as those of Sergio Leone, and he said, of TOMBSTONE, that it was made to honor the Westerns he loved so much.
It is his love of the Western that makes TOMBSTONE a truly superior film!
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Very enjoyablePermalink
MrsFuzzy16 May 2004
Warning: SpoilersI decided to watch 'Tombstone' as there was nothing else on, and I am so glad I did.
Conforming as I do to the stereotypical 'female who does not like Westerns' it was mainly Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer that drew me in.
Not knowing much about the 'OK Corral' I envisioned a long drawn out gunfight scene somewhere out in the desert. To discover it happened in the middle of town was only one of the educational experiences.
Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp gives a strong portrayal of a man who didn't want to get involved until circumstances gave him no option.
However, the movie does 'belong' to Val Kilmer. He gave a real sense of fatalism as 'Doc' Holliday, wanting to die in a blaze of gunfire rather than fading away from tuberculosis.
A great view of the Wild West.
Conforming as I do to the stereotypical 'female who does not like Westerns' it was mainly Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer that drew me in.
Not knowing much about the 'OK Corral' I envisioned a long drawn out gunfight scene somewhere out in the desert. To discover it happened in the middle of town was only one of the educational experiences.
Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp gives a strong portrayal of a man who didn't want to get involved until circumstances gave him no option.
However, the movie does 'belong' to Val Kilmer. He gave a real sense of fatalism as 'Doc' Holliday, wanting to die in a blaze of gunfire rather than fading away from tuberculosis.
A great view of the Wild West.
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A significant Western
Permalink
Nazi_Fighter_David27 March 2006
Warning: SpoilersThe legendary O.K. Corral incident in Tombstone, Arizona has been told previously in Edward L. Cahn's Law and Order (1932), Lewis Seiler's Frontier Marshal (1934), Allan Dwan's Frontier Marshal (1939), William C. McGann's Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942), John Sturges' Gunfight at O.K. Corral (1957), John Sturges' Hour of the Gun (1967), and Frank Perry's Doc (1971). It was also filmed by Lawrence Kasdan in Wyatt Earp (1994), a year after George P. Cosmatos' 'Tombstone.'
Cosmatos visualizes 'Tombstone' in a new different way He introduces Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) leaving Dodge City for the silver mining town of Tombstone to seek peaceful and profitable life There, he is joined by his brothers Virgil (Sam Elliot), and Morgan (Bill Paxton), and their wives Once arrived, they catch up with Wyatt's highly cultured friend, the flashy gambler and gunman, John Henry 'Doc' Holliday (Val Kilmer), accompanied by his voluptuous Hungarian consort Kate Horony (Joanna Pacula).
In Tombstone the Earps found that the wild town is controlled by an elite body of gunmen (the vile Clantons as well as their ally) known by the red silk sashes they wore around their waists They call themselves the 'Cowboys.'
All the elements of entertaining cinema are herethe upstanding hero figure and his unyielding nature (Earp); the eccentric, tragic sidekick (Doc Holliday); the lawless gang of villains led by the roughneck Curly Bill (Powers Boothe) and the testy Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn); and the terrific action, which is, by its very nature, the classic elements of the Western.. We also have good romance, funny lines and gun fighting skills
Cosmatos chooses to focus the attention on Wyatt's bloodiest days in Tombstone With Russell and Kilmer, he creates two characters that are both human and heroic The shootout at the O.K. Corral sparks with real excitement As the Earps with Doc Holliday step into the street and head down for their ultimate approach, they unexpectedly do look like their myth Four tall figures in long black coats advancing in a line, stern and unstoppable, a transient moment in time congealed eternally in our minds
Cosmatos visualizes 'Tombstone' in a new different way He introduces Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) leaving Dodge City for the silver mining town of Tombstone to seek peaceful and profitable life There, he is joined by his brothers Virgil (Sam Elliot), and Morgan (Bill Paxton), and their wives Once arrived, they catch up with Wyatt's highly cultured friend, the flashy gambler and gunman, John Henry 'Doc' Holliday (Val Kilmer), accompanied by his voluptuous Hungarian consort Kate Horony (Joanna Pacula).
In Tombstone the Earps found that the wild town is controlled by an elite body of gunmen (the vile Clantons as well as their ally) known by the red silk sashes they wore around their waists They call themselves the 'Cowboys.'
All the elements of entertaining cinema are herethe upstanding hero figure and his unyielding nature (Earp); the eccentric, tragic sidekick (Doc Holliday); the lawless gang of villains led by the roughneck Curly Bill (Powers Boothe) and the testy Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn); and the terrific action, which is, by its very nature, the classic elements of the Western.. We also have good romance, funny lines and gun fighting skills
Cosmatos chooses to focus the attention on Wyatt's bloodiest days in Tombstone With Russell and Kilmer, he creates two characters that are both human and heroic The shootout at the O.K. Corral sparks with real excitement As the Earps with Doc Holliday step into the street and head down for their ultimate approach, they unexpectedly do look like their myth Four tall figures in long black coats advancing in a line, stern and unstoppable, a transient moment in time congealed eternally in our minds
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Val Kilmer's Greatest PerformancePermalink
Now Tombstone is a film that I would call the last great western of its genre so far. It has every sub plot you could want in you're average film and especially in a western. They have a great cast on board also to establish this gang of ragger muffins. Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp is just as good as Costner and Lancaster were. Val Kilmer is probably the main reason why every fan of it's genre talk about it so much as he is not just a fine actor in this but you believe that Doc Holiday and him were somehow related as he takes on the exact same sense of humour which I have read in books and his likeness is there also from what I have seen in pictures.
Val Kilmer has been in a lot of films but only half of them were good and this goes into one of his best along with Oliver Stone's The Doors and Willow without doubt has to get a mention. There is a superb cast here which makes up of Bill Paxton, Sam Elliot, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Stephen Lang, Billy Zane and of course Charlton Heston. I could go on for even longer mentioning some of the great actors that star in this but the sheer action of vengeance of it make it one of the best action westerns. There are your two type of westerns like High Noon and The Searchers which are very calm but intense films. Then you have The Wild Bunch and Tombstone which are just blood thirsty with plenty of action to cater for all tastes of films.
I am not to familiar with the director but he is surely missed as far as making a western like this is concerned.
Val Kilmer has been in a lot of films but only half of them were good and this goes into one of his best along with Oliver Stone's The Doors and Willow without doubt has to get a mention. There is a superb cast here which makes up of Bill Paxton, Sam Elliot, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Stephen Lang, Billy Zane and of course Charlton Heston. I could go on for even longer mentioning some of the great actors that star in this but the sheer action of vengeance of it make it one of the best action westerns. There are your two type of westerns like High Noon and The Searchers which are very calm but intense films. Then you have The Wild Bunch and Tombstone which are just blood thirsty with plenty of action to cater for all tastes of films.
I am not to familiar with the director but he is surely missed as far as making a western like this is concerned.
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We're not cross, are we?Permalink
First of all, I love the movie. Now some may say, 'What a moron..' and others will undoubtedly agree with me. But I think it's great. When I first saw the film as it debuted in theaters eleven or so years back, I came away thinking, Men doing a man's job. Sounds a little chauvinist, I'll admit, but there you are. The movie is a tribute to men being men, living their lives on their own terms. The fact that the story is about the Earp saga is almost secondary to the film. To enjoy this movie, I don't think that it's so important for it to have historical accuracy to the letter or even have rain falling consistently through the shots. I would only advise viewers to let this Remington-painting-come-to-life wash over them and just go along for the ride. As long as we remember that this is Hollywood, all is well.
Then there's reality. As real aficionados of Tombstone history will see, the movie sacrifices or distorts some of the facts and compresses time. In the end it's a shame, really, because the film never realizes its full potential. I'm convinced that if this movie was true to history, it could only have been better. Previous reviews talk about and compare with Costner's Wyatt Earp. I think elements of both films combined would have made a great movie. For instance, I would have lifted much of WE's script from when Wyatt arrives in town (the story, not the dialog) and used it in Tombstone. And then get the rest of the facts straight. The true story is compelling on its own, and would still be entertaining.
The special edition DVD includes deleted scenes, that for the life of me, I can't figure out why they were deleted in the first place. But the scene when Wyatt and Josie rest after their spirited ride still has the payoff of the scene cut out - Josie and Wyatt getting it on. I get tired of directors thinking that the audience is sophisticated so we'll just let them figure it out on their own. Come on George, some of us didn't know that Wyatt was cheating on Mattie.
Finally, I've got to say that the movie was cast well. And the costumes were true to life - men liked to be colorful and unique in that time and place. The guns were accurate, as were the holsters (low slung and quick draw is a Hollywood invention). As for the scenery, I lived in Arizona for a while, and I do miss the big sky.
If you want to be entertained, this is the movie for you. If you want a history lesson, better hit the library..
Then there's reality. As real aficionados of Tombstone history will see, the movie sacrifices or distorts some of the facts and compresses time. In the end it's a shame, really, because the film never realizes its full potential. I'm convinced that if this movie was true to history, it could only have been better. Previous reviews talk about and compare with Costner's Wyatt Earp. I think elements of both films combined would have made a great movie. For instance, I would have lifted much of WE's script from when Wyatt arrives in town (the story, not the dialog) and used it in Tombstone. And then get the rest of the facts straight. The true story is compelling on its own, and would still be entertaining.
The special edition DVD includes deleted scenes, that for the life of me, I can't figure out why they were deleted in the first place. But the scene when Wyatt and Josie rest after their spirited ride still has the payoff of the scene cut out - Josie and Wyatt getting it on. I get tired of directors thinking that the audience is sophisticated so we'll just let them figure it out on their own. Come on George, some of us didn't know that Wyatt was cheating on Mattie.
Finally, I've got to say that the movie was cast well. And the costumes were true to life - men liked to be colorful and unique in that time and place. The guns were accurate, as were the holsters (low slung and quick draw is a Hollywood invention). As for the scenery, I lived in Arizona for a while, and I do miss the big sky.
If you want to be entertained, this is the movie for you. If you want a history lesson, better hit the library..
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Val Kilmer = LegendPermalink
JEve2644702 January 2005
Warning: SpoilersTombstone has to be one of the most truly touching and brilliant films I have ever seen. The action sequences are great and the acting is brilliant, in particular Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in what is probably the best supporting actor role I have ever seen. How he missed out on an Oscar I do not know.
Kurt Russell was very good as Wyatt Earp and played the role very well. All the acting was superb. The 'Cowboys' who are the baddies of the film had presence and style and gave the heroes some proper competition.
But this was Val Kilmers film. As Doc, he had style, charisma and looked cool even when his character was terminally ill. His sayings were also legendary and Val Kilmer should go down in film legend for this role alone.
Tombstone is the best non - John Wayne western that I have seen.
Kurt Russell was very good as Wyatt Earp and played the role very well. All the acting was superb. The 'Cowboys' who are the baddies of the film had presence and style and gave the heroes some proper competition.
But this was Val Kilmers film. As Doc, he had style, charisma and looked cool even when his character was terminally ill. His sayings were also legendary and Val Kilmer should go down in film legend for this role alone.
Tombstone is the best non - John Wayne western that I have seen.
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good god y'allPermalink
As a Tucson Native, I was totally impressed. Most people from other parts of the world will believe any western with a saguaro in it. This movie is one of the best of all time, and I worked at Old Tucson. If you're looking for a historical timeline, forget it. It's condensed for dramatic purposes, but still it flows, it's got love, action, comedy(mostly Kilmer) and a serious story of what the old west really was like. Amen for this one as opposed to the tragic The Quick and the Dead which was kinda silly if your brain is turned on whilst watching it. Watch for Priestly's, um, unusual performance. It also has a great back story on Earp's life, which makes for much more than a shallow shoot'em up movie.
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The Good Wyatt Earp FilmPermalink
Sickfrog14 August 1998
Proof that westerns can be fun, Tombstone delivers an action-adventure popcorn movie that doesn't have to be campy and one-dimensional to be enjoyable. Here, Wyatt Earp biography is told like a fable. Sure, the facts are often recalculated in this film. But this is not looking to give a straight-on accurate view of Wyatt Earp's life. This is trying to take a man's life as a basis and then add to it to make a cinematic joyride. As opposed to the overlong and plodding 'Wyatt Earp,' this film decides to have a good time with the story and not get too bogged down in the misery. Kurt Russell is powerful as awful, and no man can deny that Val Kilmer, in his finest performance to date, was fully due for an Oscar nomination, if not an Oscar win. And Michael Biehn also gives a first rate performance as the sadistic Johnny Ringo. This is a thrill ride for anyone who loves westerns, or a good film to try to get others to start watching westerns.
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Exciting story of a heroic man in the midst of many foes.Permalink
I loved this movie so much I bought it right after seeing it the first time. The acting is incredible in this film. I'm not a huge Kurt Russell fan, but he played his role very well. Among others, I consider this one of Val Kilmer's best performances. Even if your not a Western fan (like me), you'll still at least enjoy this film. Excellent lighting, cinematography and sound design. Intense pacing and story telling. All the classic elements of good guys and bad guys. Great story development and plot buildup. You have to see it at least once.
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One of the finest westerns ever filmed. Excellent..Permalink
Tepman29 July 1998
One of the finest westerns ever filmed. Excellent action. A very good script. The cast was amazing. Val Kilmer should have received an Oscar for his role as Doc Holiday. The movie was probably about 90% accurate historically, but was one of the best retellings of what had occured.
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Earps & Doc vs.Mean Cowboys as early Organized CrimePermalink
Bogmeister26 May 2006
A late entry in the western genre when already not too many were being made, this is one of those re-watchable mini-epics, with strong entertainment value. It begins with a bang, an intense shoot-out after some supposedly historical footage narrated by actor Mitchum. We are introduced to The Cowboys, this era's version of the Mafia, led by the charismatic Curly Bill (Boothe). These first few minutes manage to unnerve and surprise the audience right away: we are also introduced to the psychotic gunslinger, Ringo (Biehn), but he's revealed as the most dangerous of the bunch only after the shoot-out, a sleight of hand by the filmmakers - they made him look sympathetic in those early moments while everyone is blasting away and he just stands there looking dazed and bothered. Only afterward do we realize he's a lethal lunatic of the damned - it's a powerful beginning.
It's amazing how well this film turned out considering all the rumors of a troubled history. Credit must be given to director Cosmatos and the actors. It's a fairly huge cast, with numerous speaking roles, and everyone seems to have at least one good moment during the story. Then there's Kilmer as Doc, who is good or great in every scene he's in - this is easily Kilmer's best role. Doc is already sick as the movie begins but he manages to stay in the game to the very end, more dangerous than any 2 cowboys, using supernatural willpower & sardonic wit to distract everyone and himself from the fact he's nearly a walking ghost. Russell is just super-solid as Wyatt; he conveys a strength, tapped from unknown sources (whereas Doc draws from within), standing tall when other tough guys quake in the knees. These two make a terrific team; it's not the usual buddy stuff of most pictures. All the supporting cast is fine, including Elliott and Paxton as Wyatt's brothers, though there are some overly obvious moments. Earp's on - off relationship with the actress (Delany) has its ups & downs, there's not much room for subtlety as Earp's wife looks on quite upset as Delany strikes another of her bemused expressions. Also, due to the large number of characters, some of their stories have a heavily truncated feel (Priestley's, for example). The Vista director's cut special edition DVD has some restored footage to improve this problem. The better scenes are the confrontations between the men, the threats swung high & low, and the sheer thrill of watching Russell slap an overweight Billy Bob Thornton silly.
And we have the villains, ah yes, the villains. I've already mentioned a couple of them - another one is Lang as Ike Clanton in a deliciously cheesy, hammy yet mesmerizing performance. By the last 3rd of the movie, I was so wishing he would get his - please, someone - Earp, Holliday, anyone ! - blow this bastard away! Ike is one of the great unsung villains of movie history, a tribute to Lang's abilities. The conflict in this true-life story stemmed from the notion that there were no real villains. It was a matter of which faction had the rights, based on gun power and political ambition. In other words, the Earps were just making a political power play in the view of some and there was little difference between them and The Cowboys. But this film wastes no time in establishing Wyatt and his brothers as the decent side of the coin and when you have characters like Ike, there's no mistaking which side are the bad guys. For a different take on this piece of history, check out the original Star Trek episode 'Spectre of the Gun' from '68. Oh yeah, there are also other films like the Lancaster - Douglas opus from 1957. But the Gunfight at the OK Corral in 'Tombstone' was just one set piece out of many.
It's amazing how well this film turned out considering all the rumors of a troubled history. Credit must be given to director Cosmatos and the actors. It's a fairly huge cast, with numerous speaking roles, and everyone seems to have at least one good moment during the story. Then there's Kilmer as Doc, who is good or great in every scene he's in - this is easily Kilmer's best role. Doc is already sick as the movie begins but he manages to stay in the game to the very end, more dangerous than any 2 cowboys, using supernatural willpower & sardonic wit to distract everyone and himself from the fact he's nearly a walking ghost. Russell is just super-solid as Wyatt; he conveys a strength, tapped from unknown sources (whereas Doc draws from within), standing tall when other tough guys quake in the knees. These two make a terrific team; it's not the usual buddy stuff of most pictures. All the supporting cast is fine, including Elliott and Paxton as Wyatt's brothers, though there are some overly obvious moments. Earp's on - off relationship with the actress (Delany) has its ups & downs, there's not much room for subtlety as Earp's wife looks on quite upset as Delany strikes another of her bemused expressions. Also, due to the large number of characters, some of their stories have a heavily truncated feel (Priestley's, for example). The Vista director's cut special edition DVD has some restored footage to improve this problem. The better scenes are the confrontations between the men, the threats swung high & low, and the sheer thrill of watching Russell slap an overweight Billy Bob Thornton silly.
And we have the villains, ah yes, the villains. I've already mentioned a couple of them - another one is Lang as Ike Clanton in a deliciously cheesy, hammy yet mesmerizing performance. By the last 3rd of the movie, I was so wishing he would get his - please, someone - Earp, Holliday, anyone ! - blow this bastard away! Ike is one of the great unsung villains of movie history, a tribute to Lang's abilities. The conflict in this true-life story stemmed from the notion that there were no real villains. It was a matter of which faction had the rights, based on gun power and political ambition. In other words, the Earps were just making a political power play in the view of some and there was little difference between them and The Cowboys. But this film wastes no time in establishing Wyatt and his brothers as the decent side of the coin and when you have characters like Ike, there's no mistaking which side are the bad guys. For a different take on this piece of history, check out the original Star Trek episode 'Spectre of the Gun' from '68. Oh yeah, there are also other films like the Lancaster - Douglas opus from 1957. But the Gunfight at the OK Corral in 'Tombstone' was just one set piece out of many.
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Everything That 'Wyatt Earp' Wanted to BePermalink
'Tombstone' is one of the best westerns ever made. It was overshadowed in the early-1990s due to the success of 'Dances With Wolves' and 'Unforgiven'. While 'Tombstone' is not on par with either of those films, it is an exciting shoot-em-up western that works because it never tries to be more than it is. The Earps (Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott, and Bill Paxton) are looking for their fortune out west. However, trouble ensues as ruthless cowboys are reigning terror all over the region. Powers Boothe and Michael Biehn are the leaders of the bad dudes and a massive showdown is the only answer for all concerned. Also along for the ride is Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer, in arguably his greatest role). 'Tombstone' also has one of the greatest casts of recent memory. Some of the faces that will be seen include Charlton Heston, Dana Delaney, Stephen Lang, Billy Zane, Jason Priestley, and Billy Bob Thornton. 4 stars out of 5.
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It may not have a deep heart, but its a hell of a lot of fun..Permalink
The 1990s looked set to be a promising decade for the Western genre after the Oscar darlings Unforgiven and Dances with Wolves cleared up the Academy respectively in 90 and 92. Hot on the heels of those modern-day classics came two individual accounts of Wyatt Earp's legendary life as a lawman. Wyatt Earp boasted an interesting cast in Gene Hackaman, Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid with strong assistance from an excellent ensemble that included Tom Sizemore and Michael Madsen. Although it was a fairly decent effort, offering a consuming account of the gunslinger's whole life from his humble upbringing and the death of his first wife to his renowned battles with Outlaws like the infamous shoot-out at the Ok Corral. It couldn't help but feel plagued by a yawn inducing 183 minute running time and an uncharismatic turn from Costner in the lead. Tombstone on the other hand, begins when Earp and his brothers move to the town named in the title and is - for the most part, a far more direct and satisfying approach.
It opens with Earp ending his stint as a Kansas law officer and heading for Tombstone with his brothers Virgil and Morgan and their families in toe. Upon arrival they meet up with their good friend and Ally Doc Holliday and before long they've acquired a share in a thriving little saloon and card game. A group of ruthless bandits ironically titled 'The Cowboys', also inhabit the town and they take an immediate disliking to the retired lawman's reputation and moral attitudes. So far, Wyatt had done well to keep himself clear of any kind of feuding or trouble, but one fateful night a barbarous act forces him to arrest Curly Bill Brocious the leader of the desperadoes. This eventually results with the historic showdown at the OK Corral and a quest to rid the land from the curse of these malevolent outlaws.
On his audio commentary for the Tom Cruise drama Vanilla Sky, Cameron Crowe describes Kurt Russell as 'Hollywood's best kept secret'. Showing flashes of Clint Eastwood, but without ever looking like he's trying to imitate him, he provides a competent lead and proves that there's certainly a lot of truth to that statement. From his humorous will they won't they yearnings for Jose, to his anguished rage as he screams, `.Hell's coming with me' into the stormy night sky, Russell's on top form. His excellence can't help but play second fiddle to a scene stealing Val Kilmer, who has some of the best dialogue since Mr Blonde shared breakfast with a group of crimms in black suits. Hitting a career high, it's seems surprising that the Academy didn't acknowledge such a worthy portrayal. The camaraderie between he and Earp is one of Cinema's most pleasurable buddy pairings and no one can deny the pathos he creates in his tragic exit. His rivalry with an underused but adequate Michael Biehn as Johnny Ringo is compelling and their dual makes for an irresistible climax. Dana Delaney also shines as the Marshall's 'other' love interest, but frankly with a cast studded with cameos from so many familiar faces - even Charlton Heston - you could give a gibbon the megaphone and the results would probably still feel fairly acceptable!
The set locations are the standard cowboy fare, but director Cosmatos manages to make good use of them. The stormy night scenes when Morgan is attacked are crafted to create an electric atmosphere that is superbly lighted and the same can be said for the suspense made in the neatly staged shoot-outs. Clearly accomplished as an action director, Cosmatos certainly was the right Man for this rootin' tootin' ride through the Wild West. He shows a flare for building tension that runs smoothly throughout the beautifully shot set pieces.
The only complaint that can be made about Tombstone is the lack of any real depth found within the story. Where as genre classics like Unforgiven offer an emotionally charged drama that snuggles so neatly with the always-ungratuitous gunplay, Kevin Jarre's story falls into the 'popcorn western' category. Along with its contemporaries Young guns or The Quick and the Dead, the movie aims more for blockbuster appeal than a deep and endearing dramatic approach. Still, fans of a six-shooter will find plenty to be impressed by - in this admirable character-led mix of gunplay, companionship, romance and even just the right amount of pathos. Fans still ask which is the better of the two accounts of Wyatt Earp's life that were strangely released around the same time. Well I guess the answer really depends on your personnel taste in movies. If you like the more dramatic western and have no problem with an epic runtime, then Costner and co's biopic maybe the one for you. However if you're looking for a 'popcorn' take on the lawman's life then you need look no further. Tombstone's your movie! It may not have a deep heart, but it's a hell of a lot of fun! 8/10
It opens with Earp ending his stint as a Kansas law officer and heading for Tombstone with his brothers Virgil and Morgan and their families in toe. Upon arrival they meet up with their good friend and Ally Doc Holliday and before long they've acquired a share in a thriving little saloon and card game. A group of ruthless bandits ironically titled 'The Cowboys', also inhabit the town and they take an immediate disliking to the retired lawman's reputation and moral attitudes. So far, Wyatt had done well to keep himself clear of any kind of feuding or trouble, but one fateful night a barbarous act forces him to arrest Curly Bill Brocious the leader of the desperadoes. This eventually results with the historic showdown at the OK Corral and a quest to rid the land from the curse of these malevolent outlaws.
On his audio commentary for the Tom Cruise drama Vanilla Sky, Cameron Crowe describes Kurt Russell as 'Hollywood's best kept secret'. Showing flashes of Clint Eastwood, but without ever looking like he's trying to imitate him, he provides a competent lead and proves that there's certainly a lot of truth to that statement. From his humorous will they won't they yearnings for Jose, to his anguished rage as he screams, `.Hell's coming with me' into the stormy night sky, Russell's on top form. His excellence can't help but play second fiddle to a scene stealing Val Kilmer, who has some of the best dialogue since Mr Blonde shared breakfast with a group of crimms in black suits. Hitting a career high, it's seems surprising that the Academy didn't acknowledge such a worthy portrayal. The camaraderie between he and Earp is one of Cinema's most pleasurable buddy pairings and no one can deny the pathos he creates in his tragic exit. His rivalry with an underused but adequate Michael Biehn as Johnny Ringo is compelling and their dual makes for an irresistible climax. Dana Delaney also shines as the Marshall's 'other' love interest, but frankly with a cast studded with cameos from so many familiar faces - even Charlton Heston - you could give a gibbon the megaphone and the results would probably still feel fairly acceptable!
The set locations are the standard cowboy fare, but director Cosmatos manages to make good use of them. The stormy night scenes when Morgan is attacked are crafted to create an electric atmosphere that is superbly lighted and the same can be said for the suspense made in the neatly staged shoot-outs. Clearly accomplished as an action director, Cosmatos certainly was the right Man for this rootin' tootin' ride through the Wild West. He shows a flare for building tension that runs smoothly throughout the beautifully shot set pieces.
The only complaint that can be made about Tombstone is the lack of any real depth found within the story. Where as genre classics like Unforgiven offer an emotionally charged drama that snuggles so neatly with the always-ungratuitous gunplay, Kevin Jarre's story falls into the 'popcorn western' category. Along with its contemporaries Young guns or The Quick and the Dead, the movie aims more for blockbuster appeal than a deep and endearing dramatic approach. Still, fans of a six-shooter will find plenty to be impressed by - in this admirable character-led mix of gunplay, companionship, romance and even just the right amount of pathos. Fans still ask which is the better of the two accounts of Wyatt Earp's life that were strangely released around the same time. Well I guess the answer really depends on your personnel taste in movies. If you like the more dramatic western and have no problem with an epic runtime, then Costner and co's biopic maybe the one for you. However if you're looking for a 'popcorn' take on the lawman's life then you need look no further. Tombstone's your movie! It may not have a deep heart, but it's a hell of a lot of fun! 8/10
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When The West Was Huckleberry.Permalink
dunmore_ego22 May 2008
Warning: SpoilersThe *Pulp Fiction* of westerns, with its vivid dialog and firestorm set pieces.
Also, Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer together in one film and that's a big YUM for the ladies. Russell's and Kilmer's opening scenes establish them as powerhouse masculines, something which this film veritably bleeds with, yet these two tower over every other dusty gunslinger and scenery-chomping henchman.
Russell is Wyatt Earp. We meet him alighting a train and whipping a wrangler across the face with his own whip for beating Earp's horse, growling in a rasp that would make The Clint proud, 'Hurts, don't it?'
Kilmer is Doc Holliday. Drawing his guns like proverbial greased lightning in a card game gone sour, then knifing his antagonist and exiting stage right with a fistful of cash and a hard, sexy woman, Kilmer has only begun to amaze us as he takes his character a mighty step further, endowing his Holliday with a pseudo-continental accent of his own nefarious design and an educated panache that we doubt anyone on the frontier could have seriously exhibited WITHOUT being a lightning gun (i.e. he'd be killed in a hot second for being such a dandy). To this day he has never commanded a role so deliciously elitist.
Yes, *Tombstone* is yet another Gunfight at the O.K. Corral but related in such a way that this fact is peripheral to the characters at the heart of the tale.
Directed by George P. Cosmatos, written by Kevin Jarre, *Tombstone* presents a vision of the frontier as half brutal reality, half snakeskin Hollywood, all guilty pleasure. Ten times more entertaining than that OTHER *Wyatt Earp* - poor Kevin Costner's epic, drawn-out, tedious June 1994 release, coming in a weary second to this film in release date and pure animal fun.
The Earp brothers, Wyatt (Russell), Virgil (Sam Elliott) and Morgan (Bill Paxton), with their three blond wives in tow, arrive in Tombstone, eager to settle in and seek their fortune. Wyatt especially wants to leave behind his bloody rep as a 'Kansas lawdog.' The frontier has other ideas, crawling as it is with The Cowboys rowdy, red-sashed troublemaking gunhands who 'rule' the vicinity like mobsters; led by Curly Bill (Powers Boothe) and his sidekick, Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn), the 'deadliest pistolier since Wild Bill.'
As the trailer said, 'Justice is coming to Tombstone.'
Setting themselves up, unwillingly at first, as keepers of the peace, the Earp brothers' fate inexorably leads to the gunfight at the you-know-where, due to The Cowboys refusing to disarm while within town limits, the Earps sensing anarchy in the air and attempting to simply disarm them where they had congregated behind the O.K. Corral.
Because this movie piles on so many entertaining vignettes, the O.K. is the least of our climaxes from Wyatt driving out the Faro dealer (Billy Bob Thornton): 'Go ahead, skin it! Skin that smoke wagon and see what happens!'
to the tasty, intelligent, Latin exchange between Holliday and Ringo (you can see the full translation in the 'memorable quotes' link): 'Eventus stultorum magister.' 'In pace requiescat';
this movie roars like a stallion on steel hooves, in a hail of Peacemaker gunfire and very real handlebar moustachios.
Also, Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer together in one film and that's a big YUM for the ladies. Russell's and Kilmer's opening scenes establish them as powerhouse masculines, something which this film veritably bleeds with, yet these two tower over every other dusty gunslinger and scenery-chomping henchman.
Russell is Wyatt Earp. We meet him alighting a train and whipping a wrangler across the face with his own whip for beating Earp's horse, growling in a rasp that would make The Clint proud, 'Hurts, don't it?'
Kilmer is Doc Holliday. Drawing his guns like proverbial greased lightning in a card game gone sour, then knifing his antagonist and exiting stage right with a fistful of cash and a hard, sexy woman, Kilmer has only begun to amaze us as he takes his character a mighty step further, endowing his Holliday with a pseudo-continental accent of his own nefarious design and an educated panache that we doubt anyone on the frontier could have seriously exhibited WITHOUT being a lightning gun (i.e. he'd be killed in a hot second for being such a dandy). To this day he has never commanded a role so deliciously elitist.
Yes, *Tombstone* is yet another Gunfight at the O.K. Corral but related in such a way that this fact is peripheral to the characters at the heart of the tale.
Directed by George P. Cosmatos, written by Kevin Jarre, *Tombstone* presents a vision of the frontier as half brutal reality, half snakeskin Hollywood, all guilty pleasure. Ten times more entertaining than that OTHER *Wyatt Earp* - poor Kevin Costner's epic, drawn-out, tedious June 1994 release, coming in a weary second to this film in release date and pure animal fun.
The Earp brothers, Wyatt (Russell), Virgil (Sam Elliott) and Morgan (Bill Paxton), with their three blond wives in tow, arrive in Tombstone, eager to settle in and seek their fortune. Wyatt especially wants to leave behind his bloody rep as a 'Kansas lawdog.' The frontier has other ideas, crawling as it is with The Cowboys rowdy, red-sashed troublemaking gunhands who 'rule' the vicinity like mobsters; led by Curly Bill (Powers Boothe) and his sidekick, Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn), the 'deadliest pistolier since Wild Bill.'
As the trailer said, 'Justice is coming to Tombstone.'
Setting themselves up, unwillingly at first, as keepers of the peace, the Earp brothers' fate inexorably leads to the gunfight at the you-know-where, due to The Cowboys refusing to disarm while within town limits, the Earps sensing anarchy in the air and attempting to simply disarm them where they had congregated behind the O.K. Corral.
Because this movie piles on so many entertaining vignettes, the O.K. is the least of our climaxes from Wyatt driving out the Faro dealer (Billy Bob Thornton): 'Go ahead, skin it! Skin that smoke wagon and see what happens!'
to the tasty, intelligent, Latin exchange between Holliday and Ringo (you can see the full translation in the 'memorable quotes' link): 'Eventus stultorum magister.' 'In pace requiescat';
this movie roars like a stallion on steel hooves, in a hail of Peacemaker gunfire and very real handlebar moustachios.
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No awards, just rewards to cinema patrons.Permalink
buzznzipp19954 February 2007
God bless George P Cosmatos. To anyone who is a fan of the old west genre, holy smokes!! This little piece of western history hit with a thunderous explosion. Tombstone, was in theaters around the time that Eastwood's-- 'Unforgiven' was just heading out. That (Clint's western saga) won a lot of awards, but to my dismay, it seems as though ' they ' missed this one. To me this is what Oscars are made of . Steely-performances that bring the viewer to a place of awe. Simple. This film of the old west, that some will quibble about the fact that they didn't go into further detail on the lives and events that were part of each character here. Or that some of the facts were traded or missed all together in Tombstone. The director had set this western up and many others on their heels. Everybody mentions Val Kilmer in this as the incomparable 'Doc' Holiday. No doubt that he was indeed just that.
But add to it the way that Russell and Elliot with Paxton were the brothers that fell right into cinematic place. They were picture- perfect in their places. Then you bring in Dana Delaney, who is made for this part of the love opposite Wyatt, feisty, smart, educated and beautiful. and Stephen Lang another 'Pro' in about anything he takes on. I think he has multiple acting-personalities, his range is as broad as lake Superior. From a confident Jewish Lawyer David Abrams in 'Crime Story' (1986-88) to a quivering voice scumbag criminal outlaw in this, he has all the talent and a few other actor's talents too! Along with him, Michael Biehn, who was prime as Ringo, oh yeah! Charlton Heston as ' Henry Hooker' the solid standing rancher, who aides 'Doc' in a time of trouble, to Powers Booth, as the smart-Aleck's, oddly likable but equally slimy instigator 'Curly Bill' . The guy you love to hate. There was many moments that were the blocks that built the story, the one in particular that seemed strangely authentic, was when Wyatt and Virgil (Russell and Elliot) walked with Allie and Mattie, from the train after meeting up, and stopped at that storefront window and stood there, as if posing for a portrait. Wyatt sort of directed them to take a moment and take a picture of it to remember in their mind. That was a pause for reality in this for me. This had both tragedy and hard fought victory. The Arizona sky and scenery was dreamy in some sequences and the camera crew and sound was top-notch. I still can't really say there is another 'West' picture that stimulates my senses better than Wyatt and the whole gang, with 'Doc' the wild huckleberry, at your service..
The crew that played together in this film, helped make it a smash hit!! There are the other actors that took part as well, too many to list with the 'word' limit on IMDb, but, it was so good, you could feel it even after the movie was over! I highly and gladly recommend to western lovers and action movie seekers.
Tombstone..Justice is coming.(*****)
But add to it the way that Russell and Elliot with Paxton were the brothers that fell right into cinematic place. They were picture- perfect in their places. Then you bring in Dana Delaney, who is made for this part of the love opposite Wyatt, feisty, smart, educated and beautiful. and Stephen Lang another 'Pro' in about anything he takes on. I think he has multiple acting-personalities, his range is as broad as lake Superior. From a confident Jewish Lawyer David Abrams in 'Crime Story' (1986-88) to a quivering voice scumbag criminal outlaw in this, he has all the talent and a few other actor's talents too! Along with him, Michael Biehn, who was prime as Ringo, oh yeah! Charlton Heston as ' Henry Hooker' the solid standing rancher, who aides 'Doc' in a time of trouble, to Powers Booth, as the smart-Aleck's, oddly likable but equally slimy instigator 'Curly Bill' . The guy you love to hate. There was many moments that were the blocks that built the story, the one in particular that seemed strangely authentic, was when Wyatt and Virgil (Russell and Elliot) walked with Allie and Mattie, from the train after meeting up, and stopped at that storefront window and stood there, as if posing for a portrait. Wyatt sort of directed them to take a moment and take a picture of it to remember in their mind. That was a pause for reality in this for me. This had both tragedy and hard fought victory. The Arizona sky and scenery was dreamy in some sequences and the camera crew and sound was top-notch. I still can't really say there is another 'West' picture that stimulates my senses better than Wyatt and the whole gang, with 'Doc' the wild huckleberry, at your service..
The crew that played together in this film, helped make it a smash hit!! There are the other actors that took part as well, too many to list with the 'word' limit on IMDb, but, it was so good, you could feel it even after the movie was over! I highly and gladly recommend to western lovers and action movie seekers.
Tombstone..Justice is coming.(*****)
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A Throwback to the Greatest Westerns of All TimePermalink
romanorum126 August 2016
Warning: SpoilersThe opening narration by Robert Mitchum is told among scenes from several early silent features: 'The Great Train Robbery' (1903) and 'The Bank Robbery' (1908). The narrator further states that the discovery of silver created the boom-town of Tombstone (1879). A large gang of ruthless outlaws, led by psychopaths Curly Bill Brocius (Powers Boothe) and Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn), ride hard at a Mexican wedding party and thoroughly destroy it. An incensed priest warns them about the ominous signs of the apocalypse: vengeful men riding on horseback. He is abruptly gunned down by Ringo.
Only a few months after rowdy Tombstone's founding, three Earp Brothers (Wyatt = Kurt Russell, Virgil = Sam Elliott, and Morgan = Bill Paxton) arrive with their three wives (Mattie, Allie, Louisa) to settle down and make money. We do not hear about brothers James or Warren, even though they were there in the 1880s; James was a saloon-keeper not involved in the politics. Tombstone is typically western in that saloons and gambling establishments thrive. Confidence men check out the Earps as they disembark from wagons. County Sheriff Behan (Jon Tenney) introduces himself; the Earps also meet town marshal Fred White (Harry Carey, Jr.). After that, Wyatt enters the Oriental to confront bully Johnny Tyler (Billy Bob Thorton), who had seized the gaming table. By disposing of the coward, Wyatt obtains 25% of the faro take. Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer), an old friend who has pneumonia, turns up to renew his old acquaintances. Entering town by stagecoach is actress Josephine Marcus (Dana Delaney) and her small acting troupe. Over time Josephine will replace laudanum-drinking Mattie as Wyatt's wife. At the Oriental gaming table, Wyatt and Doc make the acquaintance of Curly Bill, Johnny Ringo, and Ike Clanton (Stephan Lang). Ike warns Wyatt that the Cowboys dislike lawmen; Wyatt, though, is 'retired'; he had been a noted peace officer in Dodge City, Kansas. Curly Bill wins $500 and walks away happy, although Doc and Ringo eye each other.
Leaving an opium den, Curly Bill is of unsound mind and fires his weapons against town regulations; eventually he murders Marshal Fred White while corrupt Sheriff Behan does nothing. The mayor wants Wyatt to be town marshal but he initially refuses. Later Wyatt becomes a lawman, along with his two brothers. Meanwhile some outlaw cowboys pull into town armed. The Earps deploy to disarm the cowboys, an action that sets up the famous shootout at the OK Corral (26 Oct 1881). When the smoke clears, two McLaury Brothers and Billy Clanton (Thomas Haden Church) are dead; Virgil, Morgan, and Doc are wounded. Billy Clairborne (Wyatt Earp III) and Ike Clanton have run away. Actually Ike did not shoot at the Earps from Fly's studio; he simply ran towards the stables. Unsuccessfully, Behan tries to arrest the Earps.
'Tombstone' is unique in that it covers six months after the OK Corral gunfight. Because of the shootout, the cowboys commence cowardly acts of vengeance. They hold a funeral for their dead comrades, carrying a sign that reads 'Murdered on the Streets of Tombstone.' On a subsequent stormy night, Virgil is ambushed by some cowboys; resulting in a buckshot-shattered left arm. After (actually three months later), Morgan is shot in the back while playing pool; he lives only a few minutes before expiring. Wyatt decides it is time to send Virgil, Allie, and Louisa to California. Curly Bill sends Frank Stillwell (Tomas Arana) to the train station to wipe out the remaining Earps. Stillwell, however, is shot to death by Wyatt, who now becomes a renegade for his vengeful action.
The rest of the movie focuses on the Earp Vendetta (1882). This was a federal posse that included 'Texas Jack' John Vermillion (Peter Sherayko), 'Turkey Creek' Jack Johnson (Buck Taylor), Sherman McMasters (Michael Rooker), Warren Earp (although Warren was not in the movie), and Wyatt. These are the men of the apocalypse, the earlier warning of the priest. Cowboys are shot to death on site, whether on the plains, in the woods, at an opium den, or in a barber shop. It's not easy, though. Once, Wyatt's band is trapped in a crossfire by Curly Bill and some cohorts at Iron Springs. Wyatt bravely extricates himself and runs towards the cowboys, blazing away, and killing Curly Bill. Doc says Wyatt walks on water. (It is an historical fact that Wyatt was never wounded in any of his gun battles.)
Although Sheriff Behan forms a posse (that included outlaw cowboys) to arrest Wyatt, he never locates him. Wyatt's band rests at the ranch of sympathetic Henry Hooker (Charlton Heston). Ringo sends a message challenging Earp to come to the Oak Grove (Silver Springs), but Doc Holliday arrives first and challenges Ringo, who is slain. The remaining gang-members are systematically wiped out. Ike survives (only to be killed later while rustling cattle). After the vendetta is over, a dying Doc has checked himself into a Colorado sanitarium. On his deathbed he has converted to the Roman Catholic faith. (Doc actually lived longer, until 1888.)
In snowy Colorado, Wyatt visits Josephine and proposes, even though he owns nothing. Josephine says she comes from a rich family. The narrator tells us that they lived together for 47 years; Wyatt died in 1929. Two of his funeral pall bearers were silent screen cowboys William S. Hart and Tom Mix. Credits appear at movie's end.
Director George P. Cosmatos has created a vastly underrated western. The photography magnificently pictures the grandeur of the West, like its sunsets. Notice the interior of the telegraph office at the beginning, the ornate bar of the Oriental, or the candle-lighting around the actors' stage. The sets are authentic, even finer details like clothing, wallpaper, saddles, and pistols of the 1880s. The exception is the red sashes, which appear solely for Cowboy identification. There are 85 speaking parts and characters are well-developed. This might have been the best western since the 1970s.
Only a few months after rowdy Tombstone's founding, three Earp Brothers (Wyatt = Kurt Russell, Virgil = Sam Elliott, and Morgan = Bill Paxton) arrive with their three wives (Mattie, Allie, Louisa) to settle down and make money. We do not hear about brothers James or Warren, even though they were there in the 1880s; James was a saloon-keeper not involved in the politics. Tombstone is typically western in that saloons and gambling establishments thrive. Confidence men check out the Earps as they disembark from wagons. County Sheriff Behan (Jon Tenney) introduces himself; the Earps also meet town marshal Fred White (Harry Carey, Jr.). After that, Wyatt enters the Oriental to confront bully Johnny Tyler (Billy Bob Thorton), who had seized the gaming table. By disposing of the coward, Wyatt obtains 25% of the faro take. Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer), an old friend who has pneumonia, turns up to renew his old acquaintances. Entering town by stagecoach is actress Josephine Marcus (Dana Delaney) and her small acting troupe. Over time Josephine will replace laudanum-drinking Mattie as Wyatt's wife. At the Oriental gaming table, Wyatt and Doc make the acquaintance of Curly Bill, Johnny Ringo, and Ike Clanton (Stephan Lang). Ike warns Wyatt that the Cowboys dislike lawmen; Wyatt, though, is 'retired'; he had been a noted peace officer in Dodge City, Kansas. Curly Bill wins $500 and walks away happy, although Doc and Ringo eye each other.
Leaving an opium den, Curly Bill is of unsound mind and fires his weapons against town regulations; eventually he murders Marshal Fred White while corrupt Sheriff Behan does nothing. The mayor wants Wyatt to be town marshal but he initially refuses. Later Wyatt becomes a lawman, along with his two brothers. Meanwhile some outlaw cowboys pull into town armed. The Earps deploy to disarm the cowboys, an action that sets up the famous shootout at the OK Corral (26 Oct 1881). When the smoke clears, two McLaury Brothers and Billy Clanton (Thomas Haden Church) are dead; Virgil, Morgan, and Doc are wounded. Billy Clairborne (Wyatt Earp III) and Ike Clanton have run away. Actually Ike did not shoot at the Earps from Fly's studio; he simply ran towards the stables. Unsuccessfully, Behan tries to arrest the Earps.
'Tombstone' is unique in that it covers six months after the OK Corral gunfight. Because of the shootout, the cowboys commence cowardly acts of vengeance. They hold a funeral for their dead comrades, carrying a sign that reads 'Murdered on the Streets of Tombstone.' On a subsequent stormy night, Virgil is ambushed by some cowboys; resulting in a buckshot-shattered left arm. After (actually three months later), Morgan is shot in the back while playing pool; he lives only a few minutes before expiring. Wyatt decides it is time to send Virgil, Allie, and Louisa to California. Curly Bill sends Frank Stillwell (Tomas Arana) to the train station to wipe out the remaining Earps. Stillwell, however, is shot to death by Wyatt, who now becomes a renegade for his vengeful action.
The rest of the movie focuses on the Earp Vendetta (1882). This was a federal posse that included 'Texas Jack' John Vermillion (Peter Sherayko), 'Turkey Creek' Jack Johnson (Buck Taylor), Sherman McMasters (Michael Rooker), Warren Earp (although Warren was not in the movie), and Wyatt. These are the men of the apocalypse, the earlier warning of the priest. Cowboys are shot to death on site, whether on the plains, in the woods, at an opium den, or in a barber shop. It's not easy, though. Once, Wyatt's band is trapped in a crossfire by Curly Bill and some cohorts at Iron Springs. Wyatt bravely extricates himself and runs towards the cowboys, blazing away, and killing Curly Bill. Doc says Wyatt walks on water. (It is an historical fact that Wyatt was never wounded in any of his gun battles.)
Although Sheriff Behan forms a posse (that included outlaw cowboys) to arrest Wyatt, he never locates him. Wyatt's band rests at the ranch of sympathetic Henry Hooker (Charlton Heston). Ringo sends a message challenging Earp to come to the Oak Grove (Silver Springs), but Doc Holliday arrives first and challenges Ringo, who is slain. The remaining gang-members are systematically wiped out. Ike survives (only to be killed later while rustling cattle). After the vendetta is over, a dying Doc has checked himself into a Colorado sanitarium. On his deathbed he has converted to the Roman Catholic faith. (Doc actually lived longer, until 1888.)
In snowy Colorado, Wyatt visits Josephine and proposes, even though he owns nothing. Josephine says she comes from a rich family. The narrator tells us that they lived together for 47 years; Wyatt died in 1929. Two of his funeral pall bearers were silent screen cowboys William S. Hart and Tom Mix. Credits appear at movie's end.
Director George P. Cosmatos has created a vastly underrated western. The photography magnificently pictures the grandeur of the West, like its sunsets. Notice the interior of the telegraph office at the beginning, the ornate bar of the Oriental, or the candle-lighting around the actors' stage. The sets are authentic, even finer details like clothing, wallpaper, saddles, and pistols of the 1880s. The exception is the red sashes, which appear solely for Cowboy identification. There are 85 speaking parts and characters are well-developed. This might have been the best western since the 1970s.
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Amazing Film, but could be more accurate
AbigailBar22 April 2016
Warning: SpoilersTombstone is my favorite film. However after learning about the historical OK Corral shootout that the film was based off of, many details in the movie are changed, like the relationships between the historical figures. Its lead me to feel the importance of historical accuracy is something that needs to be discussed.
History is an important subject, it can help people learn from past mistakes, learn about their heritage, their family, different cultures, and by Hollywood films changing things in order to make some money, it hurts the learning of the truth. People are watching these movies and mostly assume that they're accurate, and it leads to a lack of true knowledge and understanding . By simply making these movies have more accuracy or possibly at the end of the movie encourage their audience to research the historical event, we as a society can gain knowledge and continue to make history.
Until directors and actors are able, historically based movies will continue twist and change historical facts and events. The problem with this is that they will continue to cause a false sense of knowledge, it will disrespect the people who were there during the time depicted in a film if the director decided to paint them as someone they weren't and will continue to teach our generation false information.
History is an important subject, it can help people learn from past mistakes, learn about their heritage, their family, different cultures, and by Hollywood films changing things in order to make some money, it hurts the learning of the truth. People are watching these movies and mostly assume that they're accurate, and it leads to a lack of true knowledge and understanding . By simply making these movies have more accuracy or possibly at the end of the movie encourage their audience to research the historical event, we as a society can gain knowledge and continue to make history.
Until directors and actors are able, historically based movies will continue twist and change historical facts and events. The problem with this is that they will continue to cause a false sense of knowledge, it will disrespect the people who were there during the time depicted in a film if the director decided to paint them as someone they weren't and will continue to teach our generation false information.
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For Val, a role of a lifetimePermalink
subego2 May 2010
I wont review the film here as it has all been said before. I did want to praise Val Kilmer's portrayal of 'Doc' Holiday. Throughout the entire film, his acting and character embellishments are so nuanced and well done that by movies end, we feel his loss in a very personal way. Credit must also go out the the costumers and make-up artists for their contribution to the overall effect of his role. All the way through the film, he looks sickly, pale and world-weary. His mannerisms and intensity of gaze profoundly establish this character as a focal point in this production. But as for what I started this off with, I consider this role as probably the very best for Val Kilmer. It required subtlety and careful restraint and made the viewer believe that we weren't watching an actor merely regurgitating lines and hitting their foot-marks. I, for one, was entranced by the carefully studied body language and facial expressions..the sweaty desperation of a man who sensed his own mortality but strove to enact his own justice for justices sake. This was just very well done!
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I'm Your HuckleberryPermalink
wikkit2717 January 2008
Warning: SpoilersFew Movies can claim historic one-liners such as Tombstone. The most popular of which being that teasing prompt from Doc Holliday to Jonny Ringo, 'I'm your Huckleberry. That's just my game.' Kevin Jarre (writer) can die a happy man knowing that every movie buff who calls himself a man will continue to utter 'I'm your Huckleberry' from their lips as a taunting provocation towards an opponent. George P. Cosmatos (Director) rounds up a cast filled with so much talent for the genre that you could say the movie was almost doomed to become one of the most popular westerns in fandom. First of all, all characters have to sport a real man's mustache, and Kurt Russell, Sam Elliot (especially Sam), Val Kilmer and Bill Paxton meet the cowboy challenge with flying colors. Even though Russell's portrayal as Wyatt Earp was solid, Val Kilmer nearly hijacks the movie with one of the best performances (arguably) of his acting career as Doc Holiday. He almost steals the movie from the main protagonist, Wyatt. The historical accurateness concerning the Earps and Clantons at the OK Corral is good enough to indulge the history buff to a satisfactory level. Some facts would clash, but minor details are most often sacrificed to the movie gods so that maximum enjoyment for the audience can be achieved. The movie involves many themes. Obeying the Law. Love. Loss of love. Addiction. Retribution. Loyalty has a strong influence in the movie on both the Cowboy side and the Earp side of the conflict. The Action is good and heroic, but the greatest part of this movie is the dialog. This aspect is were Tombstone shines above all other western films. A dialog which bleeds with hate, revenge and history.
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Tombstone is good.Permalink
anyte23 August 1998
History??? We don't need no stinkin' history! This movie was excellent not for it's historical accuracy but for an entertaining experience with good acting by all. Especially note worthy was Val Kilmer as the drunken Doc Holliday.
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Exciting revisionist Western with plenty of tension , thrills , gunplay and high body-count .Permalink
ma-cortes19 September 2018
'Tombstone: The Legend of Wyatt Earp' (George P. Cosmatos, 1993) with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer is a vigorous recounting of a familiar tale , dealing with legendary lawman moves to Tombstone , Arizona, aiming to begin a new life along with his brothers , Virgil (Sam Elliott) and Morgan (Bill Paxton) . This trigger-taut Western drama deals with a lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and a badman gunslinger and philosopher Southern gent who usually coughs , called Doc Holliday , (Val Kilmer who excels , giving comsumptive conviction to character) , the strangest friendship this side of heaven and hell . They fought shoulder to shoulder in the wildest stand-up gunfight in the history of the West . As the fabled showdown is seen about two-thirds of the way through this film . They are the strangest alliance between the West's most famous sheriff Wyatt Earp , trying to overcome outlaws and its deadliest gambling killer , Doc Holliday. It's incomparably performed by the greatest team who ever went into action , Kurt Russell portrays the large-than-life lawman , living by the old rules , driven by revenge , dueling to the death and Kilmer is most impressive as a gunslinger , the hellfire gambler , his only friends were his guns and his only refuge was a woman's heart , Kate : Joanna Pacula . Two towering Box office actors in a huge exciting production . The film correctly builds up its suspense until a tense battle in streets of Tombstone , it is the highlight to the story and the start of a small war between the revenger Earp and the baddies : ¨The Cowboys¨ , led by Curly Bill (Powers Boothe ) , Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) , Ike Clanton (Stephen Lang) , Billy Clanton (Thomas Haden Church) , Frank McLaury (Robert Burke) . Meanwhile , Wyatt falls in love for an actress , Josephine (Dana Delaney) , though lacks the indispensable romantic spark .
This is an overwhelming Western , though too self-conscious , suffering from 90s Western revisionism . It was partially panned , but nowadays being well considered , may be seen by some as unoriginal and cliched but is really a very fashionable outing in Earp saga and a throughly agreeable Western. Russell sounds and looks the part more than any other Earp , including Kevin Costner/Kasdan Wyatt, being helped in no small measure by his courage in growing a large Earp-like tache . Val Kilmer delivers an awesome acting , stealing clearly the show , a character designed for scenary chewing , giving a breathtaking portrayal of the doomed dentist . Although overlong , but blessed with a high-energy level , thanks to noisy action , spectacular horse riding and rousing shooting . Russell spends a lot of time looking troubled by the violence while kills mercilessly. There's also essential moustache-wearing from the very effective Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton : Virgil and Morgan . Here Doc helps Earp against other historic characters , such as Stephen Lang /Ike Clanton , Thomas Haden Church /Billy Clanton and Johnny Ringo/Michael Biehn . As the picture benefits itself from despictable villians . The film focuses Tombstone , 1881 , with stimulating scenes about OK Corral gunfight between Morgan , Virgil , Wyatt Earp , Doc against the nefarious Ike Billy Clanton , Johnny Ringo, and Tom McLowery . This main character is a historical figure , in this case the sheriff Wyatt Earp who participated the most famous duel occurred in the western town of Tombstone in 1881 that has been brought to the big screen many times as in the classic 'My Darling Clementine' in 1946 directed by John Ford with Henry Fonda and Victor Mature , in this 'Gunfight at O.K. Corral' (1957) with Burt Lancaster , Kirk Douglas directed by specialist John Sturges who would resume the same story in 'The Hour of the Gun' (1967) ; the demystifying 'Doc' (Frank Perry, 1971) with Harris Yulin and Stacy Keach or the more modern ¨Wyatt Earp¨ (Lawrence Kasdan, 1994) with Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid .
This is a story enormous in scope ,unusual in concept with a mile-a-minute action on a climatic and thrill-a-minute gunfight. Packs a magnificent and marvelous cinematography-Vistavision with a nice sense of period , and Technicolor with overblown chromatic by William A Fraker . As well as adequate costuming and lavish production design . This thrilling film contains a spectacular and lyric musical score by the great Bruce Broughton who composes a rousing soundtrack . All of them help make this one an enjoyable action western film . This saga of Earp family and the band of law-abiding large moustaches beat the Wyatt Earp by Lawrence Kasdan/Kevin Costner to big screen by several years . The motion picture was stunningly directed by George Pasn Cosmatos
This is an overwhelming Western , though too self-conscious , suffering from 90s Western revisionism . It was partially panned , but nowadays being well considered , may be seen by some as unoriginal and cliched but is really a very fashionable outing in Earp saga and a throughly agreeable Western. Russell sounds and looks the part more than any other Earp , including Kevin Costner/Kasdan Wyatt, being helped in no small measure by his courage in growing a large Earp-like tache . Val Kilmer delivers an awesome acting , stealing clearly the show , a character designed for scenary chewing , giving a breathtaking portrayal of the doomed dentist . Although overlong , but blessed with a high-energy level , thanks to noisy action , spectacular horse riding and rousing shooting . Russell spends a lot of time looking troubled by the violence while kills mercilessly. There's also essential moustache-wearing from the very effective Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton : Virgil and Morgan . Here Doc helps Earp against other historic characters , such as Stephen Lang /Ike Clanton , Thomas Haden Church /Billy Clanton and Johnny Ringo/Michael Biehn . As the picture benefits itself from despictable villians . The film focuses Tombstone , 1881 , with stimulating scenes about OK Corral gunfight between Morgan , Virgil , Wyatt Earp , Doc against the nefarious Ike Billy Clanton , Johnny Ringo, and Tom McLowery . This main character is a historical figure , in this case the sheriff Wyatt Earp who participated the most famous duel occurred in the western town of Tombstone in 1881 that has been brought to the big screen many times as in the classic 'My Darling Clementine' in 1946 directed by John Ford with Henry Fonda and Victor Mature , in this 'Gunfight at O.K. Corral' (1957) with Burt Lancaster , Kirk Douglas directed by specialist John Sturges who would resume the same story in 'The Hour of the Gun' (1967) ; the demystifying 'Doc' (Frank Perry, 1971) with Harris Yulin and Stacy Keach or the more modern ¨Wyatt Earp¨ (Lawrence Kasdan, 1994) with Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid .
This is a story enormous in scope ,unusual in concept with a mile-a-minute action on a climatic and thrill-a-minute gunfight. Packs a magnificent and marvelous cinematography-Vistavision with a nice sense of period , and Technicolor with overblown chromatic by William A Fraker . As well as adequate costuming and lavish production design . This thrilling film contains a spectacular and lyric musical score by the great Bruce Broughton who composes a rousing soundtrack . All of them help make this one an enjoyable action western film . This saga of Earp family and the band of law-abiding large moustaches beat the Wyatt Earp by Lawrence Kasdan/Kevin Costner to big screen by several years . The motion picture was stunningly directed by George Pasn Cosmatos
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Tombstone vs Wyatt EarpPermalink
I have watched both Tombstone and Wyatt Earp, which came out within a year of each other. Thus they offer rather vivid contrast. While they are both likable films, the former has a much more talented cast. Val Kilmer gave one of the best portrayal of Doc I have seen. He is complex, kind and cruel, careful and reckless, serious and humorous. His killing of Johnny Ringo in the woods is one of the best gun fight in movies. It is up-close and very personal so that the viewer can almost smell the blood and gun powder. I am certain that the director and writers take great liberty with history but the film is a classic western as well as a suspense thriller. The latter film tries to be more of a character study of Wyatt Earp. Here he is not the straight forward hero but a man of dubious moral conviction. Except for Costner, the cast, in my opinion, is average at best. I am particularly disappointed by Quaids' Doc performance. All the Clanton gangs seems interchangeable without individuality. The bottom line is these films are enjoyable but one is by far the better.
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Beautifully engaging with magnificent performances by Kurt Russell and Val KilmerPermalink
Screen_Blitz11 October 2016
Labeling this biopic-based western epic directed by George P. Cosmatos a classic may feel somewhat of an overstatement, but with engaging storytelling by Kevin Jarre and lively performances by such a likable cast (most notably Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer); it almost feels like one. With the Golden Age of Hollywood several decades in the rear-view mirror and the glory days of western actors like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood in the past, it seems the livelihood of the western genre has been slowly dying out with a progressing shortage of memorable or even engaging westerns outings looming year after year. However, this 90s biopic centering on the story of western lawman Wyatt Earp shows good proof that though the western genre is running low on fuel, its not out of the game yet. Set in the 1800s American West, this film tells the story of former lawmen Wyatt Earp (played by Kurt Russell) who has set to retire from law enforcement duty and settle down in the old town of Tombstone, Arizona where he reunites with his old friend Doc Holliday (played by Val Kilmer) and his brothers: Virgil (played by Sam Elliot), the town marshal, and Morgan (played by Bill Paxton), the town sheriff. Everything in town goes pretty peaceful, that is until a gang of corrupt outlaws lead by the ruthless Curly Bill Brocious (played by Powers Booth) arrive in town and cause tyranny. With the lives of their loved ones threaten, Wyatt and his gang must pick their guns back and serve justice against the unlawful gang.
What do you come to expect when hopping aboard the western genre? Bearded men in ten gallon hats? Gunslingers engaging in violent shootouts? Thick Southern accents? As common tropes they are, they all of these happens to be here. But director George P. Cosmotos has much more engaging aspects to offer here than the usual western conventions. Based on an inspiring screenplay by Kevin Jarre partially based on true events, the film boasts a gripping biopic story with mostly solid pacing and charismatic characters, and ventures through the harsh odyssey of former lawmen Wyatt Earp and his call for heroism when the ones he loved become the target of corruption and the life he thought he left behind comes back to grab him by his throat. This all comes down to some bloodshed conflict between his town and the ruthless outlaws of the wild west who threaten to tear him apart. This is not to say the story doesn't offer moments of levity and humor in the midst of its overall solemn atmosphere, particularly from Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday who sprinkles in some comic relief. But the murderous outlaws are not only trouble Wyatt is gutted with, he is also caught in the unexpected love triangle with his narcotic common-law wife Josephine Marcus (played by Dana Delany) and Matty Blaylock (played by Dana Wheeler-Nicholson), which forms to a subplot this story sadly leaves underdeveloped and less dynamic than it should have been. Overall, the story is a spectacle. Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer are both genuine and highly rigid in their roles, and the chemistry these leads show is equally moving, though nothing in the Oscar territory, nothing remotely disappointing. Sam Elliot and Bill Paxton are fine, but quite as memorable as the former duo in the performance department, nor is Powers Booth as the gun-slinging antagonist with a thirst of blood.
Tombstone is a beautifully engaging western epic with lively performances by Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, and boasts a powerful, if flawed direction by George G. Cosmatos and a gripping script by Kevin Jarre. Though this film may be not be what I consider a masterpiece, there are plenty of reasons why this film is worth your time, even if the western genre doesn't quite spark your interest.
What do you come to expect when hopping aboard the western genre? Bearded men in ten gallon hats? Gunslingers engaging in violent shootouts? Thick Southern accents? As common tropes they are, they all of these happens to be here. But director George P. Cosmotos has much more engaging aspects to offer here than the usual western conventions. Based on an inspiring screenplay by Kevin Jarre partially based on true events, the film boasts a gripping biopic story with mostly solid pacing and charismatic characters, and ventures through the harsh odyssey of former lawmen Wyatt Earp and his call for heroism when the ones he loved become the target of corruption and the life he thought he left behind comes back to grab him by his throat. This all comes down to some bloodshed conflict between his town and the ruthless outlaws of the wild west who threaten to tear him apart. This is not to say the story doesn't offer moments of levity and humor in the midst of its overall solemn atmosphere, particularly from Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday who sprinkles in some comic relief. But the murderous outlaws are not only trouble Wyatt is gutted with, he is also caught in the unexpected love triangle with his narcotic common-law wife Josephine Marcus (played by Dana Delany) and Matty Blaylock (played by Dana Wheeler-Nicholson), which forms to a subplot this story sadly leaves underdeveloped and less dynamic than it should have been. Overall, the story is a spectacle. Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer are both genuine and highly rigid in their roles, and the chemistry these leads show is equally moving, though nothing in the Oscar territory, nothing remotely disappointing. Sam Elliot and Bill Paxton are fine, but quite as memorable as the former duo in the performance department, nor is Powers Booth as the gun-slinging antagonist with a thirst of blood.
Tombstone is a beautifully engaging western epic with lively performances by Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, and boasts a powerful, if flawed direction by George G. Cosmatos and a gripping script by Kevin Jarre. Though this film may be not be what I consider a masterpiece, there are plenty of reasons why this film is worth your time, even if the western genre doesn't quite spark your interest.
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