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Movies, Movies, More Movies! Any Movies!

My Review: The Alamo

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richfed
Sachem

USA

Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
May 13 2002

Status: offline

Administrator

Posted - April 18 2004 : 6:33:56 PM

Just saw The Alamo today in Asheville ...

Let's see:

First of all, it became completely clear to me that the reviewer in this thread clearly had an agenda. Santa Anna was portrayed - I thought - in a most realistic manner. Nothing anti-Hispanic about it. He was what he was; a ruthless dictator. Should he have been shown as Mr. Rogers? The best on screen portrayal of the man, in my opinion, was the late Raul Julia's in Thirteen Days to Glory. His was much more deranged that the character depicted in the most recent take on the Generalissimo.

OK - the film ... random thoughts:

-- Cast was pretty fair, or better. Jason Patrick, who I'm normally not too fond of, made a fine Jim Bowie. Dennis Quaid was an excellent Sam Houston. The young whipper snapper who played the man of his own destiny, William B. Travis, was quietly & stoically impressive. Though again, I thought Alec Baldwin's version, again in Thirteen Days to Glory, sets the standard. Billy Joe Thornton deserves all the accolades he's been receiving as David Crockett. This is how I imagine the real "Davy" to have been. Aware of his legend, and a bit embarrassed by it. Very down-to-earth and realistic portrayal.

-- Good soundtrack.

-- Superb cinematography. Some absolutely gorgeous shots and very creative camera angles and aerial shots. A pleasure to watch.

-- Nice introductory scenes, good moments during the siege, and a pretty fair "rendition", albeit a bit too brief, of the final battle.

-- I thought the movie lacked the proper punch. It was fairly understated throughout. Though I did go through some surges of emotion, I was left to wonder if that was because I truly knew the real tale. Were folks who just meandered in to see a film struck in the same manner? I don't know, but I've a sneaky suspicion they left without feeling the true drama, the heroic efforts, that the true event contained. Case in point, one of the most powerful letters ever written [See: The Travis Letter] was given a rather mundane reading in this film. It lost so very much of its poignancy.

-- I thought the Runaway Scrape was presented in a confusing manner. Editing I suppose. To the masses, I don't think it was clear what was going on. Cut from the fallen Alamo to burning buildings. It could appear that was occurring at the Alamo. A few more minutes of film might have been nice.

-- Very interesting interpretation of Crockett's death. I won't spoil it for you, but it was different, plausible, and very entertaining.

-- My favorite part - The "duet" between the Mexican Band & Crockett's fiddle from the walls of the Alamo. Very, very good stuff.

-- No, I don't think I spotted Clabert - maybe once, but not sure.

-- All in all, a decent enough work, particularly so if you are interested in the subject matter. Much like Gettysburg, it might lose its appeal to the uninitiated. Maybe not. I look forward to the DVD - a sure purchase - for repeated viewings to see what I missed; for additional footage, I hope; maybe Wes Studi's role being restored; and the opportunity to search for The French Trader.

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Kaylynn44
Mohicanite

USA

Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
July 13 2002

Status: offline

Donating Member

Posted - April 18 2004 : 6:58:46 PM

Billy Joe Thornton deserves all the accolades he's been receiving as David Crockett.

And all this time I thought that Billy Bob Thornton played as Davy.