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El Crab
Brigadier General
USA
Status: offline |
 Posted - January 23 2004 : 10:20:12 PM
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So I was peering around the ol' Internet today, and I found out that there was a LaserDisc version of Son of the Morning Star. Apparently it is 216 minutes (3 hr 36 min) while the VHS and I presume the TV version was 183 minutes (3 hr 3 min). I was just curious if anyone knows what was left out or added in in the LaserDisc version?
I also read that it was shot close to the battlefield, anyone identify the terrain?
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I came. I saw. I took 300 pictures. |
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Rich
Commander-in-Chief
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 24 2004 : 11:48:41 AM
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| Not I, but I sure do wish they'd release it on DVD! |
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movingrobewoman
Lt. Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 25 2004 : 3:39:46 PM
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| Did it mention "The Making of Son of the Morning Star" on it as well? I heard that was lurking on the disc version. I happen to have received a promo video of "Making" when "SOMS" came out in 1991 ... they do go into more detail about the place in Montana (as well as the fort the production company built) where primary filming occurred. Although most of the "SOMS" filming looked like Montana to me, there were some parts that looked suspiciously like--(possibly-post-major filming) southern California, maybe near the place where "The Thorn Birds" were filmed. |
movingrobe |
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El Crab
Brigadier General
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 25 2004 : 8:15:48 PM
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The one thing I didn't like was using footage from the Fetterman fight in the Last Stand scenes.
Its possible the extra running time is the the Making Of portion. |
I came. I saw. I took 300 pictures. |
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bhist
Lt. Colonel
Status: offline |
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BJMarkland
Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 26 2004 : 07:13:02 AM
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quote:
The one thing I didn't like was using footage from the Fetterman fight in the Last Stand scenes.
Crab, they used scenes from the Fetterman fight? I didn't realize there ever had been a movie about that episode of the Bozeman Trail saga. Shoot, that knocks my idea of pitching it to Sam Elliot to play Jim Bridger 
Best of wishes,
Billy |
Edited by - BJMarkland on January 26 2004 07:13:53 AM |
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El Crab
Brigadier General
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 26 2004 : 12:26:24 PM
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Well, they had a very brief scene on the Fetterman Fight in the movie, then took the soldiers getting hit in a big ol' ditch and warriors shooting them from above from that scene and used it in Custer's Last Stand. I guess it was supposed to be Deep Ravine.
I remember the first time I saw the mini-series pretty well. I had taped it, and still being in Junior High, my mom and dad made me go to bed at 10 the night of the second half (stupid school), yet I feigned an illness. If my parents really knew how into the battle I was, they should have known I was faking. Humorously enough, my brother stayed home as well, and we watched it. I was pretty happy with it, though even then I noticed it wasn't too close to the truth on the Custer fight, though we don't truly know what happened. But back then, I was under the impression that Custer was forced north, and left a trail of bodies till he was crushed on LSH. The valley scenes were pretty cool, seeing a big line of cavalry moving into position (right, front, into line!) and charging down towards the village. And the skirmish line looked pretty formidable, as did the one on LSH.
BJMarkland: You know Sam Elliott? If ya do, tell him I loved him in The Big Lebowski and Gettysburg. |
I came. I saw. I took 300 pictures. |
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BJMarkland
Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 26 2004 : 4:12:53 PM
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Hey, I just remembered, I have the stinking video!
Boy, a mind is a terrible thing to lose.
Sam, yeah, me and him go back a long time..LOL...no, just kidding, never met the man but he is got to be the best at playing a western character in the business. Selleck isn't bad, and they both like the western, but the newer generation? Much as I like Johnny Depp as an actor, he just ain't Lee Marvin or the Duke, but having said that, Depp is a skilled enough actor and has enough flair that I bet he would play one hell of a Custer.
Just my two bits worth.
Have a good day!
Billy |
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movingrobewoman
Lt. Colonel
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 26 2004 : 4:38:27 PM
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My problem with "SOMS" was that, gosh, they went out and spent money to film in Montana to try and get the locale right (and I have to admit, it looks a LOT like the battlefield), but they couldn't go out and hire better actors? Sheesh ... Mr. Brady as GAC? Stiff, stiff, stiff! Couldn't stand Rosanne Arquette either (Libbie was supposedly cute, wasn't she??)! But I thought Rodney A. Grant was good as well as (I usually get crucified for this) David Straithern (sp.)--the guy who played Benteen. I also hated that some great Custerlore characters were left out--when the guidon tipped over, where was Lt. Wallace or Godfrey? Where was Charlie Reynolds? How about John Burkman? But I suppose I shouldn't whine too much--"SOMS" is the thing that got me researching Custer and caused me to lose most of my NA upbringing's prejudices.
Off topic, Sam Elliott is the deal!
On topic, I vote Owen Wilson for a possible future portrayal of GAC. He really looks like him (despite his brown eyes) ... but my favorite GAC acting job of all time has been Peter Horton in "Crazy Horse."
Musings of a movingrobewoman |
movingrobe |
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bhist
Lt. Colonel
Status: offline |
Posted - January 26 2004 : 6:45:26 PM
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Hi All:
I have an all time favorite to play Custer because he looks exactly like him. When you look at him imagine him blonde instead of dark hair and you’ll see what I mean. Unfortunately, we’ll never know because he died in the 90s – his name was Frank Zappa.
I got to meet Melissa Mathison and her then husband Harrison Ford when I worked at the battlefield in 1985. She was there to research the battle since she would write the teleplay. Harrison was along for the ride and because he’s interested in the battle.
At that time they were planning to have Kevin Kostner play Custer – Kostner wasn’t popular yet so they could afford him. I suggested Zappa and they both laughed at first, then paused and thought about it and said I was right.
The movie was delayed and not produced until 1990 and by then Kostner was way too popular and way too expensive so they went with the other guy – can’t remember his name right now.
A friend of mine was one of the soldiers in the film and he said filming the battle scenes was very scary. Filming Reno’s retreat they were riding at full gallop and then these great Crow horsemen would ride right up to them counting coup and screaming. It got the soldiers blood up – when the Indians’ counted coup they were hitting the soldiers hard.
Sounds like it was all a great experience for those guys.
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Warmest Regards,
Bob
www.vonsworks.com
www.friendslittlebighorn.com
www.friendsnezpercebattlefields.org |
Edited by - bhist on January 26 2004 6:49:51 PM |
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El Crab
Brigadier General
USA
Status: offline |
Posted - January 26 2004 : 8:05:53 PM
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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102962/
Gary Cole. He had the wrong moustache, and he was too bulky to be believable as Custer.
Depp is too short. And his eyes are too dark. He does have the cheekbones for it, though. You gotta have someone with the same build, and in standing photos, Custer looks tall and slender.
Costner would have been decent, though his voice is a bit too high, I think. Not that I know what Custer sounded like, but I'd imagine him as someone who really can yell and I can't picture Costner doing it right. I do remember when they were talking about the movie in TV Guide, and how they would have used the tagline "Costner is Custer!" if he had done it.
By 1876, Custer became rather odd looking. Civil War Custer and 1876 Custer do not look the same. I thought Cole looked more like the Civil War Custer.
I've always thought, having seen him in Gettysburg with the blondish hair and the 'stache, that Jeff Daniels would be good. Though again, I wonder about his voice. He has a very quiet, distinctive voice.
If you're going to play LBH Custer, you need to have a receded hairline, short hair and a big ol' bushy 'stache. That has yet to be done, as far as I can tell.
In SOMS, I believe Reynolds was supposed to be the scout who gets a hatchet to the face in the river. His mount falls off the bank, and realizes he's screwed. Reynolds is listed in the cast, and I'm pretty sure that's him. Fred Gerard is also, but I don't remember him, which is odd. I remember the whole damn movie rather vividly.
Another thing I noticed was the reuse of main characters in extras scenes. When the soldier loses his held mounts, he chases after them, and trips over Major Reno! He's even wearing the same white straw hat.
Is it Weir who picks up the flag when it blows over?
Strathairn was good as Benteen, though the wig was a bit silly. He most likely was the most talented actor on the set. Its funny, because certain people remember actors in certain roles. I'm a big James Bond fan, and everytime I see Sean Bean in any role (Spence in Ronin, Boromir in LOTR), I think of him as Trevelyan. Same with Strathairn, whenever I see him, I think Benteen.
I think I'll watch it again, and try to note every 7th officer and scout I notice. I don't believe they're all mentioned in the cast on IMDB, but they definitely included some of them. It was disappointing that there was no Keogh, Yates, Smith, Kellogg, Calhoun (though Maggie is listed and at the dinner and I believe a guy who looked like Calhoun was next to her), Curley, Bouyer, (Boston or Harry Reed (other than a brief view of 'em at dinner), etc. One of the most tragic and heartrending things about the battle is Custer's brothers and relatives dying all around him. But time constraints were probably an issue. I did note many things directly from the book that made it into the movie. Again, I'll watch it soon and take notes. |
I came. I saw. I took 300 pictures. |
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SOMS: VHS v. LaserDisc
