A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.
A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher.
Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?
Director:
Randal Kleiser
Stars:
John Travolta,
Olivia Newton-John,
Stockard Channing
A gunfighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago and is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.
After success cleaning up Dodge City, Wyatt Earp moves to Tombstone, Arizona, and wishes to get rich in obscurity. He meets his brothers there, as well as his old friend Doc Holliday. A band of outlaws that call themselves The Cowboys are causing problems in the region with various acts of random violence, and inevitably come into confrontation with Holliday and the Earps, which leads to a shoot-out at the O.K. Corral.Written by
Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>
In a case of life mirroring art, Morgan Earp was the first of the Earp brothers to die, and Bill Paxton who played Morgan, passed away at age 61 in February 2017. He was outlived by the actors that played his brothers, Kurt Russell, and Sam Elliott. The ages of the actors were similar to the real-life Earps. Virgil Earp was born in 1843, Wyatt in 1848 (5 years younger), and Morgan in 1851 (3 years younger). Elliott was born in 1944, Russell in 1951 (7 years younger), and Paxton in 1955 (4 years younger). See more »
Goofs
In the O.K. Corral scene, the last Cowboy is simultaneously shot in the heart and through the head by Doc and Morgan respectively. When the shot cuts to him lying on the ground, he is visibly breathing. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Narrator:
1879 - the Civil War is over, and the resulting economic explosion spurs the great migration west. Farmers, ranchers, prospectors, killers, and thieves seek their fortune. Cattle growers turn cow towns into armed camps, with murder rates higher than than those of modern day New York or Los Angeles. Out of this chaos comes legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, retiring his badge and gun to start a peaceful life for his family. Earp's friend, John, Doc Holliday, a southern gentlemen turned ...
See more »
A "Vista Series" director's cut was released in February 2002. Just under five minutes of never-before-seen footage were restored. The most noticeable are:
a scene showing the depths of Mattie's addiction to laudanum and her jealousy over Josephine;
a somber soliloquy by Doc quoting Kublai Khan;
a scene explaining Kate's sudden disappearance from the film, with Doc stressing the importance of friendship;
a scene with McMasters and the Cowboys meeting one last time. A small scene showing the graphic result of that meeting has been re-inserted, with the line "They got McMasters!" being moved into this small insert.
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
52 of 72 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
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