Disney's Tombstone [DVD] [1993]

You kinda forget how good the drama between the action scenes really is.How Val Kilmer never got an Oscar for Doc Holiday. Criminal.All star cast, worth the 2 hours

In a world full of Western movies, do we really need another re-telling of the gunfight at O.K. Corral? If it involves Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and Sam Elliott, the sexiest mustache's in the history of man and enough masculinity to warrant a label warning of sudden pregnancy, than yes. We most certainly do.Tombstone is 1993 a movie written by Kevin Jarre, who was also the original film director. He was given the boot at some point in early production and the job of director was given to George P. Cosmatos. The film has an impressive all star cast with the likes of Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn of Alien fame, as well as the great Powers Boothe. Many other familiar faces of the time pop up and is a great who's who of actors. As I mentioned above, the film is a depiction of the lead up to and execution of the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona 1881. It also features events of the the Earp Vendetta Ride, the repercussion of such events.Despite being a well used subject matter in cinema, this event in history still provides and excellent backstory to put to film. We see the legendary Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his two brothers settle in Tombstone and eventually getting themselves involved in stopping the criminal activities of the Cowboy gang. All this takes place alongside a very sick yet scene stealing Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer). In typical western style, there's a lot of drama, shoot outs, death and destruction. If you've seen this story told or any other of the genre, there's no real surprises here.However, when you look at the skill put into the acting from the all star cast, it makes it worth every penny. Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell steal the show with some great one liners. Whilst Doc is a sick laid back individual, more intent on utilisation sarcasm to get his way, Wyatt is a meaner more intense personality that knows how to deal with situations through force and intimidation. The combination of the two characters are some of the best chemistry in any western, in my opinion. Naturally, you love to hate the bad guys. Curtis Bill lights up the screen with that sinister smile that only Powers Boothe can do. Johnny Ringo, he doesn't come across in the fore front much but Biehn makes him look mean and intimidating with added venom from some one liners that really sting. You want these men to get their comeuppance.Much like every other western on bluray, the scenery just looks gorgeous. The natural lighting, blue skies, the yellow hue of the sand covered environments and wooden towns just look fantastic. The transfer quality is pretty clean and has aged very well. It's certainly a nice upgrade from the old muddy looking DVD. When I played the film on the big screen, we were all impressed at how well the film has aged. It's not the sharpest looking transfer but seeing it look so colourful and lively was a great experience.Tombstone is one of those movies that people either look at as a great film of its time or just another re-telling of the same old played out story. It gets a lot of comparisons to the Kevin Costner Wyatt Earp film but has a completely different tone. That film is a lot more dead pan serious where this is more about having fun and looking good whilst doing it. I highly recommend putting this film in your collection if westerns are your thing. It's a good easy watch with a great cast, a horrendous amount of fantastic one liners and some of the finest looking manly men in show business!As Jack Burton always says... what the hell!

This isn't just a film about the gunfight at the OK Corral, it is a film about the Earps and what became known as the Earp Vendetta Ride. It simply had the misfortune of being up against another film about Wyatt Earp that starred Kevin Costner in his prime.Wyatt Earp (19 March 1848 - 19 January 1929) was, at various times in his life, a gambler, saloon keeper, farmer, gold miner (prospector) and lawman.Virgil Earp (18 July 1843 - 19 October 1905) mainly a gambler but also gold miner (prospector), security guard (night watchman) and a well-known lawmanMorgan Earp (24 April 1851 - 18 March 1882)John Henry "Doc" Holliday (14 August 1851 - 8 November 1887) dentist, gambler and gunfighterThe film follows the move of the Earp brothers Wyatt (Kurt Russell) and Morgan (Bill Paxton) to the silver mining town of Tombstone, in Arizona, after leaving Dodge City, where older brother Virgil Earp (Sam Elliott) had just been appointed deputy US Marshal to the Arizona Territory, the Marshals office was in Tombstone.The film doesn't quite stick to the facts - leaving out some of the Earp brothers and the trial of Wyatt and the others for murder after the gunfight at the OK Corral.Wyatt and Morgan didn't arrive together. Missing are older brother James (who arrived with Wyatt) and worked as a barkeep, and younger brother Warren arrived later with Morgan. Then finally Doc Holliday arrived. Holliday is portrayed by Val Kilmer, who succeeds in stealing every scene that he is in.Things between the Cowboys and the Earps had never been great, no one could say that they were the best of pals, but the trouble really developed after Virgil accused Frank McLaury of stealing army horses and mules and altering the brands - usually known as cattle rustling. The Cowboys were well known for being villains of the peace. Included amongst their known acts were bank robbery, home invasion, assault, battery, stagecoach robbery and cattle rustling, if you had any animals and they went missing then they were usually in the possession of the Cowboys.After several stagecoach hold-ups and shootings tensions between the Cowboys and the Earps were at breaking point and this was the build up to the famous (or infamous) Gunfight at the OK Corral. A few minutes that have since gone down as legend.When those few moments of history were over three of the cowboys were dead (Billy Clanton and brothers Frank and Tom McLaury) and Virgil and Morgan were injured (Virgil had been shot in the leg and Morgan in the shoulder).Interestingly (and missing from the film) after the gunfight, the corrupt sheriff Johnny Behan arrested the Earp brothers and Holliday, and they faced trial for murder. Ike Clanton's testimony was said to have been extremely unbelievable - the towns people knew him as a bully and a thug, yet he said that he was terrified and feared the Earp's as they had repeatedly bullied, frightened and intimidated him (and he managed to testify to this with a straight face!).It was Ike Clanton's own contradictory and confused testimony that cleared the Earps and Holliday. Claiming that the Cowboys had merely been trying to enjoy the evening air and that they were not in the habit of carrying guns went against every witness that had given evidence at the trial, including his own men. He also claimed that Wyatt, Morgan, Virgil and Doc had confessed separately to him that they were responsible for the stage coach robberies and murders.Wyatt took advantage of a law that allowed him to read a prepared statement without being cross-examined by the prosecution. He read his statement, in a calm and controlled manner, which detailed the troubles between the two groups, how they only wanted to disarm the men and that they had to fire in self-defence. That, along with the respected witnesses, cast enough doubt on the prosecution’s case that the jury decided to free them.It was after this that the Cowboys decided to assassinate the Earps. So, Wyatt (with the help of an ailing Doc Holliday and a posse) embarked on the vendetta ride, for the blood of those who had harmed his family.Wyatt Earp had been friends with notable Wild West figures such as Wild Bill Hickcock and Bat Masterson. As well as western movie stars such as Tom Mix, William S Hart and even a young John Wayne.Kurt Russell is an established authority on Wyatt Earp and it shows in the fact that the story is about Wyatt's Vendetta Ride and what caused it, rather than the usual Gunfight at the OK Corral.It is a shame that the time constraints meant that so much of the story of the Earps, the Clantons and the Cowboys had to be missed out.Personally, if Mr Russell ever decided to make the story of the Earps into mini-series I'd watch it and I'd buy it too, if it was done to the same standard as this movie.As I have previously said Val Kilmer steals the show as Doc Holliday with a performance that should have earned him awards. But to mention Mr Kilmer without mentioning his `huckleberry' Michael Biehn would be a crime. Biehn portrays Johnny Ringo, an educated man who Holliday calls the "deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill", and a wonderful foil for Kilmer to play off.Yet by picking out those I don't want you to think that the others aren't as good, the entire cast is amazing, without exception this film should have been award winning - the only reason it wasn't is down to Hollywood politics and the movie industry snobbery. Shame on them.This is a well made, well acted, and exceptionally underrated film - it is what a true western should be. Outstanding.--- Side Note ---The US region 1 double disc set is well worth a look. If you have a universal player then they are worth the money. You get a disc of extras, as well as a director's cut of the movie. I rate both versions of the film, but the director's cut is a more fulfilling film.* * * * *RIP - Bill Paxton - 17 May 1955 - 25 Feb 2017 (aged 61).