October 19, 2006 Bonus Blog
In addition to Geronimo: An American Legend, I have also finally watched Ulzana's Raid (thanks to blog reader C. Neil). I enjoyed the cavalry side of the story but thought the Apaches were too slow and sluggish. They trotted and kind of mosied here and there. I wanted them to be quick and agile. The best sequence in the film, to me, is the scene where the U.S. scout MacIntosh (Burt Lancaster) rides down the two Apache boys with the stolen horses. He pulls his Winchester at a full run, cocking it in the air (this entire scene is copied almost shot for shot in the Geronimo film with Robert Duvall doing a pale imitation). The horse falls were also spectacular although I imagine a few horses did their last day of stunt work if you know what I mean, and I think you do. I also didn't buy Ulzana's demise, but I won't spoil it for you if you want to see it.

Seeing these films, good and bad, inspires me. Here's a study for Curly, one of our characters. One of the things that all the Apache films miss, is that warriors had numerous headband styles, not just the scarf effect that virtually all the actors wear from Fort Apache to The Missing. If you look close at old photographs you'll see very inctricate wrap styles, with thick, wide effects, almost East Indian in style. But in the movies everyone gets the same, thin, gangsta wrap. That's a shame and in our story, the full phat head dress will get its due:



Joel Klasky and I are going down to Scottsdale tonight for the annual Cowboy Artist's Art Walk. Always inspiring as well.

"Good writing is like poison gas. It should bring tears to your eyes. It should excite your nervous system. It should knock you out."
—Alex Goh