February 8, 2008 Bonus Blog Post
As you know, I loved The Assasinatioin of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. The three hours flew by (and I could have easily watched another two), I loved the narration, I loved most of the hats, the scenery was spectacular, as was the dialogue and the acting. Gee, I wonder if my artist friend Jeff Prechtel agrees with me:

"Well, one thing is true...You CAN'T ever go home again! And Brad Pitt just proved that last night to me....and I doubt after that movie that he OR the director will be welcome back in Missoura anytime soon!

"Good gawd, after watching the Assassination of Jesse James last night.....which I'm sad to say that I fell asleep with about 20 minutes left to go in the film. Finished it this morning while I sipped a cup of coffee before work......still didn't help! I'm torn between Pitt's fine performance as Jesse, as well as Afleck's as Bob Ford, and all the things that pissed me off that was in the movie....Saskatchawan as st. Jo, Mo???....WTF, over???? Gee, I was unaware there's Giant snow covered alpine peaks in Missouri.... somebody better alert National Geographic!

"And how about the hats.....did EVERYBODy in 1881 own a bowler?, Or perhaps Dick Liddle didn't even own a hat after Blue cut? and WHO in hell, decided James Carville could act? Micheal Parks yes!........Carville no.

"And the whole damn movie was just cold....colorless, bland and dreary, and yes that wasn't lost on me, I KNOW they did that for a reason, but in that, along with the continual bothersome, on again-off again narration by the David McCullough sound alike, was completely distracting, and the wannbe art-house stylish effects, that clash with a "Western" like seer-sucker suit at a Metallica concert. Leave the art-house films to Japanese and Norwegian film makers. Let the Westerns be what they are.....morality plays, with six guns, and a little bit of 'make-believe'. If you strip away ALL the legend, then the only thing that's left is a lifeless and ugly corpse......which is what you have in The Assassination of Jesse James, by the coward Robert Ford

"I know.....Hollywood and film critics everywhere are probably breakin their arms pattin themselves on the back, on what a grand piece of artful cinema this is, but in the end, that's all just aggrandizing, self-congradulitory masturbation.

"Now before you think I'm just bitchin about everythin, i DID enjoys Pitt and Affleck's performances as Jesse & Ford, I liked the cinematography, even tho it looked like each frame was a composition for a painting, and overall the costuming was pretty good, albeit a little monochromatic. i REALLY wanted to like this picture, but in the end, I guess I'd rather watch the Long Riders & the Last Days of Frank & Jesse James, with Cash & Kristopherson!

"Does that make me a bad person?
—Jeff Prechtel

Yes, Jeff, unfortunately it does.