Skin that smoke wagon and let’s see what happens

Battle of the Earps

It's Memorial Day Weekend and what better way to celebrate the shut-in holiday than dragging out the old Traeger Smoker and skinning some smoke wagons. Two immediately come to mind and I thought it would be fun to guess which one is my favorite.

In 1993 and 94 two separate films about legendary lawman Wyatt Earp were released. Tombstone was the first, followed shortly after by the three-hour epic Wyatt Earp. One picture was plagued with problems, the other featured a star so cocksure of himself that he offered to buy the entire town of Tombstone Arizona, reverting it back to the spitting image of what it was during the historic Gunfight at the OK Corral. Both of these films have merit. One is as fun as the other is mired in historical detail. One has an Academy Award nominated writer director/the other has (drum roll) George P Cosmatos. One is overlong, while one sizzles as hot as the Arizona heat. Today, we saunter into the virtual saloon of our imagination and discuss two films, and why one movie eventually came out on top.
 
Modern Wyatt Earp movies for a thousand, Alex.
 
It was none other than Sly Stallone that recommended that George P Cosmatos direct. But it was eventually revealed that Cosmatos was a ghost director, Kurt Russell the real man calling the shots.
 
Kevin Costner was originally involved with the film Tombstone, the film originally intended to be a six-hour miniseries.
 
Both movies were produced at the same time and Costner used his considerable clout to convince most of the major studios to refuse to distribute the competing film. 
 
Wyatt Earp was nominated for 5 Razzie Awards. Coincidentally, Tombstone was nominated for none.
 
Running time for Earp: 190 minutes
Running time for Tombstone: 130 minutes

Okay, let’s talk. While Wyatt Earp does deserve most of the criticism it gets, including an overlong running time and a general lack of focus, it does have some strengths. Dennis Quaid as Doc is very much worth sticking around for. His emaciated presence relays a realism that simply is not found in the other picture. The score for Earp is epically impressive and soars to heights that the film itself can’t hope to achieve. Costner’s performance is all over the place, and in playing the young Earp, he successfully manages to throw out any sense of realism that the film so desperately seeks to achieve. All of the sets appear to be accurate and the performances of the supporting cast, including Gene Hackman, are great. In conclusion, the film never manages to rise up to its potential and, in my humble opinion, the buck stops with Costner.

You tell ‘em I’m coming and hell’s coming with me.”

Tombstone didn’t try to be a classic. It simply is one. Top-notch writing that is quoted to this day is something rare in cinema. Kevin Jarre’s screenplay crackles with authenticity and it’s a pity we did not see his complete version. The performances throughout never try too and let the characters do all the talking. Kilmer is electric and Kurt Russell gives the performance of his life. The supporting cast of Elliot, Paxton, Delaney, Boothe, Biehn all deliver some of their best work and seem to be having the time of their lives. Oh, and all the glorious mustaches. Let’s not forget those. The bushel of collective hair on the actor’s upper lips is almost as fun as the picture itself. If there is a weakness in the movie, it’s the number of pages pulled out of the script when the entire project went over budget and behind schedule. Rumor has it that Russell himself was forced to choose what was shot and what wasn’t. Because of this, the buildup to the finale seems rushed and could have benefited more from real scenes as opposed to a montage of scenes of Wyatt and friends on horseback.  But when all said and done, the above flaw does not take away from this film being considered a superior entry in the canon of Wyatt Earp.​

Have a great, eh, holiday weekend.