btillman Reviews

Pride of the Marines (1945)

Superb technical accuracy

[11 November 2000]

Though not central to the story of Al Schmid's difficult rehabilitation, the short segment depicting his combat on Guadalcanal is superbly done. It is so technically accurate that it might serve as an instructional film on use of the Browning M1917 heavy machine gun. This level of authenticity was extremely rare in the 1940s and bespeaks a serious commitment by the director and (presumably) the marine corps. Apart from that, however, the tension and terror of nocturnal combat is extraordinarily well depicted. Such realism was rare in the decades before "Saving Private Ryan."

Tombstone (1993)

Longtime Arizonan, author, and cowboy action shootist.

[9/10 · 3 October 2000]

"Tombstone" is the most stylish Western ever, and the most entertaining. Val Kilmer's marvelous performance as Doc Holiday contrasts with Dennis Quaid's in "Wyatt Earp" but both are entirely watchable. Despite its factual errors (which are few beside the over-rated "Darling Clementine") I never tire of watching "Tombstone." Let's see a "prequel"