THE QUICK AND THE DEAD 1995
by
Sam Raimi
Mounted on a black steed, Sharon Stone disdainfully rides into a battered, dusty town, with a cigarillo dangling out of a side of her mouth. The coffin-maker guesses her height at five foot eight, and on receiving no confirmation, just pats himself on always being accurate. The town's air is rife with fear and conspiracy. Death looms large over the horizon. Whores look at her with unwelcome awe and barely disguised jealousy. Their clients salivate over her for showing them contempt. This could well have been Clint Eastwood in any of his No-Name Westerns, instead what we see is the hottest woman in the world in early 1990s. By God, she does bend the rule of the genre! Well done, Sam Raimi for executing this one.
Gene Heckman is at his venomous best in his role as the town boss. He exudes pure villainy. A very boyish Leonardo DiCaprio plays his estranged, illegitimate, unclaimed, cocky son, who takes him on, and perishes tragically. Russell Crowe plays a preacher, a reluctant participant in the gunshot tournament, and an ex-partner of Heckman. Stone is out for revenge, Gene had killed her father, played by Gary Sinise, and possibly raped her long back. The film is a joy to watch but has little residual value. Enjoy it as a one-time watch, although I have watched it twice in a space of 27 years!
#samraimi #russellcrowe #sharonstone #geneheckman #leonardodicaprio #western #netflix
Comments
Post a Comment