Django and John Wayne

Ever since I saw John Wayne smack George Kennedy upside the head with an ax handle in The Sons of Katie Elder, I have been a fan of a good revenge fueled western tale.  It's been nice to see that genre upheld over the years.  Wayne's films were followed up by the great contributions by Clint Eastwood, and today Django Unchained carries on the tradition in Oscar winning fashion.  I think a tale that got all these guys together could be pretty awesome.

The Vigilante and John Wayne

Well it looks like the latest incarnation of The Lone Ranger was a bit of a dud critically and commercially. It's too bad because I think there is a great movie to be had with the character if handled properly.  It'll probably be another 20 years before he gets a theatrical chance again, so maybe it's time to give The Vigilante a shot at the big screen!  Country singer by day, masked hero by night, maybe some cameos from his teammates in the Seven Soldiers of Victory... I know I would buy a ticket!

Batman and John Wayne

This cover was a request from my mother, so how could I refuse?  I was happy to do it though, because I am a big fan of John Wayne westerns.  Sure they show their age, but Wayne had an onscreen presence the likes of which we rarely see anymore.  I quite enjoyed the Coen Brother's remake of True Grit, but the original still holds up very well, mostly due to John Wayne's great cranky performance. Another favorite film of his is The Sons of Katie Elder.  Who can forget the classic line, "I ain't gonna hit ya... the Hell I ain't!" right before he lays the smack down on George Kennedy?  Great stuff.