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Product Reviews:
Hud |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Hud
Comments: This is1of Newmans best, because he plays a completely dispicable
person with no redeeming qualities. He has no scruples and no character.
It is a great departure for Newman and he does a Great job. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: One of the almost all fascinating character studies of all time...
Comments: Quite possibly1of my all time favorite movies ever, `Hud' is an extraordinary example of how subtlety can be so overwhelmingly powerful. Using the swagger of its stars, `Hud' immortalizes itself as1of the strongest character studies I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Sadly, all too many individuals do not see `Hud' for what it was intended to be. They view Hud Bannon as a sort of anti-hero; a villain to be adored and or idolized when in reality he is a despicable and selfish human being not worth our adoration. We watch the film waiting for the great in Hud to shine through, however it's not there, and no matter how much we want to take his side and defend him we can not; or at least we shouldn't.
That is the beauty of `Hud', for when taken properly it is a magnificent depiction of human morality at its lowest.
Not many films make the almost all morally reprehensible their focal points, however `Hud' is certainly all about Hud Bannon. Working on his father's ranch, Hud has a feeling of being owed by eone around him. He views the ranch as his personal investment, something to reap from once his father dies. He lives his life the way he wants to, violently and immorally, starting brawls and courting married women. He drinks like a fish and this leads to emotionally scarring outbursts between Hud and his father. All the while Hud's nephew Lonnie is soaking in the essence of Hud, trying to decide if he is a man to admire or judge.
The audience is in the same predicament as Lonnie, trying to decide just who this man really is, and how we should feel about him.
Caught in the middle of this battle of testosterone is the beautiful and sincere Alma Brown, Homer Bannon's (Hud's father) housekeeper. She witnesses the interactions between Hud, Homer and Lonnie and she also sees the affect that Hud has on the entire household. She watches Homer struggle to find the light within his son and she watches Lonnie come into his own manhood, battling the ways of Hud that are manifest within himself. She loves Homer, Lonnie and Hud, however she is a much more balanced person than the rest of them. She is not shut off to Hud as Homer seems to be, and she is not blinded by admiration as Lonnie seems to be; and she is no where near as self concerned as Hud seems to be. She is the films moral compass, and the almost all engaging and emotionally beautiful character in the bunch.
The performances within `Hud' are marvelously full, delving deep into these characters and delivering honestly astonishing pieces of work. Melvyn Douglas won the Oscar for his portrayal of Homer. His obvious disappointment with his son is tragic, and Douglas makes his disappointment its own character, breathing life into that emotion beautifully. Even more impressive though is Brandon De Wilde who plays Lonnie. He gives Lonnie this adolescent naivity without ever making him appear stupid. He struggles with his view of Hud, however it is portrayed in a honest and believable fashion. Paul Newman is quickly becoming1of my all time favorite actors ever. It's sad to me that it took his death to wake me up to his career (I had only seen2of his films before his death, and since then I have seen ten) however with e tragedy comes beauty, and if his passing has inspired others to research his career then he will be able to live on and continue to enrich the lives of others. His portrayal of Hud may well be1of my favorite performances of his. He understands his characters vileness and is able to portray it without losing his natural charm, a charm needed to make the struggle over intentions believable and engaging.
As great as the men are, the film belongs to Patricia Neal, who also won the Oscar. As Alma Brown she is a complete and utter revelation. She wears her emotional responses so well that1cannot help however adopt her view of things, relating with her and agreeing with her e step of the way.
I do not think that I would be too presumptuous to say that it appears that Ang Lee may have been inspired by Martin Ritt's direction when filming `Brokeback Mountain'. Now the2films are no where near1another when you consider subject matter, however the films are made similarly. The use of the score, both of which are acoustically blessed, is a sharp similarity; however the way Lee caressed the screen with each rich depiction of character is reminiscent of Ritt's powerful work here. Both films are based in the south, and both films embrace the culture brilliantly. Add to that the fact that both films contain conflicting moral dilemmas and you have2 strong yet comparable bodies of work. I know that some may not see where I am getting at, however watch the2films back to back and see for yourself.
In the end I highly, highly endorse this film, for it is a brilliant masterpiece of cinema and definitely1of the finest ever made. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: "It do not take long to kill things; not like it does to grow."
Comments: The movie opens with scenes of endless barren Texas flatland, and a dusty small town caught in the middle of it like a spot on a napkin. Open spaces characterize the film, which takes place on a ranch surrounded by lonesome roads. It feels like open space; a breath of fresh air from the wishy-washy, politically correct, happy-ending Hollywood films of today.
Based on Larry McMurtry's novel "Horseman, Pass By," "Hud" is a gruff, manly meditation on life and death, loneliness, and moving on. An old cattle rancher's hopes are shot to death, and his few relatives are left to carry on his legacy.
Hud is an arrogant, untamed cowboy who has more trouble to him than he reveals. His father (the old wise rancher known as Granddad) resents his freewheeling irresponsibility and misses the older brother that Hud killed by accident. Lonnie is the young optimistic grandson (nephew to Hud) who takes strongly to Hud's wild ways yet also admires his solid reliable grandfather. Halmea is the housekeeper, a temptress to both Hud and Lonnie who escapes them both in the end. Granddad's cows are diseased and he is unsure of what the future of his ranch will be. He is old and may not see much more of it. He's a wise man who's seen a lot of life, Hud's in his middle years and being forced to come to terms with it, and Lonnie is young, yearning to pass into manhood.
"Hud" possesses the quiet understatement of the desolate landscape that surrounds it. The characters are honest (except Hud) people and live life at their own pace. It is a curiously detached life, in the middle of nowhere,1in which the characters fight a constant battle to fend off loneliness. It is an unpretentiously philosophical movie. Each character ponders life and death, and because of several disastrous family deaths before the movie starts, it haunts each of them like a ghost over the gaping desert. "No1gets out of life alive," reflects Hud as he and Lonnie are on their way into town for some wild carousing. The theme of mortality floats through the film, as does the theme of moving on. The ending is not happy; it's matter-of-fact and understated.
That's "Hud:" life. Rugged, rough, and quietly contemplative life.
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Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: you are a sociopath, Hud
Comments: "Hud" is1of Newman's greatest movies however, interestingly, I find his father, the old man, more compelling. Hud, as his old father notes, has his share of charm and even guts however he has no soul. He doesn't care. He doesn't care about people and lives only for himself. He uses others, especially women, however ultimately he is his own worst enemy and his reward is a emptiness.
Initially, Lonnie, his 17 y.o. nephew admires him and wants to be Hud's kind of man. Gradually, perhaps inevitably, the nephew learns all too much about Hud both from his grandfather and Hud's own selfish and reckless behavior. A cow dies. Hud wants to leave the carcass to the buzzards however his father, although he has much to lose, insists on a veterinary examination. The veterinarian suspects hoof-and-mouth, a disease that requires the slaughtering of entire herds. Hud wants to sell off the herd before the veterinarian returns with his report. His father refuses and Hud sees a lawyer to have his father declared incompetent...with Hud as administrator of the estate.
Too late for Hud, the veterinariam returns with a report postive for hoof-and-mouth. We grieve for the old man having to kill his cattle and livelihood in a bulldozer-excavated pit. Hud is disgusted that he couldn't offload the cattle before this happens.
Hud, as usual, gets blind drunk. Then tries to rape the housekeeper. Lonnie has to protect her from his drunken uncle. By this time Lonnie's admiration for his self-centered uncle hits rock bottom. The old man, thrown from a horse, dies of pure discouragement. Lonnie leaves the ranch and doesn't look back. We are left with Hud in an empty house and an empty ranch having a beer and shrugging off his nephew as if it doesn't matter. Of course, nothing ever really matters to Hud, especially not himself.
There are multiple levels that this film can be viewed. We can view Hud as the product of an unloving father however, more correctly I think, Hud is a self-made man, worthy of contempt.
Ron Braithwaite, author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: "Horseman, Pass By"
Comments: This movie stands in a class reserved for the best of best in western theme films. Based on the book by Larry McMurtry, "Horseman, Pass By", it also features a credible performance by Brandon DeWilde as Lonnie, grown up from the little boy he once portrayed in another legend, the unforgettable "Shane" which was filmed about 10 years before. Lonnie worships Hud, who is his father's brother, and the realization that this man of his own blood is not of great character, is a concept too deep for him to grasp until the final turn of events mature him past his youth in the course of1day . The events surrounding this relationship are at the core of the storyline, and also at the core of the conflict between Hud and his old father, Homer, played by Melvyn Dougas.
Newman's star was at it's Zenith when he made this movie. His extraordinary talent, independent of his appears, are both showcased as an integral part of the character in this role; and play off each other to his advantage for him in this, what I considered to be1of his best movies. His character assessment of Hud was something that came easy to him; he nailed the selfish, self-centered, narcissistic personality that was the man named Hud.
Melvyn Douglas as the crusty old rancher who has seen the times pass him by, gives a performance honestly outstanding as he struggles for his last stand of independence, threatened not only a dread disease that is spreading through his entire herd of cattle, however by his own failing health, seized on by the least respected of his blood kin, Hud, who sees the vulnerability that had never been there open up opportunity at last, and intends to take control of the ranch. The knowledge that he is no longer the man he was in the face of disaster, takes the heart and courage from the old man, the1thing he could always count on before; he is finally at the end of his rope. The interaction between Douglas and Newman is honestly remarkable, and the casting could not have been better chosen.
Patricia Neal, unarguably1of the premiere actresses of her era, is perfect in the role of the ranch cook, a "rainy day" woman making her way alone in rough country and lean times; who thinks she has at last found a home with this family and even believes for awhile she can handle the subtle advances of Hud, complicated by her own unspoken physical desire for him - and put it in the proper perspective, since she knows him for what he is; she's seen many like him, however it doesn't occur to her that he will become unmanageable.
I write this review as trihowevere to them all, on this, the time of Paul Newman's passing to join all the rest of the cast who went before him. Even the ending is1of a kind - the slamming of the old kitchen door.
"Horseman, Pass By" |
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