It was . . . and it was very closely based on an actual historical incident.

The original script was based on the experience of John Colter, who was captured and chased by Blackfoot indians in what is now Wyoming.

Colter was also on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and was the first white man to explore what used to be called Colter's Hell, and is now called Yellowstone National Park.

Ken V.

Thanks for the info, Ken. I hope there's a book on this subject that I can acquire over my holiday break from teaching. Sounds like a great subject to read up on.

AC

I was quite the movie buff this past weekend. With Christmas so close the bills pile up, and it's nice to watch movies for a relativly cheap night out.

Well, My girlfriend enjoyed the movie, but we both agreed it was one of those movies you have to be in the mood for. The subtitles were not very distracting, and towards the end we saw less and less of them. I felt like the movie was like a game of cat and mouse. Of the movies I caught this week, I still stand by Blood Diamond as my favorite, probrably my pick for this whole year honestly.

It was . . . and it was very closely based on an actual historical incident.

The original script was based on the experience of John Colter, who was captured and chased by Blackfoot indians in what is now Wyoming.

Colter was also on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and was the first white man to explore what used to be called Colter's Hell, and is now called Yellowstone National Park.

Ken V.

Reminds me of a Dutchman also.........
Thanks for the Colter referance, I never realized it had anything to do with the movie.

Reminds me of a Dutchman also.........
Thanks for the Colter referance, I never realized it had anything to do with the movie.

A Dutchman?

Ken V.

A Dutchman?

Ken V.

Long story short, he escaped from Apaches barefooted while they tortured his partner. The Dutchman.

Long story short, he escaped from Apaches barefooted while they tortured his partner. The Dutchman.

I've never heard of that one. This is not the same "Dutchman" as in the Lost Dutchman Mine is it? Jacob Waltz?

Ken V.

It was . . . and it was very closely based on an actual historical incident.

The original script was based on the experience of John Colter, who was captured and chased by Blackfoot indians in what is now Wyoming.

Colter was also on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and was the first white man to explore what used to be called Colter's Hell, and is now called Yellowstone National Park.

Ken V.

They used a similar scenario in "The Mountain Men," with Charlton Heston and Brian Keith, but Charlton got to keep his clothes on!

Iron Belly: "There is a valley, in the Wind River country, with beaver as many as the stars in the sky. But, it is the land of the Blackfeet! The Blackfeet, their hearts are bad! Their eyes filled with blood!"

Hey, did you notice that in the beginning of "Gladiator," with Russel Crowe, when the Roman legions are facing the Germans, somebody used the soundtrack from an old movie for the chanting of the German horde. Yup, they borrowed the soundtrack from "Zulu!" So the Germans sound like Zulus! First movie Michael Caine ever starred in.

I've never heard of that one. This is not the same "Dutchman" as in the Lost Dutchman Mine is it? Jacob Waltz?

Ken V.

Based upon the research I did for a book report for high school, (about 20 years ago) That would be him. Jacob Waltz was an exaple of his day. Rough, tough, and still had the bark on. Maybe a joker too, and a thief.

The original script was based on the experience of John Colter, who was captured and chased by Blackfoot indians in what is now Wyoming.

Then there is always the movie, A Man Called Horse. Different, in that after a failed escape attempt he becomes a member of the tribe, but very well done for its time.

They used a similar scenario in "The Mountain Men," with Charlton Heston and Brian Keith, but Charlton got to keep his clothes on!

I've never heard of that one before.

Hey, did you notice that in the beginning of "Gladiator," with Russel Crowe, when the Roman legions are facing the Germans, somebody used the soundtrack from an old movie for the chanting of the German horde. Yup, they borrowed the soundtrack from "Zulu!" So the Germans sound like Zulus! First movie Michael Caine ever starred in.

I've never seen Gladiator, but I'm very familiar with Zulu. The music for Zulu was composed by John Barry, the same guy who composed the music for a number of James Bond movies: Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and others. In 1995, he composed the music for "Cry, The Beloved Country;" another movie placed in Africa. He used the exact same theme he composed for Zulu . . . he just slowed the tempo.

I looked up Gladiator on IMDB, and notice that the "original music" is credited to Lisa Gerrard and Hans Zimmer. I wonder if they got permission from John Barry for using his theme.

As an aside from another thread, some movies were accurate in the correct firearms used in the movie. John Ford movies were wildly innacurate, but one movie from the '60's which I wouldn't suspect of being accurate with firearms was the Blake Edwards Production of the western comedy "Waterhole #3."

It takes place in 1884, and the firearms used were Colt SAA's, Winchester model 1873's, and (interestingly) Sheriff John (played by Caroll O'Connor) is carrying a pair of Colt Bisley's, (which I've never seen brfore in a movie) and the character played by Claude Akins is shooting a Remington model 1875. Also -- supposedly -- a Hopkins and Allen 32 caliber rimfire, although you can't get a close look at it. If you like western comedies, this is one you should see -- or see again -- the ballad of Waterhole #3 was sung by Roger Miller, and it is HILARIOUS!

Ken V.