Silverado

Rating:
Summary: A bit hokey around the edges
Review: This is one of the two or three movies made in the last 30 years I actually saw in a theater; the wide screen did help in places. The movie was one of the early efforts at frontier authenticity in western movies and it's a pretty good job. The opening scene returns realism to western movies - remember all the old ones featuring gunfights in which ducking away from a window rendered one invulnerable? None of that [pooh] in "Silverado". Brian Dennehy is a pip, and Linda Hunt a gem almost flawless. "He can't hurt you - if he's dead," she says to a frightened employee, with a grim yet matter-of-fact finality. Finally, the gunplay sounded remarkably authentic, and looked real - Jake shooting two-handed, pulling his guns down out of recoil, was a real treat.

Rating:
Summary: extremism i s good, in moderation
Review: this movie, as a western, is worse than a john wayne b movie from the 30's.

other reviewers state that the 'kasden brothers were paying homage to the traditional western genre'. no, no they weren't. they were completely lost, and should be forgiven, or forgotten.

i can easily see that this movie is on a par with ed wood's movies.

watching these reknowned actors (actresses) in this terrible movie begs the question: do any of them feel that this was a good movie still? or do they run for cover whenever this movie is mentioned?

this movie is worth watching because it is so very bad.

alvin

Rating:
Summary: GOOD DVD!
Review: "Silverado" is a great movie, and the DVD is a good buy!
Movie Grade: A+
DVD Grade: A-

Rating:
Summary: Old-fashioned Western. (Up to a point.)
Review: 1985's *Silverado* was a welcome return, after two decades of violent and cynical Westerns, to Hollywood's original mythos of the Old West. It doesn't recall John Wayne or John Ford so much as it recalls Gene Autry -- yes, it's that old-fashioned, it's that uncomplicated. Director Lawrence Kasdan and his brother (who co-wrote the script), presumably sick of the "revisionist" Westerns of the Peckinpah-Leone mold, try with this movie to bring back a form of entertainment that had been irretrievably lost in the intervening years. The result is a mixed bag. They have a number of things working FOR them: superb cinematography which lovingly captures some majestic locations; a fun, old-timey score; a very believable Scott Glenn, weathered face and all, as the main hero (the scene where he bustles and bluffs his way into a hideout belonging to a gang of outlaws is a classic); Danny Glover as the secondary hero; and diminutive Linda Hunt as the world-weary saloon-keeper with the Proverbial Heart of Gold. Working AGAINST the moviemakers? Overlength. Also, miscasting in two key parts. Kevin Costner, a naturally sullen fellow if his other roles are any indication, rather unconvincingly forces himself to be "zany" in the part of Scott Glenn's younger brother. And Kevin Kline, that most self-conscious of actors, seems confused about just how to portray the more "complicated" role of Paden: he mixes William Holden from *The Wild Bunch* with Gene Wilder from *Young Frankenstein*. As a result, his performance sort of cancels itself out into expressionless monotone. He's not serious enough (a la Holden) to be interesting, and he's not funny enough (a la Wilder) to be parodistic. But perhaps the fault lies with the Kasdans: turns out they couldn't quite exorcise the demons of the revisionist Western, after all (the scene where Glenn gets hogtied and then trampled by a horse would've met with Mr. Peckinpah's full approval).

Rating:
Summary: Saddle Up!
Review: This review refers to the Collector's Edition DVD(Columbia/Tristar)......
A lone cowboy, trapped in a desert cabin,pinned down by the bad guys,he must shoot his way out.Then crossing the dry dusty desert happens upon another,left to die of thirst in the hot sun.
They become quick friends and the one becomes two, on their way to Silverado! A quick stop off in the small town of Turley to befriend a stranger outcast because of his race, and to break the younger brother out of jail(unjustly accused of murder). The three make a hasty departure out of town,being chased, guns blazing, and are rescued by the stranger they befriended in town. Now they are four friends riding side by side through the west.The story doesn't end, here it's only just beginning....
These four now become heroes, as they go after thieves,protect a wagontrain of homesteaders,save their families and friends from the land grubbing McKendricks,and fight corrupt lawmen.
This western, directed by Lawrence Kasdan, pays homage to all the great westerns that came before it. It's got everything. Smokey saloons, posse chases,shootouts, standoffs,good guys, bad guys, there's even a stampeede. Shot in New Mexico, the cinematography is outstanding. You really get a feel for the Old West, the settlers,and the bustling town. It's got drama,adventure, action, comedy and romance,and all done in a way that can be viewed by the whole family.(There is some violence but never graphic).
The cast needs no introduction, they're all terrific in their portrayals. The leads are Scott Glenn,Kevin Kline,Danny Glover, and playing the younger"full of juice" brother is Kevin Costner.The supporting players are equally marvelous. Brian Dennehy,John Cleese,Jeff Goldblum,Roseanna Arquette,Jeff Fahey, and the ever fiesty Linda Hunt. Even the horses are great!
You'll be real happy with the digitally mastered DVD transfer. Presented in the original widescreen(2:35.1), the desert vistas,and and mountainous scenery are breathtaking. You won't miss a moment of the action. The picture and colors are clear and crisp. The Audio choices are 5.1 or 2 channel surround depending on your set up, and all the sounds of the old west come to life around you. One little minor problem I had was the dialouge, I had to turn it up in some places and then back down when the action started up. What the heck, my remote finger got a work out anyway. Special features include a Making of Documentary, and Trailer. There are various languages, and subtitles, and comes with an informative little booklet.
Growing up with Roy and Dale, Hopalong, and the Lone Ranger,I have always loved westerns, and this one is right up there with those guys!
Happy trails.......Laurie

Rating:
Summary: Terrific Tribute To Old Style Westerns!
Review: This movie was made as a tribute to the old westerns of the late forties and fifties, an update to a romantic adventure genre that no longer exists. It is in equal parts, drama, romance, comedy, and western yarn. The plot is more a fixture to allow all of the detours than a serious mind-grabber. All of the actors are good, and one gets the feeling that good will indeed triumph over the evil bad guys pretty handily fairly early in the movie. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill), the film has a wonderful sense of self-awareness, and the good guys are also quite cool (like the "Big Chill" crew, no doubt), and display a disarming self-deprecating sense of good humor throughout that while making the film much more enjoyable, makes it more than a little less substantial. Enough said.

The cinematography is worth the price of the DVD alone. Shot in the haunting stillness of the New Mexico desert, it could be used as a travelogue for the state. The color-drenched vistas and forboding browns and golds of the dusty plains add immeasurably to the feel of the film, which is as authentic a remake of the old John Ford or John Wayne type western as I think anyone could make in the last half of the 20th century. The cast is exemplary, and all of the principals, including Kevein Costner, Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, and Scott Glenn are terrific here. So is John Cleese (of Monty Python fame) and a string of strong supporting actors. The horseplay is admirable, the gunplay seemingly realistic, and the bad guy body count high but not terribly bloody. Great stuff for a rainy Sunday afternoon! Ride away, partner, this one's mine. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Film That Remains Great As The Years Pass
Review: This film was made in 1985. "Silverado", was digitally re mastered for this DVD version, and the transfer is better than many recent films. This was filmed is a wider aspect ratio than even 16:9, so the larger the screen you have the more you will be able to enjoy this beautiful film. The movie was shot during the winter over a 96-day period in New Mexico, and looks as good on screen as any western I have watched. The cast and crew had to deal with some brutal weather, but the cinematography that resulted was well worth the effort.

To mention just 4 names of actors, who appear incredibly young in this film of almost 18 years ago, is to only scratch the surface of this list of now familiar names. Kevin Costner, Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Danny Glover, and Lynne Whitfield, comprise a small fraction of actors and actresses that have gone on to huge careers.

This film has all the elements of the classics westerns, beautiful vistas, horses, saloons, and gunfights. The last aspect was an interesting one. In an effort to make an impression movies continually up the gore factor to keep people's attention, and to keep people coming back to theaters. Being shot is miserable but the manner by which it is portrayed can mean the difference between a film the family can see, and a mindless gore fest. The director spoke of decisions that were made to keep this a family film during the documentary of making, "Silverado". The idea that a director would cut a variety of scenes for fear kids may be influenced was extremely refreshing, but this thinking unfortunately is a relic from the 1980's and before. In more and more films gratuitous garbage fills screens when talent and storyline are absent.

This is a great film that all but the youngest of children can watch, and also will satisfy fans of the western genre of film. This is also a true USA western as it was shot in New Mexico and not Italy, so "Silverado", is no spaghetti western.

Rating:
Summary: Modern Western done in Classic 1930's Style
Review: At last, a film that meets our expectations of what we would like to think the wild west was really like. SILVERADO has everything you could want in a western: Clearly identifiable bad guys, shining heroes and a lot of pistol and rifle action. Much like the westerns of the '30's and '40's, the gunshots in this film rarely seem to cause the victims incur any noticeable wounds as they fall to the ground. There are no slow motion death scenes in this film. This film could fit into the mold of a western fantasy, but is much more believeable when compared against THE QUICK AND THE DEAD or THE UNFORGIVEN. The main participants, both good and bad, are impeccably dressed. Indeed, when SILVERADO was in the theaters it could have reaped additional dollars by hosting a western apparel store by the candy stand. SILVERADO contains strong performances by Scott Glen, Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, Kevin Costner and Brian Denahey. The story is face-paced and Bruce Broughton's soundtrack is wonderful. Topping off this already great film is the New Mexico scenery surrounding, what was then, the brand new western town set. As the director's commentary on the DVD notes there were several subplots cut out of the finished film. You might notice that Rosanna Arquette seems to be in the movie for seemingly no reason at all until you realize that the director had to cut the modest Kline-Arquette-Glen love interest scenes in order to shortn the picture. Also look for Monty Python alumnus John Cleese in a role that is almost befitting a movie of his own. Now available on DVD in widescreen, this is a must for your DVD collection. If by the end of this film you don't have the urge to grab a sheepskin jacket, run out the door and right wrongs and protect the innocent, then you should see the film a second time.

Rating:
Summary: Old-fashioned western with a modern flair...
Review: One of the most entertaining genres of the late-1960s and early-1970s was the Western. These films prolonged Jimmy StewartÕs career and made legends out of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. However, in the years between the Wayne-era and the time that Lawrence Kasdan made ÒSilverado,Ó there were few -- if any -- Westerns that were truly crowd-pleasers. Thank God, then, for ÒSilverado.Ó

Kasdan has thrown in everything but the kitchen sink in this film, but somehow has balanced out the seemingly-endless aspects of ÒSilverado.Ó It has star power in its leads (Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Danny Glover and Kevin Costner), as well as a host of great supporting characters (Brian Dennehy, John Cleese, Linda Hunt, Rosanna Arquette and Jeff Goldblum). It has action from the opening scene until the close. And it has a plot that is both interesting and plausible.

While ÒSilveradoÓ doesnÕt rank as one of the best Westerns of all time, it is a rollicking good time and worth adding to your collection, because youÕll find yourself watching it time-and-time-again.

Rating:
Summary: Big Cast, Big Entertainment
Review: Always loved this flick. Expansive in scenery, storyline and casting. Music's great. DVD transfer is quite good here. Pure entertainment and an old fashioned good vs. bad guys western.