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Texasville

Texasville

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Underrated sequel to Bogdanovich's masterpiece connects well
Review: "The Last Picture Show" had a lot going for it when it was adapted for the screen in 1971; a terrific book as source material, a talented young director poised to make a name for himself in Hollywood, and a solid cast of youthful actors (Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, and yes, Cybill Shepherd) braced with veterans who would be recognized for their own exceptional merits with Academy Award wins for Best Supporting Actor (Ben Johnson) and Best Supporting Actress (Cloris Leachman).

When Larry McMurtry wrote the sequel novel "Texasville" in the late 1980's, it took place thirty years later...and when screen rights were secured and the film production began and Bogdanovich was again asked to recreate the magic wrought almost two decades prior, he had at his disposal the same actors who shone so well two decades prior...who had aged sufficiently enough to be able to pick up precisely and absolutely believably where their characters had left off at the end of the first book/movie.

Expecting this sequel to be as important or ground-breaking as "The Last Picture Show" is not realistic...indeed "Texasville" seems far more influenced by MTV than John Ford, but considering the timeframe during which it is set, this is exactly as it should be. The joy of "Texasville" is not the "American Gothic" gloom prevalent throughout "The Last Picture Show"; there are some aspects of the movie that, although true to the novel, are pure schtick. Rather, the joy is in watching the characters whose youthful potential (or lack thereof) was only suggested in the first film in their present state, having weathered innumerable storms and not necessarily having come out the better for the wear.

It's a movie that, while at times depressing in its outlook, never ceases to cheer me up. It captures time's merciless march across our lives better than most movies ("Robin and Marian" being the most obvious favorable comparison that comes to mind, "Once Upon A Time In America" being another), and while not likely ever to occupy the rarefied ground in critical circles as "The Last Picture Show", "Texasville" DOES succeed brilliantly as a rather innovative sequel that is at the very least honest in its treatment of its stars' characters. Watch it if you're in the mood for light entertainment (and especially if you've already seen "The Last Picture Show" and enjoyed it), but don't expect Bogdanovich's lightning to strike EXACTLY in the same place twice.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Underrated sequel to Bogdanovich's masterpiece connects well
Review: "The Last Picture Show" had a lot going for it when it was adapted for the screen in 1971; a terrific book as source material, a talented young director poised to make a name for himself in Hollywood, and a solid cast of youthful actors (Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, and yes, Cybill Shepherd) braced with veterans who would be recognized for their own exceptional merits with Academy Award wins for Best Supporting Actor (Ben Johnson) and Best Supporting Actress (Cloris Leachman).

When Larry McMurtry wrote the sequel novel "Texasville" in the late 1980's, it took place thirty years later...and when screen rights were secured and the film production began and Bogdanovich was again asked to recreate the magic wrought almost two decades prior, he had at his disposal the same actors who shone so well two decades prior...who had aged sufficiently enough to be able to pick up precisely and absolutely believably where their characters had left off at the end of the first book/movie.

Expecting this sequel to be as important or ground-breaking as "The Last Picture Show" is not realistic...indeed "Texasville" seems far more influenced by MTV than John Ford, but considering the timeframe during which it is set, this is exactly as it should be. The joy of "Texasville" is not the "American Gothic" gloom prevalent throughout "The Last Picture Show"; there are some aspects of the movie that, although true to the novel, are pure schtick. Rather, the joy is in watching the characters whose youthful potential (or lack thereof) was only suggested in the first film in their present state, having weathered innumerable storms and not necessarily having come out the better for the wear.

It's a movie that, while at times depressing in its outlook, never ceases to cheer me up. It captures time's merciless march across our lives better than most movies ("Robin and Marian" being the most obvious favorable comparison that comes to mind, "Once Upon A Time In America" being another), and while not likely ever to occupy the rarefied ground in critical circles as "The Last Picture Show", "Texasville" DOES succeed brilliantly as a rather innovative sequel that is at the very least honest in its treatment of its stars' characters. Watch it if you're in the mood for light entertainment (and especially if you've already seen "The Last Picture Show" and enjoyed it), but don't expect Bogdanovich's lightning to strike EXACTLY in the same place twice.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: CLASSIC
Review: A SUREFIRE CLASSIC FOR TODAYS MOVIES.
THE FACT IS THERE REALLY IS NO PLOT, BUT THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS MOVIE SO GOOD. IT EXPLORES ITS OWN PATH IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS.
GOING ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY LIFE OF DUANE (JEFF BRIDGES).
HE IS HAVING A ROUGH TIME IN HIS LIFE AND REFLECTS ON HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND HOW THERE IS REALLY NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO TO FIX
IT.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: CLASSIC
Review: A SUREFIRE CLASSIC FOR TODAYS MOVIES.
THE FACT IS THERE REALLY IS NO PLOT, BUT THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS MOVIE SO GOOD. IT EXPLORES ITS OWN PATH IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS.
GOING ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY LIFE OF DUANE (JEFF BRIDGES).
HE IS HAVING A ROUGH TIME IN HIS LIFE AND REFLECTS ON HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND HOW THERE IS REALLY NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO TO FIX
IT.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Texasville
Review: Even though this movie bombed when first released it is a wonderful movie. Texasville is a sequal to Peter Bogdanovich's 1971 critically acclaimed film The Last Picture Show. Now 30 years later we are reunited with Jacy Farrow and Duane Jackson. Duane had gotten rich in the oil business, but is now 12 million dollars in debt. Jacy has spent her life in Italy, but is now back in Abelene because her son and parents had been killed. The movie also very briefly touches base with Sonny Crawford. Sonny was one of the main characters in the first movie and his part was very small in the second one, that is the only part of the movie I disagree with. Texasville, is again like The Last Picture Show. There is adultry and a whole lot of sleeping around. I recommend this movie to anyone who has seen the first one and would like to know what happened to the characters or anyone who loves Cybill Shepherd or JEff Bridges.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Movies Can't Get Any Better Than This.....
Review: I've probably watched this 50 times. Entertainment just doesn't get any better than what you'll find within this movie. I hope I'll still find them available to buy after the tape I have possibly wears out from another for certain 50 viewings.....5 Stars plus thousands more for this one!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Movies Can't Get Any Better Than This.....
Review: I've probably watched this 50 times. Entertainment just doesn't get any better than what you'll find within this movie. I hope I'll still find them available to buy after the tape I have possibly wears out from another for certain 50 viewings.....5 Stars plus thousands more for this one!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: cast of "Last Picture Show" (1971) return 19 years later.
Review: If you were drawn into The Last Picture Show (1971), it's sequel, "Texasville (1990) will bring some closure.
Archer City, Texas is revisited nearly 20 years later. Returning is Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepard, Cloris Leachman, Eileen Brennan, Randy Quaid, Barc Doyle as "Joe Bob Blanton", Loyd Catlett as "Leroy" and Gordon Hurst who was "Sheriff Burns" now plays "Monroe".
Peter Bogdanovich is the director again and given some writing credit again. Larry McMurtry who wrote the novels is given writing credit as well. Ross Brown got to cast again.
The old downtown of Archer City, Texas is seen again and the old movie house now in disrepair.
Some people thought this storyline for a part 2 was a disappointment, but if you think about it, the town has grown and people have changed. It could have been more dramatic though. It was fun to see the original cast together again. I'm glad most of them agreed to return.
After this film, the old Royal movie house was rebuilt to be fully used again.
The late Sal Mineo is given thanks for giving Director Peter Bogdanovich a copy of the novel "The Last Picture Show" which Bogdanovich turned into a movie for 1971.
I would like Larry McMurtry to write a third book about this cast of characters and see another film.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good performences, but lacking in plot.
Review: Texasville is not a bad movie, it did poorly in 1990 upon its theatrical release despite a top notch cast and solid performences all around. Cybill Shepherd fresh off of Moonlighting does seem more Maddie Hayes than Jacy Farrow at times, but overall gives a great performance. The same can be said of Annie Potts' Carla, who at times reverts to Mary Jo from Designing Women.
The main flaw with this movie is that it would have made a better tv-movie or mini-series than theatrical release. It's bleak and depressing like its predecessor, but lacks the impact of the first film, maybe because being depressing teenagers is more interesting than being depressed adults. The film does do a good job capturing the essence of the novel, and in several spots it is actually more entertaining. Also, there are one too many characters in Archer City this time around, again this is one more reason why TV whould have better fit this film.
In closing, this is a good film, but simply is overburdened by the weight of too many characters.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: TEXASVILLE: One Of THE BEST Films Of All Time!
Review: Texasville is one of those very unusual sequels -- like A Man And A Woman: 20 Years Later -- that is adored by many -- sometimes even more then the first -- but that most reviewers and the majority of the public hated because it is not the original. However, it is also one of those films where if you get it ... if you REALLY GET IT... then you tend to adore it. The scenery, story, and performances are all terrific and there's not an ungenuine moment in the film.

What would be really terrific is if:

1) Texasville: The Director's Cut is ever released on DVD. After years of searching, I recently got this film on out-of-print Laserdisc and the additional 30 minutes of scenes have to be seen to be believed! Just as you can't appreciate The Abyss unless you've seen the Director's Cut, you also can't appreciate Texasville unless you've seen the Director's Cut.

2) What would also be terrific would be if Bogdonavich and company reunite to do a film version of the third and final book in this series "Duane's Depressed."


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