The Alamo

GeorgiaDixie

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
254
Reaction score
0
Location
Savannah, GA
Country
llUnited States
I rented The Alamo and just finished watching it. I was pleasantly surprised. I never did get around to seeing it in the theater and had heard all of the critics' talk about it. So my expectations were low.

The movie was moderately good. Definentely not top tier (and not as good as the John Wayne classic), but certainly worth watching. Not sure if I'll buy it, but I don't regret renting it. The battle scenes were excellent. The effects were great as well. The acting was fine, I really liked Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett and Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston and the others were alright. The only thing the movie was better at than the original Alamo was the battles scenes, which were very realistic and thrilling. And this movie seems less larger than life than the original Alamo. Crockett seems more human than John Wayne's portrayal of him (though I still like Wayne as Crockett better).

Anyway, I give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone.
 

dannybou

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2004
Messages
1,349
Reaction score
0
Location
Canada
Country
llCanada
Bought the DVD. Love the movie. Loved the assault on the fort scene. Could feel for the soldiers being put to the bayonets by the Mexican regulars.
 

last_cav1971

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Location
West Virginia
Country
llUnited States
Also rented the film last night. I would have to rate it between a 3 and a 3.5 out of 5.
I agree with Georgia about the 'down to earth' mode of David Crockett in the movie. Jason Patrick did a good job as Jim Bowie, as well.

Mark
Deo Vindice
 

GeorgiaDixie

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
254
Reaction score
0
Location
Savannah, GA
Country
llUnited States
last_cav1971 said:
Also rented the film last night. I would have to rate it between a 3 and a 3.5 out of 5.
I agree with Georgia about the 'down to earth' mode of David Crockett in the movie. Jason Patrick did a good job as Jim Bowie, as well.

Mark
Deo Vindice
I agree about Bowie as well. He wasn't as central a character as he was in the original, which I think was more realistic, since he was pretty sickly from the few articles I've read. The newcomer who played Travis was good too, but he just didn't seem quite as fleshed out.

One other thing I forgot to mention was I love how they included the Battle of San Jacinto in the movie. I love to that bastard Santa Anna captured! Also, the movie showed how many Mexican officers didn't agree with how he waged war against the rules of the time, concerning prisoners. I still think the best Battle of San Jacinto I've seen, however, was in Gone to Texas.
 

last_cav1971

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Location
West Virginia
Country
llUnited States
Have you seen the movie/miniseries "Texas" by James Michener? I think thats who wrote the book. Its a pretty decent film also. If I recall correctly it runs about 6 hours.

Mark
Deo Vindice
 

hogdriver

Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
95
Reaction score
0
Location
Minot, North Dakota
Country
llUnited States
I've heard mostly good about it - including the more human (i.e. less heroic) portrayal of the central characters. Plan to rent it sometime soon.
 

JeremyScott

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
227
Reaction score
0
Location
In A White Padded Room
Country
llUnited States
GeorgiaDixie said:
I still think the best Battle of San Jacinto I've seen, however, was in Gone to Texas.

Roger that. It also gives a very personal portrayal of Sam Houston. Plus having Sam Elliot in the movie helps a lot :devil:
 

JeremyScott

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
227
Reaction score
0
Location
In A White Padded Room
Country
llUnited States
After watching it a couple of times, I get a feel that Crockett really didnt want to die as a defender. He appears to be human just like all of us. In some scenes he is trying to live up to the hype he has already won and yet in other more down to Earth. I find that quite noble.
 

last_cav1971

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Location
West Virginia
Country
llUnited States
Lance Williams said:
Elliot is an underappreciated treasure......
Sam Elliot is one of the greatest actors out there.....I dont see why they dont place him in more roles.
He did a good job in 'Gettysburg', but.....I think he would have made a better Confederate officer than Union.
Even though Buford was from KY.

Mark
Deo Vindice
 

GeorgiaDixie

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
254
Reaction score
0
Location
Savannah, GA
Country
llUnited States
last_cav1971 said:
Sam Elliot is one of the greatest actors out there.....I dont see why they dont place him in more roles.
He did a good job in 'Gettysburg', but.....I think he would have made a better Confederate officer than Union.
Even though Buford was from KY.

Mark
Deo Vindice
Elliot isn't in a lot of movies because he's not part of the Hollywood "set", the same reason you don't see as much of Tom Berenger (who also happens to be one of my favorite actors, along with Elliot). Berenger actually refused to live in Hollywood. He lives outside of Beaufort, South Carolina on a farm. And I believe Elliot lives on a ranch somwhere out west.

I'm still hoping for a movie staring Elliot as Nathan Bedford Forrest. :D
 

last_cav1971

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Location
West Virginia
Country
llUnited States
GeorgiaDixie said:
Elliot isn't in a lot of movies because he's not part of the Hollywood "set", the same reason you don't see as much of Tom Berenger (who also happens to be one of my favorite actors, along with Elliot). Berenger actually refused to live in Hollywood. He lives outside of Beaufort, South Carolina on a farm. And I believe Elliot lives on a ranch somwhere out west.

I'm still hoping for a movie staring Elliot as Nathan Bedford Forrest. :D
Elliot would be great as Forrest.....Berenger is also one of my favorite actors.......along with DeNiro and Pacino....but I cant see either of the latter two doing a Civil War or western movie.

Mark
Deo Vindice
 

Napoleon

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
303
Reaction score
0
Location
ONTARIO, CANADA!
Country
llCanada
I rented the Alamo last night as well. I had orginally seen it in theatres and loved it. I thought it was a great historical film. My favorite actor was Billy Bob Thorton as Davy Crocket. I highly recommend this film. I might actually go and buy it.
 

GeorgiaDixie

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
254
Reaction score
0
Location
Savannah, GA
Country
llUnited States
last_cav1971 said:
Elliot would be great as Forrest.....Berenger is also one of my favorite actors.......along with DeNiro and Pacino....but I cant see either of the latter two doing a Civil War or western movie.

Mark
Deo Vindice
I like DeNiro as well, but Pacino, not as much. Both are excellent actors though, but I agree that they wouldn't be real good in an old historical picture. Well, I don't know, maybe DeNiro could be a NY officer in the Civil War for The Last Full Measure! :D
 

GeorgiaDixie

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
254
Reaction score
0
Location
Savannah, GA
Country
llUnited States
Napoleon said:
I rented the Alamo last night as well. I had orginally seen it in theatres and loved it. I thought it was a great historical film. My favorite actor was Billy Bob Thorton as Davy Crocket. I highly recommend this film. I might actually go and buy it.
I really like Thornton. I believe he's pretty underrated as an actor. Maybe its because of his accent and the fact that his name is Billy Bob. Oh well. :nuts:
 
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
413
Reaction score
0
Location
Fairfax, Va
last_cav1971 said:
Elliot would be great as Forrest.....Berenger is also one of my favorite actors.......along with DeNiro and Pacino....but I cant see either of the latter two doing a Civil War or western movie.

Mark
Deo Vindice
Berenger actually calls his production company "I Corps" in homage Longstreet.
 
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
413
Reaction score
0
Location
Fairfax, Va
GeorgiaDixie said:
I really like Thornton. I believe he's pretty underrated as an actor. Maybe its because of his accent and the fact that his name is Billy Bob. Oh well. :nuts:
I think he's actually played a pretty wide range of characters. I know its not for everyone, but "Bad Santa" was one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time.

Plus you've got to give him some points for the whole Angelina Jolie thing................ :pIMP:
 

Pfc TAZ

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2003
Messages
163
Reaction score
20
Location
Tempe, AZ
First name
Tim
Country
llUnited States
I just watched The Alamo last night. I loved it. I'd give it 4 out of five on BBT's strength as Davy Crocket.

The recreation of canister fire was cool and when someone was bayoneted, they really meant it. I thought it showed how personal a battle gets at the end. After the Mexicans had suffered so much storming the walls they wanted to bet back at the Texians and it showed. I loved the look on the axemen's faces. Bad*** Dudes...

Also, Bad Santa is a riot. It's my new X-mas tradition movie.
 

last_cav1971

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Location
West Virginia
Country
llUnited States
Lance Williams said:
Berenger actually calls his production company "I Corps" in homage Longstreet.
I like that.........at least we know that someone is interested in history as well as Hollywood.

Mark
Deo Vindice
 
Top