'Wyatt Earp' or 'Tombstone'

[MoonSylver]

I mean even Bill Pulman and Tom Sizeman as the Masterson's seemed 'filled out', and they were only side characters. Likewise the relationship of Wyatt with Josephone Marcus & Mattie Blaylock seemed far better handled in 'Wyatt Earp'. And likewise with Big Nose Kate and Holiday too. In 'Tombstone' I really didn't get under the skin of anyone in particular?... That is one of the things I liked about Wyatt Earp, the inclusion of the Mastersons. But since they were outside the scope of the events in Tombstone, that's par for the course. As for the rest...your assessment is pretty fair. However, I chalk it up to a difference in style. Wyatt Earp is more focused not just on the man or the events, but the people in his life as well that shaped him & his legend. Tombstone is more narrowly focused on the actions and events of that one period of his life. It really isn't MEANT to be a character study the way Wyatt Earp is. Plus with its shorter run time & focus on action it has to move things along at a brisk pace. That's why I don't fault it for that. One thing this thread has done though Neil, is remind me of the many things I like about Wyatt Earp (not that I ever DISliked it, but I'd never spent this much time actually critiquing it before).

[Neil]

That is one of the things I liked about Wyatt Earp, the inclusion of the Mastersons. Yeh, even the buffalo hunting section was quite interesting/entertaining I wonder if there's any link betweem which of the two films you see first, and which you prefer? I sawy 'Wyatt Earp' first, so I wonder if that's why I find 'Tombstone' feeling 'small'?

[MoonSylver]

I wonder if there's any link betweem which of the two films you see first, and which you prefer? I sawy 'Wyatt Earp' first, so I wonder if that's why I find 'Tombstone' feeling 'small'? I dunno....maaayyyybe....I saw Tombstone first. I heard a lot of bad things about Wyatt Earp "It's too long, it's too slow, Costner, blah, blah, blah". I just got it last year & went into it with an open mind & found all the bad things I'd heard to be untrue IMO. I liked it very much, but I think I like Tombstone more as just pure entertainment. If I was more in the mood though for serious drama, then Wyatt Earp would be the way to go. BTW Neil, if you like westerns & Costner (& if you haven't already seen it...) I have 2 words for you "Open Range". One of my favorite movies, period. Costner is great in it, as is Robert Duvall. Beautiful locations, rest of the cast is great, simple, solid, traditional western story, & one of the greatest shoot outs I've ever seen in a western.

[Neil]

BTW Neil, if you like westerns & Costner (& if you haven't already seen it...) I have 2 words for you "Open Range". One of my favorite movies, period. Costner is great in it, as is Robert Duvall. Beautiful locations, rest of the cast is great, simple, solid, traditional western story, & one of the greatest shoot outs I've ever seen in a western. Yup... Seen it Costner seems to get a bad rap for some reason, but he's some damn good films!!

[DjfunkmasterG]

Costners bad rap came mostly from 2 films. Waterworld, and The Postman, more probably being The Postman because of having himself put into a bronze statue for the end of the movie. I remember the critics pretty much tore The Postman apart, and singled that moment out the most. I kind of dug The Postman for what it was/could have been, but alas that was 10 years ago. I dunno....maaayyyybe....I saw Tombstone first. I heard a lot of bad things about Wyatt Earp "It's too long, it's too slow, Costner, blah, blah, blah". I just got it last year & went into it with an open mind & found all the bad things I'd heard to be untrue IMO. I liked it very much, but I think I like Tombstone more as just pure entertainment. If I was more in the mood though for serious drama, then Wyatt Earp would be the way to go. BTW Neil, if you like westerns & Costner (& if you haven't already seen it...) I have 2 words for you "Open Range". One of my favorite movies, period. Costner is great in it, as is Robert Duvall. Beautiful locations, rest of the cast is great, simple, solid, traditional western story, & one of the greatest shoot outs I've ever seen in a western. Open Range is a very cool movie. However, one of my favorite Robert Duvall movies is without a doubt The Apostle. Man what a powerful picture that was, just completely outstanding.

[Neil]

Costners bad rap came mostly from 2 films. Waterworld, and The Postman, more probably being The Postman because of having himself put into a bronze statue for the end of the movie. I remember the critics pretty much tore The Postman apart, and singled that moment out the most. I kind of dug The Postman for what it was/could have been, but alas that was 10 years ago. I can happily watch both of those films

[bassman]

I'm your Huckleberry.... Tombstone. As stated before, Earp may be a more personal story but Tombstone is more fun and re-watchable film, imo.

[Neil]

Tombstone. As stated before, Earp may be a more personal story but Tombstone is more fun and re-watchable film, imo. Out of interest, which did you see first?

[bassman]

Out of interest, which did you see first? I've no idea. Probably Tombstone but I don't really remember.

[Kaos]

Have any of you ever been to Tombstone? Yeah, I went out to Tucson in 2003 to visit a friend. We went to Tombstone for a day of sightseeing. I thought it was a great place to visit. I even picked up a signed photograph of the main players from the movie.

[AcesandEights]

I kind of dug The Postman for what it was/could have been, but alas that was 10 years ago. I actually kind of liked the Postman, myself as well as a number of Costner films, primarily from his early mid-career, but he has some shallow frikkin' acting skills in my opinion.

[clanglee]

Tombstone. . without a doubt. I liked Wyatt. . but is was a bit slow and plodding in places. I've seen them both a few times. Matter of fact, they were both at my theater way back when I was a projectionist. So I probably saw them both too many times. Think I saw Tombstone first. Tombstone is just a slice of life, a short period in these people's lives. It has far less to deal with than Wyatt did, so we have ( I think) greater focus on the events at hand. Tombstone just came off as much cooler and kick ass. Which is my favorite type of Western. The more kick ass. . the better.

[Safari Mike]

Not to derail the thread but if you want a pretty good little western thats very realistic in all aspects, check out Barbarosa starring Willie Nelson and Gary Busey. Nelson plays the outlaw Barbarosa and Busey a farmboy who becomes his freind and protege. Filmed in the real locations with non star supporting actors with realistic action. The gun play is real with fairly slow careful aim and no sphagetti western goofiness. Gritty feel with great dialogue and a storyline. One of my favorite westerns. Others worth checking out are Peckinpah's Ballad of Cable Hogue, Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (modern western ala the Coens recent flick), and the classic death of the western epic The Wild Bunch. Jeremiah Johnson is one of Robert Redfords best movies and a damned good western about the mountain man era. Little Big Man is an old favorite of mine that in one story tells a huge story of the west from both white and Indian views starring Dustin Hoffman as Jack Crabb, the only "survivor" of Little Big Horn. I wasn't so hot on Open Range mainly because it was Robert Duvall playing the same old crusty fart performance but Costner was pretty good in it. As for Neils question, I think I saw Tombstone first but the big difference in the two movies is that Tombstone is focused on a particular period of Wyatts life while Wyatt Earp is pretty much a life history. If Tombstone is an action movie, then Wyatt Earp is a bit bloated in my op. I don't dislike Wyatt Earp, I just like Tombstone better.

[MoonSylver]

The Wild Bunch. mainly because it was Robert Duvall playing the same old crusty fart performance Yeah, but he does it so WELL.

[MaximusIncredulous]

I always found Tombstone the more "cartoonish" version of the Wyatt Earp story. With Comatose directing, what more could you expect?