Early in “Blackthorn,” I had to smile when the line “I can’t trust someone with no name” was uttered. Immediately, it brought to mind Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name character from Sergio Leone’s “Dollars” trilogy — some of the best Westerns ever made. And “Blackthorn” is nothing if not a cinematic celebration of the […]
western
Posted inMusic
Treasures 5: The West, 1898-1938
1. the current revisionist Westerns, like the Coen brothers’ “No Country for Old Men” and their remake of “True Grit”;2. the traditional Westerns of yesteryear that made stars of John Wayne, Roy Rogers and even Clayton Moore; and3. the spaghetti Westerns of Italy that build a bridge from No. 2 to No. 1, not to […]
Posted inMusic
Heroes of the Old West
One inexpensive way to find out: Mill Creek Entertainment’s release of “Heroes of the Old West.” Let’s run the numbers: For less than $10, you get almost 22 hours of material on four DVDs. That’s 10 feature films, 20 television shows and, hopefully, one happy camper. With the exception of John Wayne in 1963’s “McLintock!,” […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Cowpoke paradise
Hearing that, we hauled ass to the one of four Swadley’s locations nearest our ranch. What other restaurant has its own song? Swadley’s freestanding building is easy to spot in front of a strip mall on the corner of the busy intersection at S.W. 89th and Western. Once an A&W Root Beer stand, it still […]
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A Fistful of Dollars / For a Few Dollars More
The first two now join the third in being released on individual Blu-rays each packed with extra material; it’s hard to imagine that they have ever looked better. Donning a now-iconic hat, poncho and soggy cigar, Eastwood makes a strong, silent impression as “the Man with No Name.” Supposedly, he’s playing a different character in […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Cowboys & Aliens
But in one of the pleasant surprises of the summer-movie season, this genre mash-up is lean, handsomely crafted entertainment. It works precisely because it acts as if there’s no joke. You’ve got cowboys, and you’ve got aliens. ’Nuff said. It certainly starts with a bang. A man (Daniel Craig, “Quantum of Solace”) wakes up in […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Metro plans Serbian feast
The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro, 6418 N. Western, is planning a Serbian dinner at 6:30 p.m. July 17. The guest chef will be Marko Kratohvil, an artist and sculptor who helped choose savory Serbian specialties for the evening. Part of the proceeds will benefit City Arts Center. Tickets are $80 per person, which includes […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Oblivion
1. It’s from Full Moon Entertainment’s heyday of straight-to-video fare. 2. When’s the last time you saw Siamese twin poker players, identical right down to the eye patch? 3. Andrew Divoff (“Wishmaster”) plays dual roles, including the lead villain, a reptilian green guy named Redeye.4. Julie Newmar portrays a madam, but basically does it as […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe
5701 N. Western 842-2233 Imagine this: 84 Camille’s in 27 states, and it all began in Tulsa, which makes Camille’s a successful local concept. The flatbread pizzas are all less than $7, with many combinations available, like its kickin’ barbecue chicken, Zorba the Greek, rustic Italian, a plain cheese or the out-of-the-ordinary Bangkok Thai pizza. […]
Posted inMusic
Rio Conchos / Take a Hard Ride
From 1964, “Rio Conchos” — which, according to Google Language Tools, translates to English as, um, “Rio Conchos” — is a standard B Western of insignificance, other than the names among its cast: Stuart Whitman, Richard Boone, Tony Franciosa, Edmond O’Brien and Jim Brown. It’s a slight variation on the cowboys-vs.-Indians theme in that it’s […]