While this movie may never achieve the critical acclaim it deserves, there is a grassroots appreciation for this movie that points out, once again, the different worlds of professional movie critics and the movie-viewing public. For example, Leonard Maltin describes Dana Delany as 'goofy' in this production. Personally, I found her captivating, and -for some reason -the most attractive I have ever seen her.Kurt Russell turns in another excellent performance, proving once again that he has grown considerably as an actor over the years.
The performances of Michael Biehn, Sam Elliott, Powers Boothe, Billy Bob Thornton, Bill Paxton, Billy Zane, Jason Priestly, Joanna Pacula, even Charlton Heston, in supporting roles -major and minor -are carefully crafted and played to perfection.
But in my book Val Kilmer steals the show as Doc Holliday. Chalk this up as another excellent performance (e.g. Thunderheart) by the oft-maligned but excellent actor.
Do yourselves a favor and view this movie as a stand-alone ... don't try to compare it to the other Wyatt Earp movies; don't compare it to history. Just enjoy it as it is -a truly well-told tale, a violent love story (think True Romance set in the 19th century if you will), full of outstanding performances.
This story (as are almost all tales about Earp) is heavily romanticized. History reveals that there were no good guys or bad guys in the power struggles that took place between town authorities, Earp's crowd, and The Cowboys. Nonetheless, the director has paid close attention to period accuracy in costume, language, and props. The firearms used -an area that is often woefully researched -are period accurate, with only the most minor license taken for cinematic effect.
My guess is that in time this movie will establish itself as an audience favorite regardless of "expert" opinion. And the cast members have every reason to be proud of a truly fine ensemble performance.
Dana Delany is radiant as the actress Wyatt falls for even though he is married. His wife has become a drug addict and his marriage is not the stuff dreams are made of, but Dana Delaney is. The film takes its time as Wyatt and his brothers are slowly drawn towards the history we have come to know, and the aftermath we may not.
This is a multilayered story more faithful to the truth than most versions. What makes this film superior to other westerns is the depth of the story and the realistic performances of the cast. The finest of the aforementioned is Val Kilmer's extraordinary turn as Doc Holliday.
This film more realistically portrays the relationship of Holliday and Wyatt than any other film. Kilmer's Holliday is dangerous and intelligent, and above all, loyal to perhaps his only real friend in life, Wyatt Earp. Kilmer so became the real Doc Holliday that it was said he remained in character on the set at all times, even when the camera was not rolling. His performance is something that will always be remembered by anyone who watches this film.
Wyatt is a real man in this film with raw courage but no self delusions. He is no gunman and realizes he can not beat the quick and dangerous Johnny Ringo in a gun battle. Doc Holliday, in spite of his illness, has Wyatt's back and arrives there first. What follows is one of the most tense and accurately portrayed gunfights in film history.
Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp remained friends until Holliday finally was overtaken by the tuberculosis which had plagued him for years. As in real life, Wyatt Earp actually does find happiness and settles down with Dana Delaney after his wife dies in this film. The real Wyatt became quite wealthy in the latter part of his life.
The rich tapestry of events that formed the legend of the dangerous Doc Holliday and Marshal Wyatt Earp are given the best and most accurate screen treatment ever filmed. This is a must see western. You will never forget it and you will never see a better and more colorful true to life performance than Val Kilmer's turn as Doc Holliday.1993 and it was the battle between two films based on the iconic western figure Wyatt Earp. Screenwriter Kevin Jarre ("The Mummy", "Glory", "Rambo: First Blood Part II") and Kevin Costner were originally set to make the film together but due to a disagreement, Costner would go on to film "Wyatt Earp" while Kevin Jarre would take his script to Buena Vista for distribution and sure enough, it became a contest of sorts as who would get their movie out first and which one would dominate in the box office.
Fortunately, despite numerous problems on the set of "Tombstone", if there is one thing that the film had was its all-star cast as Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Charlton Heston, Jason Priestly, Dana Delany, Thomas Haden Church, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Rooker, Terry O'Quinn and many more.
Directing the film would be George P. Cosmatos ("Rambo: First Blood Part II", "Leviathan", "Shadow Conspiracy"), cinematography by William A. Fraker ("Rules of Engagement", "Father of the Bride Part II", "Street Fighter") and music by Bruce Broughton ("Lost in Space", "Bambi II", "Tiny Toon Adventures").
In the end, "Tombstone"earned $56 million domestically and did much better than Costner's "Wyatt Earp" in the box office.
VIDEO:
"Tombstone" is presented in 1080 High Definition (2:35:1). For the most part, the good news is that "Tombstone" looks very good on Blu-ray. The cinematography by William A. Fraker is absolutely beautiful during some of the scenic shots overlooking the fields, the skyline, dusk and dawn. While many parts of the film showcases many colors and for the most part, detail of the town, the saloon, the skin pores, etc. look great on Blu-ray, I noticed that the scenes look a bit dark at times. I haven't had the chance to compare with the original DVD release of "Tombstone" but there are times that seem as if shots were taken during overcast or the shadows of the hats are covering the faces of people.
But despite the dark look of some scenes, "Tombstone" definitely looks sharper and more contrast is seen on the Blu-ray release and blacks are nice and deep. Only one scene which was stock video where you a bit of aliasing but for the most part, I didn't detect any major artifacts or blemishes.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
"Tombstone" is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA (48 kHz/24-bit), French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. Audio dialogue is quite clear and for the most part, the majority of the film is dialogue driven until you get into short action scenes at the O.K. Corral and the final half hour in which the film starts to have more action-based scenes. But one of the things that you will notice is the use of the surrounds in terms of capturing the ambiance of the outdoor scenes. I was watching when Wyatt and Josie were horseriding and are taking a break and all of a sudden I started hearing birds chirping and rustling the trees. I thought that was pretty cool. Also, you will hear the thunderstorms come to life and of course, the gun battle sequences in which you hear rifle shots, gun shots and more. Overall, "Tombstone" sounds very good via lossless.
Subtitles are in English SDH, English ESL, French and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Tombstone" comes with the following special features in 480i, English 2.0 Dolby Digital audio and subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish. Included are:
* The Making of Tombstone (27:19) This featurette goes into the cast of Tombstone as they talk about their characters and filming a Western. Director George P. Cosmatos talking about making an authentic Western and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
* Director's Original Storyboards (4:00) A special feature showcasing the original storyboards of Director George P. Cosmatos.
* Trailers and TV Spots Featuring two theatrical trailers (:60 and :120) and the "Friends" TV spot (:30).
JUDGMENT CALL:
"Tombstone" is an enjoyable film and for those who enjoy Westerns and for those who like the stories of lawmen vs. the outlaws, the film is quite entertaining and a storyline in which both Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer actually do a remarkable job. Russell as the Wyatt Earp, the caring brother and also not afraid of anyone! And Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday at his most charming and also his most vulnerable and how Kilmer plays off the sickly version of Holliday is really well-done.
But what I did enjoy about "Tombstone" when I first watched it over a decade ago, was how it tried to capture the life of Wyatt Earp and led to the "Gunfight of O.K. Corral" and "Wyatt Earp and the Immortals". Granted, the film is not exactly historically accurate and the adaptation would be of what took place had to receive the Hollywood touch but for the most part, it did capture many of the stories that took place especially with Virgil Earp becoming a marshal, some of the battles that took place and more.
If there was one thing that I was hoping for, it would be a more climactic battle between Wyatt and Curly Bill Brocius. With Brocius being the leader of the Cowboys, I felt that the battle between both men was rather short. Also, there were some scenes of certain characters that felt out of place and this goes with the troubled production as the original screenplay was longer and had a story emphasizing sub-plots of the various characters but was nixed. The fact that "Tombstone" has quite a bit of starpower, I just felt that certain characters were never utilized and if they were, what was the purpose. For example, why was Deputy Billy Breckinridge (played by Jason Priestly) even shown and also, with no historical fact towards his sexuality, why was she shown to have gay tendencies? Also, the character of Sherman McMasters (played by Michael Rooker), just an added scene showing why he broke off with the Cowboys would have been nice to see as well.
As for the Blu-ray, the film definitely looks and sounds better than its predecessor. It's important to note that the Blu-ray version features the 130-minute version and not the 135-minute director's cut version of "Tombstone". Missing is the audio commentary by director George P. Cosmatos and also "The Tombstone Epitaph Actual Newspaper Account" featured in the Director's Cut Televista DVD version. But the making-of featurette, director's original storyboards and trailers remain intact. But you can't help but be pleased with this Blu-ray release.
Overall, "Tombstone" was an enjoyable Western that I have seen a good number of times. Does it rank high compared to the best Western's out there? Definitely not but in my opinion, it's the best Wyatt Earp film that I have seen yet and it's a film that I just found enjoyable from beginning to end. Definitely recommended!
Read Best Reviews of Tombstone (1993) Here
Having already seen My Darling Clementine (1946) and The Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957) several times, I was curious to observe what director George Pan Cosmatos and his screenwriters would do with essentially the same material in this film. There are significant differences between and among them but suggesting comparisons and contrasts would be unfair to three different films which appeared over a 57-year period.Now on to Tombstone. Director George Cosmatos worked with a large cast and all of the performances are first-rate. William Fraker's cinematography and Bruce Broughton's musical score are carefully integrated within the narrative and serve it well. My own opinion is that Val Kilmer (Doc Holliday) dominates each scene in which he appears. However, Kurt Russell (Wyatt Earp), Dana Delany (Josephine Marcos), Sam Elliot (Virgil Earp), and Powers Boothe (Curly Bill Brocius) hold their own.
As portrayed in the film, Tombstone (Arizona) is a western town in the last stages of being a community dominated by outlaws. The involvement of the Earps coincide with a growing local desire among residents to establish law and order. The eventual showdown at the OK Corral is a key event but by no means the only one. I was especially interested in how Cosmatos and Russell develop Wyatt Earp's character as he struggles to follow his conscience, establish some stability in his own life, and thereby complete a transition from gunfighter to private citizen.
Back to Kilmer for a moment. I do not recall a prior or subsequent film of his in which he reveals the comic timing, nuances of personality, and conflicting anxieties which he does while portraying Holliday in Tombstone. His is a masterful performance, maintaining an exquisite balance between playful humor and force of will. I recalled elements of that performance while recently observing Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. However, the Holliday character is revealed to have much greater depth and complexity than Sparrow's even as both characters demonstrate at every appropriate opportunity a unique flair for mimicry.
I do have a few minor quibbles. First, I think the pace of the plot lags unnecessarily at times. Also, the evolving relationship between Wyatt Earp and Josephine Marcos is not always in focus, even when allowing for a period of adjustment as they take each other's measure. Finally, I really don't understand the purpose of the final scene except to offer an alternative to the neat-and-tidy conclusion which so many other films offer. That said, I think that Cosmatos, his cast, and crew have created 135 minutes of generally entertaining, sometimes hilarious, and often thought-provoking material. Perhaps the more ambitious scale (e.g. timeframe and subplots) precludes the dramatic impact of its predecessors, My Darling Clementine and The Gunfight at the OK Corral. In any event, I enjoyed it.
Final point: I wish all other versions offered special features comparable with those provided by the Vista Series DVD. They include a commentary by Cosmatos, the 134 Director's Cut Edition, featurettes ("An Ensemble Cast," "Making An Authentic Western," and "The Gunfight At The O.K. Corral"), an interactive Tombstone storyline, The Tombstone Epitaph Actual Newspaper Account, and Cosmatos' original storyboards for the O.K. Corral sequence.
Want Tombstone (1993) Discount?
Tombstone has had a long and sorry past when it has come to its releases on video. For we enthusiasts that go back that far this film, despite being released in 1993, saw a laserdisc release but not in AC-3, a definite disappointment as you had a decent picture but dated sound. As if that wasn't enough, when it was finally released on DVD in December 1997 it was still Dolby Pro Logic and while the transfer was widescreen it was a terrible transfer and was not anamorphic. Those anxious to watch the four black coats come down the road in true widescreen and orchestrated bombast wept like Tom Mix at Wyatt Earp's funeral.And so, the erstwhile lovers of home theater and this film in particular, which should be reference material right next to Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park and other 90s pheoms, waited and waited, and waited some more. Finally our prayers were answered in 2002 with the Tombstone The Director's Cut (Vista Series), a very nice transfer, a DTS 5.1 mix, a lot of nice goodies and all was well with the world.
Then came Blu-ray and despite being one of the main purveyors of the format, Hollywood/Disney sat on Tombstone again. It sat patiently in the corner, during the great HD-DVD war it could have been right there saying "I'm your huckleberry, that's just my game." But no, it was left. So, it was with great trepidation and expectation I approached this release knowing there was no way it could live down its 1997 release but the Vista release left a lot to live up to. It should come as no surprise it falls in between.
THE GOOD
This is the best video transfer yet of this film. It's a gorgeous 2.35:1 AVC transfer. It retains the grain of the original but otherwise this print is pristine. The colors snap and are vibrant, it's devoid of any artifacts and despite closing in on 20 years this film holds up well and is visually spectacular. You won't be disappointed. As the Vista Series transfer was done in 2002 I believe this is an entirely new transfer as I doubt that one was HD. Also the Vista Series features a "Director's Cut" of the film that is of dubious merit. This Blu-ray features the original theatrical release of the film.
The DTS-MA soundtrack sounds great, not jaw dropping but great. You have some nice deep bass rumble from the horses, the shots go flying over your head, etc. I would guess that this is either a straight up sampling of the DTS mix done for the Vista Series or possibly a slight rework from that master material. I don't believe this is a complete remastering in DTS-MA It sounds good though and you won't be disappointed.
THE BAD
It's not bad per se but you get less extras than the Vista Series. Why they put some additional material together for a prior release and then leave it off the Blu-ray? One reason usually: to sell the "deluxe edition" Blu-ray at a later date. I wasn't expecting the little map and the fancy case like the Vista Series but at least give me what I had before. Also there is nothing new here at all. Kurt Russell has made reference to essentially directing this film, George Cosmatos has passed away now, I would have been interested in a Kurt Russell commentary track or some information on the production. This film has a very interesting production history and the extras don't cover it, instead you get the stale "making of" fluff piece.
I won't go into the film, if you don't know this film by now I can't help you. It's easily one of the best westerns ever made and I'm talking right up there with John Ford and the rest. This is a superb flim with an all-star cast and not a poor performance to be found. It's also got more one-liners than you've ever seen in a flim before.
Overall this is 4/5 stars, it could have been better but I appreciate the effort for the main feature.
(Updated 3/10/2012)
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