morrison-dylan-fan Whilst owning the film on DVD,I found myself drawn to stay up late at night a few weeks ago to watch the ultra-stylish Neo-Noir Cold In July get screened on TV,with Sam Shepard's being utterly chilling. Checking to see if anything interesting was being shown over the last days of the Easter holiday,I was thrilled to spot a Shepard Spanish Western (!) being shown,which led to me pulling out the black thorn.The plot:Leaving the US with a myth of him and Sundance both being killed, Butch Cassidy changes his name to James Blackthorn and goes to live a life of solitary in Bolivia. Waken up from his 20 year slumber by news that his former lover Etta Place has died,Cassidy writers to their son Ryan to give him news that he will be coming home to meet him. As he prepares to set off,Cassidy discovers people who want to make the myth of his death become true.View on the film:Riding across the beautiful hills of Bolivia,director Mateo Gil & cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchía dip the title in the ghostly myth of Cassidy with isolated crane shots sweeping along the wilderness that Cassidy has left the myths behind for. Tipping his hat towards the Chorizo Western genre, Gil gives the clipped shots of gunfire a dry,earthy colour,that keeps the action grounded with the stark reality of Cassidy.Unearthing Cassidy's "missing years" the screenplay by Miguel Barros superbly grinds into the daily life of Cassidy,with Barros gradually revealing the loves and relaxed daily rituals that Cassidy has come accustomed to. Getting Cassidy to put his cowboy hat back on, Barros struggles to make Cassidy's return thunderous,due to appearing to be like Cassidy,in enjoying the chance to focus on his domestic life,but being much less interested in unleashing Wild West Cassidy action. Joined by a rough and ready Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau as young outlaw James Joven, Sam Shepard gives a fantastic performance as Cassidy,thanks to Shepard making a mere facial expression strip the 20 year myths off Cassidy's face,to unveil a rugged,black thorn outlaw.

Spike Mylan Blackthorn is a very good movie. The cinematography is well above average and takes full advantage of the beautiful locations. There is some breathtaking scenery in this movie. The characters' divergent costuming (Bolivian native attire, gauchos, cowboys, etc.) and props are excellent. The screenplay provides an interesting story and dialogue the actors deliver in a natural and believable way.The acting by talented people under the director's (Mateo Gil) guidance feels real. Sam Shepard is wonderful, creating a relaxed and confident protagonist. Dominique McElligott brings life to her character, Etta. Her smile is infectious, and we cannot help but care for her even when she finishes off two wounded and dying (or already dead) adversaries.The violence in the movie is not excessive, but the shooting scenes are very realistic, supported by excellent sound effects. The bullet strikes (hits and misses) accurately portray what happens when a round strikes something (the ground, a body--human or horse, etc.).I had my reservations before considering this movie. I'm glad I decided to watch it, and I am sure you will enjoy Blackthorn.

paul2001sw-1 'Blackthorn' imagines an alternative end for the legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy to the one in the standard story: that he died, still a relatively young man, in Bolivia. But supposing he'd lived on, made his peace with the world; yet still retained a certain affection for the life of his youth, one that tempted him into certain decisions that were maybe unwise for a man of his age, no longer through a lust for loot but merely through the memory of the camaraderie of a life on the run. The film isn't bad, and there are some subtle subplots, but it lacks a certain narrative drive: the character seems neither to be in control of events, nor to be controlled by them, and although his immediate motivation is always apparent, his wider motivation is less clear. The film looks back at Butch's youth, but skips over the missing years in between that would provide a stronger context. The Bolivian scenery, however, is unfailingly beautiful.

Spikeopath Blackthorn is directed by Mateo Gil and written by Miguel Barros. It stars Sam Shepard, Eduardo Noriega, Stephen Rea, Magaly Solier, Nikolaj Costsr-Waldau, Padraic Delaney and Dominique McElligott. Music is by Lucio Godoy and cinematography by Juan Ruiz Anchia.It was believed that Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid both perished at the hands of the Bolivian army in 1908. Not so, for here is Butch Cassidy 20 years after the supposed event, alive and well and living in a secluded Bolivian village under the name James Blackthorn…What a lovely idea, that of one of history's most famous outlaws actually living longer than history led us to believe. OK, it's a scratchy premise but it allows for a quite elegiac film as we follow an older and grizzled Cassidy on another adventure. That adventure sees him team up with mischievous Spaniard Eduardo Apodaca, the latter of which tries to rob Blackthorn/Cassidy and then offers to repay the old outlaw with the proceeds from some hidden loot stashed away from a robbery. They set off and sure enough there is a posse on their tail, meaning the pair have to stay one step ahead of their pursuers, something which puts the twinkle back in Cassidy's eyes. But not all is as it seems and with flash backs showing Butch and Sundance in their prime (Waldau as the young Cassidy is an inspired choice as per likeness to Shepard), aided by the feisty Etta Place, this is a fully rounded tale.The film quite simply is unhurried and respectful to the art of story telling and is rich with a lead characterisation of considerable substance (Shepard is wonderful, really gets to the soul of the character). Oh it is punctured by the odd action scene, even some humour is in the mix, there's even time for machismo and romantic threads of worth, but this beats a melancholy heart and is All the better for it. It also happens to be one of the most gorgeously photographed Westerns of the modern era. Filmed primarily on location in Bolivia, the landscapes – be it the mountainous ranges or pin sharp salt flats – are sublime, God's wonderful Earth in all its glory expertly realised by Anchia, marking this out as an absolute Blu-ray essential for Western fans big into location photography. While Godoy's musical score is pitch perfect for the tonal flows in the narrative.There's the odd cliché, Rea is a touch wasted and some may decry the simplicity of plot, but this is thoughtful and awash with the love of the Western genre. If only for Shepard and the photography then this is worth it for Western fans, as it is it also calls out to those who like some emotional reflection in their Oaters. 8/10