In the Desert: Three Classic Film Picks by Jill Blake
There’s never a shortage of films available on FilmStruck. Every week, FilmStruck updates its constantly rotating streaming catalog with new themes and collections, along with special features. Along with an eclectic mix of foreign and indie titles, FilmStruck also offers the most comprehensive collection of classic Hollywood films available to stream, bringing in new audiences that otherwise wouldn’t have easy access to these films. With all of these great Hollywood classics available, where do you start? Every month, I select a few classic titles that I feel are great entry points for those unfamiliar with classic film, or for those of you who would like to introduce classics to your friends and family.
Here are my latest classic film picks featuring films set in the desert. All of these titles are currently streaming on FilmStruck.
STAGECOACH (’39)—Directed by John Ford
Released in Hollywood’s greatest year—1939—STAGECOACH is one of the greatest Westerns ever made by one of the greatest directors of all time: John Ford. The Western genre can be a difficult sell for someone who isn’t familiar with it or has preconceived ideas based on decades of cheesy tropes and negative racial stereotypes. But Ford was a master of the genre by putting focus on compelling stories featuring characters we actually care about. Combine that storytelling with the stunning backdrop of the American Southwest, specifically Utah’s Monument Valley—a favorite and frequent location for the director—and you have an American masterpiece. Yes, there are Apache ambushes and bad guys and galloping horses, but STAGECOACH is really a story about different kinds of people from different walks of life forced together in an impossible situation. And that’s a story that all of us can relate to in some way.
THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (’48)—Directed by John Huston
While STAGECOACH is one of the best Westerns ever made, THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE is arguably one of the greatest action-adventure films of all time. Featuring a strong trio in Walter Huston (John Huston’s father), Tim Holt and lead by Humphrey Bogart in perhaps his finest performance, THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE is a masterful tale of greed, deception and betrayal on a quest for gold, exacerbated by the harsh conditions of the desert and dangerous mountain ranges in Mexico. Also, for those of you familiar with the often-spoofed line, “Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges”—this is where it originated.
ACE IN THE HOLE (’51) – Directed by Billy Wilder
It’s no secret that I am a huge Billy Wilder fan. Currently, FilmStruck has an impressive lineup of Wilder’s films, including one of his greatest: ACE IN THE HOLE, starring Kirk Douglas and Jan Sterling. Wilder had a knack for telling stories that pushed boundaries and convention, often with scathing takes on current events and the good and evil of the human condition. ACE IN THE HOLE was Wilder’s first project following the professional break-up with frequent collaborator Charles Brackett. This film was also the first to be a critical and commercial failure for the director. But over time, ACE IN THE HOLE has been re-evaluated by critics and audiences for its unflinching criticism of America’s obsession with the media and the circus it creates around tragedy. This film was ahead of its time and feels like it could’ve been made today.
The desert: great for stories, bad for existentially vulnerable humans.
In the Desert: Three Classic Film Picks by Jill Blake
There’s never a shortage of films available on FilmStruck. Every week, FilmStruck updates its constantly rotating streaming catalog with new themes and collections, along with special features. Along with an eclectic mix of foreign and indie titles, FilmStruck also offers the most comprehensive collection of classic Hollywood films available to stream, bringing in new audiences that otherwise wouldn’t have easy access to these films. With all of these great Hollywood classics available, where do you start? Every month, I select a few classic titles that I feel are great entry points for those unfamiliar with classic film, or for those of you who would like to introduce classics to your friends and family.
Here are my latest classic film picks featuring films set in the desert. All of these titles are currently streaming on FilmStruck.
STAGECOACH (’39)—Directed by John Ford
Released in Hollywood’s greatest year—1939—STAGECOACH is one of the greatest Westerns ever made by one of the greatest directors of all time: John Ford. The Western genre can be a difficult sell for someone who isn’t familiar with it or has preconceived ideas based on decades of cheesy tropes and negative racial stereotypes. But Ford was a master of the genre by putting focus on compelling stories featuring characters we actually care about. Combine that storytelling with the stunning backdrop of the American Southwest, specifically Utah’s Monument Valley—a favorite and frequent location for the director—and you have an American masterpiece. Yes, there are Apache ambushes and bad guys and galloping horses, but STAGECOACH is really a story about different kinds of people from different walks of life forced together in an impossible situation. And that’s a story that all of us can relate to in some way.
THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (’48)—Directed by John Huston
While STAGECOACH is one of the best Westerns ever made, THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE is arguably one of the greatest action-adventure films of all time. Featuring a strong trio in Walter Huston (John Huston’s father), Tim Holt and lead by Humphrey Bogart in perhaps his finest performance, THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE is a masterful tale of greed, deception and betrayal on a quest for gold, exacerbated by the harsh conditions of the desert and dangerous mountain ranges in Mexico. Also, for those of you familiar with the often-spoofed line, “Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges”—this is where it originated.
ACE IN THE HOLE (’51) – Directed by Billy Wilder
It’s no secret that I am a huge Billy Wilder fan. Currently, FilmStruck has an impressive lineup of Wilder’s films, including one of his greatest: ACE IN THE HOLE, starring Kirk Douglas and Jan Sterling. Wilder had a knack for telling stories that pushed boundaries and convention, often with scathing takes on current events and the good and evil of the human condition. ACE IN THE HOLE was Wilder’s first project following the professional break-up with frequent collaborator Charles Brackett. This film was also the first to be a critical and commercial failure for the director. But over time, ACE IN THE HOLE has been re-evaluated by critics and audiences for its unflinching criticism of America’s obsession with the media and the circus it creates around tragedy. This film was ahead of its time and feels like it could’ve been made today.
The desert: great for stories, bad for existentially vulnerable humans.
It’s an insignificant thing, it’s a small thing, it’s a hamburger, but it’s not a good one. Suddenly, I look at the hamburger and I find myself in a spiral of depression that can last for days.
I didn’t watch or read any of Anthony Bourdain’s work, but this hit me like a lead wrecking ball.
It’s an insignificant thing, it’s a small thing, it’s a hamburger, but it’s not a good one. Suddenly, I look at the hamburger and I find myself in a spiral of depression that can last for days.
I didn’t watch or read any of Anthony Bourdain’s work, but this hit me like a lead wrecking ball.
I saw Hereditary and here’s my review: what the hell did I just watch.
It’s the same reaction as the one I had to The Witch. I think I know what’s going on. There are expectations. But then it goes sideways and I don’t know what’s happening. It’s honestly disturbing and I’ll be pondering it for days.
In short, :thumbsup:
I saw Hereditary and here’s my review: what the hell did I just watch.
It’s the same reaction as the one I had to The Witch. I think I know what’s going on. There are expectations. But then it goes sideways and I don’t know what’s happening. It’s honestly disturbing and I’ll be pondering it for days.
