'The Shooting': An overlooked Western gem

The Shooting (1967)
Starring: Warren Oates, Millie Perkins, Will Hutchinson, and Jack Nicholson
Director: Monte Hellman
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A retired bountyhunter and tracker (Oates) is hired to escort a mysterious, and dangerously insane, woman (Perkins) through desert badlands. During the trip, they meet up with a hired killer (Nicholson) and the bountyhunter realizes that he is guiding the woman to an execution.


"The Shooting" is a quirky western the oozes atmosphere, mystery, and strangeness from every frame. Many questions come up about the characters and the situations they're in, but virtually none of them are answered. The ending, although in perfect keeping with everything that's led up to it--and not terribly surprising if you've been paying careful attention as they film unfolds--only heightens the questions and mystery. That sort of approach is one that bothers me in most cases, but in this film, it works.

Well-acted, well-filmed (even the day-for-night campfire scenes are tolerably well done), and unfolding with the steady, deliberate pace of a well-told suspense tale, "The Shooting" is an overlooked classic of the western genre. If you liked "Pale Rider" or "High Plains Drifter", I suspect you'll appreciate this movie as well.

Another Muslim "holy man" calling for murder

Here's the words of Imam Feiz Muhammed, calling for the beheading of Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Wilders is a bit of a tool, but that is not justification for calls for him to be murdered. (Of course, calling for beheadings isn't something unusual for this psycho.
Remind me again why assholes like Feiz Muhammad deserve any respect whatsoever?)



Here's a a link to some more background on this blood-thirsty Muslim freak from Australia. You can read more of his own words while there.

Fatwa: Australian Imam Urges Muslims to Behead Geert Wilders

Oh yeah, before I forget... here's a little mockery of the Prophet Mohammed (may peas be upon him):

(An early entry in the long-running Jesus and Mo comic strip.)

The website for the book inspired by the blog...

I was asked to make a website for my upcoming book he editor of my upcoming book, 150 Movies You Should (Die Before You) See.

Please check it out by clicking here. While you'll find link back to this very space, you'll also find the opportunity to watch a classic Bela Lugosi movie and some brand-spakin' new message forums. (All that's in them right now are little posts I've been making, partly as tests, partly because I abhor empty space. You should see my office.)

John Nolte: Al Gore Lied, James J. Lee Died

From conservative columnist and film reviewer John Nolte:
Today’s Inconvenient Truth: Al Gore Lied, James J. Lee Died

The topic is the whack-job terrorist who took hostages at the Discovery Channel's offices and who was subsequently shot dead by police.

My mother commented that she thought it was a shame that "the little man died." She felt that it would have been better for all if he had received the treatment he so desperately needed, because he was obviously sick in the head.

She may be right. Me, I'm taking joy from the fact that he's dead. Anyone who chooses the path of terrorism to advance their agenda deserves to have their carbon footprint reduced to Zero.

I wonder how long it will take the Huffington Post to start condemning Al Gore for inspiring violence. They seem quick to blame right-wing media figures for all sorts of things they have nothing to do with. Here, we have a guy who specifically stated he was inspired by Al Gore's movie. I was expecting to see my "daily brief" full of condemnations. But nothing yet.

I guess I'll have to be content with Roger Catlin treating the little freak with the disdain he so richly deserves.

Weird factoid: I'm seeing the "little man" referred to as Jason Jay Lee in some articles. Was this former parasite's name James or Jason?

It's good to have something to fall back on

Just call me Swami Yurmurda. It worked for this guy, so why not me?

By the way, I've made a website to help promote my upcoming book, 150 Movies You Should (Die Before You) See. You can visit it by clicking here. You can even watch a classic Bela Lugosi movie there (well, for the next month... a new film will be featured come Oct. 1.) :)

Environmentalist terrorism on a new scale

Madman Takes Hostages at Discovery Channel Building, Demands Programming Changes

Once again, the environmentalist movement shows itself to be a fertile breeding ground for domestic terrorists here in the United States.

To read the words and demands of James Lee, the whack-job (alleged) hostage taker, click here.


By the way, Lee cites "An Inconvenient Truth" as a source of inspiration. And I think Lee may have inspired me. I think I may have to start ending all my posts with "These are the demands and sayings of Miller."

Mushroom Hunter Massacre!

I see a horror movie in our future, be it a slasher film or a cheesy monster movie!

Mushroom hunter massacre claims 18 lives in Italy


(Although it may already have been made.)