Friday, September 05, 2008

My stepfather; Appaloosa

My stepfather died around three forty-five this morning. My mom had checked him at three thirty but had a feeling she needed to check him sooner than the half hour. She found him dead. She woke my half sister Linda and then called for the ambulance. The funeral is Monday. As I've said he was one of the most honest, decent, compassionate people I've ever known. Quietly humorous and modest to a fault. I'd known him at least ten years before, at my mom's urging, he showed me his WW11 scrapbook. He was a much decorated soldier who'd fought in the South Pacific. He never mentioned it again after that day. Nor was there any evidence of it in their apartment. I will sure miss him.

------------Appaloosa

I mentioned Jeffrey Welles' Hollywood Elsewhere the other day. I find his take on movies and show business sensible and sincere (as opposed to the show off style of too many reviewers) so I take him seriously even when I disagree with him. Bill Crider and I both talked up the trailer for Appaloosa. Very exciting stuff. Here's Welles' opinion. I have no idea if I'll agree with it when I see the movie. This is the only review I've seen.

" Ed Harris's Appaloosa is just okay. No, that sounds dimissive. It's a decent...too negative again. It's a solid piece of work -- how's that? But dammit, the words "not half bad" keep creeping into my head, which sounds, I realize, like damnation with faint praise. I don't mean to put it down; I was never in serious pain. But ten minutes in I knew this was no Open Range, which in my book (and the books of many others) is the finest, best-written and most believably recreated western since Unforgiven.

"I would put Appaloosa on the level of 3:10 to Yuma, more...Read More"

for the rest go here

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2008/09/okay_appaloosa.php

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

So sorry for your loss, Ed... he sounded like a remarkable man, and thanks for sharing these moments with us.

J. Kingston Pierce said...

I'm sorry to hear about your stepfather, Ed. We all have sadly few people in our lives who mean the world to us. Our worlds become a bit smaller with the loss of any one of them.

Keep his memory alive.

-- Jeff

mybillcrider said...

Very sorry to hear about your stepfather, Ed. Obviously one of the greatest generation.

pattinase (abbott) said...

So sorry, Ed. My Dad fought in the Battle of the Bulge and is still kicking around but their numbers are dwindling.

Dave Zeltserman said...

Ed, my condolences. From everything you've written about him, sounds like it would've been a privilege to have known him.

James Reasoner said...

I'm sorry for your loss, Ed. Even when you know it's coming, it's still tough.

Sandra Scoppettone said...

Sorry Ed. There's no preparation for this.

Anonymous said...

So sorry for your loss, Ed.

Ed Lynskey

David Jack Bell said...

Sorry to hear this, Ed. I'll be thinking of you.

DJB

Anonymous said...

Saddened by the news, Ed...

Cap'n Bob said...

I'm also sorry to hear this, Ed, both as your personl loss and the loss of another brave vet of WII. I salute him.

Todd Mason said...

Belated further condolence, Ed.

And I thought OPEN RANGE was not only starkly, beautifully shot, but got across, in a way that would be alien to Peckinpah, just how awful a gunfight would be...and they still are.

Juri said...

Sorry to hear about your stepfather, Ed.