Silverado 2-Disc Gift Set
Great Movie, Disappointing Features
“Silverado” is writer-director Lawrence Kasdan’s great homage to the American Western. Like a great painting, it is not a perfect imitation of what was, but a gorgeous and inspiring interpretation of what might have been.
Scott Glenn and Kevin Costner play brothers with a troubled past. On their way to Silverado to visit family, they meet new friends played by Kevin Kline and Danny Glover. When they arrive in the small town, they find their lives intertwined – the evil cattle baron wants Glenn dead and Glover’s family run out of town, and the corrupt sheriff is Kline’s old partner-in-crime. In true western style, all plots meet in a final shootout on dusty western streets.
The acting, script, direction, photography, and rousing score (by Bruce Broughton) come together perfectly to create an original film that’s also a throwback to the western’s golden age.
Sadly, the DVD release falls short. Two informative featurettes include now and/or then interviews with cast and crew, but a third piece, touted as “A History of Western Shootouts” is just a commercial for other western DVDs. The commentary, by three historians, has a few interesting points, but dissolves into discussions of other movies and shameless plugs for the historians. And can we make it a rule: anyone who does a commentary has to watch the movie first?
Tangible extras are a 16-page booklet with photos and an overview of western film history, and a deck of “Silverado” playing cards.
A film this good deserves better.
Written by: Auriette Lindsey
Reviewers Rating: 6
Reader's Rating: 9.00
Reader's Votes: 2
Added: 10-Oct-2005
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