Poorly Costumed Westerns

[Mark G]

Two very good books for information on clothing and accessories are "I See By Your Outfit" by Tom Lindmier and Steve Mount, and "Cowboys & The Trappings of the Old West" by William Manns and Elizabeth Clair Flood.

There is practically nothing about "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" that has anything to do with the old west. Having said that, I love it. During the Victorian Era of the late 1800's it was concidered bad form to show any flesh. That included men. A shirt was thought of as underwear and most men wore ties, or at least kept there shirt buttoned. A woman would never have an open collar, let alone show her underwear. I think films are as much a part of the time they are made as they are the period they are depicting. It's very unusual for period films made today to have authentic hair cuts. Twenty years from now people will be saying the same thing about movies from 2006.

 

[miss1934]

I completely agree, that's actually what I'm trying to prove. Some people have done period films right, like Gilbert Adrian in Romeo and Juliet, and he made a valient attempt with Marie Antionette until Norma Shearer stepped in. Any particularily bad western you know of? I really do get a kick out of them if nothing else. The Harvey Girls, for instance. I realize this is not a true western, but women in continuously starched clothing in the old west amuse me. Not only that, she was supposed to be a middle class girl, travelling light, alone and somehow the magnificient ensembles just keep on coming. What about show girls? The up-do are obvious, but could a woman really get away with something like that? I found a book that said yess, but I have come to doubt it. There is no way that they would have had access to those, fabrics, trims, and ridiculous patterns.
Just wondering...

 

[carebear]

Kevin Costner's outfit in "Open Range" is about as close to correct as any film in recent times... Except his hat. Hat creases were very regional. You would never find a cowboy in Montana with a wide brim and big crown.

IIRC He wasn't necessarily from Montana but was there on the run from somewhere else, also he was a free ranger who went where the grass was. In theory he could have brought his hat style with him. Interesting that you could tell where a cowboy was from by his hat.

 

[Viola]

Any particularily bad western you know of? I really do get a kick out of them if nothing else.

Well, I've been reading this thread with great interest, and finally something I can weigh in on; I love terrible movies!

Bad Girls (1994) - starring Drew Barrymore and Andie McDowell. A prostitute buddy flick. However, Drew was lookin' fine.

The Quick And The Dead (1995) - Sharon Stone. Spaghetti western meets Bloodsport by way of the Thunderdome.

If you can keep food down after those two I'm sure I can come up with more.

Viola

 

[miss1934]

I do that all the time, where I just follow threads and rearely post, but lately I've gotten into it. I too love bad movies, especially the early thirties ones with Roobert Montgomery, every one of them is awful and I watch the again and again anyways.

 

[Mark G]

IIRC He wasn't necessarily from Montana but was there on the run from somewhere else, also he was a free ranger who went where the grass was. In theory he could have brought his hat style with him. Interesting that you could tell where a cowboy was from by his hat.

You're right he wasn't from the area so it most likely wouldn't have been the same style as the locals. I was also refering to the style of hat he was wearing appears to be more from the turn of the century not 1885. Obviously I haven't seen every hat and could be wrong. Thanks.

As for my favorite bad western: My pick would have to be "White Comanche" starring William Shatner. It was filmed in Spain in 1967 when Shatner was on hiatus from "Star Trek". It has everything, bad acting, bad script, bad costumes, you name it. It's about twin half breeds one in the white culture, one in the Indian. Wow!