Eastwood's High Plains Drifter - Mean spirited and creepy
Apr 24, 2018 10:43:32 GMT
telegonus, theravenking, and 2 more like this
Post by The Social Introvert on Apr 24, 2018 10:43:32 GMT
For a video version of my thoughts, see here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4hLVDc9yrs
High Plains Drifter is Western star Clint Eastwood’s first attempt at directing one of his own westerns. Given that he was mentored by the likes of Don Siegel and my personal favourite director Sergio Leone it’s no wonder that Eastwood went on to make hits like The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven.
Drifter is lauded as being one of the very first revisionist westerns as opposed to the classic traditional westerns. These were a branch of American Western movies that coincided with the 'New Hollywood' era, acting as the swan song of the Western Old Myth where cars started to make odd appearances, marking the way technology and capitalism would put a deathblow on the frontier or pioneer spirit. Elements include a darker, more cynical tone, with focus on the lawlessness of the time period, favouring realism over romanticism. Anti-heroes are still common, but with stronger roles for women and more-sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans and Mexicans. Regarding power and authority, these depictions favour critical views of big business, the American government, masculine figures (including the military and their policies), and a turn to greater historical authenticity.
The movie concerns a…well, drifter who wonders into a small town from the high plains. He’s a mysterious fellow, cool and gruff looking and noticeably viler than the usual Eastwood western character. The movie borrows heavily from Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West and High Noon for its plot, as clearly the mysterious stranger has a beef with some of the dwellers in the town. The film often intercuts with a blurry flashback of a Marshall being whipped by three gunmen with close to the entire town standing by watching, doing nothing to help the poor fellow. The drifter, or stranger, accepts an offer to help the townsfolk defend against the three gunmen who have recently been released from prison and are on their way to cause havoc. He accepts only after he is given free rein to do as he pleases around the town, an offer which he does not waste at all, forcibly taking any woman he wants and throwing families out of their hotel rooms so he can have the entire building to himself.
One you unglue your eyes from the gorgeous scenery, filmed on location, you understand that this is definitely not your typical John Wayne flick. I’d argue that the movie is just as brutal and cynical as Leone’s westerns if not more. At least Sergio’s movies had the humour to counterbalance the depraved killings and the degenerate treatment of women. This film just feels mean, and the nastiness all comes from the character of the stranger. You can feel his rage radiate just as soon as he appears in the first couple of seconds in the film against the backdrop of the high plains and accompanied by that creepy and eerie score that often rings throughout the film. In addition to the cruel nature of the film there is a surprising supernatural element at play. Westerns often have mysterious, strong silent protagonists but high plains drifter might have gone as far as to have the stranger be some kind of spectre or ghost, sent to the town to punish them for their sins. He seems to enjoy giving them misery. We never really are told who he is or where he comes from. All we know is it is very difficult to side with him as a protagonist and as such we are left with an uneasy feel throughout the film from which we can only be unburdened after knowing just what he wants and why he’s doing it – but we never do, which is probably why I was left with such an uncomfortable feeling after the film was finished.
Machoism is also a meaty theme of most westerns but that is given a slap to the face also in the film. Much is explored in regards to the townsfolk not doing anything when they are oppressed or when oppression becomes apparent to them. Grown men moan to each other about the Stranger’s behaviour and then point out “well, why didn’t you do anything about it then?” as he takes and violates anything he wants whilst no-one has the balls to do anything about it. That fact that we can’t identify with the silent mysterious main character like we usually do during westerns puts us more into the shoes of the agitated townsfolk, which was a nice twist. It adds to the argument that High Plains Drifter is a deconstruction of the myths of the old west. Usually when Eastwood is punching a man across a table or delivering a nonchalant verbal beat down we are laughing and enjoying it. Here it’s different though, and we see the cruel behaviour for what it is, even if some of the victims deserve retribution. It’s difficult to know where we stand because the townspeople deserve punishment for what they’ve done but at the same time just how much of the Strangers behaviour is acceptable? This kind of uncertain pussyfooting around from us as the viewer is much like the townspeople’s choice of not choosing a side when the poor man was being whipped.
During the flashback the Marshall who’s getting whipped damns the townsfolk to hell whilst he dies, and my personal take on the film is that the Stranger is a kind of curse or angel of death sent to punish the town. The allegory can’t get blunter then him literally put up a signpost that says hell and have the town paint all the buildings red. Before the film is finished fire is raging throughout the town and everyone who was involved in the Marshall whipping gets some kind of upcommance for their actions.
This movie is definitely a ‘different’ kind of western. Its plot is nothing out of the ordinary but it’s given a supernatural and sadistic treatment that makes it stand out from the crowd. The Stranger opens up healthy debate on who or what exactly he is. Whatever he is, he’s definitely one of the most memorable characters Easwood’s played, and that’s saying something.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4hLVDc9yrs
High Plains Drifter is Western star Clint Eastwood’s first attempt at directing one of his own westerns. Given that he was mentored by the likes of Don Siegel and my personal favourite director Sergio Leone it’s no wonder that Eastwood went on to make hits like The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven.
Drifter is lauded as being one of the very first revisionist westerns as opposed to the classic traditional westerns. These were a branch of American Western movies that coincided with the 'New Hollywood' era, acting as the swan song of the Western Old Myth where cars started to make odd appearances, marking the way technology and capitalism would put a deathblow on the frontier or pioneer spirit. Elements include a darker, more cynical tone, with focus on the lawlessness of the time period, favouring realism over romanticism. Anti-heroes are still common, but with stronger roles for women and more-sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans and Mexicans. Regarding power and authority, these depictions favour critical views of big business, the American government, masculine figures (including the military and their policies), and a turn to greater historical authenticity.
The movie concerns a…well, drifter who wonders into a small town from the high plains. He’s a mysterious fellow, cool and gruff looking and noticeably viler than the usual Eastwood western character. The movie borrows heavily from Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West and High Noon for its plot, as clearly the mysterious stranger has a beef with some of the dwellers in the town. The film often intercuts with a blurry flashback of a Marshall being whipped by three gunmen with close to the entire town standing by watching, doing nothing to help the poor fellow. The drifter, or stranger, accepts an offer to help the townsfolk defend against the three gunmen who have recently been released from prison and are on their way to cause havoc. He accepts only after he is given free rein to do as he pleases around the town, an offer which he does not waste at all, forcibly taking any woman he wants and throwing families out of their hotel rooms so he can have the entire building to himself.
One you unglue your eyes from the gorgeous scenery, filmed on location, you understand that this is definitely not your typical John Wayne flick. I’d argue that the movie is just as brutal and cynical as Leone’s westerns if not more. At least Sergio’s movies had the humour to counterbalance the depraved killings and the degenerate treatment of women. This film just feels mean, and the nastiness all comes from the character of the stranger. You can feel his rage radiate just as soon as he appears in the first couple of seconds in the film against the backdrop of the high plains and accompanied by that creepy and eerie score that often rings throughout the film. In addition to the cruel nature of the film there is a surprising supernatural element at play. Westerns often have mysterious, strong silent protagonists but high plains drifter might have gone as far as to have the stranger be some kind of spectre or ghost, sent to the town to punish them for their sins. He seems to enjoy giving them misery. We never really are told who he is or where he comes from. All we know is it is very difficult to side with him as a protagonist and as such we are left with an uneasy feel throughout the film from which we can only be unburdened after knowing just what he wants and why he’s doing it – but we never do, which is probably why I was left with such an uncomfortable feeling after the film was finished.
Machoism is also a meaty theme of most westerns but that is given a slap to the face also in the film. Much is explored in regards to the townsfolk not doing anything when they are oppressed or when oppression becomes apparent to them. Grown men moan to each other about the Stranger’s behaviour and then point out “well, why didn’t you do anything about it then?” as he takes and violates anything he wants whilst no-one has the balls to do anything about it. That fact that we can’t identify with the silent mysterious main character like we usually do during westerns puts us more into the shoes of the agitated townsfolk, which was a nice twist. It adds to the argument that High Plains Drifter is a deconstruction of the myths of the old west. Usually when Eastwood is punching a man across a table or delivering a nonchalant verbal beat down we are laughing and enjoying it. Here it’s different though, and we see the cruel behaviour for what it is, even if some of the victims deserve retribution. It’s difficult to know where we stand because the townspeople deserve punishment for what they’ve done but at the same time just how much of the Strangers behaviour is acceptable? This kind of uncertain pussyfooting around from us as the viewer is much like the townspeople’s choice of not choosing a side when the poor man was being whipped.
During the flashback the Marshall who’s getting whipped damns the townsfolk to hell whilst he dies, and my personal take on the film is that the Stranger is a kind of curse or angel of death sent to punish the town. The allegory can’t get blunter then him literally put up a signpost that says hell and have the town paint all the buildings red. Before the film is finished fire is raging throughout the town and everyone who was involved in the Marshall whipping gets some kind of upcommance for their actions.
This movie is definitely a ‘different’ kind of western. Its plot is nothing out of the ordinary but it’s given a supernatural and sadistic treatment that makes it stand out from the crowd. The Stranger opens up healthy debate on who or what exactly he is. Whatever he is, he’s definitely one of the most memorable characters Easwood’s played, and that’s saying something.
