[Cincinatus]

On the contrary, Europeans historically have been much bigger western fans than Americans. The genre was almost dead in America when Sergio Leone made his "Dollar" movies with Clint Eastwood. The western is classic Greek tragedy.

This could simply be a case of someone thinking that the re-make of True Grit may be less than the original.

[FlyingEagle]

Good Point. ‘Once upon a time in the West’ is my all time favorite by SL.

For a great Greek style tragedy, see the new Tron Legacy sci-fi. V-good.

[jla]

To 4 - Thank you for your remarks that accurately contradict those of some here representing FR’s worst and ignorant.

[MalPearce]

Agreed.

I’d also like to point out how many times has Hollywood itself celebrated patent acting mediocrity over persistent talent in the Oscars and other awards?

Tom Hanks, for example. On several occasions, he’s got awards for phoning it in, by virtue of phoning it in on a movie that the Hollywood intelligentsia liked.

Compare and contrast to Johnny Depp - started from nothing and wasn’t “schooled” in the art, a proper grafter with a huge range of acting talent, broke out of Soap for god’s sake and consistently runs rings round every other actor to come out of the 80s INCLUDING Tom Hanks. Shame he married a Frog and had to use the NHS one time.

If we were to use that one example as a general example of how utterly anti-meritocratic and dazzled by jingoism the entire North American subcontinent is when it comes to awards nominations, I’m pretty sure we would be called on it. And rightly so.

So, I think it’s only fair that we call our American friends on it when they do something equally crass.

I haven’t seen True Grit yet but I’ll tell you something for nothing.

If I watch it and I find that it’s a turd of a movie with wooden acting and a diabolical script, then no amount of polishing it with the “but it’s a CONSERVATIVE movie and therefore deserves Oscars!” defense will make it any less of a turd in my eyes.

I know some conservatives find that objectionable on the basis that you cannot tag the adjective “conservative” to something that isn’t perfection, but I disagree. Part of conservativism is about maintaining standards, not dumbing them down.... and following the liberal intelligentsia in celebrating mediocrity on the basis of its politics is not the way to go.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Europeans may love Westerns. European elitist socialist asswipes may not be so accepting of rugged individualism and freedom.

[Red Badger]

Why do you think they were called “Spaghetti Westerns”............but that was a different Europe then..........