Nice to see mention of The Apostle. I haven’t seen it in a long time. It really struck me as a truly great movie...and also a profoundly American movie. And yet its subject matter so runs against the grain of pop-cultural/political thinking, it just might be one of America’s most underrated movies. Its realism seemed to me more visceral and honest than most other movies. “Realism” today seems to be simply skewing colors towards green or blue, blowing out the contrast and grain, and making sure the camera shakes...an empty, sophomoric trend, IMO.
Ah, “Tender Mercies” and “The Apostle”. Both great movies based on the rural Texas Culture. Duval would have made a great Southern small town Evangelical or Pentecostal type Preacher!