I saw "The Alamo" tonight...and I liked it!

[MplsSteve]

I saw "The Alamo" tonight.

I went in with an open mind, having read the comments posted on here as well as on the 'Net in general.

Though I'm no authority on the subject, I found the movie to be relatively true to actual historical events.

Yes, with any Hollywood production, you're gonna see some artistic license taken...and there were a few that were taken here that shouldn't have been taken.

There has been on on-going debate for the few decades over whether Davy Crockett was killed in the fighting or whether he was captured alive and then executed. Because the producers chose that he was captured and then executed doesn't make it any less of a movie....or any less believable.

But all in all, the acting was good and the battle scenes and special effects were great. If you've seen the movie already, then you know about the birds-eye view of the Mexican cannonball flying into the interior of the Alamo.

Go to this movie with an open but wary mind about what you're gonna see...and you won't be disappointed.

[stevem]

Because of much of the pre-release publicity, I made a pact with myself to avoid the movie until I saw some of the comments on FR. This thread has convinced me to go see it.

I've been listening for years the argument about the demise of Crocket. As long as the argument doesn't involve an unsupported slanderous smear of cowardice, I could never see the point. Whether he died in the battle at the end of the siege or after capture and execution is irrelevant. Any man that put himself in the Alamo in those days could never be regarded as a coward. It was so hopeless, sort of the supreme sacrifice.

[stevem]

Who knows what makes a movie successful? I saw Disney's first effort for the first time when I was about 5 years old. That wasn't really the story of the Alamo, but was the story of Davey Crockett (Fess Parker). Disney made out quite well in that effort.

I liked John Wayne's Alamo, although thought it could have been a bit shorter. I also truly liked Widmark's portrayal of Bowie, although you would be pretty hard pressed to find much that Widmark ever did that was anything but professional. John Wayne went broke making that movie, so maybe it's tough story to sell for a profit. For Wayne it was a labor of love if I understand anything I have ever read about it. Anyway, after that movie, Wayne had to do about 3 movies per year for a number of years in order to keep out of bankruptcy court.

After reading through this thread, I'm now looking forward to taking a run at it.

[KevinDavis]

Here is something to ponder, what if the Texas Revolution was lost? Did Santa Anna had territoral aspects i.e. trying to conquer more land? Mainly go against the US?

[MplsSteve]

Bump!

[Trinity_Tx]

Bump : )

Thank you for posting this, Steve. It hurts to see so many freepers draw conclusions from hype and preconceptions rather than from fellow freepers who have seen it.

Out of the few dozen who have actually seen the film, only one freeper I've noticed on all the threads came away unhappy. The rest of us were pleased with it. It reminds me of what happened with prejudgements of The Passion...

I saw it (The Alamo) here in a ultra-conservative suburb of Dallas, at one of the largest theaters... to my left and right were two older men, who claimed they seldom went to movies but were Alamo buffs, and sitting below me was an elderly man who was grumbling before it started. lol

At the movie's end, this Texas audience applauded long and loud. As we left, we all discussed how much we enjoyed it -even the grumbling man was smiling and said he was pleasantly surprised.

None of us were really thrilled with Billy Bob playing Crocket. And there were a few lines by him that were over the top. But it wasn't anything like the false rumors flying around here said (and still say) it was. I watched the John Wayne version the night before, and even it showed Crocket's ambivalence about the fight. And this movie made both Houston and Travis look even more honorable.

Anyway, I wish more here would go see it. It is hard to see so many misperceptions get recycled here.

Even SamWolf and his lovely wife here at the freeper canteen enjoyed it and encouraged us to give it a chance. : )

[ValerieUSA]

Last night in Austin ... wrapping yet another Billy Bob movie, "Friday Night Lights."

[ValerieUSA]

I'm looking forward to seeing The Alamo. While working on "Friday Night Lights" I met a lot of local extras, actors and stuntmen who worked on The Alamo and they were proud of their hard work and anxious for the movie to finally be released.

[snippy_about_it]

Well said Trinity_Tx. Just one correction...at the freeper canteen..

that's the FReeper Foxhole, we do history!

[Trinity_Tx]

Great : ) They should be proud, IMHO.

I heard that the actor who played Travis opened the movie's preview showing in San Antonio with the song "God Bless America".

[Trinity_Tx]

Oh of course! Yeeeeesh... My apologies. I should go to bed rather than stay up posting while zoned-out, lol.

(And you two have made the foxhole a wonderful Den in the FR Home. I keep tellin myself that someday I'll quit lurkin and chirp up, maybe. lol)

[snippy_about_it]

I should go to bed rather than stay up posting while zoned-out, lol.

I know the feeling, that's when I'm at my worst. In fact I better get to bed too.

Chime in at the Foxhole anytime, we'd love to hear from you.

The movie was quite well done. I thought it a tear jerker, they really did portray the courage of those men and what they were all about.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the kind words, Trinity_Tx.

Snippy and I saw "The Alamo" Friday and tonight watched the John Wayne version Director's Cut. IMHO, The new version is more historically accurate plus you get the bonus of seeing the battle of San Jacinto.

The John Wayne version is good and I've seen it more time than I can count. It's a feel good Hurrah for Freedom and America movie but misses a lot on accuracy. I too feel Dickenson should have had more play and missed Bonham in thios version. I plan on buying the new version when it becomes available. I prefer to believe Crockett went down fighting and all accounts of his "capture" state there where 6 to seven men captured and executed, so even this scene is not correct if you buy Pena's diary.

I went into the movie knowing that Bowie and Travis were flawed characters. The few lines that are thrown out in the movie just point this out.

Don't give this movie a pass, it's a lot better than I was expecting. I was afraid that it would be a "bash the evil, white Europeans fest". I was pleasantly surprised.

[WaterDragon]

My neighbors saw the movie last night and came over specially to tell me they LOVED it!

[WaterDragon]

I'm one of the 99% who didn't know what a 'screamer' was. I do thank you for the explanation!

[SwyChron 101]

With Tim and Faith? It's getting better. Were they at City Limits? I know where Faith and Tim stand. Does Billy Bob only acquiesce when needed to sell a movie that has to do with the Alamo?

Inquisitive minds want to know.

[No Blue States]

Thanks, Im noticing the majority of people who saw the movie liked it.

I will see this movie soon.

[normy]

I'm one of the 99% who didn't know what a 'screamer' was. I do thank you for the explanation!,

I saw the movie the second time with my brother. At the begining when the actor who plays Crockett in the play is going over his lines he says something to the effect of " I'm a screamer, I can whoop a mountain lion, ride a lightning bolt and jump the Mississippi". I didn't catch it the first time but I did the second and seeing as Crockett saw the play and knew people saw him as the man in the play he used that line. Great movie though.

[Junior]

From Film is likely to fuel a battle of the Alamo

"I don't think people are necessarily going to get this, but in the 19th century, being a screamer meant, 'I'm an important person, I'm a stud, I'm a person to be reckoned with,'" he explained. "It doesn't mean he's screaming like a girl."

[Doctor Stochastic]

"Lyron" being one of the least documented.

[SAMWolf]

At the begining when the actor who plays Crockett in the play is going over his lines he says something to the effect of " I'm a screamer, I can whoop a mountain lion, ride a lightning bolt and jump the Mississippi".

Thanks normy. I didn't catch that either.