Go west young man, no really, it will be the trip of a lifetime.

     Hello one and all and welcome to another exciting episode of the Shadow knows. What does the Shadow know today kiddies? Well today the Shadow says beware of smoking. Smoking can be very bad for your health. As a matter of fact if you see that you are smoking, then smoking heavily, and that is followed by a sensation of heat that means you're on FIRE! Stop, drop, and roll, stop, drop, and roll! You see I saved you from another painful moment... whew. So on to How I Geek with Greg and the Scooby gang. This week there will some talk of busting ghosts and gremlins, plus a general geek discussion of general geekitude. It ought to be a hoot and a holler ye haw. Now y'all come on down now ya hear.

     Now on to the meat of the discussion kiddies. Today's topic of deep interest is a bit of a lamentation. I lament the passing of a great movie genre... the western. This seems to be a dying art in the film industry and whats more no one seems to care. Westerns have been around since the silent age of movies. During those days of the turn of the last century the old west was still fresh in peoples minds. Guys like Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp were writing their life stories and helping the infant film industry make movies. Civil War veterans were also still roaming the streets Singing Yankee Doodle or whistling Dixie and telling their stories. To the people of the time the old west represented a time of exploration and excitement. It was after all the new frontier for us and we do love the thrill and excitement that comes with it. Now the western continued strong for several decades and could be found from silent/talkie movies, into the era of radio, and finally into our TV sets. Somewhere in the 1950's UFO sightings created fiction, which pushed the sci-fi genre forward. Still with this ever growing genre of entertainment the western managed to hold it's own until July 20th, 1969. This was the day Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon and the world changed forever. For the first time the nation began to look to the stars for something beyond our own little globe in a big way. This event help to seal the fate of the western. From that point on interest began to wain until now we have practically nothing new by major studios in the way of the west. I love sci-fi and I can see why this happened. The time of the old west is 100+ years past us and the new frontier is now space. We look to the heavens for those endless possibilities and there is nothing wrong with that. I would just love to see a resurgence of fresh life into the western movie genre. There have been attempts to to do this and even a blending of sci-fi with the Western theme, but to no avail. With Firefly on TV and  even the movie Cowboys and Aliens it seems like the audiences are shying away.. I do have to say I loved Cowboys and Aliens. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford rocked out that movie and who doesn't at least love Firefly? So if you haven't seen them, see them. It is my  hope if you love both genres like me you won't be disappointed and if you are whelp I blow a big raspberry at you cuz I love em both. Now I will discuss some of my personal favorite stars of the genre and some of the movies they've made.

     First up on the list is the Duke himself, John Wayne. The man is arguably the greatest western (and movie) icon of all time. To me one of the things that made him so great was his rugged handsomeness. What I mean by this is he was a leading man but didn't have the body of a Greek statue. His was a stocky built man and had a little meat on him, but still he was a leading actor, who got the girl. For guys like me he made you feel better about yourself. So any who number one movie on my mind is actually two movies Rio Bravo (co starring Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson) and El Dorado (co starring James Caan, and Robert Mitchum). The reason they are together is because they are so very much alike. Director Howard Hawks worked on both pictures. El Dorado in it's first drafts did not look as much like Rio Bravo as it did in the final ones. In the end though both stories are different enough to make them both very watchable. Next is the Searchers (by John Ford). In this movie John Wayne is a Confederate soldier returning home only to have his family murdered and his niece kidnapped by Indians. It is a great story with an excellent ending. Next up we have the movie McLintock. This is a movie full of brilliant one liners and is a movie where we really get to see the Duke shine. One of my all time favorite Duke lines is in the movie "I know, I know. I'm gonna use good judgement. I haven't lost my temper in forty years, but pilgrim you caused a lot of trouble this morning, might have got somebody killed... and somebody outta belt you in the mouth. But I won't, I won't. The *hell* I won't!" If you have not seen this movie, well what are you waiting for... go, go and see it. Finally I think I will mention the Sons of Katie Elder. In this story the Duke comes home for his mother's funeral only to discover a even deeper plot. It Co Stars Dean Martin as one of his 3 brothers. This story is great, from the beginning to the end and it is well worth a watch. John Wayne made many, many great Westerns. Hey I was channeling Commandant Lesarde, sweet. If you love westerns and not seen any John Wayne movies you could be hiding under rocks and if you are come out into the sun we have cookies here. I have given you some good places to start.

     Next up we have the awesomely sweet Clint Eastwood. He is one of the few western stars still around today and the man never really disappoints in a movie (well rarely ever, I am sure there are a couple, but really I can't think of any). Clint got his big break and western start as Rowdy Yates in the series Rawhide. After his run on Rawhide Eastwood was picked up by the late great Sergio Leone alongside Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef. This would propel his career into the stratosphere. Now Eastwood did not make anywhere near as many westerns, let alone movies as the Duke (hell nobody has) but what he did make was cinematic gold. First up is the man with no name trilogy. This is actually a misnomer because he had names in all three movies (Joe, Manco (meaning one arm in Spanish), and Blondie). These 3 movies all follow one thread, making cash and lots of it. The stories and cinematics are great and very well done. So go down to your local netflix and watch em. Next up is Hang em High. This is a movie about a man hanged for a crime he did not commit (stealing cattle). After surviving he then turns lawman to hunt down the mangy dowgs that did him wrong. I gotta tell you I love this movie, but it has an open ended ending with no final resolution. Still I say watch young Shadow enthusiasts it will be a swell time. The final movie I want to mention is Two Mules for Sister Sara. This is really one of my all time favs. Shirley McClaine co stars in this movie about a mercenary (Eastwood) who is on his way to help the Mexicans in their revolution. Along the way he meets up with Sara whom he thinks is a nun, but in reality a prostitute. This movie is a roller coaster joyride to watch. So saddle up and go watch it cowboy/girl. I'd say cow-person but that may just come off as rude and offensive. 

     Next up true believers is the late great James Stewart. This is another powerhouse of Hollywood who made his star climb high. Here again is another ruggedly handsome man of Hollywood. Though not the same kinda stature as the Duke, but still in the same thread. Stewart went on to make many westerns, but it is the the ones that he made with Anthony Mann and John Ford that always seem to stand out the most. The first of these I wish to offer up is his third parring with Mann co starring scream queen herself Janet Leigh, the Naked Spur. In this movie Stewart plays a bounty hunter in search of a mad dog killer (played by Robert Ryan) to bring him to justice. Along the way he is forced to the accept the help of 2 others to catch his man and bring him to justice. Again this is a masterfully done movie by Mann with all the bells and whistles. Up next we have WInchester 73 co starring Shelley Winters and Stephen McNally, with Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, and James Best. As the story goes Stewart plays a Sharp shooter who is in a shooting tournament with a steely eyed outlaw (played by McNally). Stewart wins the show and his prize is a Winchester model 1873. The villain steals this rifle from Stewart and the movie is him and his partner tracking McNally and his rifle down. Again this is another great movie with lots of close calls and a great ending. Go see it folks it is good times I tell you, good times. Finally, I will present for your entertainment the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. This movie pairs John Wayne with Jimmy Stewart, with Lee Marvin (as Liberty Valance), Lee Van Cleef, and John Carradine to name but a few great names in this picture. If you are looking for fast paced shoot em up excitement, then this is not the movie for you. What this movie does have going for it is how well it is written, directed and then presented to you the viewer. It starts out with Jimmy Stewart telling a reporter the story as to how he became who is is today. Basically he takes credit for a lie in which the townsfolk believe he shot and killed town bully Liberty Valance. When in fact it was John Wayne who did the deed from the shadows (he, he my domain). In the end the reporter tears up the story and refuses to write it stating "When the lie becomes legend, you print the legend". What can I say if you like dramas look no further then here. Sure I like a good shoot em up, but you gotta wind down to earth from time to time with a good story. That is what the Man who Shot Liberty Valance is a very good story with an outstanding cast.

     Next up I will talk about the comedic western. There have been many of these put up on the big screen over the years but I have to say that my first worthy mention will be Blazing Saddles. This movie stars Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. This is a satyr piece and is hysterical from open to close. Mel Brooks and his fellow writers on this project (Richard Pryor to name one) did an excellent job with this movie and for the love of the west you should watch it. Next up we have The two Apple Dumpling gang movies starring Don Knotts and Tim Conway. Knotts and Conway play bumbling outlaws who try time and again to no avail to be the best outlaws they can be. These are great and (insert German accent here) they need to ve vatched now! Next up is James Garners Support you local Gunfighter/Sheriff. In these movies Garner plays a bit of a con man who ends up doing the right thing. They are great and well done and I dare say well done to them sirs and madams. Finally we have Seth MacFarlane's A Million Ways to Die in the West. I went and saw this last weekend (the inspiration for this weeks blog) and I loved it. This movie was brilliant, with it's humor and Easter Eggs. See it, you just gotta, it is funny beyond words. The cast is great and well put together... Seth I salute you sir! I will give no spoilers here, so just go, run, see it now before it is gone. Of course I guess then it will be on pay per view and then DVD/blueray, but still the theatre is always a better medium so nah nah.

     Whelp Shadow Friends I must leave you for now, but come back next week where you will hear Clint Eastwood ask Jar Jar to make his day. Any who I could talk about many other movies and there are many other great westerns, like Hannie Caulder to name one off the top of my head. I will alas stick with what I have presented to you this day or I will never stop writing. So tell me what you think Shadow Friends and true believers. Do you think westerns will ever make a comeback? Are westerns even your thing? Are they even relevant anymore? Will we ever see a return to the ruggedly handsome actor? Would that wood chuck stop chucking wood? He is giving me a headache. Well that is all folks and until next time I will see you in the shadows. Sorry for the technical difficulties but all is right as rain again.