John Edward Williams wrote a western back in 1960 about a buffalo hunter who loses it during a hunt he has put together for a naive Easterner who has come west to experience everything he's only read about. It's hard to imagine anyone these days better equipped to portray any level of insanity on film more effectively than Nicolas Cage manages it - even though Cage is barely recognizable here as a baldheaded buffalo hunter. Contributing to the overall effect is Cage's rather subdued manner of delivering his dialogue, making his behavior on the hunt seem even more shocking.
Heck, I'm just happy to see new westerns in theaters again, and I'm hoping that Butcher's Crossing turns out overall to be anywhere as great as the background scenery shown in this official trailer. I've seen Cage in a couple of other westerns, and he's done a credible job in both, so I'm looking forward to seeing this one when it's finally released in late October (it was completed in September 2022).
Keeping my fingers crossed that Hollywood will start taking westerns seriously again at some point
I did not even recognize that guy as Nicolas Cage! Fingers crossed this movie turns out to be as good as it sounds (and looks!).
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize it was him at first, either. Caught me by surprise. This does appear to be a relatively big budget film, so I'm hopeful that it is well done.
DeleteI purchased Butcher's Crossing almost two years ago, but haven't read it yet. Maybe the movie release will push me to pick it up. His novel Stoner was amazing.
ReplyDeleteI read Butcher's Crossing a long time ago, and the movie trailer seems to have captured the tone of the book. I don't remember the details anymore, so that part will be new to me again.
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