I just read that most American presidents cite their favourite films as westerns. I really like westerns. I know that most people don't. For me, it's probably a cultural thing- I grew up on a farm, my dad is kind of a cowboy, he liked westerns, so I learned to as well.
Traditional westerns (al la Serge Leone) are really really slow. It's all about the anticipation. Most people hate this pace- they get bored. This is something that's really copied by Tarentino in Kill Bill which I think is fantastic. Watching the final confrontation in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly or many of the scenes in Kill Bill, I just savor the timing. I'm practically bouncing in my seat while other people are looking at their watches. Basically its the complete opposite of say the Transformers or Die Hard. I think that you have to learn to watch these films- just like someone might learn to appreciate opera- to truly get the most out of them.
And don't even get me started on the music... ah, Ennio Morricone! If only you could do the soundtrack to my life...
Cowboys and the wild west are one of the most popolar and romantic themes in American life. They're frougth with strife in reference to the reality- the politics of American expansion, the (un)reality of the American Dream/Manifest Destiny. I know both- but if I'm asked I'll say I wish I lived during this time period. People want to control their own destiny in their own way, they want to think that they're moral and good, and have the power to act on this. They want to be clever and powerful but independent and self sufficient. Hence the popularity with presidents, I think.
So let me know when you're ready for me to bring over my dvd collection, and we'll begin the education...
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