• Latest
Downton Abbey

High Plains Drifter (1973)

July 7, 2020

News From The Forty & Eight (40&8) Voiture 646

January 31, 2023
The Winter Renaissance Faire is Back for Its 6th Year

The Winter Renaissance Faire is Back for Its 6th Year

January 31, 2023

Investment in Women is Needed to Grow Workforce for Infrastructure Projects

January 31, 2023

Cancer-Fighting Advocates Call on Gov. Scott to Protect VT Kids; Increase Tobacco Control Program Funding

January 31, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Notorious (1946)

January 31, 2023

RAD Denounces Threats to Organizing for Safe and Inclusive Schools

January 24, 2023
African Queen (1951)

The Heiress

January 24, 2023

Meet Your Chamber

January 24, 2023
Just Some Thoughts

The Purpose of Pendulums

January 24, 2023
Capital City Concerts offers a Free Family Concert on Saturday, January 28 in Montpelier

Capital City Concerts offers a Free Family Concert on Saturday, January 28 in Montpelier

January 17, 2023

VSAC’s College & Career Pathways Events Offer Workshops on Campuses Across Vermont

January 17, 2023

National Endowment for the Arts Announces Grants to Support the Arts in Vermont

January 17, 2023
  • Home
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
Monday, February 6, 2023
The World Online
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
    • Weddings & Engagements
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
    • Weddings & Engagements
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The World Online
No Result
View All Result

High Plains Drifter (1973)

4 Stars

vt-world by vt-world
July 7, 2020
in Max's View
0
Downton Abbey

“High Plains Drifter isn’t what the West was all about. That isn’t the American people who settled this country.” –John Wayne

Legend has it that John Wayne was so infuriated by “High Plains Drifter” that he wrote a letter to Clint Eastwood expressing his disappointment.

By all accounts, Mr. Eastwood did not care. If anything, the angry letter was a badge of honor. Eastwood did not like John Wayne and he definitely didn’t like John Wayne movies.

I’m guessing that some people would be surprised to hear that. Young people who haven’t watched any Clint Eastwood films might be inclined to think that all old conservative cowboys are pretty much the same.

But as soon as he was popular enough to choose his own projects, Clint Eastwood began to tweak his good-guy image and explore the boundaries of what a Western movie can be. First he went to Italy and made some terrific artsy Spaghetti Westerns with Sergio Leone.

With the first Western he directed, 42-year old Clint Eastwood went even further than Leone. He wasn’t just reimagining the Western, he was deconstructing the genre. “High Plains Drifter” is a ghost-story/horror movie that just happens to be set in the Old West.

The film begins with eerie music playing and a nameless stranger appearing on the horizon. The Stranger (Eastwood) casually rides into the mining town of Lago, California and orders a drink. Within five minutes, he has massacred three men and raped a woman.

The Stranger is a man of few words. And when he does speak, he makes heartless sadistic jokes. He isn’t a hero or even an anti-hero. He’s a demon, perhaps literally. When he dreams about the cold-blooded murder of the previous sheriff of Lago, it is the first clue that The Stranger may not have wandered into this town by coincidence.

The hapless, helpless townspeople have no clue what they are in for. They hire The Stranger to protect Lago from ex-cons. Indeed, they give The Stranger free reign in town.

“High Plains Drifter” is a dark tale. But director Eastwood fills his movie with comedy. The Stranger has a fun time taking advantage of his carte blanche – getting free drinks, free stuff, and generally working to divide the townspeople into feuding factions.

We are all supposed to be anti-murder. But when the victim has it coming, most people are eager to lionize a killer. From The Punisher to Deadpool and everything in between, we like watching vengeance and we even mistake it for justice.

To Mr. Eastwood’s credit, he has been deglorifying vengeance his whole career as a filmmaker. In the end, we understand clearly who The Stranger is and why he wanted to wreak havoc on Lagos. But only the cruelest among us think what he did was morally acceptable.

Eastwood exposes vengeance for what it really is: nightmarish anarchy. The reason why we need police is that humanity tried the vendetta method of law enforcement and it was a bloody disaster.

“High Plains Drifter” is a grim, pessimistic allegory. It’s also a well-paced, crowd-pleasing Western. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

For those who picture John Wayne and Clint Eastwood in the same category, please watch some movies that Mr. Eastwood directed. He is one of America’s greatest filmmakers.

Previous Post

Mayor’s Report – June 2020

Next Post

Grandparent Scam is Heating Up In Vermont

Next Post

Grandparent Scam is Heating Up In Vermont

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This Week’s Ads

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
The World
403 US Route 302
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-2582

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

No Result
View All Result
  • Art Exhibits
  • Audit and Reader Surveys
  • Births
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Fall Guide
  • Food & Recipe
  • Home
  • Obituaries
  • Ongoing Events
  • Pay Your Bill Here
  • Senior Living Edition
  • Showtimes
  • Submit Birth Announcement
  • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
  • Submit Engagement Announcement
  • Submit Listing to our Local Directory
  • Submit Sports News/Photo
  • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Testimonials
  • The World Coupons
  • Weather Forecast
  • World Deadlines
  • World Distribution Map
  • World Rate Card
  • World Rates and Ad Sizes
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • About Us
  • Vermont Lottery
  • Advertising Information
  • The World Staff
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • Submit Letter To The Editor
  • Local Directory
  • Poll Results
  • Local Deals
  • Classifieds
  • Submit An Article To The World
  • Events
  • The World – This Week’s Online Digital Edition
  • The World Auto & Sports

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In