I hate Clint Eastwood, I think.

Deadwood is very much a western by my own personal definition. Which is the correct definition, obviously. What's essential to the genre for me is... the idea of the frontier, where there aren't social institutions, and any authority is strictly individual. What do you do when there's nothing external compelling you? A lot of westerns are almost allegories.

The trappings, cattle and spurs and whatever, aren't what makes something a western. Just like the presence, or absence, of spaceships isn't what makes something science fiction.

I am subliminally amused by Corwood's meta-comentary without being consciously aware of his devious ruse.

And I have John Wayne Issues.

Y'all know that Firefly is directly inspired by Stagecoach, right? And Hill Street Blues.

I've seen blooper reels for Warner Brothers movies from the 30s and 40s. People didn't say "Fuck." When people said Carole Lombard "swore like a longshoreman" - they meant she said "Fuck" and that it was unusual. (Carole noted that she learned that language from her brothers and used it to keep the wolves at bay in Hollywood.)

What people said in the 40s as expletives: "Sonofabitch!" "Nuts!" (ala, Battle of the Bulge), "That's a hell of a thing!" They didn't say "Goddammit" either 'cuz it was blasphemous like.

Of course, the 1940s isn't Deadwood in the 19th century, but I'm thinking "cocksucker" may not exactly be period. Not that I care. As long as people can make poetry out of it.

Actually JZ has a whole thing on period cursing in the Elizabethan era and the good old anglo saxons words for fucking and shit were not considered profane. Only when you took the Loward's name in vain.

Signed,
Society For the Bringing Back of Zounds

Dear Society,

Thanks to Lysana, I have an LJ icon of Lizzie the First saying "Zounds!"

Love, The Empress

Hey Aimee!

I've been meaning to ask, Have you seen the movie Mogambo?

Here's why I ask: Hollywood movie, starring Ava Gardner, Clark Gable and Grace Kelly, lots of big cats (black leopard, cheetah [yes, I thought of Nutty], lion and lioness.)

Here's the freaky part: it's impossible to look at the screen when Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly are on at the same time. They're like diametrically opposed ideals of beauty. Grace is classic and cool and perfect and classy. Ava is sensual and romantic and sexy and perfect. Your brain cannot contain all this information at the same time! Impossible!

Also, lots of handsome manly Clark Gable and baby elephants. And a baby rhino. And a baby giraffe. All of which play with Ava Gardner.

You'd like it, Aimee!

I've heard of it but not seen it! Must change this and quick!

I've heard of it but not seen it! Must change this and quick!

It's really pretty good, actually. Ava's best performance. It's a remake of Red Dust (I think) originally with Gable and Harlow. John Ford directed. Also? Lots of wild animals in technicolor and inhuman human beauty.

I hate Clint Eastwood, I think.

Even in the Leone films? This is unpossible!

Yes, Hec, it's Red Dust. Which is an excellent example of why Gable and Harlow were one of the great teams of the '30s.

And TCM is showing another of their teamings, China Seas, next Friday night at 12:15 a.m. (Eastern time). (It's a Gable festival -- Mogambo is on at 8:00 p.m.)

Man, I never come in here because we never, ever get to the movies anymore unless it's a kid flick, and I missed the whole Deadwood discussion! My Deadwood love is huge.

The period profanity would have been "goddamn" and that sort of thing (mostly religious). To make the effect for a modern audience, he translated it to "cocksucker" and "fuck".

He's claimed in several interviews that the salty language is accurate to the time and place (but I make no claims to the veracity of this statement).

I remember early interviews where the creator talked about profanity vs vugarity to a modern audience -- the relative weights of "Damn you!" and "Fuck you!" have switched over time. But since the viewers are living in a world where profanity is allowed on network primetime, "cocksucker" got promoted to Really Big Swear.