Film No. 81. THE DEAD DON'T HURT (2023). 12th Dec.

 

Film No. 81  (2024) December 12th.  11:45 AM  EVENT CINEMAS, Cine 6,  Innaloo.

"No, no, the dead don't hurt". (Holger reassures young Vincent that the bird, freshly shot for their dinner, was in no pain).

WINNER: Jury Prize (Viggo Mortensen) Almeria Western Film Festival.

Is the western dead, or even dying? Never! Certainly not in the near future with Viggo Mortensen now an active creative in the genre! Here, he has created a very classy western indeed!

Don't think "western" of the revenge type, the type that ticks box after box in delivering gratification of the RIO BRAVO kind. Think MEEK'S CUTOFF (2010) and a smidge of JOHNNY GUITAR (1954). Vivienne La Coudy (Vicky Krieps) is our hero here. A dark-haired Meryl Streep comes to mind as Krieps portrays a woman who cannot be broken. She runs her own race, but while male company is the spice in her life masculine bullies, one in particular, have a say. Mortensen talks of his mother being his inspiration for Vivienne. Like FALLING (2020), his directorial debut, his stories are personal. 

Mortensen didn't set out for his story to be a western. He decided on the genre to carry his message because the pioneer spirit best captures the strength of Vivienne. FALLING, his directorial debut, expressed his love for his father. 10GUMS.