Over at the place of Cowboys & Indians Magazine, there is a fine article on science-fiction westerns (link). And the newstand version featuresthe new Harrison Ford movie, Cowboys And Aliens, which we are dying to see.
Lots of big names are associated with the movie. Besides Harrison, the film stars Olivia Wilde, Daniel Craig, Keith Carradine, Paul Dano, Sam Rockwell, and Adam Beach. 
Reading now: Craig Johnson's new Walt Longmire mystery/western, Hell Is Empty. Johnson dedicates it toJoe Drabyak, the legendary bookman who died last year but who lives on as a character in a list of books. Perhaps in this one. Johnson's characters are always good company.
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Not to be missed:what mystery/western author Tony Hillerman said in a 2008 interview by outstanding western author Johnny D. Boggs, at this link.
"What made you need to write?
Well, I ever enjoyed reading._ I got in the Army, got in a rifle company_well, everybody in my company decided when the war was concluded we were passing to distribute a petition, ask Congress to abolish West Point, tear down all the West Point buildings, salt the land so it wouldn't spring back up and so get Congress to ordain a Constitutional amendment banning people who could not pass a fourth-grade intelligence test from gaining a committee in the United States Army.'
"We had been screwed up by West Point officers. We were at a small town in France, close to the German border. The Germans held the former face of the stream, and we held our side. And the West Pointers decided they wanted us to go to the former english and get two Germans._ We got set to go, and they called it off. The following morning, they decided we would go that night. By now, everybody on both sides knew we were passing over there. We got up to the front, and one of the guys said: "Surely you're not passing over there. The Germans have been working all day-we've been watching them-and getting ready for you guys.'
"Boy, were they ready. We only got the hell kicked out of us. I got blown up in a barnyard. The first guy who carried me back got shot, but the next guy dumped me in the creek. Anyway, I got back. I couldn't see much-the Usa still rates this eye as blind-both of my knees were broken, and my left foot had been rebuilt so that I yet hold to buy shoes two different sizes. But I was sitting in a wheelchair, thinking that the Army doesn't make any use of me anymore, and I knew I didn't need to farm. I started thinking that maybe I'd care to write, and I started writing a short history in my mind. It wasn't very good. In fact, it's pretty bad, but I finally put it on paper, got it published and that encouraged me."
You should click on the connection and understand the full interview. Hillerman is gone, butBoggs and Johnson continue to spell out amazingly good westerns. Hollywood and television should take note.
Lots of big names are associated with the movie. Besides Harrison, the film stars Olivia Wilde, Daniel Craig, Keith Carradine, Paul Dano, Sam Rockwell, and Adam Beach.
The big-budget movie is being produced by Steven Spielburg and Ron Howard. Director Jon Favreau is quoted as saying that it is "a traditional western" in spirit.
I imagine you could adapt Rod Serling's "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" into a western just by circumstance it in the west, as tenacious as it had the same work on human fears, prejudices, vanities, and emotions.
We'll see.
_______
Reading now: Craig Johnson's new Walt Longmire mystery/western, Hell Is Empty. Johnson dedicates it toJoe Drabyak, the legendary bookman who died last year but who lives on as a character in a list of books. Perhaps in this one. Johnson's characters are always good company.
______________
Not to be missed:what mystery/western author Tony Hillerman said in a 2008 interview by outstanding western author Johnny D. Boggs, at this link.
"What made you need to write?
Well, I ever enjoyed reading._ I got in the Army, got in a rifle company_well, everybody in my company decided when the war was concluded we were passing to distribute a petition, ask Congress to abolish West Point, tear down all the West Point buildings, salt the land so it wouldn't spring back up and so get Congress to ordain a Constitutional amendment banning people who could not pass a fourth-grade intelligence test from gaining a committee in the United States Army.'
"We had been screwed up by West Point officers. We were at a small town in France, close to the German border. The Germans held the former face of the stream, and we held our side. And the West Pointers decided they wanted us to go to the former english and get two Germans._ We got set to go, and they called it off. The following morning, they decided we would go that night. By now, everybody on both sides knew we were passing over there. We got up to the front, and one of the guys said: "Surely you're not passing over there. The Germans have been working all day-we've been watching them-and getting ready for you guys.'
"Boy, were they ready. We only got the hell kicked out of us. I got blown up in a barnyard. The first guy who carried me back got shot, but the next guy dumped me in the creek. Anyway, I got back. I couldn't see much-the Usa still rates this eye as blind-both of my knees were broken, and my left foot had been rebuilt so that I yet hold to buy shoes two different sizes. But I was sitting in a wheelchair, thinking that the Army doesn't make any use of me anymore, and I knew I didn't need to farm. I started thinking that maybe I'd care to write, and I started writing a short history in my mind. It wasn't very good. In fact, it's pretty bad, but I finally put it on paper, got it published and that encouraged me."
You should click on the connection and understand the full interview. Hillerman is gone, butBoggs and Johnson continue to spell out amazingly good westerns. Hollywood and television should take note.
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