Meeks Cutoff

[Stan H]

I was greatly disappointed in this film. While the scenery was good, the clothing appropriate, and the plot pretty good, the film just did not do it for me. And, as usual, the saddles were all wrong. (my pet peeve)

 

I do not care for the "new" style of filming, where the cameras jump around, there is no even flow of the story, everything appears disjointed.

 

The dialogue was often muted or in the background.

 

If one did not read the DVD cover, you would not know what the story was all about, it just starts with the 3 wagons crossing the land.

 

And, the ending! I won't say how the film ends, that would not be fair to those who may wish to see it. Suffice it to say I was greatly disappointed.

 

I feel I wasted my $19.95 buying the DVD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[anthony martin]

  Stan,

     Another friend gave me basiclly the same impression so I'll pass on this one.The name reminds me of old Johnny Carson schtick-Go to the Meeks  Cutoff- and cut off your Meeks.

[Dave McGowan]

Interested in authentic saddles? Take a look at the one on my pictures or on a couple of other pictures at my blog www.dmmcgowan.blogspot.com

It was originaly built in Flatrock for the old style wild horse races in '20s and '30s rodeo. I used it to follow cattle and fence. I did find it very comfortable ... when I could.

[Stan H]

Jeff is right, Dave

 

That saddle you have is mighty fine. I would guess it may have been made as early as the 1890's or so, but hard to say. The maker may have just like the old style.

 

In this film, they were riding western saddles, fair size horn, and a "Cheyenne roll" cantles. That would make the made from the around 1930's to 50's or thereabouts.

 

In 1845, the immigrants would have rode military, English, or Plantation styles. The Texas cowboys would have started to adapt the Mexican Vaquero saddles, but those "easterners" heading west on the Oregon trail would not have had them. Doubtful, anyway.

[Dave McGowan]

Right on the money, Stan. It was made sometime after WWI and before '24. The reasoning for the style is that he couldn't find one light enough for a wild horse race, nor designed for "gettin' in an' stayin' in" so he built it in an earlier style.

After a few years in rodeo a woman named Charlie (Charlene, of course) Brooks bought it and rode it until she left the country. She used to "ride out" with Rene Dhenin, packer, guide and cattleman.

Used to have a McLellan with NWMP stamped on the tree. No idea what happend to that one.

[Chet Rollins]

I like westerns and I've been known to buy and watch westerns that most people wouldn't think twice of passing by. I recently watched Meeks Cutoff and I agree that this is not a western for most people. If you've ever wanted to know what it was like to travel by ox wagon across endless country and the montonous sqeack of the wheel, overhearing hushed conversations, the dust and thirst....pick up this movie and watch it. When the credits finally roll you will feel the sag in your shoulders as if you had just returned from spending thousands for a weeklong dude ranch "adventure". There isn't any real action in this movie, even the bark of a rifle has less snap more of a phhiiiiffffttttt.

If you google Meeks Cutoff you will find that the movie makers incorporated the historical events into the movie, for instance "wagon wheel hill", the carving of "lost" into the cedar and also the native guide. This movie is not for everyone. Even the "Making of" special feature was weak, it was like watching someone's home videos from the set without any....ANY commentary.

But it did have some value to it and that it why it was viewed at so many indie film fests and that is also why I watched and enjoyed it.