John Chard

Hi Ho Silver! Silverado is directed by Lawrence Kasdan and Lawrence co-writes with his brother Mark. It stars Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Danny Glover, Kevin Costner, Brian Dennehy, Jeff Goldblum Linda Hunt and Rosanna Arquette. Music is by Bruce Broughton and cinematography by John Bailey. As a big Western fan it's most interesting revisiting Silverado some 30 odd years after its release. In context of the time it first came out, when the genre was a dead duck, it was a bold and beautiful romp. How wonderful to find that with one or two 1980s irks aside, it is still a fine Western beast beating a true genre heart. Ok, it's hardly pulling up trees thematically, in the main because it embraces what it homages, every cliche in scene and writing is respectful to its predecessors, the Kasdan's achieving everything they set out to do - entertain like minded film lovers. Cast are on fine form, clearly enjoying the material and setting of such. The locations are outstanding, the vistas gorgeous, with production design to match. Broughton's musical score is rambunctious and lifts the spirit, even if much of it feels 1980s as opposed to the era of films setting. Action scenes are expertly staged, the improbable irrelevant for joyous rewards, and stunt work high end as well. Themes such as prostitution and racism are only given small acknowledgements, but character building is evident at every turn to fully involve audience from first reel to last. Heroes and anti-heroes, psychos, thieves and power hungry villains, no stone left unturned here. This isn't for those after the grim textures of something like Unforgiven and latterly Hostiles, this is more in keeping with something like Tombstone, or even the much divisive Lone Ranger. Saddle up and enjoy if you haven't already done so! 8/10