Customer Reviews

Texasville [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"The Last Picture Show" had a lot going for it when it was adapted for the screen in 1971; a terrific book as source material, a talented young director poised to make a name for himself in Hollywood, and a solid cast of youthful actors (Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, and yes, Cybill Shepherd) braced with veterans who would be recognized for their own exceptional merits with Academy Award wins for Best Supporting Actor (Ben Johnson) and Best Supporting Actress (Cloris Leachman).

When Larry McMurtry wrote the sequel novel "Texasville" in the late 1980's, it took place thirty years later...and when screen rights were secured and the film production began and Bogdanovich was again asked to recreate the magic wrought almost two decades prior, he had at his disposal the same actors who shone so well two decades prior...who had aged sufficiently enough to be able to pick up precisely and absolutely believably where their characters had left off at the end of the first book/movie.

Expecting this sequel to be as important or ground-breaking as "The Last Picture Show" is not realistic...indeed "Texasville" seems far more influenced by MTV than John Ford, but considering the timeframe during which it is set, this is exactly as it should be. The joy of "Texasville" is not the "American Gothic" gloom prevalent throughout "The Last Picture Show"; there are some aspects of the movie that, although true to the novel, are pure schtick. Rather, the joy is in watching the characters whose youthful potential (or lack thereof) was only suggested in the first film in their present state, having weathered innumerable storms and not necessarily having come out the better for the wear.

It's a movie that, while at times depressing in its outlook, never ceases to cheer me up. It captures time's merciless march across our lives better than most movies ("Robin and Marian" being the most obvious favorable comparison that comes to mind, "Once Upon A Time In America" being another), and while not likely ever to occupy the rarefied ground in critical circles as "The Last Picture Show", "Texasville" DOES succeed brilliantly as a rather innovative sequel that is at the very least honest in its treatment of its stars' characters. Watch it if you're in the mood for light entertainment (and especially if you've already seen "The Last Picture Show" and enjoyed it), but don't expect Bogdanovich's lightning to strike EXACTLY in the same place twice.

If you were drawn into The Last Picture Show: The Definitive Director's Cut (Special Edition) (1971), it's sequel, "Texasville (1990) will bring some closure.
Archer City, Texas is revisited nearly 20 years later. Returning is Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepard, Cloris Leachman, Eileen Brennan, Randy Quaid, Barc Doyle as "Joe Bob Blanton", Loyd Catlett as "Leroy" and Gordon Hurst who was "Sheriff Burns" now plays "Monroe".
Peter Bogdanovich is the director again and given some writing credit again. Larry McMurtry who wrote the novels is given writing credit as well. Ross Brown got to cast again.
The old downtown of Archer City, Texas is seen again and the old movie house now in disrepair.
Some people thought this storyline for a part 2 was a disappointment, but if you think about it, the town has grown and people have changed. It could have been more dramatic though. It was fun to see the original cast together again. I'm glad most of them agreed to return.
After this film, the old Royal movie house was rebuilt to be fully used again.
The late Sal Mineo is given thanks for giving Director Peter Bogdanovich a copy of the novel "The Last Picture Show" which Bogdanovich turned into a movie for 1971.

While not the monument that "The Last Picture Show" is, this is a thoroughly excellent film which proves, at least to me, that Peter Bogdanovich is anything but a has-been. The film captures the loosely-controlled chaos of the novel quite ably, and the performances are uniformly excellent. I was especially charmed that Bogdanovich kept the style he used in "Picture Show" of having the score composed entirely of source music; that's a fine way of linking the second film with the first one. My only complaint, really, is that the DVD doesn't have a lick of supplementary material. I'd have loved to have seen the deleted scenes, and also a documentary about the reunion of the cast. I'll echo an earlier reviewer's wish for a third Bogdanovich/McMurtry pairing with this cast in an adaptation of "Duane's Depressed," the final part of the trilogy.

EVEN THOUGH MY SON, JIMMY HOWELL, PLAYED THE 10 YR. OLD TWIN OF JEFF BRIDGES AND ANNIE POTTS IN THIS MOVIE, and we were on the set the entire filming (Aug - Nov '89)......I am glad to read E. Currie's review below that states that "Texasville" "is now widely recgonized as an excellent film". I saw the hard work and long hours that Peter Bogdanovich and the crew spent on making this film. This was my first experience on a movie set.

I think the movie is funny, yet sad, in showing the reality of so many lives; where people, situations and relationships are complicated and messy. Annie Potts said it best to me at the premier..."This movie is a reflection of true life, where there is no real ending..life just goes on!"

I would suggest watching "The Last Picture Show" before "Texasville", so you will understand the history of the characters, and be able to keep up with the characters easier. Also, the book 'Texasville' is hysterical to read! By reading the book, you will also understand the characters and movie better. The screenplay is true to the book, but sadly much had to be left out.

Unfortunately, many funny scenes ended up on the cutting room floor! I WISH SOMEONE WOULD ALLOW PETER TO RELEASE THE DIRECTOR'S CUT OF "TEXASVILLE", as Peter shot several hours of wonderful film, but was limited to release only 2 hrs. THE LONGER, DIRECTOR'S CUT (which was on cable), EXPLAINS MUCH MORE .. (such as Benny, Cybill's dead child, which my younger son, Christopher, 6 yrs. old at the time, "played" in photos).

Also........regarding J Eric Miller's review below, on Aug. 12, 2004.........HE NEEDS TO GET HIS ACTORS STRAIGHT!! He refers to my son, Jimmy Howell, who was 10 YRS OLD AT THE TIME.......as ".... impossible to believe as someone that the girls just fall all over ("one in a million")." LOL !! Mr. Miller was obviously referring to William (Billy) McNamara, who played Duane's (Jeff Bridges) OLDEST, TEENAGE SON, who continued to act in some great films!

Jimmy and his twin sister (in the film), were SUPPOSE to be spoiled, "CUTE" brats, and this was their only movie. Jimmy wanted to play football, and went on to West Point (Go Army!) on a football scholarship and graduated. He has completed 3 tours of duty, fighting the war on terror.

IF ANY OF YOU GET THE CHANCE TO VISIT ARCHER CITY, TX., GO....IT REALLY LOOKED AND FELT LIKE A MOVIE SET IN 1989! Last I heard, Larry McMurtry (who just won an Academy Award for "Brokeback Mountain"...and caused an uproar by wearing blue jeans to accept the award on stage) had a bookstore in town.

Although not well received by the critics, this sequel to The Last Picture Show is now widely recognised as an excellent film.

Laced with explicit and tacit references to the old days, it rekindles that unique atmosphere so meticulously created by Bogdanovich in the original. There are many contrasts, though. This film is set in summer amid stifling heat while its forerunner was icy cold, with the wild Texas wind howling throughout. The overall feel of the film is similarly hot and potent, a far cry from the desolation of the original.

The characters have moved on too yet many of their traits persist. Duane uncertain, Sonny looking like a lost soul, still seeing his own last picture show in his mind and Jacy elegant yet austere. Lester, still awkward is now a manic banker teetering on the brink of disaster.

Beautifully shot, this really is a commendable effort to continue the story, albeit decades on. The spirits of Benny and Sam the Lion loom large and the transient nature of life is carefully and starkly exposed.

Texasville is one of those very unusual sequels -- like A Man And A Woman: 20 Years Later -- that is adored by many -- sometimes even more then the first -- but that most reviewers and the majority of the public hated because it is not the original. However, it is also one of those films where if you get it ... if you REALLY GET IT... then you tend to adore it. The scenery, story, and performances are all terrific and there's not an ungenuine moment in the film.

What would be really terrific is if:

1) Texasville: The Director's Cut is ever released on DVD. After years of searching, I recently got this film on out-of-print Laserdisc and the additional 30 minutes of scenes have to be seen to be believed! Just as you can't appreciate The Abyss unless you've seen the Director's Cut, you also can't appreciate Texasville unless you've seen the Director's Cut.

2) What would also be terrific would be if Bogdonavich and company reunite to do a film version of the third and final book in this series "Duane's Depressed."

There is no question in my mind, at least, that Larry McMurtry's The Last Picture Show is a great post-World War II (about 1952), boom/bust oil patch Texas, but could have been a lot of places, coming-of-age story. Director Peter Bogdanovitch, (with McMurtry writing the screenplay) stayed fairly close to the story line of the book and produced a great film out of the tangled teen relationships of three Texas youngsters, Duane, Sonny and Jacy. I have watched that film several times and have not changed my mind in that regard; if anything I like it better these days.

Fast forward thirty years (about 1984) and take the same characters, the same writer, the same producer and the same actors (mainly) and make it a film about mid-life crisis (or crises) and the premises fall somewhat flat. It is not the acting. Jeff Bridges is well, Jeff Bridges, born for these Texas-type roles (witness Oscar-winning Bad Blake- Duane Jackson at 57). Cybil Sheppard (Jacy), although showing her age a bit and not the femme fatale teen of Last Picture is still okay. Timothy Bottom (Sonny) has definitely wilted. But like I say it is not the acting. Nor is it the writing, this is still based on good McMurtry material (unlike the seemingly endless later parts of the Duane saga). Nor is it Bogdanovich who evokes 1980s boom-bust (some things don't change) Texas well enough. Let's just chalk it up to a preference for black and white dust bowl grit film footage of small town Texas over color; a preference for the bite of original stories over sequels; and, most importantly, for coming-of- age stories over mid-life crisis. If you can believe this I would rather now watch distant teen trauma (although I would not want to relive it) over more recent and symptomatic mid-life crisis. That story is "old."

This movie, although not well-known, is a pleasant surprise. It is a very good sequel to The Last Picture Show. For anyone living in Texas in the mid-1980's it has special meaning - the fall in oil prices, the frequent bankrupties, and the general feeling of malaise. The characterization is especially good, as is typical of McMurtry. Jeff Bridges is superb. It is the type of movie that one can enjoy seeing several times, since the characters fit so well together. For a movie done in the 1980's the technical production is also very acceptable.

This film takes place 20 years after Last Picture Show, but in many ways, is better than the original. Excellent film. Watch for a surprising performance from Annie Potts!

I have always loved this movie, the follow up story of "The Last Picture Show" I was happy to see I could purchase it on DVD....... Gary