Posted by sean at threshold5n.jpmorgan.com on March 27, 2002 at 09:42:52:
In Reply to: Just bought a few Eastwood DVD's posted by adamapple on March 27, 2002 at 03:00:53:
: and it's very interesting to note that he has had quite a few critical successes and many of the films he directed weren't Westerns.
Westerns Clint has directed include "Josey Wales", "Unforgiven", "Pale Rider" ... those, especially the first two, are classics. Non-westerns include, yes, "A Perfect World", which I think is great, but also "The Rookie", "Space Cowboys", "Absolute Power", and plenty of other junk.
: According to the gospel known as IMDb Eastwood's first turn as director was right after he stopped making Westerns, starring and directing in Play Misty for Me, which I must say I still haven't seen as I am starting with his most recent work andgoing back.
Eastwood never stopped making westerns. Well, actually, he may have now, with "Unforgiven", 'cause what's left to say? He directed "Play Misty For Me" first because he could shoot it on a low budget. The actual first thing he directed was the jumper scene in "Dirty Harry".
: Also interesting to note that all sequels to the Dirty Harry films were all rather plastic in some places (plot rather than performance) until he had creative control on the fourth one, Sudden Impact, which blew me away.
He had a lot of control over the sequels, which was why he was able to bring in his friend and collaborator (at that time) Michael Cimino to work on at least one, if not two of them. Sudden Impact just happened to touch a nerve (that's the rape-victim one, right?).