That Merka still does exist in a few isolated places where the pastures are bright red rather than blue. I was fortunate enough to find such a place--also in the free state of Texas---only much further west where the average rainfall is only 30 inches in a good year. Had to flee that I-35 corridor for my sanity and well being.
Damon's accent wasn't too bad, but Lucas Black was a gem in his part as "the assassin Blevins". Even Bruce Derrn was OK in the role of the judge. I liked the Border Trilogy, as the three novels have come to be known. Some of Cormac's novels were bad, IMO, but at least four of them are among my favorites to reread every couple of years.
I really couldn't forgive the meddling with the storyline in "True Grit", though. The Coens really messed that whole thing up to the point of no repair. To me, that novel was the most sympathetic modern American novel written, up until its time, regarding former Confederates and ordinary people of the South. Making it into a film, that stayed so close to the novel isn't possible today the way it was in the late '60s, as we can see with the Coen's remake of it.
Speaking of true to the novel films, "Ride With the Devil" based on the novel "Woe to Live On", by Daniel Woodrell, was really pretty fine. The film wouldn't ever be made by an American producer/director. It took Ang Lee to bring it to film. If you haven't seen it, get a dvd of it and enjoy.
Great article. I love the imagery. It took me a minute to confirm that your Merka is the same as my 'Murca. It could be the difference between Texas and the Southeast.
Outstanding. I hate reading wonderful pieces like this because of everything I am reminded that we lost. Leaving it all was no small matter, and still stings, but that America is dead and buried. Is it too bold to suggest that the real Reset should be burning it down and starting over?
It's nice to see the word "Merka" spelled correctly. I get so tired of tin-eared commenters misspelling Merka as "murica". Where do these ninnies come from, anyway? I love the film "All the Pretty Horses", particularly the line spoken by Lucas Black, "'Cause I'm a Merkin". How can anyone hear a native Southern speaker like Lucas say that line and then assume that the word is spelled "murrican"?
Great article! I've been in a '73 Ford Country Squire station wagon with the fake wood siding. That's what we used to deliver stained glass windows in Seattle when my partner and I founded Seattle Stained Glass in '76. A cop pulled us over once on the I:90 while going to Bellevue across Lake Washington for speeding. My partner, Jim, was driving (it was his car), and he told the cop we were delivering stained glass windows. The cop wanted to see the windows. He was impressed. He let us go with no ticket.
In Ireland the bar is across the street from the Catholic church and that is where everyone, including the priest, congregates after Mass.
"Moulton" sounds like a disease of a name. What was its nickname? Moldy? Grey Moulton? Moo Town?
Great work, Farside. One of your best pieces yet. You channeled your inner Hemingway for this one. Very evocative.
That Merka still does exist in a few isolated places where the pastures are bright red rather than blue. I was fortunate enough to find such a place--also in the free state of Texas---only much further west where the average rainfall is only 30 inches in a good year. Had to flee that I-35 corridor for my sanity and well being.
Damon's accent wasn't too bad, but Lucas Black was a gem in his part as "the assassin Blevins". Even Bruce Derrn was OK in the role of the judge. I liked the Border Trilogy, as the three novels have come to be known. Some of Cormac's novels were bad, IMO, but at least four of them are among my favorites to reread every couple of years.
I really couldn't forgive the meddling with the storyline in "True Grit", though. The Coens really messed that whole thing up to the point of no repair. To me, that novel was the most sympathetic modern American novel written, up until its time, regarding former Confederates and ordinary people of the South. Making it into a film, that stayed so close to the novel isn't possible today the way it was in the late '60s, as we can see with the Coen's remake of it.
Speaking of true to the novel films, "Ride With the Devil" based on the novel "Woe to Live On", by Daniel Woodrell, was really pretty fine. The film wouldn't ever be made by an American producer/director. It took Ang Lee to bring it to film. If you haven't seen it, get a dvd of it and enjoy.
Great article. I love the imagery. It took me a minute to confirm that your Merka is the same as my 'Murca. It could be the difference between Texas and the Southeast.
Outstanding. I hate reading wonderful pieces like this because of everything I am reminded that we lost. Leaving it all was no small matter, and still stings, but that America is dead and buried. Is it too bold to suggest that the real Reset should be burning it down and starting over?
It's nice to see the word "Merka" spelled correctly. I get so tired of tin-eared commenters misspelling Merka as "murica". Where do these ninnies come from, anyway? I love the film "All the Pretty Horses", particularly the line spoken by Lucas Black, "'Cause I'm a Merkin". How can anyone hear a native Southern speaker like Lucas say that line and then assume that the word is spelled "murrican"?
Wow...heaven on earth....seems that there is a book in this :-)
Great article! I've been in a '73 Ford Country Squire station wagon with the fake wood siding. That's what we used to deliver stained glass windows in Seattle when my partner and I founded Seattle Stained Glass in '76. A cop pulled us over once on the I:90 while going to Bellevue across Lake Washington for speeding. My partner, Jim, was driving (it was his car), and he told the cop we were delivering stained glass windows. The cop wanted to see the windows. He was impressed. He let us go with no ticket.
In Ireland the bar is across the street from the Catholic church and that is where everyone, including the priest, congregates after Mass.
"Moulton" sounds like a disease of a name. What was its nickname? Moldy? Grey Moulton? Moo Town?
You had a great childhood, Rufus. You are lucky.
All true.