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Cool and Collected

Collecting pop culture toys, comics, and collectibles collections

June 22, 2012 By 14 Comments

“You gonna do somethin’? Or are you just gonna stand there and bleed?”

tombstone wyatt earp doc holliday

Kurt Russell has starred in some great movies — Escape From New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing — but for me, he is at his best in Tombstone. His mustache alone should have won an Oscar. Seriously, look at that thing!

Tombstone is one of the movies I have watched over, and over, and over (ask my wife, she’ll tell you). I love a good revenge flick, and the second half of this movie is full of Wyatt and Doc Holliday bringing down the thunder. The gunfight scene at the river  where Wyatt “walks on water” is incredible, but the verbal gunfights are even better. Tombstone is filled with amazing dialogue, and I often find myself quoting it in my regular day to day activities. For example:

Wyatt Earp: Already got a guilty conscience. Might as well have the money, too.

(My personal favorite.) Wyatt Earp: [to Ike Clanton] You die first, get it? Your friends might get me in a rush, but not before I make your head into a canoe, you understand me?

Johnny Tyler: You run your mouth awful reckless for a man that don’t go heeled.
Wyatt Earp: No need to go heeled to get the bulge on a tub like you.

Wyatt Earp: The Cowboys are finished, you understand? I see a red sash, I kill the man wearin’ it! So run, you cur… RUN! Tell all the other curs the law’s comin’! [shouts] You tell ’em I’M coming… and hell’s coming with me, you hear?… Hell’s coming with me!

Of course, Doc Holliday’s quotes steal the show…

Billy Clanton: Why, it’s the drunk piano player. You’re so drunk, you can’t hit nothin’. In fact, you’re probably seeing double.[Billy Clanton draws a knife]
Doc Holliday: [takes out a second gun] I have two guns, one for each of ya.

Johnny Ringo: You retired too?
Doc Holliday: Not me. I’m in my prime.
Johnny Ringo: Yeah, you look it.
Doc Holliday: And you must be Ringo. Look, darling, Johnny Ringo. The deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill, they say. What do you think, darling? Should I hate him?
Kate: You don’t even know him.
Doc Holliday: Yes, but there’s just something about him. Something around the eyes, I don’t know, reminds me of… me. No. I’m sure of it, I hate him.
Wyatt Earp: [to Ringo] He’s drunk.
Doc Holliday: In vino veritas.

(Thank you IMDB)

tombstone saloon scene

The cast of characters in this film is near perfect with Sam Elliot, Dana DeLaney, and Powers Boothe. Bill Paxton not so much, but Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday is easily the best cowboy character in the last 30 years. His interaction with Michael Biehne’s Johnny Ringo character is incredible (remember the twirling tin cup showdown?). Heck, they even dusted off Charlton Heston for a small part. They probably just said, ” Chuck, wanna make a movie? You get to play with guns!” “Sure, I’ll get my hat.”

Tombstone may not be entirely based on fact, but it is a fun ride. If you want a good read about the relationship between the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday, I would highly recommend Doc by Mary Doria Russell. And if anyone wants to deal up a hand of faro while throwing back some Laudanum, I’m your huckleberry.

———-

league logo This is the latest post in response to the weekly blog challenge presented by the League of Extraordinary Bloggers. 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Reis O'Brien says

    June 22, 2012 at 9:28 pm

    Nice write up! This is one of my favorite westerns. To this day, when someone asks me to do something, I answer with “I’m your Huckleberry.”

    Reply
    • Brian says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:09 am

      This movie is packed with quotable lines. “I’m your huckleberry” is a personal favorite. 😉

      Reply
  2. Jon says

    June 23, 2012 at 9:07 am

    Didn’t Tombstone come out the same year as Wyatt Earp? While I appreciate a Kevin Costner western, the second half of Tombstone seals if for me. That an Sam Elliott’s mustache.

    Reply
    • Brian says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:14 am

      IMDB shows it coming out a year after Tombstone, but it could have been released within a month or two. Kevin Costner’s Wyatt Earp movie was okay, but it was too long and not nearly exciting enough to hold its own against Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer. It’s a shame too because I have a huge man-crush on Kevin Costner and his appearing in a western had the potential to be epic.

      Reply
  3. kngfu says

    June 25, 2012 at 7:51 am

    My late father was a Western fan since he was a little boy and finding a recent Western that he liked was a tough call. The fact that he liked TOMBSTONE speaks volumes for this film (IMO). I love it too.

    Reply
    • Brian says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:15 am

      Excellent! That’s very high praise, indeed.

      Reply
  4. ClaymationWerewolf says

    June 25, 2012 at 10:03 am

    This post smelled like leather, gunpowder, whiskey and dust. Reminded me of my childhood home! Great write up sir.

    Reply
    • Brian says

      June 25, 2012 at 10:04 am

      Ha! Thanks. 😉

      Reply
  5. Paxton Holley says

    June 27, 2012 at 10:24 am

    I agree. I love this movie. Everyone is great in it but Val completely steals the show.

    More great Doc quotes:

    “There’s no normal life, Wyatt, it’s just life. Get on with it.”

    “You know, Frederic f**king Chopin?”

    “It would appear that the strain was more than he could bear.”

    “Very cosmopolitan.”

    “Oh. Johnny, I apologize; I forgot you were there. You may go now. “

    Reply
    • Brian says

      June 27, 2012 at 10:38 am

      I watched this movie a couple of weeks ago, and I already feel like watching it again. 😉

      Reply
  6. Franklin Chagan says

    August 27, 2014 at 9:48 am

    Yep, my fav western of all time and I’ve watched ’em all. Lived in Tucson 10 years, spent a lot of weekends in Tombstone. I think I was there in the 1880’s in another life. I hope I was !

    Reply
    • Brian says

      August 27, 2014 at 9:57 am

      Right on! I hope you were on the right side of the OK Corral. 😉

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. League Assignment/Sunday Post: Kurt Russell – The Roles Only He Could Play « Geek It Till It Hurts says:
    June 23, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    […] Cool And Collected […]

    Reply
  2. The League has spoken: Kurt Russell is awesome. — Cool and Collected - collecting pop culture memories and memorabilia says:
    June 25, 2012 at 10:50 am

    […] Cool & Collected visits the old west (again!) and heaps praise upon Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday in Tombstone… […]

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