1980s: Still in the Saddle Film Series

The Long Riders (1980)

Sunday | Aug 9 | 2:00 pm

This stylish, gritty Western, directed by Walter Hill and starring Dennis Quaid, James Keach, and David Carradine, chronicles the final years of the infamous James-Younger gang in the post-Civil War Midwest. Led by Jesse James and Cole Younger, the band of brothers stages bank and train robberies while being pursued by the Pinkerton Detective Agency. 

Bob “Boze” Bell will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion with the audience.

Bob “Boze” Bell is an author, artist, and executive editor of True West magazine. His work has appeared in Arizona HighwaysPlayboyNational Lampoon, and other publications. He is author of numerous books about legends of the Old West including Billy the Kid and Wild Bill Hickok, as well as a visual memoir of growing up on Route 66 titled The 66 Kid.

Rating: R

Length: 1h 40m

Pricing:
FREE for Museum Members. Not a Member? Join
FREE with Museum Admission
$10 for program attendance only (does not include further admittance to the museum/galleries)

Heaven’s Gate (1980)

Sunday | Aug 16 | 2:00 pm

This epic Western drama, directed by Michael Cimino and starring Kris Kirstofferson, Christopher Walken, Sam Waterston, and Jeff Bridges dramatizes the real-life Johnson County War of the 1890s in Wyoming. It follows a Harvard-educated marshal, James Averill (Kris Kristofferson), as he attempts to protect European immigrant settlers from wealthy cattle barons and their hired mercenaries. Although a financial failure when it was originally released, the general assessment of the movie has become more favorable over time. In 2015, BBC Culture ranked Heaven’s Gate 98th on its list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.  

Kevin Sandler will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion with the audience.

Kevin Sandler is Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at Arizona State University. He is a specialist in American media industries, with a focus on censorship and animation. He is author and editor of numerous books including The Naked Truth: Why Hollywood Doesn’t Make X-Rated Movies and Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation.

Rating: R

Length: 3h 39m

Pricing:
FREE for Museum Members. Not a Member? Join
FREE with Museum Admission
$10 for program attendance only (does not include further admittance to the museum/galleries)

The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981)

Sunday | Aug 23 | 2:00 pm

In this retelling of the classic origin story, young lawyer John Reid (Klinton Spilsbury) survives an ambush by the Butch Cavendish gang that kills his Texas Ranger brother. Nursed back to health by his childhood friend Tonto (Michael Horse), Reid dons a mask to fight crime, eventually saving President Ulysses S. Grant from a plot to make Texas an independent nation. The cast also includes Christopher Lloyd and Jason Robards with Klinton Spilsbury’s voice dubbed by James Keach. It was filmed in New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and California with many scenes shot in Monument Valley, Carson National Forest, Santa Fe National Forest, and Valley of Fire State Park. 

M.V. Moorhead will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion with the audience.

M.V. Moorhead is currently the weekly film reviewer for Phoenix Magazine online. He has won five first-place Arizona Press Club awards for film, theatre and opera criticism at Phoenix New Times; he’s also written reviews for the Erie Times-News, Wrangler News and other publications. His other writings have appeared in publications throughout the U.S. and in Australia, ranging from USA Today to Elysian Fields Quarterly to Weird Tales. A native of Erie, Pennsylvania, he’s lived in Arizona for more than 30 years. 

Rating: PG

Length: 1h 38m

Pricing:
FREE for Museum Members. Not a Member? Join
FREE with Museum Admission
$10 for program attendance only (does not include further admittance to the museum/galleries)

Silverado (1985)

Sunday | Aug 30 | 2:00 pm

This is a classic Western movie about four mismatched cowboys—Emmett (Scott Glenn), Paden (Kevin Kline), Mal (Danny Glover), and Jake (Kevin Costner)—who form an unlikely bond and ride into the corrupt frontier town of Silverado to fight a ruthless rancher and his crooked sheriff, bringing justice and camaraderie to a town ruled by tyranny. It’s a modern take on Western tropes, blending action, humor, and strong characters with sweeping landscapes, revitalizing the genre with its spirit and witty dialogue.

Michael F. Blake will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion with the audience.

Michael F. Blake is a film historian and two-time Emmy-winning makeup artist who has worked in the film industry for nearly fifty years. His books include Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand FacesHollywood and the O.K. Corral: Portrayals of the Gunfight and Wyatt Earp, and, most recently, The Cavalry Trilogy: John Ford, John Wayne, and the Making of Three Classic Westerns

Rating: PG-13

Length: 2h 13m

Pricing:
FREE for Museum Members. Not a Member? Join
FREE with Museum Admission
$10 for program attendance only (does not include further admittance to the museum/galleries)

The Grey Fox (1982)

Sunday | Sep 6 | 2:00 pm

This Canadian historical drama is based on the true story of Bill Miner (Richard Farnsworth), a “gentleman bandit” released from prison in 1901 after 33 years. Finding the 20th century unfamiliar and inspired by the film The Great Train Robbery, he relocates to British Columbia, Canada, where he resumes his criminal career by robbing trains. It is a leisurely-paced, character-driven film praised for its stunning cinematography of the Pacific Northwest and authentic, historical feel.

Chief Curator Andrew Patrick Nelson will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion with the audience.

Andrew Patrick Nelson, PhD, is Chief Curator at Western Spirit. He is a leading authority on Western cinema, art, and culture, and the author and editor of numerous books and essays. Dr. Nelson’s insights have been featured in the New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and on NPR, and he regularly appears as a commentator on the History Chanel and other networks. He also cohosts the popular Western movie podcast How the West Was ‘Cast and is the author of the book Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969 – 1980.

Rating: PG

Length: 1h 32m

Pricing:
FREE for Museum Members. Not a Member? Join
FREE with Museum Admission
$10 for program attendance only (does not include further admittance to the museum/galleries)

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