life via videotape

Equinox Flower | Yasujirô Ozu | 1958

The period between The Big Trail and his big break with Stagecoach was undoubtedly one of the lowest points in John Wayne’s career. After signing a contract with the poverty row studio Lone Star, he completed a total of 16 movies between 1933 and 1935. These productions didn’t have big budgets, and I would imagine did not have big crews either, but makes up for these with typical western fare. Horse chases, gun duels, saloon fights, everything that makes up a crappy western you get right here. Hell, John Wayne even had a reoccurring character that sang. Not kidding. 

It’s 7:30AM and I can’t find my trazodone. Anyway I just finished my way through them, so here they are, ranked worst to best.

16: Texas Terror (1935)

15: The Dawn Rider (1935)

14: The Lawless Frontier (1934)

13: The Lucky Texan (1934)

12: The Star Packer (1934)

11: The Desert Trail (1935)

10: Sagebrush Trail (1933)

9: The Trail Beyond (1934)

8: West of the Divide (1934)

7: Rainbow Valley (1935)

6: ‘Neath the Arizona Skies (1934)

5: Paradise Canyon (1935)

4: Blue Steel (1934)

3: Riders of Destiny (1933)

(John Wayne walks into a gun battle while singing)

2: The Man from Utah (1934)

(Another “Singin’ Sandy” film)

1: Randy Rides Alone (1934)

(Opening scene is so fucking darksided)

Ousmane Sembene is an Senegalese director who is considered the godfather of African cinema, and is responsible for bringing it into international light. His films are staunch criticisms of society and government, and often explore the effects of colonialism (Camp de Thiaroye), political incompetence (Xala), deep problems within humanity and identity (Black Girl) and, above all, feminism and women’s issues in the sub-Saharan. In 2004, Sembene released his feminist masterwork Moolaade to overwhelming international appraise. The film deals with female circumcision; a group of women rise up against the patriarchal structure of their village to end the mutilation of their girls. This is one of the only movies in the world to cover such a topic.

So why am I telling you all this?