What actually happened in Tombstone on October 26, 1881?  Tombstone Rashomon attempts to answer this by talking to those who survived.

The Story

A film crew travel to the past to interview the survivors of the Gunfight at OK Corral.  Done in the style of the classic Kurosawa film Rashomon, this film tells the tale of the famous gunfight in Tombstone through the eyes of various witnesses showing us how history is interpreted through the unreliable memories of those remaining.

The Breakdown

tombstone

We all know the tale of the Gunfight at OK Corral, well we think we do.  It has been depicted through film, television and fictionalized to the point where the actual events are often debated.  Even those who lived through it had conflicting reports with some siding with Earp and his deputies and others siding with Behan and his Cowboys. Tombstone Rashomon takes these conflicting reports and puts a voice behind them showing us a much more realistic view of the events as told through those who survived.

Written and Directed by Alex Cox, Tombstone Rashomon is a fascinating film that provides as much clarity as possible on the historical gunfight.  With a tremendous cast that are completely believable in their roles, Cox not only creates a fascinating narrative based on historical reports but does so in a manner that is both entertaining and educational.  Borrowing from the famous Akira Kurosawa film Rashomon, in which the events of a murder is told through the memories of eye witnesses, Tombstone Rashomon is the perfect homage to the the iconic Kurosawa film.

The Bottom Line

Tombstone Rashomon is a well written and intriguing re-telling of the historical events that took place in 1881.  Alex Cox manages to capture the essence of these historical figures through interviews and ‘reenactments’ presenting the events in a way that forces viewers to decide for themselves what occurred that day.  Cox is careful not to romanticize the events as others have done, but instead tries to present the facts in the only way he can, by letting those who were present tell their tales.

If you are a fan of history or just enjoy intriguing documentaries, this film is certainly for you.    ‘Tombstone Rashomon’ is now available digitally via Amazon and will be on DVD in store and online April 21st (Amazon, Walmart, Best
Buy, Target, Deep Discount DVD, DVD Planet, CC Video and more).
Order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QkMUya.

Thanks for reading!

Late To The Game 7/20/2020

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