I watched "Hight Plains Drifter" a few nights ago and I was barely able to make it through the movie it was so terrible. But a few things about the story kind of bother me.
Was The Stranger just setting the town up as a form of revenge? What was the point of painting the buildings red? Why didn't any of the town's folk recognize him?
Am I asking to much to try and find meaning in the movie?
2007-10-16 10:10:07 · 11 answers · asked by Justin H 7 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Movies
Rusty E: I'm so glad you liked the movie. But you really need to work on your people skills. Or are you one of the cinema snobs who think anyone that doesn't like certain movies isn't worth anything. But you know, I'll take movies like American Beauty, Vanilla Sky, The Usual Suspects, and many others over a weak western that was poorly acted and executed. For that matter, I'll take Dodgeball over watching High Plains Drifter again. At least Dodgeball was highly entertaining.
2007-10-16 13:48:49 · update #1
The chic thing to do was to turn westerns into art films in the 70's.
The stranger was having his vengence upon the town. For what ever reason he does not choose to kill the townfolks who had killed him, just to imposiiton and humiliate them.
The buildings were painted red because the Stranger wanted to make the statement that the town was Hell.
Its a vengence from the grave movie. He gets his vengence and moves on.
Why don't they recognize him, is never addressed in the movie, but typical excuses, faded memories, blocking a traumatic event, the fact they knew they killed him so it couldn't be him, some other supernatural force, comes to mind.
2007-10-16 10:29:01 · answer #1 · answered by Vultureman 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
High Plains Drifter
2016-09-25 22:49:19 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Drifter Meaning
2016-12-16 06:07:23 · answer #3 · answered by blacker 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello Justin,
Interesting question. I have been thinking about the film myself these days. It is basically a loose translation of the Book of Revelation into a Western...
The horseman comes riding on a Pale Horse (one of the four horsemen early in the apocalyptic narrative); he gets himself 'hired' as a defender of the town against their enemies (The Beast, probably #2); Prepares everyone for a futile battle (Apollyon); evacuates the hotel (Rapture) to keep the innocent people (virgins in the narrative) safe; but most of all, he has them prepare for a pick-nick — a completely illogical and baffling "move." But not illogical vis-a-vis St-John's Revelation, where Jesus returns to wed his congregation with a wedding supper where the food is supplied by the wicked who are slain in revenge for how he (Jesus) had been made the food of a "last supper" in his first time on earth (hence, called the Lamb who was sacrificed).
If you read the book several times and watch the film afterwards, you'll see what a great comedy it is; And the deep theological question it raises: Just what is the difference between a horseman on a pale horse called Death who brings famine and the avenging angel on a white horse later in the book called Jesus who 'harvests' the wicked for a wedding feast?
Best
Dandimus
2014-01-23 02:28:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Sucks for you, because this critically acclaimed Western Reinvention ranks with 'The Proposition' (2005). It does take a brain to be able to piece it all together, so if your ignorance leaves you ragging on beauty, slip into something a little easier, say 'Fieval Goes West' (2001).
The Stranger can be summarized by a single verse in The Bible's book of Revelations, "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him".
That is to say, The Stranger is the the soul/ghost of the dead marshal or the Angel of Death. He's come back to lay his vengeance upon the town. He does not look like the Marshal, therefore he is not recognized.
How do we know he's a ghost or Angel of Death? His arrival is from the desert heat to which he disappears back into. Despite being shot several times he is not injured. He also rides a pale gray horse. He paints the town red (an archetypal color of Hell). He also has painful nightmares about the public whipping which killed the town marshal.
The townspeople had their marshal killed because he was going to put an end to their illegal mining operation on property of the U.S. government. The townspeople hired three bandits to kill the marshal (whip him to death in public). Mordecai, the shorter character, is the only one to object, but is to small to stop the public slaying. The townspeople then frame the bandits for a theft, having them arrested and sent to Yuma prison.
The Stranger shows up days before the bandits are to be released from Yuma prison. The Stranger's benevolence is bestowed only to Mordecai, as Mordecai is the only one who did not wish to have the Marshal killed.
The point of painting the town red... wow. A more clear metaphor could not be made short of splicing in a rolling narrative Star Wars style. I'll try to make this as easy as possible. The town sign is changed to 'Welcome to Hell'. The townspeople are led to think that it is a tactic to intimidate the bandits. However, it is The Stranger's way of reminding them that they are all murders doomed to damnation.
All of this made clear by the closing two lines of the movie. Mordecai says, "I never did know you're name". The Stranger replies, "Yes you do". Mordecai looks shocked and the camera pans over the dead Marshal's tombstone which has finally been given the proper identification.
Wow. Freaking amazing.
2007-10-16 11:32:32 · answer #5 · answered by Rusty E 1 · 12⤊ 3⤋
As a fan of American Beauty, you like a thinking-man's film. So it surprises me that you did not take time to explore the deeper meaning of High Plains Drifter. This is an excellent film. And the themes and symbolism make it a masterpiece in my opinion.
In a film with a lot of great--if terse--dialog, my favorite:
"You make people fear you, and that's dangerous. It's dangerous when people fear you."
"What's dangerous is when people look inside themselves and fear what they see."
Eastwood cuts to the core of human frailty, hypocrisy, greed, and self-righteousness in this film.
2014-12-06 08:44:41 · answer #6 · answered by Butterbean 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Clint Eastwood character was connected to the sheriff that was murdered. It is implied that he was the sheriffs ghost.
The painting of the town red is left up to interpretation. It could mean that it was covering the town with blood, or it was being remade into hell.
Not a story of revenge as much as the authors idea of justice being served. While I enjoyed the movie, it isnt one of Clint's best.
2007-10-16 12:23:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I used to think it was terrible. tonight, I watched it again for the first time in about four years. I have seen it at least ten time, trying to figure it out and get people's opinions on it. you have to really be focused and pay attention. it is one of THE best Clint movies ever made.
2014-08-17 22:19:44 · answer #8 · answered by Harry 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Clint Eastwood's plays the part of the Marshal's son.
2015-07-18 17:32:32 · answer #9 · answered by Mike 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
HIGH HEELS are shoes like flip-flops , but they have a something, like a pointy triangle on the heel.
2016-03-13 09:04:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋