Every town has a story. Tombstone has a legend.
Legendary marshal Wyatt Earp, now a weary gunfighter, joins his brothers Morgan and Virgil to pursue their collective fortune in the thriving mining town of Tombstone. But Earp is forced to don a badge again and get help from his notorious pal Doc Holliday when a gang of renegade brigands and rustlers begins terrorizing the town.
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Character
Classical in form, earnest, resolved and grave.
- classical in formformally daring
- earnestironic
- resolvedopen-ended
- gravecomic
- contemporarynostalgic
Who loves it, who doesn't
65 profiled raters. Loved most by The Sinceres; disliked most by The Formalists.
Where do you stand?
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“Does Val Kilmer steal Tombstone from Kurt Russell?”
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“Does it take too many liberties with the true story?”
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“Is the nostalgia doing the heavy lifting?”
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A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- CinemaSerfon TMDB · Aug 20237/10
There is something really quite authentic looking about this western. Set at a time when the law was beginning to seriously impose itself on the otherwise lawless "wild" west, it depicts the story of Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) who just wanted to retire to peace and quiet in the eponymous Arizona town. Once there, he quickly realises that his fellow townsfolk are not on the same page. The arrival of his brothers Virgil (Sam Elliott), Morgan (Bill Paxton) and his lifelong friend "Doc" Holliday (Val Kilmer) make a confrontation with the red-sashed "cowboys" inevitable. This film takes it's time to develop the characters and the narrative. That's not say it is dull, it isn't - it just allows the story to breathe as the tension mounts before culminating in the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral. Russell was maybe not the best choice (though at times he reminded me of Gene Hackman); but Kilmer was oddly effective as was Stephen Lang's pretty duplicitous Ike Clanton. It's narrated by one Hollywood legend - Robert Mitchum, and features the briefest of cameos at the end from another - Charlton Heston, is well constructed and paced, and rather creatively, poignantly (and violently at times)
Read the whole review on TMDB - Filipe Manuel Netoon TMDB · Jul 202310/10
**A very well done western, which replaces glorification with raw realism.** I really enjoyed this film, which is very centered on the notable figures of Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, Morgan Earp and Doc Holiday during their time as law and order in the town of Tombstone. In popular culture, they became famous due to a short but intense exchange of fire with a group of gunmen from the city, called the Ok Corral Shooting. The incident, which took place in October 1881, was widely romanticized in the early 20th century and became a symbol of the Old West. In fact, the shooting, which appears in this film, was just one violent incident within a long feud between the sheriffs and the gunmen. The causes are still shrouded in mists that historians are trying, with difficulty, to penetrate, and the feud continued and resulted in the murder of one of the Earp brothers and the pursuit and death of some of the assassins, in a veritable manhunt. I'm a historian, but I'm not an expert on the period or the Wild West, but I felt that the film managed to put everything in its context and respect, minimally, what really happened. If there is something in this film that deserves to be highlighted, it is
Read the whole review on TMDB - John Chardon TMDB · May 20198/10
Indeed, sir. The last charge of Wyatt Earp and his immortals. Tombstone is written by Kevin Jarre and directed by its star Kurt Russell, with credited director George P. Cosmatos ghost-directing. It also features a large ensemble cast that includes Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn & Powers Boothe. The movie is loosely based on historic incidents occurring in 1881-1882. The plot follows newly retired peace officer Wyatt Earp (Russell) as he and his two brothers, Virgil (Elliott) & Morgan (Paxton), arrive in the Tuscon town of Tombstone. Here they plan to make their fortune and gain themselves a share in a farrow game at the local saloon. Wyatt's long time friend, Doc Holliday (Kilmer), also joins the Earp's in town and it's not long before they encounter trouble in the form of The Cowboys - a ruthless bunch of outlaws led by Curly Bill Brocious (Boothe). The back story to Tombstone is rather interesting, so without waffling on and boring the spurs off of any readers I'll try & keep this paragraph short! Willem Dafoe was slated to star as Doc Holliday but Buena Vista (Disney company) said no way on account of his appearance in the frowned upon The Last Temptation O
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Cast
- Kurt RussellWyatt Earp
- Val KilmerDoc Holliday
- Michael BiehnJohnny Ringo
- Powers BootheCurly Bill
- Robert John BurkeFrank McLaury
- Dana DelanyJosephine
- Sam ElliottVirgil Earp
- Stephen LangIke Clanton
- Terry O'QuinnMayor Clum
- Joanna PaculaKate
Crew
- George P. CosmatosDirector
- Kevin JarreWriter
- William A. FrakerDirector of Photography
- Bruce BroughtonOriginal Music Composer
- Harvey RosenstockEditor
- Roberto SilviEditor
- Frank J. UriosteEditor
- James JacksProducer
- Sean DanielProducer
- Bob MisiorowskiProducer
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
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Often watched with
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