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Bookmark this pageLast Night at the Alamo (1984)
Director: Eagle Pennell
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
The Alamo is a seedy, smoke-filled bar in contemporary Houston, populated by proud, foul-mouthed Texans hell-bent on defending their favourite haunt against demolition. All hopes focus on rough, tough Cowboy (Davis), a braggart hero concealing his balding pate beneath a ten-gallon hat and his fear of impotence beneath boasts of high connections in the state capital. Pennell's razor-sharp black comedy overcomes its low budget and limited locations by means of marvellous monochrome camerawork and a vivid, ironic script by Kim Henkel (who co-wrote the similarly dark and delirious Texas Chain Saw Massacre) to produce a caustic commentary on filmic myths and male foibles ('A man's gotta do...'). Yet the colourful collection of no-hope good ole boys are never reduced to mere cardboard to be satirised; through excellent performances, our emotions are enlisted for these beautiful losers, boozing and brawling their way towards a final violent conflict that would touch the heart of John Ford himself.Author: GA
Cast & crew
Director: Eagle Pennell
Producer: Kim Henkel, Eagle Pennell
Cast: Sonny Carl Davis, Louis Perryman, Steven Mattilla, Tina-Bess Hubbard, Amanda Lamar, Peggy Pinnell full cast
Duration: 80 mins
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