The Devil Wears Spurs

All of the characters vividly portray the lifestyle of the 1880's old west. Those cowboys knew who they were, and what they were doing. Sheriff Von Morely, Michael Wayne James, had a strong and yet subtle way of serving justice. The sheriff and his deputy kept a tight rain on the town's rough necks. Nothing would get past their suspicions. The women had you softly compelled as to what they thought was real in life and love. They worked hard to survive life and to always be prepared for the unknown. In every western there is always a bad villainous man. Max McCoy, Nick Sowell, takes you down an aggressive path of greed and hate. Max was truly a bad man intent on taking everything from everyone. Bill McKinney, the mysterious barkeeper, delivers an old folklore monologue that leaves you in suspense as to what really happens in the end. Charlton Thorp, writer and director, brings back the true grit of the old west with the ethics and morals intertwined into the story line. John Ford would be proud to see this type of production quality come from such a young team of filmmakers.

The acting and the scenery are all amazing. Nick Sowell as Max was as evil a man as Jack Palance's character in SHANE. The sets reminded me more of what it was like in the old west more rustic than what TV westerns would have had you believe. The lighting resembles HBO's DEADWOOD series in authenticity. For a probably low budget film, this has all the features you could want. You will be seeing more of Nick Sowell and hearing more about Charlton Thorp, director in the future. The only glaring weakness would be in that it needed a historical wardrobe person...too many large scarves for guys who did not work with cattle.

This movie by a young group of actors and crew is stunning in its cinematic beauty and its quality belies the fact that this was many of the principals first movie. The story line flows well and the action scenes at the end of the movie are riveting. Keep an eye out for this group in the future, they are beginning to make a names for themselves. Carlton Thorp did a masterful job on a very limited budget, Nick Sowell was a real force on the screen being in virtually every scene, the camera loved him and his angular good looks will cause him to be in demand beyond the 2 new movies he has made since the completion of The Devil Wears Spurs.

This was a great new film from the beginning to the end. The youth of these actors and crew in there young careers is far from evident in this story of greed and deception. Nick Sowell did a masterful job with his first big role as Max McCoy. Carlton Thorp could not have done not better with the budget he was given. The music and cinematography of this independent film were a delight in every sense of the word. I can say with out a doubt that not too many people could have pulled this off with what they had. Pulling it off is one thing, but making it as great as it was is another. I look forward to seeing how high this film is ranked in the up coming festivals. Congratulations to cast and crew for a job well done!

A solid movie all the way up and down. Thorpe's directing reminds me of a young John Ford or Sergio Leone. Personally it reminds me of Yojimbo or Fistful of Dollars. The lanky star, Nick Sowell, acts out his lines. His delivery never seems forced. A good movie and entertaining to say the least. The setting in Texas reminds one of the true locales of the old west. What lacks in length it makes up for in substance. Music was original. Cinematography was inspired. If you are a fan of the western genre, do yourself a favor, watch this, and see some of the most promising actors to do a western movie in a long long long time. A true treat for all western fans.