Coogan's Bluff

[Rocky]

Coogan's Bluff is not only a 1968 Clint Eastwood movie, but it's also a section of NYC in Upper Manhattan where many of the last scenes were filmed - especially the Triumph motorcycle chase scenes.
I recorded the movie and watched it again the other night. I FF through some of it, but watched the chase scenes a couple of times.
The last chase scene when the bikes are wrecked and lay there in a heap still makes me groan. However, in 1968 they were still rolling off the assembly lines so I guess they were expendable.
In some scenes, Eastwood (650 good guy) and Don Stroud (500 bad guy), were doing their own riding, but it was mostly done with stunt riders.
On two occasions I could clearly tell that the rider of the 500 and the 650 both lost control and clearly would have crashed, but the scenes were cut at just the right moment so as to not show that.
Anyway, it was nice to see the classic bikes in a movie. Triumph motorcycles were quite prominent when called for in 60's movies.
They also show up quite often in current movies, TV shows and commercials.

 

[DaveM]

I also enjoyed this movie but then anything with Clint Eastwood was entertaining to watch.

 

[Rocky]

I agree about Eastwood. I have the box set of Dirty Harry, the spaghetti westerns and a few others, but I didn't care all that much about the "anywhere but loose" series. I like it when Clint is all snarly and shoots it out with the bad guys
Gran Torino wasn't very politically correct, but I LMAO!

 

[Greyfell]

Political correctness may be over-rated.

 

[Rocky]

Political correctness may be over-rated.

Agree

 

[triumph david]

Everything Eastwood did was good!

 

[DaveM]

His western movies were always entertaining and I like that about them.

 

[Rocky]

Continuing on with the western theme, I've been watching a few old westerns from the 40's and 50's.
In a western movie you more or less expect the "hero" and the other male cast members to ride horses well, but I couldn't help but notice how well the female co-stars or other female cast members ride and handle the horses. They are very athletic and jump on and off the horses and ride just like the men.
I mentioned this once before, but in one movie starring Virginia Mayo, she rode into town at full gallop, pulled the horse up to a sliding stop and was jumping off and running into the sheriffs office before the horse was barely stopped.
It was a close shot and there was no doubt it was her and not a stunt double. I was very impressed with how athletic she was!

 

[DaveM]

I miss not seeing Western movies around these days as they were always fun.

 

[Rocky]

I miss not seeing Western movies around these days as they were always fun.

They show up a lot on the classic movie channel I have so I record some of them and watch them later.
It always amazes me when their six-guns shoot 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 bullets

 

[DaveM]

We also have them on our classic channel and I have seen a few new ones made from time to time.

 

[Rocky]

Some of those old westerns are a bit laughable by todays standards, but they're harmless entertainment.
Some made in the 60's with John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Charlton Heston and many other "names" were well done.
I thought some of Jimmy Stewart's best movies were westerns

 

[Greyfell]

Many of those early western stars, like Virginia Mayo (my favorite was Maureen O'Hara), grew up riding horses almost daily. And, if they had any sort of adventurous spirit, they were doing things beyond simply riding around a ring. Sort of like this young lady:

 

[DaveM]

I suppose it is very much like us riding bikes do it for long enough and you can do all sorts of cool stuff on them.

When I was at school my brother owned horses and I used to ride but that was a long time ago and I wonder if I could still ride.

 

[Rocky]

I grew up on a farm and rode the horses bareback - at a walking pace of course
But that was nearly 70 years ago and I haven't been on a horse since.

 

[DaveM]

Our horses were on my uncles farm and I would go out find the horse in the fields and ride it back to the sable also bareback and no halter or bit. Then we would saddle up and go for a real ride, it sure was great exercise and after a good long ride you could feel it. We have a lot of small holding around our city that do horses so when out of the main city it is very common to see people riding then and especially on the more secluded beaches.

 

[Rocky]

Same for me; no bridle or saddle. I "steered" the horse by pushing on his neck, left or right.
I've never ridden in a saddle.
There is a saddle farm on the edge of town that offers trail rides on saddle horses and it's very popular. I have passed by it dozens of times by bike and car.

I have some B & W photos from those days. When my father passed away nearly 20 years ago we went through his old photo albums and took the pictures we wanted. I brought them home and put them in a safe place and have never found them since
I know they are here somewhere, but...……..

 

[DaveM]

Just think What we will find one day when we once again find that safe place. I have a small USB external drive that I have now been looking for for a few month because of that safe place

 

[Rocky]

That might be a task for today since it's storming outside and I'm house bound

BTW, last evening I watched a 1954 Randolph Scott western called Shotgun Rider.
It was in colour and quite a decent movie. His movies are usually pretty decent.

 

[DaveM]

I cannot recall ever hearing of Randolph Scott before.