Deadwood: Complete HBO Season 1 [2004] [DVD]

Hard on the heels of the cinematic, mystical Carnivale, HBO pull out a gritty, puke-, blood, cuss- and mud-soaked western, tracing in quasi-historical fashion some of the days of Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock and others in a pre-confederated gold prospecting camp called Deadwood, in what is nowadays Dakota. Despite their manifold differences there is a commonness of sepia tone, and both plumb equally cavernous philosophical depths: Intellectually, Deadwood is a meditation on anarchy in which Hobbesian pessimist sentiment is tested but falsified: in Deadwood, decent men (and strong women) prevail despite the poor odds - as long as you are prepared to be openminded about exactly what might count for decentness, at any rate.The first episode takes a while to catch fire - the brutalilty and nastiness is heaped on, and the narrative is spent establishing the hard-man credentials of most of the cast, and the dope-addled naivete of Alma Garrett and her patsy-written-all-over-him husband, fresh from New York to seek their fortune in the hills with the rest of the lowlife.But soon some things become clear. Primarily among them, Ian McShane - once BBC's loveable rogue antique dealer Lovejoy (I kid you not) has a peach of a part as the dastardly, but all the same loveable, Gem Saloon owner Al Swearengen, and he utterly nails it. A swear engine he certainly is - although matched in his cussatorial enthusiasm by the entire rest of the cast, McShane bullies, and cajoles, and wisecracks his way through the series with the experienced occular twinkle of a life-long loveable rogue, every appearance on the screen an utter joy to behold.McShane is perfectly cast - but is aided and abetted by a terrific supporting cast and a sublime script. Sublime, that is, if you don't mind the dictionary definition of "a stupid or unpleasant person" sprayed around. If repeated reference to ladies' nether regions, rendered agriculturally, isn't your bag, then nor is this show, by the way. But the blue language is matched by the inventively archaic dialogue which is simply wondrous, particularly in McShane's capable hands. One tip: the dialogue is rendered quickly at times and, as a single word is not to be missed, I found it useful to have the subtitles permanently on!Elsewhere the characterisation is beautifully played, with a succession of great double acts: Robin Seigert's Jane to Dayton Callie's Charlie Utter; William Sanderson's EB Farnum to Molly Parker's Alma Garrett, but mostly the fulcrum around which all relationships, dramatic impulse and sypathy revolves is the marvellous Al Swearengen.The production values are top notch, and if there were a weakness, it would be Timothy Olyphant's somewhat effete Seth Bullock: attempting the strong silent treatment, but not really pulling it off: A hard job, in any case, when everyone's rooting for Al.Olly Buxton

Deadwood Season 1, I finally bought according to some customer's opinions is really "Something"!...Though, unexpected!Not a classical Western with Cowboys and Indians, but more like a Black Portrait of those who walked on America's ground in the 18th Century Gold Mining era looking for a place to settle down, some for the best reasons others for the worst, some looking for a Life others looking for nothing...Deadwood where the action runs, is a hostile place of corruption and low sense of morality, a primitive and lawless rowdy camp, a dirty environment with the permanent dark presence of a tense and scary "atmosphere" among locals, implicit and explicit extreme violence barely giving you space to relax!Often you feel the need of fresh air to keep your lungs free from all that Dust, and dive into fresh water to clean yourself from all that Mess!And I know you will find this contradictory but the thing is, when I reached the end of the last Episode I said to myself: "remarkable! I want more!". And bought Season 2.Almost all the Main Characters are well known from America's Early History like Al Swearengen, (an excellent Ian McShane) the owner of Gem Theater Deadwood's most notable brothel, the town's bloody villain determined to kill everyone who dares to challenge him or prevent him from achieving his aims.Seth Bullock, (an impressive Timothy Olyphant) a honest and fearless man, Sheriff of Montana County before settling down with his Jew partner Sol Star to begin business in Deadwood, an important figure in Deadwood's History where he accepts the Sheriff's task, uneasy mission he achieves with determination intelligence and strategy. History tells he became close friend of US President Theodore Roosevelt who, in 1905, appointed him for South Dakota's U.S. Marshall for nine years.Wild Bill Hickock, (a notable Keith Carradine) a gentleman, an alcoholic poker gambler, an outstanding gunfighter and Lawman in the frontier Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, shot and killed from behind while playing poker in Deadwood's Number 10 Saloon.The always drunk Calamity Jane, (wonderfully portrayed by Robin Weigert) an American frontierswoman and professional scout, best known for fighting Native American Indians and also for taking care of the sick and needy.The "coward" Jack McCall, (a great Garrett Dillahunt) the most provoking figure of Season 1, a hypocrite ugly and dirty fellow, poker gambler and murderer that shot a man in the back of the head beeing considered innocent in a Deadwood's trial, but arrested later by Wyoming Authorities and hanged at the age of 24. History tells he was the first person to be executed by United States Officials in Dakota Territory.Doctor Coshram (an amazing Brad Dourif) a hard working man and humanitarian symbol, Alma Garret, (Molly Parker) the unhappy and insecure Aristocratic widow, Trixie, (Paula Malcomson) Swearengen's favourite hooker, E.B.Farnum, Swearengen's "eyes and ears" and the killer Dan Dority, Swearengen's body-guard.Excellent dramatizing cast and performances, brilliant dialogues, amazing picture and camera, but... only recommended for those who are not easily troubled or offended by explicit violence, sex scenes and hard language. Improper for children.