This week, I'm joined by Richard Gilbert to discuss a fairly broad swathe of Westerns. First, we talk Sergio Leone and the 'Dollars Trilogy', with particular focus on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Leone, 1966). We definitely touch on mythological tropes, and we probably get a bit pretentious. We then chat about the first three episodes of The Mandalorian (Disney+, 2019-) and especially how it echoes Leone stylings and themes.
We then move on to me interviewing Rich about his experience playing the two Red Dead Redemption games (Rockstar Games, 2010/2018), and his take on their scope and influences, from both film and videogames themselves. The idea of Western simulations then leads us into a brief discussion of Westworld (HBO, 2016-) - primarily, Season 1, because neither of us have watched further (because neither of us liked it).
Somehow, neither me nor Rich even utter the word 'Deadwood' throughout this entire episode, which is extraordinary, as we're both massive fans.
0.00 Sergio Leone/The 'Dollars Trilogy'
0.53 The Mandalorian
1.06 Read Dead Redemption/Red Dead Redemption 2
1.37 Westworld
1.52 Recent recommendations/wrap up
You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com. All original intro, outro and other incidental music recorded and made available by kind permission of Richard Gilbert.
NOTES
The book Cult Movies by Danny Peary (first pub. 1982) can be purchased on Amazon, via this link, as can The Immediate Experience by Robert Warshow (first pub. 1962), via this link. Listeners might also want to check out this 2018 YouTube clip of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, because it's joyous.
