Two brothers set out for a good time before they are shipped out for service in the military. They are down south and plan to drive around, chase women and raise some hell. Just looking to have some fun. Things are going as planned. They even manage to pick up a young woman who is game to join the good times. Car trouble throws a wrench into things and they have to stop and get it fixed at a rundown garage. They meet up with the local Sheriff at the garage who pretty well tells them to get the car fixed and keep moving. Things start to change at this point and the trip goes from a lighthearted romp to a dark ride into more trouble than the brothers bargained for. Macon County is not the place for a good time.
Macon County was a surprise for CB. I was expecting a B movie that might be half entertaining. What I got was a B movie that was a lot more. It still has that low budget, indie feel but it gets out of its weight class with so much more. Good story, great locations, direction, cinematography and some very good performances. Alan and Jesse Vint (actual brothers) play the brothers in the film. They do a really good job as a couple of young guys out for a good time. Natural and believable. Good character actors spread throughout.
The kicker for me was Max Baer Jr as the Sheriff. The only thing I knew Max from was the Beverly Hillbillies. I was impressed with his work in this. He’s a long way from Jethro in this one. His work is so believable and truthful. Regular friendly small town sheriff with a menacing, intimidating presence. He is protecting his people. Then he has his father side. You don’t question his love for his family. He is a product of his environment and the times. No scene chewing just a real low key kinda scary guy. He wrote and produced the movie also.
These are the small American films I like. They capture a time and a place in the culture. Some subtle stuff going on in this film. Yeah there’s a few bumps in the movie but way more things that work
There was something I really dug about this movie. A “Drive In” flick for sure and a sleeper that took me for the ride. It’s stayed with me for a long time. Enough to make CB a fan. So take a ride down to Macon County or not. Some bad shit might happen.
CB, you’ve hooked me again. Never saw this one, but I’m sure I’d like it.
By the way, there’s a good show in Philly tonight that probably I’ll go to: a trio of Will Calhoun, Marc Ribot and Jamaaladeen Tacuma.
Bye till next time!
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Yes it’s a definite 70’s feel but i really like that era of film-making. Max Baer was a definite talent but got locked into the paycheck with Jethro and probably a career killer. Too bad, it would have been interesting what other creative ideas he had. This is a good. A little Stephen Kingish when he does his straight story telling. Still scary.
That show is one I would get off by butt for. Don’t know enough about Tacuma other than his sideman gig. Any suggestions on his own stuff? If i was close I’d meet you there. Enjoy if you do attend.
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I’m heading for the show pretty soon. It’s supposedly a 7PM start.
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I’m starting to think that CB stands for Cincinnati B-movie guy. This one I heard of (like a lot of yours) but never saw. I’ll add it to the endless list.
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Like music, I always found or was drawn to these films that were not getting a lot of attention. You might like this for various reasons. It’s a time capsule for sure. It could have stayed in” just another good old boy flick” but didn’t.
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I got curious about ol’ Jethro Bodean and looked him up. He’s still around and is now in his 80’s. But here’s a thing – he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Santa Clara University, with a minor in philosophy. You can’t make this shit up.
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He was in another film I liked, a duster ‘A Time For Killing’. He played a real wack job. My old man was a fight fan so i knew about his dad being a boxer.
His performance in ‘Macon’ is real good. He had some real shit going on. Like I said on another comment i would have liked to seen more from him other than the tv stuff.
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Once they get typecast it’s hard to break out of that, yeah? John Travolta did. Carroll O’Connor never could.
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Like Neil said, you hooked me again, CB. I definitely remember the trailers for this back in 1970-whatever. When I saw “Jethro” was in it, I said “Wha???” You’re right, these movies captured a time and place. “Two Lane Blacktop,” “Deliverance” (the best) the “Walking Tall” flicks (ugh), “Vanishing Point,” “Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry,” and all of Burt Reynolds’ goofy hijinks.
I’ll be headed to Macon County.
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That’s quite a list you mentioned. This puts a lot of the same style on the screen and like ‘Deliverance’ (yeah one of the best) takes a dark turn. ‘Macon County’ is it’s own film. Low budget does good. I couldn’t get over how good Baer was. I kept waiting for him to do the Jethro. It’s like Jethro’s cousin with a lot more brains and menace. Plus there was something real about his performance as a family man from that part of the country.
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I may have overreached with my list. I was thinking along the lines of films based in the South (and Southwest) which have cars (or canoes) as main characters. Some had a kind of Southern Gothic weirdness, and sounds like this movie with Jethro’s brainy cousin might have it!
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Thanks for the recommendation. Going on the list!
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Take a trip on the time machine back to the 70s
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Any-time it’s on TCM I always check it out. RE-posted on twitter @trefology
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This sounds right up my alley.
Gonna hunt this one down
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Macon County Alley
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That sounds like a euphemism
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Tony don’t be using those $10 words on CB
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I had to look up ‘$10 words’ there as I wasn’t sure if it was one of those ‘never on a sunday’ type things
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Those there politicians come around Macon using them “$10 words” trying to put one over guys like old CB
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“Pull the other one; it’s got bells on”
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That got me smiling
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Added to the list! ‘Must be jelly cos jam don’t shake like that’
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They just don’t write like that anymore.
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I’d definitely dig this. Big time. I’m gonna have a look for it, CB.
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J it really is a good little film. It’s like someone throws a switch and takes it from a good ole boy romp into a what the hell did we get into.
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That sounds exactly like the kind of flick I’m looking for!
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It’s been a long long time since I saw this…loved it. Those seventies movies like Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry, Two Lane Black Top, and the original Gone In Sixty Seconds…I would like to do a movie day with those and this one.
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It goes dark and you know I like that. Max Baer should have done more of this stuff. Time for a revisit with ‘Two Lane’ I’m a big Warren Oates guy.
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It’s something about the acting style of the 70s in movies like this that is different than today…I think anyway…Maybe it’s the way they filmed it…something is different though… CB I’m about as clear as mud…it’s hard to put it in words.
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The same style is around but under the mainstream. It’s was more natural to me and yes it was different filmmaking. Way more gritty and real sort of like the guitar playing we were discussing. Plus the actors had so much character. It’s still there if we look for it.
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That is it. It wasn’t as slick…it was more real to life with the way they acted. I’m glad you could read what I was talking about.
Films like this I think leave in small mistakes in conversations…because all of us make mistakes in conversations…not pronouncing a word right or whatever…it does make it gritty and real….and that is what I’m about.
Perfection can be boring.
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Just watched a new ne that my daughter (Princess Falda) twisted my arm to watch. “CB it’s your style” ‘The Devil All the Time’. You and the Cinematographer might dig it. I did.
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lol…Cool thanks CB we will check that one out. We watched Doc btw and I love it so far. Dunaway and Keach are great. We are going to pick it back up tomorrow where we left off.
He has been studying Steven Spielberg’s films for a class. He was disappointed that they didn’t pick Kubrick or Scorsese.
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Steve knows his stuff. I’m sure he’ll get lots out of it. I havent watched a lot of his films.
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Bailey likes more of the off the beaten path films but yes…he has come to appreciate him. As far as commercially successful…it’s hard to beat Spielberg.
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I’m with Bailey. I think you knew that.
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