'Rio Bravo,' Still Popular and Hip at 50

Once again, for Aunt Toni:

It wasn't nominated for any Academy Awards. It was scarcely taken seriously by the critics on its release, and it's never made into the American Film Institute's top 100. But Howard Hawks's "Rio Bravo," which had its premiere half a century ago this month, may be the most popular cult film ever made.

The phrase "cult favorite" conjures up images of wobbly hand-held camera shots and little-known actors. But "Rio Bravo" was shot in glorious Technicolor and starred perhaps the most popular star in movie history. Most cult films are too hip to be popular, and most big hits are too popular to be hip. But "Rio Bravo" is that rarest of films -- both popular and hip.

French director Jean-Luc Godard called "Rio Bravo" "a work of extraordinary psychological insight and aesthetic perception." British film critic Robin Wood wrote, "If I were asked to choose a film that would justify the existence of Hollywood, I think it would be 'Rio Bravo.'" Quentin Tarantino, whose "Pulp Fiction" was also both popular and hip, told an audience at a 2007 Cannes screening of "Rio Bravo" that he always tested a new girlfriend "by taking her to see 'Rio Bravo' -- and she'd better like it!"

John Wayne. He's all that.

Storm System Batters South Coweta

The day after Aunt Toni got home, tornadoes slammed her hometown:

At least one tornado touched down Wednesday evening in Coweta County doing extensive damage to southern portions of the county.

She was all right - she was on the road to the river house when the tornado watch commenced but everything was all right back at her house.

Her daughter, Shannon, though, had a close call. She works at, and lives near, Bear Creek Farm:

Residents of Fincher Road at Bear Creek Farm in Moreland were at home when the tornado struck. The funnel snapped a row of approximately 50 trees, brought down power lines and damaged portions of a fence -- among other things.

Guy Cooper and his wife were at home on their 1,200 acre farm when, without warning, they heard "roaring -- like a train coming," said Cooper. Then, the power went out and they heard a loud bang. The husband and wife made it safely to a closet before the tornado ripped through their property.

"It came and went very quickly," recalled Cooper. He said he counted a matter of minutes between first hearing the roar and being left in silence.

"As quickly as it came, it left -- and it left a path of destruction," Cooper continued. "We were very lucky, though." He was grateful that no horses or livestock died, and his house was not damaged.

Holy moley! But Shannon was all right, too. Some spooky moments in the hallway of her house with her whimpering and shivering dogs but they made it just fine. The electricity was out overnight but it was back on in the morning.

So, a close call, averted. Lucky, I'd say.

(Here's Shannon's page from the Bear Creek Farm website. I can't download the picture so click through to see her in action.)

Aunt Toni Chooses to Grace Us With Her Presence

Aunt Toni chose to spend part of her mid-Winter break with us and we were glad she did. We haven't seen her in something like 18 months or so - the last couple of times we've passed through her home state of Georgia on our way to and from Florida we haven't been able to hook up. About time, is what I say.

We didn't do much of anything special, which was fine with everyone. She dropped by the office on Friday and I showed her around - lunch time and only Terra and Kyle and Charles were around. That evening she took the girls to see the new Pink Panther movie. Saturday we took in the Oklahoma History Center.

Here's the only picture I got from the museum, the Winnie Mae, Wiley Post's airplane:

(Insert your own joke about how the two airports in Oklahoma City are named after aviators who died in the same plane crash.)

Very interesting museum and, like most, not nearly enough time to see everything there. Oklahoma has a unique history and the museum does a great job presenting it. Oh, and this appeals to the accountant in me: it's only 5 bucks! Go there today!

Monday was a holiday so I took the day off and we went to another museum, The National Cowboy & Western Museum. Haven't been there in ages and it's quite different than how I remember it. Less rodeo history - though there's still plenty of that but re-done in a you're-there-in-the-chutes kind of way - and more about frontier and cowboy life. Best of all: a fine exhibit about western movies. Plenty of John Wayne memorabilia to keep Aunt Toni, Queen of the John Wayne fans, more than interested.

Here's she reads the information thingie about John Wayne and his relationship to the Western Museum.

And here she tries not to be too distracted by the big man's big gun.

I was a little confused about where I could and where I couldn't take pictures - museums are touchy! - so I didn't. But we had a great time. You can't help but have a great time with Aunt Toni.

A final pose with the girls:

She headed home Tuesday morning after we did a bagel and coffee at Panera. The ride to work without her around was exceptionally quiet.

Good to see her. Hope it isn't too long before we see her again. Maybe the annual trip to Florida we'll be lucky.