Washington Post Review of 3:10 to Yuma
In James Mangold's new blockbuster Western "3:10 to Yuma," the first time we meet Ben Wade, played by tough-guy actor Russell Crowe, he is making a natural history sketch of a bird just minutes before carrying out yet another murderous stagecoach robbery. The scene establishes Wade not only as a complex character, but as a savvy birder who takes the time to document what is surely the first and only sighting in the United States of Africa's augur buzzard.
Suspend my disbelief, you say? Hollywood's ornithological ignorance probably didn't ruin your last trip to the movies, but don't call me a lone curmudgeon. Peruse the e-mail group BirdChat and a Web page called "How did that bird get there?" and you'll see the extent of the agony shared by me and America's 50 million other birders. How many times must we watch a bald eagle soar across the movie screen, paired with the cry of a red-tailed hawk in Dolby Digital surround sound?
Read the rest of the review here, it's worth it as he documents other avian mistakes in movies.
posted by birdchick at 7:32 AM
7 Comments:
You go, WAPO reviewer! Tell our story to the world!
If the augur buzzard is the same as the augur hawk, the Seattle Seahawks have one fly around their football stadium and meet with fans at every home game. If you google "seahawk augur hawk," you can find out information about the mascot bird. I've only seen the bird on TV.
That was a really good article, thanks for the link.
I really liked that article and way to go Potter producers for consulting ornithologists!
Dead on about that bald eagle-red tailed hawk thing. I get SO ANNOYED, every time! And what about when they play a loon call and go, "OH MY GOD! A WOLF!"
Ugh...Hollywood's animal ignorance drives me nuts... They do this for the common folk. The movie Madagascar didn't have ONE lovebird in it, but it sure did have the bird that almost everyone would recognize, a toucan. Not to mention the fact that they always give the parrots that STUPID STUPID dubbed over parrot voice. You know the one I'm talking about. Idiots.
Thanks, Sharon. I meant to look into that bird's identity after enjoying the movie last weekend. (Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in the same flick... mmm...)
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