BLUEBERRY

France, 2004, 124 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Cassell, Juliette Lewis, Ernest Borgnine, Eddie Izzard, Djimoun Hounsou, Michael Madsen, Colm Meaney, Temuera Morrison, Geoffrey Lewis, Tcheky Karyo, Hugh O’Conor?.

Directed by Jan Kounen.

A French westen? Yes. It obviously pays homage to the European-made westerns like the so-called Spagghetti Westerns, although most of Blueberry was actually shot in Mexico, some sequences in Spain. It also pays homage to American westerns with Ernest Borgnine and Geoffrey Lewis in the cast. Also in the cast are Michael Madsen and Juliette Lewis. However, the hero is Vincent Cassel (his younger self being played by Irish Hugh O’Conor).

This is one of those films which seem more interesting to think about and discuss than watching the film itself. It is a bit long, repetitious, sententious and, even during the hallucination sequences, the mind tends to wander.

The distinctive aspects of the film are its emphasis on Shamanism and its being based on a popular French comic strip, not familiar to English-speaking viewers, the activities of a sheriff, Mike Blueberry. The western activities are familiar enough, pursuit of greedy gold-seeing villains who trespass in forbidden Indian territories. It is in the picture of Indian mysticism, the role of the Shaman, the trances brought about by altered mind states (especially from herbs and potions) and the need for individuals to go into their deeper selves, face their dark side and try to find the place in the universe and be linked to all aspects of the universe. This, of course, has a strong ‘new age’ appeal to viewers and may get the film a following from audiences who ordinarily would not watch a western.

1. The impact of the film? Based on a comic strip? A picture of the American west? Mexican locations? Mexicans and Indians? Myths, mysticism, shamanism? The combination of these elements?
2. The French background of the film, the writers, the Dutch director? The adaptation of the comic strip to the screen? The attitude towards the United States? To life in the west? To the myths of the west?
3. Mexican locations, a European perspective, the towns, mountains, desert? Authentic feel? The musical score?
4. The French lead, French cast, American cast, old and new?
5. The title, the hero, his origins, his early life, his family background, let go, imposing law and order, his tormented experiences, his mystical experiences? His achievement?
6. The boy, his uncle, oppressed, in the west, the orphan, his work, innocence, relentless?
7. The town, Madeleine, Blount, the attack, the school, the irony of what was happening, in his own inner life and torment?
8. Mike and his life, his uncle and company, the pubs, the Indians, the speculators coming, the owners of the land, the quest for gold, the deals? Mike’s character? Based on his being wounded, with the Indians, the annunciation, the rituals, the drugs? Going into his deepest self? The later testing and his true self? Imaged and the spiritual effect for hallucinations?
9. Prosit and Woodhead, in the desert, the maps, the journey, the Indians, the attacks, betrayal? Woodhead and his survival? The scalping? The town, the confrontation? Prosit and the others? Jimmy? Blount and his presence? Jail, the expedition, the hopes, fantasies, the double-deals, the quicksand?
10. Sullivan, the land, the deals, Maria? Love, relationship? Attack and death?
11. The range of characters of the west, typical, differences?
12. Violence, cruelty, racism?
13. The religious experiences, drug-induced, yet spiritual and depth in the inner life? The shamans?
14. The build-up to the psychedelic ending? Drugs, hallucinations, spirituality? The end for Blueberry?