The iconic 1993 WesternTombstonegarnered sizable commercial acclaim upon its release 32 years ago, bolstered by a star-studded cast that helped the film nearly triple its $25 million budget at the box office. However, it was some time before the movie fully transitioned from its cult status to being regarded as one of the greatest westerns ever.
The recent death ofVal Kilmer shined a light on both the film and his legendary role as Doc Holliday. Indeed, Kilmer’s passing helps illuminate just what’s so invariably appealing aboutTombstone: its genius performances. Other retellings of the deadly showdown at the O.K. Corral have lacked the cinematic swagger necessary to portray Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.
Though other acting greats have tried—including Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas,and even Kevin Costner in 1994’sWyatt Earp—no ensemble has perfectly captured the machismo present inthe iconic image of Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Bill Paxton, and Sam Elliott all clad in black, which today stands as a visual testament toTombstone’s status as a definitive classic.
What Makes Tombstone The Best Wyatt Earp Movie Ever Made
The Film Carries On The Legacy Of ’80s Action Heroes
What might come as a surprise to some people is thatTombstone’s famously star-studded cast is neither unique among Wyatt Earp movies nor the foremost catalystfor the film’s enduring success—it goes far deeper than that. As mentioned previously, plenty of renowned actors have tried their hand at the O.K. Corral story, with none before or afterTombstonesucceeding in surmounting the cinematic heights of the early ’90s classic.
This is because the film harbors within it a unique alchemy thatderives its intensity from the previous decade’s greatest creation: the ’80s action hero persona. The ’80s brought us many things: Hulkamania,Return of the Jedi, and perhaps most famously, the era of the muscle-bound action star, whose heroics were carried by such cinematic titans as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell, who cut his teeth in films likeThe ThingandTango and Cash.
DID YOU KNOW:Willem Dafoe was the first pick to play Doc Holliday, but Disney turned him down because of the controversy surroundingThe Last Temptation of Christ(1988). Not long after, Val Kilmer was cast in the iconic role (viaIGN).
Tombstonecarries this legacy through Russell’s performance as Wyatt Earp, who’s something ofa blend betweenEscape from New York’s Snake Plissken and John Wayne. These heroics are not lost on Earp’s brothers Virgil (Sam Elliott) and Morgan (Bill Paxton) either, nor Val Kilmer’s elusive portrayal of Doc Holliday—everyone gets a moment to shine in true action hero delight.
Tombstone Easily Beat The Kevin Costner Wyatt Earp Movie It Went Up Against
The 1993 Film Is More Streamlined And Action-Packed
Following the release ofTombstoneon Christmas Day, 1993, many people justifiably thought that the upcomingWyatt Earpbiopic by Lawrence Kasdan and the acclaimed Kevin Costnerwould swiftly overshadow the energetic picture. However, this would not come to pass, asWyatt Earp’s sprawling, decade-spanning narrative failed to deliver the thrills audiences expected in the wake ofTombstone’s high-octane action.
$25 million
$73 million
76%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
93%
In many ways,Tombstoneset the standard for ’90s Western action, and though one could argue that audiences should’ve expected a slower-paced film from theDances With Wolvesstar and director, they simply preferredTombstone’s drive and tight-paced narrative. As important as narrative is to film, however, it would be nothing without a proper vessel to channel its themes and motifs.
…Tombstonebears an ensemble so fitting that not a hair feels out of place, nor a lead performance ever wavering or unbelievable.
LikeThe Godfather, which Stanley Kubrick once declared the “best cast ever assembled,“Tombstonebears an ensemble so fitting that not a hair feels out of place, nor a performance unbelievable. After all, once a film is finished and its audience has left the theater, they won’t recall its timeline or greater historical accuracy:they’ll recall its performances, chemistry, and memorable one-liners(one ofTombstone’s greatest lines was borrowed from a 1956 Western).Tombstoneembodies these latter points, delivering a flurry of fun, iconic characters that are destined to endure.
