One of the movie posters hanging in my living room is from the western the Long Riders. It has always been one of my favorite westerns. The directing and writing is brilliant and that’s due to Walter Hill. Hill is exceptional at his craft and he knows the west. Hill was born in Long Beach, California and educated at Mexico City College and Michigan State University. He worked in oil drilling and construction in the 60s before becoming a 2nd assistant director in 1967. He has written and co-written screenplays, including several uncredited works. He has produced and directed films since 1975. He once said in an interview that he considers all of his films as a director westerns. If you look closely, you can see western touches, such as revolvers, Winchester rifles and cowboy hats in all of his work. He’s an avid fan of John Wayne. When The Duke saw Hill’s Hard Times (1975), he wanted Hill to helm his last film, The Shootist (1976). But Hill refused because he didn’t want to see his hero dying in a movie. Why all this talk about Walter Hill? Because after two long years of meeting and negotiating all was settle yesterday for Mr. Hill to write and direct the film version of the book Howard Kazanjian and I wrote entitled Thunder Over the Prairie. I’m so very thankful and am looking forward to seeing the book brought to the big screen. I’m happy for Dodge City too. My prayer is that this project will be a huge success and bring thousands and thousands of tourist to the area. Dodge City is rich with history but nothing compares to the people who live there. They are warm and kind (one in particular made my visit memorable) and generous. Thunder Over the Prairie is the story of the most intrepid posse of the Old West. It’s about the murder of Dora Hand and the men that track the murderer down. It’s about the search for justice. Read the book, watch a Walter Hill film, (I suggest Geronimo, Wild Bill, or Broken Trail) visit Dodge City, Kansas and get ready to see a western that just might become a classic.
