Italy -- A Western Film Festival in Orvieto!

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

I can't believe it -- found out that there is going to be a western movie festival this May in Orvieto, the beautiful hill town in central Italy near which I have a house and spend a good chunk of the year.

Western Festival Orvieto will take place May 11, 12 and 13. The program of films to be shown is not yet online, but there is a guest list that includes big names such as Bud Spencer and Franco Nero.

Karl May -- 60th Anniversary of the Karl May Movies!

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

This year does not only mark the 100th anniversary of Karl May's death -- it also marks the 50th anniversary of the first Karl May movies, starring Pierre Brice as Winnetou and Lex Barker as Old Shatterhand.

The first movie in the series was Der Schatz im Silbersee -- The Treasure of Silver Lake -- which came out in 1962. It was shot on various locations in Croatia and starred Herbert Lom as the villainous Cornell Brinkley as well as Brice and Barker.

Here's the trailer in English:

Various events are taking place to celebrate the half-century and there is a web site devoted to the anniversary. Events include a Golden Jubilee celebration in Croatia June 5-9, with Pierre Brice in attendance.

Fashion: (Very) Imaginary Wild West

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

From Nudie to Ralph Lauren (and beyond) the fashion industry has long looked to an imaginary vision of the West, cowboys, the Frontier, Native Americans and all that for inspiration. The Autry Museum some years ago chronicled this love affair in a major exhibit, How the West Was Worn, which also resulted in a book by my friend Holly George Warren.

The latest (very) imaginary take comes now from the LA-based designer Jeremy Scott, whose Spring-Summer 2012 menswear line, called Urban Cowboy Couture, "updates an American classic" goes way beyond Rhinestone Cowboy glitz with a collection that features everything from rubber cowboy boots to crotchless fringed plastic pinto pants.....