On June 7, 2010, the John Hillcoat (The Proposition, The Road) directed 30-minute animated short film Red Dead Redemption – based on the newly released video game – was officially uploaded to YouTube. It would take one week before I heard about it. I want to blame my friends for not sending the link my way or maybe even John Hillcoat for not calling me to tell me about it (The Proposition fell number four on my Films of the Decade list, after all – it would have been common courtesy). Either way, I am glad I had a chance to finally catch it. Here is how it is described on its IMDb page:

The year is 1910. The West is dying. The American frontier is undergoing a violent transition from the ways of old to modern times, and Mexico has entered a prolonged period of bloody civil war. Reformed outlaw John Marston is on his way to capture former running buddy Bill Williamson when he comes upon a half dead snake oil merchant named West Dickens. Marston travels under a bleak and unforgiving sun, teaming up with a violent sheriff and a colorful mentally deranged grave robber and together they discover a bloody massacre of homesteaders left in the wake of Williamson. They hatch a plan to break into an abandoned fort where the Williamson Gang is holed up – and a dark, surprising twist ensues.

I’m an unabashed western fanatic, so despite using only the in-game graphics and having nothing new on the story front, I still got quite a kick out of this. Enjoy.