Red Dead Revival?

[The Imp]

Going through my collection i can't believe Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid isn't on the list. Pekinpah, Kristofferson, Coburn and even Dylan. Bob, you really should have made this list a 3 part with 15 movies each to cover all the gems in depth.

*wanders off to load a 12-gauge with pennys*

 

[Dukeoftacos]

Obviously this genera has passed it's peak, but let's not forget about some of the great westerns that have been made this century. Appaloosa showed us all that shoot-outs could be fun even if they only lasted 3 seconds, and as long as you weren't concerned with the specific "West" part of western, Australian made The Proposal was a gem to be hold.

 

[RTR]

WHERE'S MAGNIFICENT SEVEN???

 

[LogicNProportion]

Unforgiven is my favorite western.

That ending shoot-out, and Clint's following speech is probably among one of my favorite moments in cinema history!

 

[Je-Tze]

Bob, you stated clearly that this wasn't a complete list, nor a "best of". So fine, we could niggle all day about our favorite movies that should have been on there, but that misses the point. It was a quick and dirty list to get people going on some key movies.

I have one complaint though. You state correctly that the late 70's through the 80's were a poor time for the genre, but then neglect the few gems that came out in that period. Silverado and The Grey Fox come to mind. Donchathink?

 

[copycatalyst]

I would like to add and recommend The Good, The Bad, The Weird. It's a Korean homage to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly set in China in the late '30s. Not your typical Western setting, but this "Oriental Western" captures the spirit perfectly, and is a ton of fun to watch.

 

[Yeager942]

I'm surprised Once Upon a Time in the West wasn't chosen. The freaking harmonica gets me every time.

 

[daftalchemist]

After Red Dead Redemption whetted my appetite for cowboys, I went and watched Sergio Leone's Man Without a Name trilogy. It was exactly what the doctor ordered. Also young Clint Eastwood as a cowboy is the sex for reals.

Then it was onto Eastwood's cowboy stuff.

I also watched Yojimbo for good measure, and loved it.

 

[octafish]

snip
Also, Red River is a worthy addition to this list, on top of the other excellent suggestions. snipitty

Yes, Red River, and Once Upon a Time in the West should have been on that list. Yes I would have picked The Outlaw Josie Wales over High Plains Drifter, but despite what a lot of Escapists are suggesting, The Magnificent Seven shouldn't be on the list. John Sturges just doesn't know what to do with all those characters and they tend to get lost. It's a story of Yul Brynner and Steven McQueen and... some other guys, Oh and Eli Wallach. I also think you can dump A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More and just recommend the superior The Good The Bad and The Ugly, because the first two just don't stack up to the magnificence of the third.

 

[carpathic]

I am quite happy to say, I have seen and enjoyed all of these movies.

Some things I will need to thank my father for, an enduring love of the western - definitely one of them!

 

[Siberian Relic]

Moviebob, I'd absolutely love to see your recommendations for either classic adventure films or the epics. Or both.

 

[WaderiAAA]

My expirience with Western is limited to Lucky Luke and a very few movies (like Maverick for instance)

 

[warfjm]

I have to agree with previous posts. "The Magnificent Seven" being left out is a shame. Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen teamed up. Can't get any better than that.

The reason "Once Upon a time in the West" was left out is because it is another Sergio Leone movie and he directed all the dollar trilogy movies. But man, is that a good movie with great casting, directing and writing.

Best showdown in movie history! You could feel the tension in the air because Sergio did such a great job of building up the scene.

"Did you bring a horse for me?"

*Laughs*"Looks like we're shy one horse"

"You brought two too many"

Watch opening scene on youtube. It's epic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW-jSa9_k3M

 

[malestrithe]

I love westerns. I have seen every big budget Western made in the last 15 years.

I have seen everything on the list as well.

I would have added, "the Sons of Katie Elder," or its modern day remake, "4 Brothers" to the list. Then again, I can make a pretty good argument that Gran Torino is a modern update of "High Noon."

 

[AvsJoe]

Let's see... nope, nope, nope, no, nope, no, no, yes, nope, no, nope, no, and no. I have only seen one of these films: For a Few Dollars More, and I disliked it. I very much dislike the genre but I assume it's because most of the westerns I've watched were bottom-of-the-barrel stuff. I have to see Unforgiven, Hang 'Em High, Stagecoach, Good Bad and Ugly, and Tombstone one day but I doubt I'll see many more.

That's a real pity, you've watched easily the worst of the three. For a Few Dollars More is the trilogy's weakest link, I can't stand it myself. It's only worth watching to pad out The Man With No Name's adventures and to give context to a couple of flashbacks in The Good The Bad & The Ugly. Seriously, you could just as easily watch The Good The Bad & The Ugly by itself as it's strong enough (and long enough) to stand on it's own, particularly if the genre doesn't specially appeal to you.

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid would also be good for someone not really in to Westerns. Obviously because it's such a damn classic but also because I found it trots along at a brisker pace than average and the action and dialogue are a lot of fun.

I've seen and enjoyed Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid; it's probably my favourite one unless El Mariachi counts as a western. It was a fun little movie, very much unlike most others in the genre.

 

[Treefingers]

The Searchers sucked my balls. Sergio Leone is where it's at.

 

[AvsJoe]

Let's see... nope, nope, nope, no, nope, no, no, yes, nope, no, nope, no, and no. I have only seen one of these films: For a Few Dollars More, and I disliked it. I very much dislike the genre but I assume it's because most of the westerns I've watched were bottom-of-the-barrel stuff. I have to see Unforgiven, Hang 'Em High, Stagecoach, Good Bad and Ugly, and Tombstone one day but I doubt I'll see many more.

That's a real pity, you've watched easily the worst of the three. For a Few Dollars More is the trilogy's weakest link, I can't stand it myself. It's only worth watching to pad out The Man With No Name's adventures and to give context to a couple of flashbacks in The Good The Bad & The Ugly. Seriously, you could just as easily watch The Good The Bad & The Ugly by itself as it's strong enough (and long enough) to stand on it's own, particularly if the genre doesn't specially appeal to you.

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid would also be good for someone not really in to Westerns. Obviously because it's such a damn classic but also because I found it trots along at a brisker pace than average and the action and dialogue are a lot of fun.

I've seen and enjoyed Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid; it's probably my favourite one unless El Mariachi counts as a western. It was a fun little movie, very much unlike most others in the genre.

That's true, it's definitely outside the mould of the classic western. Still it retains enough of the quintessential elements, like a passion for the setting and the themes of freedom and personal integrity. It's a decent entry level for those who don't normally go for the genre.

If you're interested at all maybe check out some of the more recent high quality films for starters. As others have said the 3:10 to Yuma remake was pretty good and a sound action piece. Also, if you have the patience for it, the slow boiling The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is tense and extremely rewarding with great use of the landscape/cinematography to set mood and atmosphere.

I'd definitely try and watch one or two more of Clint's earlier films before seeing Unforgiven though. The context they give his character in that film is worth it.

Thanks for the heads up. I skipped Yuma because I was broke and I had no interest in Assassination but to make up for it I watched Ed Harris' Appaloosa, which I enjoyed.

Which Eastwood-directed films should I watch? I've only seen his newer stuff: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Space Cowboys, Gran Torino, Mystic River, and Invictus. I've heard good things about The Outlaw Josie Wales and High Plains Drifter; I had previously bought both of them on VHS but lost them in a move before I could watch them.

 

[The Imp]

Which Eastwood-directed films should I watch? I've only seen his newer stuff: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Space Cowboys, Gran Torino, Mystic River, and Invictus. I've heard good things about The Outlaw Josie Wales and High Plains Drifter; I had previously bought both of them on VHS but lost them in a move before I could watch them.

High Plains Drifter will leave you, at least until the third act, with an open mouth. I watched the Dirty Harry series countless times and love Heartbreak Ride to death but i've never seen Eastwood so ruthless - so purely not-giving-a-fuck/taking whatever and whoever he wants.
Pale Rider is also a great movie - even more if you like the whole "Preacher with a Colt Peacemaker" theme and the bible references.