Red Dead Revival?

[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.

 

[saintchristopher]

I never knew High Plains Drifter had an overtone of horror to it. I'm much more interested in checking it out now.

And i realize it may not be a "modern classic" or anything, but I seriously enjoyed 3:10 to Yuma. Anything to watch actors as good as Crowe and Bale scowl at each other.

 

[high_castle]

I have a soft spot for westerns, chief among them the truly epic Once Upon A Time in the West. Even if you've never seen it, you've probably heard references to it and its characters. It's a very simple revenge tale and easily one of the best movies ever filmed.

 

[Jumpman]

EDIT: Ah Screw it here are the others

Magnificant Seven, its not the greatest but the cast and individual characters do pull the plot along well (and being based on a Japanese folk tale helps)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid great gang film in the late days of the west. 2 friends against the might of the Rangers. Charming and fun without being overly serious

Agreed. These are both great, and BCASK is one of my top ten movies period. Its essentially a buddy picture, with some of the best chemistry between two actors I've ever seen. Not to mention that nearly every line is quotable in its own right.

BTW, if anyone hasnt seen it, don't read an overview. The ending is pretty damn memorable and worth enjoying without it being spoiled.

I need to watch 7 again. Its a great film but I was a little young to fully appreciate it. Steve Mcqueen rocks my face off.

 

[irani_che]

No list of westerns is complete without "The Magnificent Seven".

Actually, just cut out the middle man and make "Seven Samurai" an honorary western. And "Zulu".

exactly what i thought before i read this, and was saying as soon as i finshed reading

 

[jthm]

This seems to be a very exciting list of movies. Hopefully I might remember to look at this list in the future and get some copies of these movies, especially The Wild Bunch and High Noon. Of those on the list, those two sounded to coolest to me.

Is it too far of a stretch to say No Country for Old Men was a western (even though it takes place in 1960's or 1970's Texas)? Because I really liked that movie, and I wanna be able to say I have seen at least ONE Western....

You know? That's an excellent, modern addition to a western list. In fact, in the vein of Bob's thread, if Unforgiven was the funeral, No Country could be the wake.

Nah, not a western. Missing too many things from the genre.

Although I agree that in the strictest sense it is not a western, it does make reference in narrative constantly to the times when outlaws and sherrifs did have gunfights, and the sherrif is supposed to be from a line of sherrifs, as I recall. I see where you're coming from, though.

If I were pretentious enough to coin a term (or if I were moviebob) I might call it a "post-western". Not saying it wasn't a great film, just not a western.