Favorite Westerns?

[wilky61]

I don't know if I've ever seen a western that fits your description. By definition, westerns are usually either bloody as hell (The Wild Bunch) or long as hell (TGTBATU/OUATITW).

A couple westerns that stick closer to the two-hour timeframe include:
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
Unforgiven (1992) - pretty graphic I seem to remember
3:10 to Yuma (2007) - pretty graphic I seem to remember

You might also try Tombstone (1993ish)... I think of that as a "softcore" western... Like a mainstream crossover I mean.

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by wilky61

. By definition, westerns are usually either bloody as hell (The Wild Bunch) or long as hell (TGTBATU/OUATITW).

This is entirely untrue. Before the 1960s a ton of westerns were made that were neither long nor bloody as hell. Extreme violence wasn't appoved under the Production Code. Whether people with "modern" tastes would find these westerns "boring" is another question. The sad answer is probably yes. I'm guessing these will need to be blu-ray only recommendations so...

STAGECOACH

[Atreyu]

Not much into westerns, but love The Cheyenne Social Club with the great Jimmy Stewart and McClintock with John Wayne. Think McClintock will hit blu before Cheyenne Social Club though.

[BostonMA22]

1) Once Upon a Time in the West (Top 3 all time favorite films)
2) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Top 12 all time favorite films)
3) For a Few Dollars More
4) The Searchers (favorite Ford, the social commentary makes it one of the most important films of its time)
5) High Noon (very important as an anti-blacklisting film)
6) Rio Bravo
7) The Wild Bunch
8) Stagecoach
9) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
10) The Outlaw Josey Wales
11) Unforgiven
12) Open Range (crossing my fingers with Goofnut)
13) The Great Silence
14) 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

others that are great are The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Django, My Darling Clementine, The Proposition, Shane, which fall just a bit short of my all time favorite list. i still need to see The Outlaw Josey Wales and Pale Rider, although i've been putting off the PR for a while because i've read that it's more or less a remake of Shane.

i LIKED High Plains Drifter but found it too cold for its own good (Eastwood's direction is impressive though definitely a must see) and i recently watched The Comancheros and El Dorado, both of which i did not like, especially the latter as i found it to be Howard Hawks shamefully rehashing the elements of his previous, BETTER films like The Big Sleep and Rio Bravo.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by buffetfroid

This is entirely untrue. Before the 1960s a ton of westerns were made that were neither long nor bloody as hell. Extreme violence wasn't appoved under the Production Code. Whether people with "modern" tastes would find these westerns "boring" is another question. The sad answer is probably yes. I'm guessing these will need to be blu-ray only recommendations so...

STAGECOACH

Yeah, I didn't recommend The Searchers to the OP because I figured it would be too boring/not enough action for him, but your recommendation of Stagecoach is a great one. It's old as hell, but it holds up well.

Between you and me, I'd rather watch My Darling Clementine or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance than Tombstone, but these movies aren't available on Blu yet.

[Banned User]

Forgot about Stagecoach. Good choice.

I didn't recommend Unforgiven because the op said children would be present. I consider it one of the definitive westerns but extremely violent. Also Django might be overly violent too for children. People might want to brush up on it and the dollars trilogy before Quentin Tarantino's homage to spaghetti westerns comes out.

[painted_klown]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Also Django might be overly violent to for children. People might want to brush up on it and the dollars trilogy before Quentin Tarantino's homage to spaghetti westerns comes out.

I plan on doing that actually. Waiting until payday and I am ordering up Django from the Blue Underground sale.

To be honest, I wouldn't have cared so much about Django if it weren't for the early buzz regarding QTs upcoming film. From what I understand, it has the name Django in the title and perhaps even has a character with the same name...I may be wrong about that though...

There is a film titled "Sukiyaki Western Django" out on BD and I am curious about it as well. I assume it is sort of an homage to the original Django film. Either way, I need to get the original film so I have a baseline for comparison when I watch the others.

[sputter]

Originally Posted by buffetfroid

This is entirely untrue. Before the 1960s a ton of westerns were made that were neither long nor bloody as hell. Extreme violence wasn't appoved under the Production Code. Whether people with "modern" tastes would find these westerns "boring" is another question. The sad answer is probably yes. I'm guessing these will need to be blu-ray only recommendations so...

STAGECOACH

Which one?

[sputter]

Shane is a classic. Strong chars,solid story,action,no nudes etc. Not on blu-ray far as i know.

[Pirate King]

Originally Posted by sputter

Shane is a classic. Strong chars,solid story,action,no nudes etc. Not on blu-ray far as i know.

I believe Shane is the best western ever made.
High Noon is also an excellent western. Both films need a Blu-ray release!

Considering movies already released on Blu-ray......The 1969 John Wayne "True Grit" is an exceptional film. So is "The Searchers". I enjoy all the Clint Eastwood westerns that have been released.

My fingers are crossed for Shane and High Noon in the near future.

[blonde_devil]

there are a lot that i haven't watched for a while but my favorite is the original Trinity movie. watched it as a kid and it is just funny yet it doesn't make fun of the genre. can toss that movie on anytime and be happy. i love the leone movies, pale rider, josey wales, etc but for me, that is my favorite.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by blonde_devil

there are a lot that i haven't watched for a while but my favorite is the original trinity movie. Watched it as a kid and it is just funny yet it doesn't make fun of the genre. Can toss that movie on anytime and be happy. I love the leone movies, pale rider, josey wales, etc but for me, that is my favorite.

+1

Ditto for what BillyJack said earlier ... hopefully the Trinity movies find there way to bluray.

[Crimson King]

I love westerns!

Would love to see the Terence Hill/Bud Spencer "Trinity" films on blu in the future!

[Dragon Lee]

I really liked 3:10 to Yuma remake. Not a second wasted in that film!

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by Dragon Lee

I really liked 3:10 to Yuma remake. Not a second wasted in that film!

agreed but i just watched the original and Glenn Ford does a good job too as Ben Wade, very evil.

[Le samouraï13]

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly not only a perfect western but a great film everything about it is great the characters, the music, the story, and most of all the directing by Leone…IMHO