best ever western

[Bill Hayes]

PS. Ken, if you liked Once upon a time in the west, you might enjoy Once upon a time in America. One of my favourite gangster films. Goes for ages and always good to watch with a hangover. I always cry. Yep, I'm a softie!

[Ken Gargett]

PS. Ken, if you liked Once upon a time in the west, you might enjoy Once upon a time in America. One of my favourite gangster films. Goes for ages and always good to watch with a hangover. I always cry. Yep, I'm a softie!

yes, been years since i saw it. overdue.

and i wondered if anyone would remember the trinity series.

[Ryan]

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is right up there for me. As are the other two in that trilogy

Unforgiven, great stuff.

The more recent True Grit with Jeff Bridges. Fantastic

Django Unchained

Fistful of Dynamite, James Coburn's IRA explosives expert with Rod Steiger's Mexican bandit/revolutionary. Another brilliant Morricone soundtrack.

What about the Australian "western", The Proposition?

It follows all the rules of a western, except location. Fantastic film.

[LukeC]

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention How the West Was Won! Fantastic film!

[JohnS]

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention How the West Was Won! Fantastic film!

Yes, an interesting and unique film on account of the Cinerama process used to shoot the film, the ensemble cast and the multiple directors. If you've got the blu-ray I'd recommend watching the 'Smilebox' version just once to get a feel for what the film looked like on the big screen in 1962. The blu-ray is only a snapshot of what this film would look like on the big screen, as the three-camera Cinerama process meant that the image portrayed on the screen was 36 times sharper than a 1920 x 1080 blu-ray image. Some scenes had to be re-shot on account of the modern stitching on the Indian garments, for example.

http://whiggles.landofwhimsy.com/archives/2008/10/how_the_west_was_won_smilebox.html

[Ken Gargett]

What about the Australian "western", The Proposition?

It follows all the rules of a western, except location. Fantastic film.

i think that is a good point.

mind you, you then have an argument that we include star wars - which is really a form of a western set a squillion miles/years away. it does mean we have a huge potential category.

[Bill Hayes]

If we were to go there then perhaps the Samarai film Yojimbo could be included... or maybe 'A fist full of dollars' should be deleted from the western category and listed in the samurai film category because it is pretty much a direct rip off of the Japanese film.

[MIKA27]

If we were to go there then perhaps the Samarai film Yojimbo could be included... or maybe 'A fist full of dollars' should be deleted from the western category and listed in the samurai film category because it is pretty much a direct rip off of the Japanese film.

Even Seven Samurai - Technically not a Western but it was highly influential with Magnificent Seven

[Ken Gargett]

Even Seven Samurai - Technically not a Western but it was highly influential with Magnificent Seven

yes, seven samurai would fit the expanded category.

and if by "highly influential" you mean pretty much a complete rip-off, then agreed.

[MIKA27]

yes, seven samurai would fit the expanded category.

and if by "highly influential" you mean pretty much a complete rip-off, then agreed.

Exactly what I was suggesting

I love Seven Samurai, brilliant movie, currently being remastered in 4K I read somewhere.

[JohnS]

Exactly what I was suggesting

I love Seven Samurai, brilliant movie, currently being remastered in 4K I read somewhere.

Yes, it set the template for action films thereafter. Apart from The Magnificent Seven, we also have Pixar's A Bug's Life as a direct re-make.

[Bill Hayes]

Here's some good old fashioned gunfighter wisdom to ponder over the weekend. Clint for President!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNfdii-r38g

[MIKA27]

Here's some good old fashioned gunfighter wisdom to ponder over the weekend. Clint for President!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNfdii-r38g

I love "THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES", brilliant movie

[LukeC]

Yes, an interesting and unique film on account of the Cinerama process used to shoot the film, the ensemble cast and the multiple directors. If you've got the blu-ray I'd recommend watching the 'Smilebox' version just once to get a feel for what the film looked like on the big screen in 1962. The blu-ray is only a snapshot of what this film would look like on the big screen, as the three-camera Cinerama process meant that the image portrayed on the screen was 36 times sharper than a 1920 x 1080 blu-ray image. Some scenes had to be re-shot on account of the modern stitching on the Indian garments, for example.

The Cinerama process was actually really cool! I wish I could go back in time and see it in the theater! That would be a real treat!!!

[JohnS]

The Cinerama process was actually really cool! I wish I could go back in time and see it in the theater! That would be a real treat!!!

I wish the same. After How the West was Won was released, studios used a single-camera process to present widescreen films at Cinerama Movie Complexes such as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Khartoum, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Grand Prix and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The reason for this was due to the filming process with actors being so technically difficult with 3-strip Cinerama.

[btp1979]

I'd have to go with The Wild Bunch. It represented the end of an era on several levels.

[Funkadelic]

True Grit. I like the remake more than the original.

No way! W'cha smokin' bro?

[Funkadelic]

If we were to go there then perhaps the Samarai film Yojimbo could be included... or maybe 'A fist full of dollars' should be deleted from the western category and listed in the samurai film category because it is pretty much a direct rip off of the Japanese film.

In fact, Kurosawa wrote Leone a letter (he called him "Mr Leones" in the letter LOL) asking him to cut him some slack and back off from his storylines.

[Deodato]

I'll go with the Searchers, with a tip of the hat to Deadwood

[busdriver]

No mention of One Eyed Jacks, Marlon Brandon does western!

I'll go with the Searchers, with a tip of the hat to Deadwood

Thanks Deodato for bringing this one up! A classic. If you havent seen The Searchers dont talk to me about John Wayne.

[joeypots]

I don't think Open Range is the best western. I do think that the gunfight in Open Range is with out a doubt one of the best gunfights ever filmed. JMHO

[Smoker]

My favourite western is Last Train from Gun Hill, but there are many that I love, so it's difficult to choose a favourite! I think it depends what 'type' of western you like. Some revolve around 'Cowboys & Indians', some have the American Civil War as the main theme etc. For me, the best westerns involve gunfights/gunfighters/duels.

My top 5:

Last Train from Gun Hill

The Gunfighter

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

The Fastest Gun Alive

For a Few Dollars More