Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
Just finished watching the 2010 Cohen Bros. version of True Grit. A couple of weekends ago I watched the 1969 John Wayne version. (I am not sure which is better.) So, I now want to have a son and name him Rooster Cogburn. Either that or legally change my own name to Rooster Cogburn.
Anyways, Westerns are something I never really have gotten in to. However, our Western mythology is pure American, and I (being a glutton for all things) want more more more more more.
I am perfectly willing to accept that True Grit, being superlative, has probably completely wrecked my appreciation curve, because it seems to me to be utter perfection: Alcoholism, guns, horses, untamed land, trains, Civil-War vets, more guns, Indian Territory, a Texas Ranger, men being hanged, a guy with an eye patch named Rooster [expletive] Cogburn, and of course, the quest for vengeance in its purest and most just form.
However, I am willing to entertain suggestions for other superlative Western novels or films (preferably the latter being streamable on Netflix).
So, friends, I turn to you. Please suggest some other Westerns I might enjoy.
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Comments:
Nov '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
Deadwood the TV series. It's really great but the language is horrible, and makes you cringe- a little too much realism. Also there is Firefly which had one TV season and a movie. It's a sci-fy western and they always seem to cancel series we love. There is also the movie Australia.
Edited on May 9, 2012 at 2:51pmJan '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
Appaloosa has just about ALL the cliches of the genre. See if you can name the missing ones!
Dec '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
I would like to note one dog that is NOT barking, thus far. And, in my opinion, for good reason: The Searchers.
Nov '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
If I had known this would be bumped to the main feed, I might've phrased the original post differently.
Sep '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
Unforgiven, Unforgiven and Unforgiven. See it at least three times.
Mar '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
"Cowboy Bebop"
A sci-fi/Western (really a western set in the future) Anima TV series and Movie (one 26 episode season and a movie). One of the best Anima series of all times. I think Whedon got his idea for Firefly from it (which I would add to the list).
I am not a big fan of westerns but like you I did enjoy True Grit. I also enjoyed 3:10 to Yuma.
Apr '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
All the suggestions are very good. I would also like to add a few, I did not notice in the comments above.
Rio Bravo (with john wayne and dean martin). I also realy liked the new version of 3:10 to Yumma. I haven't seen the original but the new one is quite good. Also in the very silly and fun western category I recommend "Shanghai Noon" (it is a good Jackie Chang movie). I think people got most of the classics up there.
My suggestion is that if you do see the Magnificent Seven and "A Fist Full of Dollars" that you also see the Kurasawa originals, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo, just for a comparison and also because they are great movies. Yojimbo at least was his homage to Westerns.
Mar '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
How about "The Wild Bunch"? Too modern?
Apr '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
What? No love for "Outlaw Josie Wales"? "High Plains Drifter" anyone? However it's going to be hard to come close to "True Grit".
Aug '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
A lot of great ones have already been mentioned...but...
"Ride the High Country" and "Sergeant Rutledge" are very good.
"The Jack Bull" is a great modern Western that has a very good Natural Rights focus and is based on a story by von Kleist called Michael Kohlhaas.
"The Long Riders" is enjoyable, as is "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."
The pedant in me wants to point out that Yojimbo is based on the classic Dashiell Hammett story Red Harvest. It is a great movie, but so is almost every movie that is based on that story.
It has been mentioned before, but it is must seeing, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"
I've always liked "Pale Rider" as an adaptation of "Shane"
While not strictly a Western taking place during the Boer War, "Breaker Morant" parallels "Sergeant Rutledge" nicely.
Sep '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
It's been mentioned a couple times already, but the HBO series Deadwood is superb. It only ran for 3 seasons (boo!), but after you watch them all once, you'll want to start from the beginning again.
Mar '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
I forgot "Shane" and "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid".
Dec '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
Westerns? We ain't got no Westerns. We don't need no Westerns. I don't have to show you any stinking Westerns.
As you might have guessed my humble entry is The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. It received three Oscar and was the first for a father and his son.
Sep '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
The Outlaw Josey Wales. Maybe the best collection of singular lines delivered by Clint Eastwood in his life.
"Worms gotta eat; buzzards too."
Dec '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
PracticalMary suggested a movie called Australia. If we're going to go down under, you have to watch Man From Snowy River if for no other reason than to bask in the soundtrack.
Dec '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
I can't top the earlier suggestions, but for animated westerns, you could try "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" by Dreamworks. The excellent soundtrack is by Bryan Adams.
Note: No animals were injured in the making of this movie.
Nov '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
My list (for openers):
High Noon, The Searchers, The Professionals, Ride the High Country, Shane, the original True Grit, The Virginian, Broken Lance, Seven Men from Now, Buchanan Rides Alone, Colorado Territory.
Once you've watched those or any several of them, you'll be ruined for what passes as good cinema these days.
Jan '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
The best Western ever made, though I might be a bit prejudiced. It's not available on Netflix streaming but is available through Amazon Prime (and on Amazon it is the original director's cut)
Edited on May 9, 2012 at 4:23pmDec '10
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
Oh, oh! "Quigley Down Under?"
Has anyone mentioned "How the West Was Won?" It's hard to go wrong with John Ford directing and Jimmy Stewart acting.
May '11
Re: Can You Suggest Any Superlative Westerns?
High Noon is the best western flick ever made.