The MoFo Top 100 Westerns: Countdown

I knew there was quite a bit of love for The Quick and the Dead so I had a strong feeling it was going to be somewhere near the 50 mark. Very happy to see it make it past that mark -- VERY nice

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With SO MANY films, I'm surprised I don't have any write ups for any of them.

Firstly, THANKS @Holden Pike for posting the review of Rango -- got a serious kick out of that. And YES, I agree when he stated that a toad reloading and firing a shotgun with one hand while holding on to the side of a racing wagon is seriously bad @ss!

Now,
I have been on again, off again the fence about watching the original 3:10 To Yuma. I am a HUGE HUGE fan of the remake and just as big a fan of the man who's short story is basis for the film, Elmore Leonard who actually lived within half an hour to me and it breaks my heart I never had the opportunity to meet him and talk with him about his writing before his passing.
Any hoots, I'm going to rectify this by watching this tonight or tomorrow night and post my thoughts regarding it then.


El Dorado has always been a big favorite of mine throughout my life. Unlike its predecessor, it was ALWAYS on TV so I was constantly watching it in my earlier daze. The cast and their perspective roles are gold and the light humor hits the mark throughout. It has been my go-to since I scarcely remember the one or two times I had seen Rio Bravo.
And then, due to a recent Western HoF I got to rewatch Rio Bravo. . .
well, let's just say, for now, El Dorado was unable to stay on my list.
Still love it for what it is - entertaining as hell.


The Proposition utterly, and completely blew me away the very first times I watched in tense-riddled amazement at the cinema, and continues to every time I watch it at home. Equal parts visceral and cerebral. It is contemplative and violent. No one is a definitive Good nor completely Evil, and everyone is subject to the brutal heat and its effect upon the temperament and to the mind. Even the exposition of those who are "civilized" and those that are "derelict" delve deep into the psyche of both with a harsh mirror exposing everything beneath.
A powerful film and an a truly incredible Western from Australia.
I had it at #7.

The Professionals is another Must See! that will be going onto my Rectification List


My Darling Clementine is a great lil John Ford film and by that statement says a whole lot for it. I've seen it quite a few times and have enjoyed it, though for a Wyatt Earp saga there is another that may not even make this Countdown since I rarely see others talk about it, that has remained my favorite version of the famous Lawman, his brothers and Doc Holiday.
I think my one critique is Victor Mature's version of Doc Holiday. Its good but its not great.
I do love the final (extended) shootout at the OK Corral though.

Shane.
One more for the List. Whiny kid or not. lol


The Quick and the Dead. One of the few All-Time Favorites that I refused NOT to have on my list, coming in at #19.
For the life of me I cannot find the conversations shared regarding this film which compelled me to seek out the Director's Cut with a few added scenes for the first time in my countless watches of this spaghetti influence, over the top Draw Contest with Sharon Stone as a vengeful stranger who shows those hidden moments of fear that you don't often see in a titular gunslinger. Sharing the spotlight is Russell Crowe with all the combative emotions of a man who has thrown away his guns only to be shackled and forced to take them up for a "contest". Throw in a very young, cocky, looking to prove himself, Leonardo DiCaprio and, playing the ideal cruel villain and Boss of the Town, is Gene Hackman. Their interactions, their deeper connections, are what truly fuels this under-appreciated Western. Add to them, a full list of colorful and excellently performed secondary characters and you have one helluva rip-roarin Western with, I MUST add, some very cool compositions and camera frame work.


Rango. Yet another all-time fave I was unable to fit onto my list.
Absolutely love this film and it sits prominently on my list of Countless Watches. With it's salute to so many Westerns and their tropes to even expanding to a few nods to Chinatown and Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas; it is chock full of clever, witty dialogue, truly marvelous camerawork and every single town folk, gun hand, bad and good guy you've ever seen in any given Western and paid them true respect. Hidden within a so-called Children's Animation this is truly for the Adults who get dragged along to pay for everything at the movie theaters. It's funny, exciting, with such great dialogue and voices befitting the detailed anamorphic characters aplenty.
I am overjoyed to see it and even more so to see across the 50 mark. F@CKIN BRAVO!!!



Movies Watched 37 out of 60 (61.67%)

John Wayne Films: Two
Clint Eastwood Films: Zero

MY LIST
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Ride The High Country (#63)
7. The Proposition (#46)
8.
9.
10. The Cowboys (#50)
11. The Grey Fox (#66)
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. The Quick & The Dead (#42)
20.
21.
22.
23.
24. Red River (#56)
25.

She'll show up again
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I thought the original version of 3:10 to Yuma was on my list, but I just checked, and apparently it got cut in my last round of cuts. I'm glad to see that it made the countdown without my help.

I like both Rio Bravo and El Dorado, but they're basically the same movie, so it was hard making a decision about whether to include only one of the two movies or both versions, and if I decided to include only one movie, which movie to include on my list. I decided that I like El Dorado enough that it had to be on my list, so it ended up at #23 on my list.

When this countdown was announced, I was sure that My Darling Clementine would be on my list, so it was one of the first few movies that I added to my list. But as I watched more and more movies for this list, and I started narrowing it down, My Darling Clementine just kept getting pushed down until it was eventually forced off my list by other movies. I'm glad that it made the countdown anyway because it's still one of my favorite western movies.

I originally watched Shane years ago because my mother told me she thought Alan Ladd was one of the most handsome actors when she was younger, and she recommended that I watch a few of his movies. While I find the kid a little bit annoying, he's not annoying enough to ruin the movie for me. I liked the movie a lot, but unfortunately not enough for it to make my list.

I had never heard of this version of The Quick and the Dead before this countdown, but I actually watched this movie by accident. I saw it listed in the TV guide, so I set my DVR to record it. However, I thought I was recording a different movie with the same name that starred Sam Elliott. When I realized that it was the wrong movie, I watched it anyway because of the great cast in this movie. I'm glad that I did because I liked it so much that it landed at #20 on my list.

Rango is one of those movies that I've watched multiple times, but I still can't decide if I like it. I seem to like it a little bit more each time I watch it, but it still hasn't become a favorite movie for me, so it didn't make my list.


My list so far:
1) Oklahoma! (1955)
6) Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
7) The Frisco Kid (1979)
9) Maverick (1994)
12) North to Alaska (1960)
13) The Bravados (1958)
16) City Slickers (1991)
17) The Hanging Tree (1959)
19) Winchester '73 (1950)
20) The Quick and The Dead (1995)
23) El Dorado (1967)
25) Incredible Rocky Mountain Race (TV Movie - 1977)

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OPEN FLOOR.

Four more. OK. I haven't seen My Darling Clementine or Rango. I did watch Shane quite recently and thought it was rather mediocre (and like so many others, I hated the kid). I saw The Quick and the Dead in theaters when it was new. There's a small chance I've seen it again at some point, but regardless my memories of it are mostly positive and in retrospect, I should have rewatched it for this (I wish we had more time - aka I wish I had put more effort to this). Didn't vote for any.

Also, @Iroquois post reminded me that I did forget to include a film on my list (not a title specifically mentioned by him, btw). Or maybe I, at the time, didn't think of it as a western (IMDb doesn't list it as such but the wiki does). I wish my memory was better.

Seen 20(+2)/60

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Wow, some good stuff this time around and six films! Thank you, Holden. Let's see here:

The Proposition is a fine film that I've only seen once but I haven't forgotten it. This and a certain vampire movie made me a Danny Huston fan, big time. Still, not on my list.

The Professionals is a great Western and the cast is terrific, the music super, and the action all gangbusters. The dialogue is greatness, especially the banter back and forth between Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster. And, yes, Claudia Cardinale is beautiful but she can act, too. Made it to #23 on my list.

My Darling Clementine is a John Ford film worthy of respect, but despite having seen it, it just didn't resonate with me like it did with some Western fans. I don't know why.

Shane at #43!? Wow, if a classic like this is at this position, I fear greatly for the Top Ten, which I thought Shane would surely be in. Still, hypocrite that I am, I had it at #12 on my list. But I love this movie, and "the kid" doesn't bother me at all. The very first time I saw this as a kid myself, he slightly irritated me, but subsequent viewings have made me appreciate his presence and his hero-worship of Shane. This movie had a special place in my household growing up between my Dad, my brother, and me. We were always reciting Shane and Wilson's dialogue:
Shane: I've heard of you.
Wilson: What have you heard, Shane?
Shane: That you're a low down Yankee liar.
Wilson: Prove it.
And especially the last line by Wilson, we used for many family occasions. Just a beautiful, shining classic in my book.

The Quick and the Dead is a great, fun movie, with all the wonky camerawork we've come to expect from Sam Raimi. I'm a fan of Raimi and this movie, but still I didn't put it on my list, with others bumping it from consideration. Glad to see it on the countdown, though and it makes me want to break it out and watch it again.

Rango is just loads of fun and I have the DVD but I never even considered it because of other films leading the way on my list. Still, I'm glad that it got voted onto the countdown.

My list so far:
Hombre Me: 13 The list proper: 88
The Naked Spur Me: 25 The list proper: 86
Ride the High Country Me: 10 The list proper: 63
Winchester '73 Me: 20 The list proper: 53
El Dorado Me: 2 The list proper: 47
The Professionals Me: 23 The list proper: 45
Shane Me: 12 The list proper: 43

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Two biggies from my list.

I look at My Darling Clementine as the perfect prototypical classic western. It's great enough to be higher on my list, but it doesn't quite have a big punch to make it that much of a favorite.

Saw Shane a few times as a kid and loved it. I was afraid I wouldn't like it anymore when I watched it again for the 50's countdown, but I loved it even more. It has a special quality that I can't explain.

I love Rango and it ranked high on my animations list. It's not a strict rule or anything but I tend to pigeonhole movies into certain categories so I didn't vote for it.

I thought The Quick and the Dead was more entertaining than good. That's mostly due to the excellent cast, except Sharon Stone was pretty one note just walking around hot and pissed. I get enough of that crap at home.

7. Shane (#43)
10. My Darling Clementine (#44)
11. The Shootist (#57)
18. Day of the Outlaw (#77)
19. Red River (#56)
21. The Cowboys (#50)
24. The Furies (#84)
25. Winchester 73 (#53)

I'm scared to even see it. Logan put me off. Logan was a movie that I saw in theaters because my friend, who loves watching Marvel movies for the so-bad-they're-good appeal, dragged me to it. I possibly ruined the experience for some of the other people in the theater because I kept bursting out laughing. And my friend slept through most of the movie and was annoyed because my laughter kept waking him up. So when Logan highly praised Shane as a great classic, and showcased scenes with horrible wooden acting, it gave me a dreadful impression.

I still can't decide if I want to watch Shane or not. A lot of people say it's a great movie, but they're not people who my taste in cinema is exactly in line with, so I'm inclined to steer clear of it.


I've seen The Quick and the Dead twice. It's an entertainment movie with a sentimental story. I'm not a fan, although I enjoyed it for its entertainment value when I was younger. The single thing of that movie that stands out the most to me is the scene of the sunlight shining through the gunshot wound. You see a shadow on the sand with a hole in the shadow. And it's such a stupidly unrealistic concept that it makes me cringe. What mind can accept that without thinking, "That doesn't make any sense?" I completely reject the notion that the viewer is obliged to immerse their self in the absurd. It is the filmmaker's job to create something that is actually believable if he wants the audience to be immersed. Well, anyway, enough of my complaining. It's obviously on the list because it's a very entertaining movie, but I don't like it. Subjectively I'd give it a 1/5 rating, but objectively I'd give it 2.5/5. Objectively I have to admit it's entertaining, it's cinematic, it's dramatic, and the acting isn't bad. But boy the sentimental melodrama annoys me. I don't think it deserves to be on a top 100 list of mediocre films, let alone the greatest of any genre. But I understand why it's here. Lots of people do enjoy it, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feelings by being too harsh on The Quick and the Dead. If I did I'm sorry, but if I wasn't scared of incurring Yoda's wrath, I probably would have been even harsher.

You expected realism from a Sam Raimi movie?

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To you reality is what? A thing to be ignored?

Reality is everything. So I expect everything to be realistic.

bro you have a vampire movie in your top 10

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

I'll leave it to Zotis to clarify/dispute/whatever, but I think "realism" in a cinematic sense can refer either to correspondence to actual reality or to how internally consistent a film is with its own premise.

In a Sam Raimi movie? Yes. Absolutely.

This is the same man who made a trilogy of movies where in the first film a woman is raped by vines while trying to flee from zombies, in the second film a man's hand becomes possessed and he cuts it off and replaces it with a chainsaw, and in the third film that same man gets sucked into a time warp and ends up in the middle ages. He also helmed Spider Man. You know where a guy gets bit by a radioactive spider and shoots webs out of his wrists?

The Quick and the Dead makes it clear from the start that it's not trying to be realistic. It's very much a style-over-substance film and it never tries to hide that. You complained specifically about the scene where you could see a spot of light coming through in a man's shadow from a bullet wound. But earlier in the movie a man gets a massive hole shot through his head and you can see the shooter through that hole.

I could see complaining about it in a serious film. If it were in something like The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford it would be massively out of place and the complaint would be inarguably valid. But it isn't. It's in The Quick and the Dead. If you're not into that kind of thing, that's fine, but filmmakers are not under any obligation to make things feel realistic in a film like this.

The Quick & The Dead and Rango were my numbers 5 and 6.

Both movies are fun takes on the genre, both have a star studded cast with memorable villains. I'm a huge Sam Raimi fan and his unique style he brought to the Western genre gave it a visual edge for me. I've seen the film countless times and I think all the gunslingers are "characters" that are memorable and fun. Everyone had a unique little quirk that made guessing who would finish where fun.


Rango was a nice Western tribute with a story straight out of Chinatown. Johnny Depp did an excellent job using his voice talents for the character. So many times I roll my eyes when a big name actor just uses his voice and doesn't try anything with it. The age of voice actors for movies is dead, they moved to television. Now it's all about getting a big name for your film even if they have no real talent for voice work. Depp does a surprisingly good job here as does the rest of the cast.

The animation is crisp and despite the length (almost 2 hours) my kid enjoyed it very much!!!

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Suspect's Reviews

Fixed it for ya.

Shane did not make my top 25, although I loved the film as a kid. In my view Jack Palance played one of the most chilling sadistic bad guys in any western, possibly up to and including the fiendish Richard Boone in Hombre (1967). Honorable mention? Al Lettieri in The Getaway (1972).

The Proposition has a whole bunch of actors I like, but it didn't quite work for me. It's relentlessly violent and unpleasant - more than one person walked out of the cinema when I saw it (not me). I, too, found the kid in Shane unbearably annoying.

My Darling Clementine was my #23. It's just a classic Western with all the good and the bad points that entails. I watched two versions of the Wyatt Earp story in as many days and couldn't really separate them much. I wonder if the other one will show up here.


That's 16 I've seen so far, and 5 from my list that have appeared. Hoping those numbers will increase as we get further into the top 50.

I've seen Rango, and did indeed like it quite a bit, but it didn't make my list.

Seen: 11/60
- Slow West (#95)
- The Big Gundown (#85)
- The Furies (#84)
- The Shooting (#71)
- The Grey Fox (#66)
- The Great Train Robbery (#60)
- Meek’s Cutoff (#58)
- Red River (#56)
- Bone Tomahawk (#54)
- The Cowboys (#50)
- Rango (#41)

My list:
19. Red River
21. Bone Tomahawk

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Count me as among those who doesn’t like The Quick and the Dead. I don’t think it’s fair to compare it with his Evil Dead Trilogy or even Spiderman, as I prefer to judge it upon it down merits, but it rather then point any specific scenes (of which there are many stupid ones). I’ll just point out Stone Is awful in this, Crowe is merely ok, the dialogue is weak and the shootouts are anti climactic.
Hackman is decent as I recall though.
Wow to anyone who ever nominates this In a HOF however. I will not be kind.

Let's see now, if my count is right, that'll make #3 in scratching off from the ever-growing Rectification List:
EDIT:: Just realized, this is #4. No, wait, make that #5



3:10 to Yuma
When all's said and done, I do, very much, believe this original version would have been a serious contender for my List. Not sure it would have made it since so SO many that I love and have been impressed with would have filled an extended list of 50 Westerns.

I could be wrong but, it feels like Glenn Ford truly enjoyed playing a bad man a little bit more than a righteous one; he seemed to be having way too much fun. The bit of trivia I heard about him refusing the role of the rancher which Van Heflin brought a lot of heart to, and opting for the head of the gang, back's that up quite nicely.
There's so much depth to the characters and situations in this, which is a credit to the Director as well as the prime source of Elmore Leonard's short story.
Both the pacing and the tension are very well done as they reach the town of Contention, and three o'clock makes its way for Dan Evans to bring Ben Wade to the train heading out to Yuma, definitely got my blood pumping. No fancy footwork, just strategic maneuvers to get the job done.

Which, for me, is the difference between this and the remake. A lot of the story is intact, and what we get is a more fleshed out, extended look into the process with some exciting flash to this everyday man stuck in an extraordinary situation.
I do picture Russell Crowe studying this film and especially Glenn Ford's nuances for his own take on Ben Wade while remaining, essentially, very true to the original performance. The scene in the bar when Wade is captured and he warns them how his men will come and, pointing to Dan, tells him, "you'll be shot." was the exact calm menace and cool nonchalance that Crowe would use, not only in the remake but in other films as well. Which, if true, says a lot about the admiration and respect Crowe has for Ford.

Anyway, d@mn f@ckin glad to get off the fence and into this film.





Movies Watched 38 out of 60 (63.33%)

John Wayne Films: Two
Clint Eastwood Films: Zero

MY LIST
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Ride The High Country (#63)
7. The Proposition (#46)
8.
9.
10. The Cowboys (#50)
11. The Grey Fox (#66)
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. The Quick & The Dead (#42)
20.
21.
22.
23.
24. Red River (#56)
25.

Rectification List (for my own old decrepit noodle)
1. Warlock (#94)
2. Naked Spur (#86)
3. The Great Train Robbery (#60)
4. Winchester '73 (#53)
5. 3:10 To Yuma ['57] (#48)