Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Thought I'd keep a log of the western movies that I watch for the upcoming Westerns Countdown List I don't log my movies anywhere else, so it's either here or I'll forget what I watched when it comes time to send my voting ballot in!

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Ballad of Buster Scruggs is my favorite (that you haven’t reviewed).

I haven't seen it, but I'll watch it! Thanks. I usually like the Coen Brothers.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

That is if I can find it. Rats my library didn't have it and I thought they would.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

If you have Netflix it’s on there.

Ah, I no longer have Netflix.

I know you've seen my favorite Western (3:10 to Yuma, 2007) since I nominated it for a HOF. You liked it, IIRC. I hope you'll keep it in mind for your ballot.

I've watched several Westerns for the countdown as well. The only one that I hadn't seen before that really impressed me was The Hanging Tree. It's from 1959 and stars Gary Cooper. I think it might be up your alley.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Great idea, I actually very nearly started one of these yesterday myself :eek:

A couple from those that I've already watched/rewatched and quite liked are The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) and Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) so might be worthwhile you giving one or both a watch at some point if they sound of interest to you.

I found The Ballad of Buster Scruggs so I'll be watching that one, hopefully tonight.

3:10 to Yuma (2007) is a good one. I'll have to look through my review thread and find all the westerns I've reviewed, I'm sure I have a review of it.

The Hanging Tree 1959, sounds good to me, thanks. I'll try to find a copy and watch it soon.

I'd been thinking about doing this since the western countdown started, and figured if I didn't I would forget everything I'm watching:p A good example of my forgetful memory is The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) I seen that a couple weeks ago but had already forgotten the title...(it's a good one!) I haven't seen Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) and will take a look for it. Thanks for the recs:)

Lol, I feel ya on the poor memory.

If you rate whatever Westerns you see on here you can always go into Edit Seen Log in your UCP and it'll have a list of what you've watched (and how you rated them) ;)

Glad you enjoyed The Fastest Gun Alive, hopefully you'll think well of Last Train From Gun Hill as well.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Edit Seen Log in your UCP??? You speaking Greek to me:p What's a UCP and where is the Edit Seen Log?

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

UCP is your User Control Panel otherwise denoted as User CP in the secondary menu at the top of the site. Once in there Edit Seen Log is an option in the topmost left hand box.

OK thanks...I know about the control panel of course, but hadn't seen the Edit Seen Log before. That must be relatively new.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eAoeryUgcI

Also Pale Rider and The Hateful Eight are very entertaining imo.

Not much of a western guy myself, but here's my favourites.

If you groove to 3:10 to Yuma (2007), other than checking out the 1957 original directed by Delmer Daves and starring Glenn Ford and Van Heflin, the source material is an Elmore Leonard story. Yes, THAT Elmore Leonard, best known for his modern, quirky crime fiction that became movies like Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Jackie Brown as well as the TV series "Justified". He also wrote Western fiction, and in addition to the two versions of 3:10 to Yuma there are four other major cinematic Leonards.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_nJEMSKXjM
The Tall T
1957, Budd Boetticher

Perhaps the best of the legendary Western pairings of Randolph Scott and director Boetticher with a wonderful performance from Richard Boone shedding his literate Paladin hero from TV's "Have Gun - Will Travel" to become a gleeful baddie. It is very sparse, tense, and leans heavy on the archetypes. If you check it out and find you like it there are SIX MORE pairings of Scott & Boetticher: 7 Men from Now, Ride Lonesome, Comanche Station, Decision at Sundown, Buchanan Rides Alone, and Westbound.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnidgC1EoLM
Hombre
1967, Martin Ritt

A tense sort of updating of Stagecoach minus the chase part as the passengers hole up at an abandoned mine to face off against the murderous bandits, and this time the Indian is the good guy. Paul Newman plays a halfbreed Apache who is looked down upon by the other passengers until they need him to save their asses. All-star cast including Fredric March, Martin Balsam, and an even more charming, more ruthless Richard Boone.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqBHxpg5Pbg
Valdez is Coming
1971, Edwin Sherin

I think this is the least of the Elmore Leonard oaters, starring Burt Lancaster as a half Mexican sheriff standing up to a powerful rancher. It's not bad, darker than you may assume a movie starring Lancaster may be clearly feeling the influence of both Peckinpah & Leone, and tries to turn some of the racial stuff on its head. But ultimately pretty forgettable stuff in a decade that saw some truly exciting Revisionist Westerns.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uaYrGXeBaI
Joe Kidd
1972, John Sturges

The second-to-last Western made by director Sturges who famously helmed The Magnificent Seven (and The Great Escape) and made about ten other flicks in the genre including two versions of the Wyatt Earp legend in the rousing, glossy Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) with Burt Lancaster & Kirk Douglas and the darker The Hour of the Gun (1967) with Jim Garner and Jason Robards, but found himself lost in the shuffle as the Studio system crumbled in the late '60s and '70s and the young auteurs took over.

Joe Kidd was already Eastwood's fifth big screen American Western following his transition from "Rawhide" to the international star the Leone trilogy made him (after Hang 'em High, Coogan's Bluff, Paint Your Wagon and Two Mules for Sister Sara), and just before he started directing himself (High Plains Drifter was released the next year). Fantastic '70s supporting cast including Robert Duvall, Don Stroud, John Saxon, and Gregory Walcott. Not on the same level as Richard Brooks' The Professionals, an earlier picture where mercenaries come to respect the Mexican rebel they are hired to go up against, but engaging with some good action.


Elmore had some Western television projects in the '80s and '90s, including the made-for-TV features "Last Stand at Saber River" with Tom Selleck, David and Keith Carradine, and a pre-Gump Haley Joel Osment and a nobody-asked-for-it belated sequel "High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane" starring Lee Majors in the period of his career between "The Six-Million-Dollar Man" and "The Fall Guy".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPeinD_Ohzc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnefPSD1SBM


The Tall T and Hombre are most definitely worth checking out.

Hey Hashtag long time no see, glad to see you're still posting. I hadn't seen that Laurel and Hardy before but I'll give it a try. Yup, for sure Pale Rider will be making my countdown list, great film...but it's been so long I will add it to my westerns to watch list. But I think I'll pass on Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, just to long for me and I really don't like most of his work (but I know a LOT of people loved it) So cool and thanks for the recs:)

Nice, I haven't really been around as other stuff in my life has occupied me, but I come back from time to time

I know how it is, I've been real busy too with work. Mainly I just do the HoFs and that's about it. Good to see you around and I'll do a write up of those recommendations you gave me as soon as I watch them.

Last night, I watched The Ballad of Josie (1967) starring Doris Day as a widow who decides to raise sheep in a town where everyone else raises cattle. It might not make your list, but I liked it.

Thanks that sounds like fun and I've not seen it before. I'll look for it and hopefully I can find it somewhere.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Before watching Rio Lobo or El Dorado, watch Rio Bravo. When compared to The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, it's pretty underrated; it's hands down the best John Wayne western.

You're likely to get a lot of recommendations so I'll just give you 2, both of which I think you'll enjoy-The Shootist and The Iron Horse:)

You have excellent taste, I love Rio Bravo and I'm glad you mentioned it so I don't forget to include it on voting ballot. I also seen Rio Lobo pretty good and El Dorado which was OK.

Ha, I guess I never did get around to watching The Iron Horse. But I will check out The Shootist. I've seen once but like decades ago so you might as well say I didn't see it.

@Citizen Rules,
Another movie that I'd recommend is A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966). It's a comedy western about a high stakes poker game. I watched it for the 1960s countdown, and I liked it enough that it made my list.

I see it stars Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards...good enough for me:) Thanks and I see if I can find it. BTW I did find the Doris Day film you mentioned and so will be watching it real soon.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Thank you, sir.

That's too bad cuz it sounds good from it's IMDb page. Never heard of it before.

My wife liked it and it was a good cast. I don't know maybe it's just me?

Yeah probably

Well watch it and let me know then:p

Don't tempt me, hombre

You know...Kirk Douglas turned 103 today. Just sayin:cool:

This is my watchlist so far, plus the few from the current westerns list that I haven't seen yet. Magnificent 7 and the 3 Clint's towards the bottom will all be repeats-

The Proposition
Quick and the Dead
The Three Burials
The Hunting Party
Cheyanne Autumn
Ballad of buster Scruggs
The Misfits
Vera Cruz
Duck you sucker
Open Range
The Sons of Katie Elder
Navajo Jo
The Mercenary
Day of Anger
The four of the apocalypse
Keoma
High plains drifter
Hang em high
Jose Wales
Meeks cutoff
Magnificent 7
Last train from gun hill

I'll read up on those westerns that I haven't seen and try to watch some of them, and then post here.

This is what I've seen from your watch list:

I liked all of these:
Quick and the Dead
Ballad of buster Scruggs
The Misfits
Open Range
Magnificent 7

Loved these:
High plains drifter
Hang em high
Jose Wales
Meeks cutoff

Looks like you have a solid watch list.

I have a hunch there aren't for CR ;) I'll need to check the films on your list, maybe there's something I might like.

The Hunting Party I have because of you

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Gosh, now I feel like I’m falling behind in my Western Watching! Netflix has a sad amount of Westerns, there were only two I was interested in, and I’ve watched them both. I’ll have to get some from the library, maybe I’ll go with Along the Great Divide next!

Movie #4
Suggested by Hashtagbrownies

This was a fun movie suggestion...not the greatest western of all time, but a neat, short little film to watch. That little dance they did was great fun, it went on much longer too and I have to say they're really good at it! There were some funny gags that made me laugh out loud. I liked the blonde fluzy too, oh and the donkey!

That dance, and recreating it on their 1953 UK tour, is a major plot point of Stan & Ollie (2018).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWVWBNMsmrQ

Yeah, I was thinking of that movie when I watched Way Out West. I don't know if they did a lot of dancing in their movies or not? It's been decades since I seen a Laurel & Hardy film, use to watch them early morning as I got ready for grade school.

Movie # 5
Suggested by Hashtagbrownies

Clint Eastwood returned to the screen in 1985 as the 'man with no name' character that he'd established in the 1960's in Sergio Leone's 'Dollar's Trilogy'. Pale Rider was directed and produced by Eastwood and combines the arch type, fabled style of story telling that was done in his earlier 'spaghetti westerns' with a realistic-humanistic approach to the old west and the people in it. In Pale Rider, Eastwood's character is the catalysis that allows the miner-settlers to stand up to the powerful and modern mining company that seeks to take their valley and us it for hydro blast mining.

I liked Eastwood here, and if you like Eastwood you will too. But my favorite character was Michael Moriarty who imbibed the common man, who's not a coward, but not the hero either. I totally bought his character. And the miner/settlers in general were all well done.

The bad buy - the mine owner...was kind of milquetoast as was the deadly hired guns, aka the Marshall and his six deputies.

I loved the shooting locations and the sets looked authentic too. Though I wasn't quite sure why it snowed in town, but in the mining camps it was always sunny and warm enough for them not to wear coats. I guess the town was suppose to be way high up in elevation.

Fun movie...

I saw Pale Rider back in the 80's. I know I liked it but I don't remember it well. It was one of my father's favorites.

So it's time for a re-watch:p It had been at least 15 years since I last saw it. I think I'll watch Unforgiven, I've only seen that once and long ago too.

I watched Pale Rider a few days ago. It was one of the better Clint Eastwood movies that I watched recently, but it was still just okay for me. (I'm not a big fan of Eastwood's westerns, and the more I read about him in real life, the less I like him as a person.)

But I agree with you about Michael Moriarty. I liked him in this movie, but I usually like him in just about everything he's in.

Unforgiven was probably the best of the Eastwood westerns that I watched recently. So far, it's probably the only one of his movies that has a chance to make my list.

Really??? OMG I don't believe it!:) I would think you'd hate it as it's very violent. So what was it that you liked about it? ( I like it BTW)

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Unforgiven is my favorite Eastwood western.
I almost nominated it in the Western HOF. Maybe next time

Yes, it was very violent, but it wasn't just a bunch of guys shooting each other randomly in big shootouts. It seemed more character driven, and it had a great cast that really made it worth watching. I liked the relationship between Eastwood's character and Morgan Freeman's character, and I liked how The Kid learned from them instead of just being another Billy the Kid-type who just shoots everyone on sight.

That's what I thought and yes I totally agree with you that it wasn't the typical bunch of guys shooting it out, but was more humanistic. Glad you liked it.

A few suggestions if I may:
Stagecoach (1939 version)
Red River (1948)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
They’re all well known, and you’ve probably already seen them, but in case you haven’t yet they’re well worth a watch.

I watched Red River (1948) and The Wild Bunch (1969) recently. Red River was good, and could possibly sneak onto my list, however I didn't like The Wild Bunch at all.

I haven't seen the 1939 version of Stagecoach yet, but it's on my watchlist already. I've seen a few John Wayne movies recently, and I'm starting to like some of his movies. :)

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

I like some of his movies, but I’ve largely found he was never a great actor. He typically was the same in his westerns. His films mostly work due to the story itself, such as The Searchers and The Quiet Man which I found he was decent enough in.
Speaking of The Quiet Man, it’s not a western but it’s definitely worth watching as I felt it was a great film when I first watched it.

I've never been a John Wayne fan, but I'm starting to appreciate some of his movies, but more for the plot than for him.

I've seen both The Searchers and The Quiet Man, but I'm not much of a fan of either movie. :shrug:

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Haha. Tough critic 🙂

If you like John Wayne movies, you might want to watch North to Alaska (1960). It's a little bit different than most of his other movies because it's a western comedy. In addition to John Wayne, it also stars Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, Fabian, and Capucine.

I watched it last week, and I loved it. It has a good chance of making my list.

Watched The Grey Fox from the current westerns list. I think you'd like it.

Whoops I missed this post, so sorry for the late reply. I like all those actors and I like stuff about Alaska (my last couple of vacations was to Alaska) so I'll watch it, thanks.

Cool, I'll give it a go, sounds good, thanks.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada👍👍👍👍

I actually watched The Shootist today. One of the better John Wayne films I've seen and while that's only worth 3/5 from me I think CR would like it.

I didn't hate Ulzana's Raid but I wasn't a fan. I think I'll skip the other one.

Yup, I plan on watching that one.

I seen your review of it, I was kind of surprised you didn't like it more as it seemed like your movie. Would you say it was lacking in intensity?

Yea and I thought it was a bit bland in that nothing really stood out. I thought it was ok but it didn't do much for me.

OK, I can see that. I was just trying to get a feel for what you didn't like in it.

Nothing really and that's why I at least gave it an average rating.

I'll have to rewatch Cat Ballou for the Westerns List. I watched it for the 1960's Countdown, but it didn't make my list. Maybe I'll like it more after a rewatch.

BTW, I watched a western with Orson Welles in it. Man in the Shadow (1957) stars Jeff Chandler and Orson Welles. It doesn't have much of a western "feel" to it, but it was an interesting movie. (But it probably won't make my final list.)

.

I should probably know all about the Orson Welles film, but actually I'd never heard of it before. I did see Jeff Chandler the other day, he wasn't really too impressive. But thanks for telling me about it, I might watch it...I do have like a zillion westerns to watch, so sadly I can't get to all of them. Oh, I did find the one you mentioned on the western HoF thread, Rough Night in Jericho (1967) So I will give that one watch.

I've watched a few westerns with Jeff Chandler recently. I liked him the most in Man in the Shadow, but it wasn't the best movie he was in. Broken Arrow (1950) starred James Stewart and Jeff Chandler, and it was the best of his movies that I've watched so far.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

It's been a long time since I seen Broken Arrow but I remember that I did like it.

It probably won't make my list, but it was a pretty good movie.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Due to my dislike of westerns, I watched the Searchers a few years back because I'd always heard so much about it and wanted to give westerns another chance by watching what's been reported to be one of the best!

I was attracted to the plot (and hey, Natalie Wood, of course!)
Yet it kind of reaffirmed by dislike of westerns.

Now, it's been a while, so maybe my memory is a bit off - but I seem to remember it being full of plot holes (but I can't remember what they were) and a lot of meandering.

And I seem to remember some comedy in it - yet a lot of it seemed inappropriate or out of place in a story about murder, families being slaughtered, rape and revenge.

Maybe I just didn't like so small a role for Natalie Wood! ;)

The Searchers was one of my least favorite of the John Wayne movies that I watched recently. I watched it more for Jeffrey Hunter than for John Wayne, but the movie was just too violent for me.

.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Maybe you should give Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (1969) a try, gbg!

(Joke!) ;)

Your "warning" is a little too late. I already watched The Wild Bunch. It will NOT make my list.

Been about 25 years since I've seen Cat Ballou so I should watch it again.

I'm another who didn't care for The Searchers.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

...So now I feel compelled to watch The Searchers;) Any other classic westerns that everyone hates?

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

I enjoyed The Searchers, but there’s a certain part in the film where it gets a little silly. Kind of drags the story down a little.
I just watched “Comes a Horseman” (1978) with Scott Caan and Jane Fonda. Decent western. Not a typical western at that.

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

I wasn't a fan of The Wild Bunch either.

Ah thanks, I might watch Comes a Horseman and I'm going to watch The Searchers so I can have a proper opinion of it:) I did see it once, but like 10+ years ago and so don't remember a thing about it.

Same story for me here, I seen it but don't remember it at all, so should rewatch it. I swear I need another year to watch all the westerns I'm planning on checking out for the countdown. Luckily I love westerns!

Re: Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations
 

Wild Bunch is one of those films that sharply divides critics, even after all these years since it’s initial release.
I happened to love it.

Oh, also, I’ve been interested in Django (the original Corbucci version) for a long time, so I plan on watching that sometime. But I read while looking it up that John Sayles is slated to make a sequel

For me The Searchers has been a bit of an acquired taste. I've been watching westerns and John Wayne films all my life, but when I saw it the first few times about 10 years ago I wasn't much impressed. Part of that likely had to do with the film's glowing reputation, and not coming up to my initial expectations. It's got a different kind of character about it than a typical John Ford western, which can be quite off putting at first. A lot of the acting from various players make it quite surreal in parts.

But the last couple of times I've seen it I've just learnt to go with it and now I really enjoy it. I've found a lot of depth of feeling in the story and appreciate the photography as some of the best I've seen in a western.

A great doco I really recommend is A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies. A lot of good analysis of this film and many others like it.

That happens to me too, I'll watch a movie for the first time that is highly rated and well respected...and then my expectations are so high that I'm let down. I think that probably happens to a lot of folks.

I'd like to see more John Wayne movies, what are some of your favorites? And what westerns in general do you really like? I'm looking for some more westerns to watch for the upcoming Top 100 Western Countdown, so any suggestions are welcomed.

There’s a few interesting ones available on Amazon video that I plan on watching eventually:

Molly and Lawless John
The Scalphunters
The Young Land (Patrick Wayne and Dennis Hopper)
The Big Country
Little Big Man
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

I've only seen two of those, Little Big Man and The Big Country which is in my Top 10 on my profile. I'll have to look up and read about some of those others.

Here's some suggestions:

Some of my favourite John Wayne movies:

* Island in the Sky - 1953 (very different and a great performance)
* The Sea Chase - 1955
* The Longest Day - 1962
* They Were Expendable - 1945

Specifically westerns:

* She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - 1949
* Stagecoach - 1939
* Allegheny Uprising - 1939
* Angel and the Badman - 1947
* The Shootist - 1976 (final film)
* The Alamo - 1960 (slowly getting into this, could be a masterpiece)

I also really like a lot of the '30's Monogram/Lone Star productions. So many made and they're just very fun, simple entertainment.

Big fan of Audie Murphy and like all his westerns. Some standouts are:

* No Name on the Bullet - 1959 (fascinating character and script)
* Ride Clear of Diablo - 1954
* Tumbleweed - 1953
* The Wild and the Innocent - 1959
* Destry - 1954
* Hell Bent for Leather - 1960
* The Texican - 1966 (spaghetti western)

Other favourite westerns:

* High Noon - 1952
* Robbery Under Arms - 1957 (set in Australia, great scenery)
* Dodge City - 1939
* Apache - 1954 (great Burt Lancaster performance)
* Winchester '73 - 1950
* Hang 'Em High - 1968
* Bad Company - 1972 (very different)
* Chino/The Valdez Horses - 1973 (Saw this for the first time last night. Very laid back for the most part, a nice change).

Cheers.

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestions. I just requested from my library:

Angel and the Badman - 1947
The Shootist - 1976
Winchester '73

My library had a long wait for She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and I do want to check out some of the others too. Good stuff!

@Citizen Rules, Make sure that you watch the right version of this movie.

I watched Winchester '73 on Starz Western channel a few days ago, but it turned out to be the wrong version. Apparently there's also a TV movie version from 1967. It was a pretty good movie, but I'm sure that the original version is better because the cast is much better.

Thanks GBG...I've made that mistake and watched the same title but wrong year before:p But in this case I've seen Winchester '73 (1950) and intend to rewatch before the countdown. I find it a fun & exciting movie and it has one of my favorite character actors, Dan Duryea in it.