Top 5 Westerns

Gee, I sure do hope 'ol Quentin Tarantino makes a western. That guy is a God. There is no other director in the history of cinema that has the depth and originality of that master. Nope, sure isn't.

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who wants to be the first to unload the shotgun in the barrel of fish? I would but man o' man would it be a just a bit too easy.

*edit* or pray be God, you're just being sarcastic. But I never can tell with you.

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yeah. i'm finding it a little hard to identify if it is sarcasm.

now to business. I'm sick and tired of tolerating this. I have tried too long to understand what is so ****** fantastic about Unforgiven. I am pleading someone.... anyone, to answer me and explain exactly why everyone seems to think Unforgiven is one of the greatest westerns ever. I will tell why i think it is so dissapointingly crap and overrated if you want to know my reasons, but i have only seen it once and never plan on seeing it again in, even rehashing my thoughts of the film will cause my lips to rip from my face in a mad rush of raging rebuttle. It's best you just try and convince me

ps. i know you don't prefer to answer specific calls, Holden, but I'd appreciate if you would elaborate on Unforgiven, seeing as you like it so much and your opinion is one to go by.

Because it is absolutely perfect. In every way.

THE END

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well the way he says QT is a God and nope sure isn't a director better, made me realize that it had to be sarcasm, otherwise LordSlayton has flown off his rocker.

Sorry you don't like Unforgiven. Do you like westerns in general or have you seen many? Just asking because if not, you won't be able to appreciate the film near as much. In fact, a whole bunch. Most people, and I reckon' you fit into this, want to see Clint doing fancy gun tricks, with some cool line and badass look in his eye, while being backed by a blazing Ennio Morricone score. Most people translate greatness as being fast paced, full of action, cool lines, camera shots and angles that bring attention to themselves being very flamboyant. It's why when you ask people their favorite western more than often The Good the Bad and the Ugly is the film that is mentioned more than any other. Well Unforgiven is more subtle but themeatically it's a better film and far more mature in dispeling the traditional myths of the west that the western has helped sustain and also destroying the stylized grit and "realism" of a Sergio Leone film. The guns don't always fire and it isn't always about who's the fastest as it is in a Sergio Leone western. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, I'm just saying Unforgiven is the more mature and thoughtful film.

But two movies that Unforgiven seems to reference or at least looked back to on themes and character are Shane and The Shootist. Shane is of course the greatest western of all time, and The Shootist I'd say could give Unforgiven a run for it's money. All three are great. But before you go and say it's disappointing crap, I think you need to know a thing or two about the genre. Anyone can go rent it on a Friday evening, pop in it the player and call it crap, but not anyone that can spare the two hours to watch the movie will "get it" after one view and without having any other background knowledge to draw from.

And yeah go ahead and tell me why it's "crap" if you want.

nah, i wont do that cos it wont really lead anywhere.(plus i saw the movie months ago and dont have the same fury i once did)
But incase your wondering, yes i do love westrens and have seen enough to know wether i should like Unforgiven or not. Admittingly, i did like the end scene with Clint going A-wol the most, but that doesnt mean i spent the whole movie waiting for a Clint berzerker scene.
I appreciate the works of Peckinpah, Brooks, Ford and Hawks just as much Leone and was aware of the seriousness Unforgiven was going to bring(or maybe it woulda worked better with more). Even though it was a dedication towards Eastwood's mentors Don Siegel and Leone i knew it was more of an 'ironic' tribute, with the styles being so polar and all.
What i dint get was how this movie is meant to represent all that was mythological and mystical of the west. To me the biggest flaw was its weak plot and how the story revolved around going to kill two wannabe cowboys for 'hurting' a prostitute. There was no need for weak-as-pie characters such as the Schofield Kid and that freakin' Eastern state writer/comedy releif. To me those two characters just added that icing on the cake that solidified the film as just another gimmicky period film from the early 90s. It can be tossed in the same sludge bucket as Tombstone and Posse.
To me the most 'pefect' aspect (and most likeable) of the film was Morgan Freeman's character. Even though it was refreshing to see a movie that forgets race i still found it wrong that Morgan Freeman being black had no mention among all the slandering in the film(it being set in the 19th century after all). Although, i must comend that there were two very quotable quotes from the final scene of the movie as well.
I guess other westerns did influence me a little before seeing this, but i dont feel it is an excuse for me despising how every character in the movie had to react to 'woman-beating' as an act directly against god. Its not as if it never happened in those days, i dont feel like it was enough to make an entire movie out of.

EDIT: crap. i didnt mean to ramble on, but it looks like i did

Regarding Unforgiven - We saw a different movie!!!

I just saw Little Big Man for the first time in twenty years. I had always thought it was just sort of an anti-war protest movie, although I thought it was well done.

I was wrong. It was a great movie. It takes shots at Western myths and legends but it is probably closer to the truth than most Westerns.

It also portrays American Indians very favorably, particularly the Cheyenne. Pawnees on the other hand are portrayed as savages killing women and children (like the US Calvary).

It was a long movie but I enjoyed every minute of it.

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Dead Man

I was just teasing Duck a little.

The Outlaw Josey Wales is one of my all time favorite movies...you have to have that in your movie library.

peace

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Unlike a lot of people here, I much prefer The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly to Once Upon A Time In The West, which I thought had serious problems with the pacing.

John Ford made some great movies; I think Fort Apache is my favorite of his cavalry trilogy. The Searchers is outstanding, too.

I haven't read all the posts, but I'm not sure anyone has mentioned Winchester '73. It's a great western, and sadly underrated.

The Ox-Bow Incident is one of my favorite movies, but I almost hesitate to call it a western, since the issues it explores are pretty universal; the script really could be adapted to almost any genre.

And of course Clint Eastwood has made some terrific westerns. Although I hate Pale Rider, I love The Outlaw Josey Wales, High Plains Drifter, and Unforgiven..

the only problem with Once Upon a Time in the West with pacing is that it sped up a bit too much towards the middle, even though it's all great. It just feels a tad off balance with the first part. But I wouldn't have had any problem with a five hour long movie.

Leone clearly relishes long, slow shots and a languid pace, and I really don't have a problem with that from time to time, except that he carries this to every damn scene of the movie. There were a couple of times I just wanted to shout "Get on with it!"

I'm not saying it's a bad movie; I give it ***/****, and it has what is probably the greatest opening scene of any western (and one of the greats of any genre). I just think TGTBATU is better.

I have a review posted for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

You can find it by clicking HERE

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Stagecoach
Rio Bravo
Once upon a time in the west
High Noon
Unforgiven

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The Searchers
The Wild Bunch
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Once Upon A Time In The West
Unforgiven

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Unforgiven
A fistful of Dollars
Blazing Saddles (it's a western)
The outlaw Josey Wales
The good, the bad and the ugly.

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I might as well post a top 5 again. Remember, as always this is in order. tehe

1.the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
2.Fistful of Dollars
3.Once Upon a Time in the West
4.Unforgivin
5.Wyatt Earp

Blazing Saddles is my #1 comedy, and my #6 western. Just thought I should add that.

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