Western movie - help... need DVD recommendation (1 Viewer)

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I think some of the "Spaghetti" westerns are great - but probably not in the same way as some of the American westerns. If you're looking for great westerns, perhaps it'd make more sense just to accept that the two are quite different things.

There is, of course, something particularly American about the Western - the "Spaghetti Western" is first and foremost a different take by an artist on the very strong myth of the old American West.

 

[Dale MA]

If it's your first real time with the western genre, then I'd say check out the Dollar Trilogy (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good The Bad and The Ugly), as they provide a perfect example of what is so great about westerns.

Then go & check out the rest of the westerns mentioned in this thread

I also recommend the great Clint Eastwood comedy western "Two Mules For Sister Sara"

 

[Jerry O]

I second the recommendation of Two Mules For Sister Sara. It's an overlooked gem.

 

[Richard--W]

I also recommend

Walter Hill's THE LONG RIDERS (1980) is meticulously written and staged, an authentic and historically accurate treatment of the James-Younger gang. Understated with a first-rate cast and some amazing sequences, like the gang riding up to a train like a pack of coyotes. The female characters are particularly well drawn, I think, especially Pamela Reed's Belle Starr. Like THE SEARCHERS, it rewards repeated viewings.

Steve McQueen is memorable in TOM HORN (1980) which is also historically intelligent without making a point of it.

All of Eastwood's collaborations with Don Siegel are worth owning. I particularly like THE BEGUILED (1971) and TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA (1970).

The Western Writers of America voted CONAGHER (1993 TVM) the best western ever made and Sam Elliott the best and most convincing cowboy actor. His terse and laconic performance reminds me of a lot of real-life cowboys I know. It's directed by the noted director of photography Reynaldo Villalobos (The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez) who displays an uncanny feel for the west. Another excellent Sam Elliott western is the cable movie THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1987). Both are adapted from Louis L'Amour novels, and both films improve on the books. The latter has a stunning transfer and an interesting commentary from under-rated Brit director John Guillerman.

Like I said, forget the Italian westerns. They are something different altogether and not really representative of anything, least of all what the genre is about. If you go with ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST you'll see the best of them; but it's so good it doesn't really represent Italian westerns, either. No other Italian western measures up to the worst American backlot B western.

TRUE GRIT (1969) is another classic, a robust outdoor adventure which reminded audiences of just how entertaining John Wayne could be when he's given a challenge. The film has a great sense of humor. Lots of sparring in the dialogue with a believable use of period vernacular. First-rate action sequences.

Don't hesitate to buy the current DVD of THE SEARCHERS. No doubt the restoration coming in June will be an improvement, but the current DVD looks fine and does justice to this monumental classic.

 

[Simon Howson]

I don't consider that a Western. If that counts as a Western then you go down a silly slope of including most films that feature a good/bad conflict - including Star Wars.

Westerns are at least set in America, even if they weren't filmed there.

 

[george kaplan]

That is just ridiculous hyperbole that completely renders your other opinions suspect at best. If you honestly think that films like Pawnee, Broken Land, The Gun the Won the West, Outlaw's Highway, Border Menace and I Killed Wild Bill Hickok (and I'm sure those aren't the worst of the lot) are better films than The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, you are clearly holding an irrational grudge against the Italian films for some reason.

 

[Jerry O]

LOL!

What happened to Death Rides A Horse??? You just praised it a post ago.... or did you forget?

 

[John Hodson]

Nobody will dissuade me from the view that Leone was a genius; A Fistful of Dollars is a supreme example of tight, economical story telling, his epic westerns - GBU and OUATITW - are outstanding, and A Fistful of Dynamite/Duck You Sucker deserves more plaudits.

Leone was in love with the American western, and it shows in the quality of his work - puts him right up there with the likes of Ford and Peckinpah IMHO.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

For most of my life I hated westerns. I think
it's the visual backdrop of the genre that I
found least appealing -- barren sand-covered
land and lots of tumbleweeds.

...then came DVD and words of advice from
people on this forum.

I began with The Searchers. It served
as the perfect set of training wheels in
introducing me to the western genre. What
a superb film -- and a real blast to watch for
the fact that it also introduced me to John Wayne.

Of course, I already knew about the great Clint
Eastwood classics such as Hang 'Em High and
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

There's even a terrific lesser-known western
from Fox called My Darling Clementine which
plays very well after watching High Noon,
which is probably the most "classic" of all the
westerns.

But nothing prepared me for the most amazing
western I was ever to see, Once Upon A Time
In The West. From the opening scene that
takes place in a train station through the film's
final moments -- all enhanced by a score supplied
via a harmonica -- you can't help but view this
film as a beautiful piece of art.

If you are in the mood to see something recent,
you'll really be blown away by Open Range,
which I have the fondest memories of seeing while
out in Los Angeles with good friends.

Of course, as it has been mentioned several
times, Silverado is a hugely entertaining,
fun and funny romp that should not be missed.

Yep, I suppose I have become quite fond of
westerns over these past few years. Those I
listed above are guaranteed winners!

 

[Steve Christou]

I've always been a huge fan of westerns, and not just American westerns. I would recommend Red River, Rio Bravo, Stagecoach, Silverado, Tombstone, The Searchers, Unforgiven, High Noon, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, My Name is Nobody and many others, here's a link to the IMDB top 50 Westerns with the highest average votes.

Top 50 Western Movies

 

[Richard--W]

It's important to make a distinction between the western and the foreign film which uses the American genre to do something else, something different that's called "spaghetti westerns." These are not really westerns at all. To call them westerns is a monumental mis-conception which, like a bad habit, is hard to break.

It's been my observation that people who get started on Italian "westerns" are unable to appreciate real westerns, so utterly different are they from one another.

Mr. Huffstutler asked for the one best western. Not a fair question, because the genre explored many avenues, branched out into sub-genres, and there are many great examples to choose from. THE SEARCHERS (1956), TRUE GRIT (1969) and THE WILD BUNCH (1969) are all masterpieces of the genre and of cinema, yet they couldn't be more dissimilar. He'd do well to start with those.

For foreign films, or copy-cats of what Europeans think of the western, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST is an exquisite work of art, and a particular favorite of mine since I first saw it in 1971 or thereabouts, but it's still a foreign film, and not a real western. It is what it is, no offense intended.

Richard
(Sicilian-American)

 

[John Hodson]

That's quite, forgive me, bonkers. You have to be an American to make a western? Surely you can't be saying that? OUATIW is the most Hollywood western Leone made; I mean, it's a flippin' love letter to Hollywood westerns.

 

[Justin_S]

double post, disregard.

 

[Justin_S]

A Fistful of Dynamite (aka Duck, You Sucker) would be the one to get if you want the best western ever made. I think Leone's forgotten gem is a towering achievement. The only catch is that you have to have a region free player to get this one, as no R1 DVD exists. I have the lovely R3 set.

If you don't have a region free player, my suggestion would be the new special edition of The Wild Bunch. Peckinpah's classic was my favorite western until AFOD came along and knocked me for a loop.

I might as well give a top five like most everyone else:

1: A Fistful of Dynamite (aka Duck, You Sucker)
2: The Wild Bunch
3: Once Upon a Time in the West
4: For a Few Dollars More
5: The Searchers

 

[Richard--W]

While I disagree that it's the best western ever made, it is certainly a great film. I do wish Leone had continued to explore the genre since he was doing remarkable things with it. I mean, the dollars trilogy is throw-away stuff compared to ONCE UPON IN THE WEST and A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE. But I'm interested in getting the R3 set. Do you have an url or the cover art that you can post here?

 

[Justin_S]

Sure.

http://www.dvdfromkorea.com/shop/p_d...=Search&genre=

The runtime listed there is a typo by the way.

 

[Jerry O]

They're called Spaghetti Westerns. Spaghetti Westerns. I'd love to hear how you define what a western is, what attributes it has etc...

 

[Richard--W]

Justin_S,

Thanks for the url. The listing says it's a 2 disc set, but it doesn't say why. Is the film spread out over 2 discs, or is the second disc extras, and if so, what are they?

Many thanks.

 

[Justin_S]

No problem.

It has the 154 minute long version on the first disc, and the Italian version on disc two. The Italian version is in Italian only, and contains the flashback scene at the end. This way, you have the 154 minute version in English, and you can check out the flashback scene anytime you want on the Italian disc.

 

[John Hodson]

But why not get this:

http://www6.cd-wow.com/detail_result...subcat=region2

..which has been restored by MGM, has the flashback scene and all the extras (or the Danish or the French versions of the same if the BBFC cuts for horse falls bother you)