Westerns year by year--recommend the best for blu (1 Viewer)

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
It's a former United Artists title that now is owned by MGM so Fox will distribute it if it ever comes out on BRD. I seriously doubt that will happen, but a HD broadcast of it might be possible one day.







Crawdaddy

Thanks. Any thoughts on this one? I think my memory of it is fonder than it justifies, maybe...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by benbess
Thanks. Any thoughts on this one? I think my memory of it is fonder than it justifies, maybe...

No, your memory of it is just fine. It's a great western, not quite in The Searchers category as being an immortal film, but it's very good with some great acting performances, particularly those of Brennan and Cooper. I have the 1998 and 2008 DVD releases of it and I try to watch this titles at least once every two years.

 

[benbess]

Northwest Passage imo is a bad movie. It's not very good in dramatic terms, and the racist way it presents Indians is much worse than even the average "A" Hollywood Western of the time. I like Spencer Tracy a lot, but in spite of him and the Technicolor, scenery, and big budget, I'd say a definite no on this (to me) awful film...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Ben and Scott,

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you guys?

I'm just wondering based on some of your comments.







Crawdaddy

 

[Cinescott]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
Back in 1955/1956, Americans were a lot less mobile than they are today. I had no idea what Texas looked like back then as the media and television coverage in those years were pretty limited to exposing what other areas of the country looked like to most Americans except maybe California, NYC, DC and Florida to name a few places. Those that are from Texas and Arizona and those that have visited out there knew that didn't look like Texas, but for many of us, we were just plain ignorant which the movie industry counted on with many of their film project locations.

This is a fascinating concept. I can see where an industry like Hollywood would do this, but I think things changed pretty fast after the mid 50s, since I can't think of a film after this that uses such an iconic location and calls it something else. I'm sure there are some, but this movie slaps you in the face with it in the opening shot. First the title, then bam, someplace else. Sure, other Westerns have been filmed in other states and even other countries and been called "The West," but in my experience, they've always been pretty close to the intended landscape.

For example, Sergio Leone's westerns from the 60s were filmed in Spain, some taking place in Texas, but even his Spanish locations look like west Texas. His "Dollars" films often reference places like El Paso or Tucumcari, or the imaginary Flagstone, Arizona. Those all pretty closely match the landscape he presents. Monument Valley is not far from Flagstaff, Arizona.

John Ford often used Monument Valley and I can see why; it's a gorgeous location. I've been there many times because it is so strikingly beautiful. So why not alter the source material to match the location in which he wants to shoot? That's done all the time. I don't think having a Confederate soldier returning to the four corners area is so unrealistic. Manifest Destiny was well underway and the Southwestern desert well-traveled. It was far more nomadic than settled, but people were there. So, given the choice between a title change in the opening or having a complete suspension of disbelief situation, to me, the choice is simple, but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Cinescott]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
Ben and Scott,

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you guys?

I'm just wondering based on some of your comments.

Crawdaddy

I'm 47.

 

[benbess]

I'm 46. And yourself?

We are now up to the year 1941. I'm sure there were several Westerns that year, but right now I'm not recalling them. I'll try to look some up...

 

[Matt Hough]

Flynn's color westerns would probably have a greater shot at Blu-ray than Virginia City. All of his westerns during those years are about the same quality.

 

[benbess]

The Outlaw was made in 1941 by Howard Hughes, and was controversial for reasons you can guess. Scorsese covers this a bit in his excellent bio pic The Aviator. I think the film was finished in 1941 but didn't get into general release until 1946 because of the production code. I've never seen it. Is it any good? Looks like it might be fun.

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by MattH.
Flynn's color westerns would probably have a greater shot at Blu-ray than Virginia City. All of his westerns during those years are about the same quality.

Which is? Lightweight entertainment, I presume, but fairly forgettable? Or are some something more...

 

[Matt Hough]

It's a terrible movie, but its notoriety is what sold it and made it a success.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Some will argue that Monument Valley became an iconic location because of John Ford films.

The original True Grit doesn't look like the Badlands of Oklahoma, not with those mountains in those scenes.


As to my age, let's just say that my retirement years are upon me if I choose to sign those damn papers.

 

[Robert Crawford]

By the way, I disagree about Northwest Passage being a terrible film. Now, The Outlaw is a terrible film.

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
No, your memory of it is just fine. It's a great western, not quite in The Searchers category as being an immortal film, but it's very good with some great acting performances, particularly those of Brennan and Cooper. I have the 1998 and 2008 DVD releases of it and I try to watch this titles at least once every two years.

Good that there's another fan of this film. So for you Western fans out there who have missed this one, the two of us think you might give it a try. I'd like to watch it again myself...

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
By the way, I disagree about Northwest Passage being a terrible film. Now, The Outlaw is a terrible film.

I'm sure we can agree to disagree about this one without being disagreeable. What are the things you like about Northwest Passage? I tried to watch it almost 20 years ago, but just couldn't get through it as I recall...

I wish Spencer Tracy had been in more good Westerns. Maybe he was, and I just don't know about them. He's good in the contemporary Western (if you can call it a Western) Bad Day at Black Rock, from the 50s. He's also good in Broken Lance, also from the 50s....And of course he narrates HTWWW...

Anyway, it looks like we may draw a blank for a blu-worthy Western from 1941. Is it too soon to move to 1942?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by benbess
I'm sure we can agree to disagree about this one without being disagreeable. What are the things you like about Northwest Passage? I tried to watch it almost 20 years ago, but just couldn't get through it as I recall...

I wish Spencer Tracy had been in more good Westerns. Maybe he was, and I just don't know about them. He's good in the contemporary Western (if you can call it a Western) Bad Day at Black Rock, from the 50s. He's also good in Broken Lance, also from the 50s....And of course he narrates HTWWW...

Anyway, it looks like we may draw a blank for a blu-worthy Western from 1941. Is it too soon to move to 1942?

I'm a forum moderator, it's not my aim to be disagreeable.

What I like about Northwest Passage is the beautiful Technicolor cinematography, the cast with some of my favorite actors and some good acting performances. The script could've been better, but I find it an entertaining film.

Tracy didn't do a lot of westerns besides those you mentioned, however, The Sea of Grass is a good western with Hepburn playing his wife.

Also, 1941 wasn't a good year for westerns. A couple you might want to try is Billy the Kid which came out on Warner Archive. A decent western filmed in Technicolor with Robert Taylor and Brian Donlevy. Another Technicolor western from that year is Western Union starring Randolph Scott, Robert Young and Dean Jagger. It never got a proper DVD release in this region. I was able to buy a DVD of it from the UK and it's video presentation was pretty good. Also, They Died with their Boots On, is another good western with Errol Flynn. Even though it was filmed in Black and White, I always thought it was beautifully filmed movie and it remains one of my favorite Flynn films.

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford

I'm a forum moderator, it's not my aim to be disagreeable.

What I like about Northwest Passage is the beautiful Technicolor cinematography, the cast with some of my favorite actors and some good acting performances. The script could've been better, but I find it an entertaining film.

Tracy didn't do a lot of westerns besides those you mentioned, however, The Sea of Grass is a good western with Hepburn playing his wife.

Also, 1941 wasn't a good year for westerns. A couple you might want to try is Billy the Kid which came out on Warner Archive. A decent western filmed in Technicolor with Robert Taylor and Brian Donlevy. Another Technicolor western from that year is Western Union starring Randolph Scott, Robert Young and Dean Jagger. It never got a proper DVD release in this region. I was able to buy a DVD of it from the UK and it's video presentation was pretty good. Also, They Died with their Boots On, is another good western with Errol Flynn. Even though it was filmed in Black and White, I always thought it was beautifully filmed movie and it remains one of my favorite Flynn films.

You have an impressive and encyclopedic knowledge of Westerns. No wonder you're a moderator! Thanks for this review of 1941 for the genre.

Getting ahead of ourselves, but there were a few things I had a hard time swallowing in the 1954 Western with Tracy called Broken Lance. And since I'm sure you've seen it, maybe you can enlighten me. Is is possible to stay on a horse when you're dead? Seems highly, highly unlikely unless you're tied to it. What do you think? When I'm on a horse I have trouble enough staying solidly mounted as someone who is alive...I realize I'm a poor horseman, but still...Dead and staying on just seemed silly to me.

 

[Cinescott]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
Some will argue that Monument Valley became an iconic location because of John Ford films.

I'd agree that both he and Ansel Adams had a lot to do with it. Adams' photographs are what first attracted me there. They both photographed the valley around the same time. Adams I believe took some of his earliest shots there in the late 40s to 1950. By the time "The Searchers" was made, many could have easily spotted it on a map.

Oklahoma's a little different, although I don't think most people believe there are mountains there Funny how John Wayne seems to be in many of these.

 

[Robert Crawford]

One more thing, the WWII years weren't good years quality-wise for westerns except for a few exceptions. The western genre doesn't really pick up until 1946.







Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by benbess
You have an impressive and encyclopedic knowledge of Westerns. No wonder you're a moderator! Thanks for this review of 1941 for the genre.

Getting ahead of ourselves, but there were a few things I had a hard time swallowing in the 1954 Western with Tracy called Broken Lance. And since I'm sure you've seen it, maybe you can enlighten me. Is is possible to stay on a horse when you're dead? Seems highly, highly unlikely unless you're tied to it. What do you think? When I'm on a horse I have trouble enough staying solidly mounted as someone who is alive...I realize I'm a poor horseman, but still...Dead and staying on just seemed silly to me.

Yes, it would be difficult, but it makes great filmmaking. Also, we really don't know at what moment did he expired? He might have died just as he pulls ahead of them and his horse slowly walks towards them.