5 Westerns you'd like to see on blu (1 Viewer)

[benbess]

Just finished watching The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. Hard to believe, but it was the first time I'd ever seen the whole thing. I saw about a third of it on tv in the early 80s with some friends, and they got me into it, but then we had to go and do something. And so watching the whole thing has been on my to do list since 1982. Anyway, I loved the film. The pq may not be tops, but I thought it was pretty darn good. Other Westerns that I have in my collection are The Searchers (amazing pq, and of course a classic), How the West Was Won, Lonesome Dove, and Unforgiven.

There are actually quite a few more Westerns that I'd like to own or at least rent that are already on blu, such as the other two Leone films with Clint...But, there are still a lot of Westerns that aren't on blu that perhaps should make it there someday. Which 5 get your vote off the top of your head? There are a lot of Westerns I don't know (which is in part the reason for this thread, to learn), but some I'd like to see on blu include....

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949): Directed by John Ford and starring Wayne. A technicolor treasure. Would look fantastic on blu. Classic Western.

The Big Country (1958) starring Peck, Heston, etc. and directed by William Wyler. I've only seen a small part of this, but it looks great. I'm going to try and hold out for the blu.

Bronco Billy (1980), directed and starring Eastwood and written by an acquaintance of mine from long, long ago, Dennis Hackin. A very small, funny, contemporary Western. Good film.

Heaven's Gate (1980) About the opposite of Bronco Billy, but I still think it's a powerful and underrated film, flaws and all...

Far and Away (1991) is Ron Howard's underrated Western epic filmed in 70mm. It would look great on blu. Very entertaining film.

Well, I could go on, but I'd like to see if others have favorite Westerns they'd like to see on blu...If possible, give a few comments as to why for each title...

Thanks in advance, Ben

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

1. Little Big Man starring Dustin Hoffman as the only survivor of Custer's Last Stand is about 10 westerns rolled into one. It's funny, sad, profound, sexy (Faye Dunaway at her most appealing), bloody, brilliant, and just a great adaptation of the classic book by Thomas Berger.
2. Speaking of Custer's Last Stand, where is the Blu-ray, let alone DVD of the only picture ever shot near the actual battlefield ... Son of the Morning Star with Gary Cole as Custer? Again, adapted from a great book.
3. Once Upon a Time in the West will undoubtedly get the BD treatment at some point. If you like Leone's man with no name series, this is the one he got to spend all the time and budgets on he earned from the success of those films.
4. Shane would probably look awesome in BD, and could use the upgrade. Having just been to the Grand Tetons last summer, I can verify that this classic western features the most awesome backdrop showing the beauty of the West possible.
5. McKenna's Gold. This is not a western classic for the ages, but it was a big budget western with Gregory Peck and Omar Shariff that would probably look awesome on BD, and features some great scenery in Monument Valley.

 

[GMpasqua]

Hollywoodaholic I agree with your pics:

Little Big Man
Once Upon a Time in the West
McKenna's Gold

Also like to see The Maginificent Seven (as a single relase which I would guess will happen)
Also Check out the blu-ray of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"

and while not a very good film, John Ford's "Cheyenne Autumn" should look great on Blu-ray

 

[BethHarrison]

Ride Lonesome / Comanche Station (these could fit on one Blu-ray)
White Feather
McCabe & Mrs Miller
Jubal
The Big Country

 

[JohnRa]

"Shane" and "The Big Country" are my choices for Blu-ray. If those could equal the look of "The Searchers" they would be fantastic. I also like the suggestion from BethHarrison for some Randolph Scott on Blu; "Comanche Station," "The Tall T," and "Seven Men From Now" being my favorites.

 

[Flemming.K]

The Outlaw Josey Wales
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
High Noon
Little Big Man
My Darling Clementine

 

[smithb]

Lots of good suggestions. I'll throw out additional support for "Big Country" just because it has that epic quality landscapes and music like it's name, as well as big stars and a great story. Unfortunately, the DVD and current broadcasts are only so so which actually takes quite a bit away from the viewing experience. To have the full restoration treatment done to this like was done on films such as "African Queen" would be excellent. Tops on my list.

 

[PaulDA]

Red River
Winchester '73
High Noon
Man of the West
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

 

[Martin Teller]

My Darling Clementine
The Outlaw Josey Wales
High Noon
The Furies
The Naked Spur

...and I'd like to see Magnificent Seven get a release separate from the sequels.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Nice to see some love for one of my favorite Westerns, The Big Country.

Four others that I'd love are:

Once Upon A Time In The West
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Red River
The Man From Snowy River

- Walter.

 

Gunfight At The OK Corral
Sons of Katie Elder
El Dorado
Chisum
Major Dundee

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Hollywoodaholic /forum/thread/300270/5-westerns-you-d-like-to-see-on-blu#post_3687079
1. Little Big Man starring Dustin Hoffman as the only survivor of Custer's Last Stand is about 10 westerns rolled into one. It's funny, sad, profound, sexy (Faye Dunaway at her most appealing), bloody, brilliant, and just a great adaptation of the classic book by Thomas Berger.
2. Speaking of Custer's Last Stand, where is the Blu-ray, let alone DVD of the only picture ever shot near the actual battlefield ... Son of the Morning Star with Gary Cole as Custer? Again, adapted from a great book.
3. Once Upon a Time in the West will undoubtedly get the BD treatment at some point. If you like Leone's man with no name series, this is the one he got to spend all the time and budgets on he earned from the success of those films.
4. Shane would probably look awesome in BD, and could use the upgrade. Having just been to the Grand Tetons last summer, I can verify that this classic western features the most awesome backdrop showing the beauty of the West possible.
5. McKenna's Gold. This is not a western classic for the ages, but it was a big budget western with Gregory Peck and Omar Shariff that would probably look awesome on BD, and features some great scenery in Monument Valley.

Hollywood: Great list. I've never even heard of McKenna's Gold, but it sounds great. What a co-star cast!

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Martin Teller /forum/thread/300270/5-westerns-you-d-like-to-see-on-blu#post_3687148
My Darling Clementine
The Outlaw Josey Wales
High Noon
The Furies
The Naked Spur
...and I'd like to see Magnificent Seven get a release separate from the sequels.

Another great list. I think I've seen all of these but The Furies. And quick comments on that one?
Is The Naked Spur the one with the actor who played Norman Bates? I'm blanking on his name right now...

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by John Hermes /forum/thread/300270/5-westerns-you-d-like-to-see-on-blu#post_3687172
Gunfight At The OK Corral
Sons of Katie Elder
El Dorado
Chisum
Major Dundee

Another fine list of Westerns--but most of them I haven't seen. I think I saw the Sons of Katie Elder long ago--a very good Wayne Western, iirc.
I've always been curious about OK because Deforest Kelley is in it, right? As a big Star Trek fan it would be interesting to see him in something earlier....Is he good? Does he get much screen time. All star cast, as I recall.
And what's funny is that on Star Trek they did an episode about the OK Corral called Spectre of the Gun. That must have been a hoot for him...

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by JohnRa /forum/thread/300270/5-westerns-you-d-like-to-see-on-blu#post_3687102
"Shane" and "The Big Country" are my choices for Blu-ray. If those could equal the look of "The Searchers" they would be fantastic. I also like the suggestion from BethHarrison for some Randolph Scott on Blu; "Comanche Station," "The Tall T," and "Seven Men From Now" being my favorites.

John: The Searchers, as you say, has truly amazing pq. I'm not sure, but I think that's a special case, both because it was shot in the high res VistaVision format, and because the 3 color separation masters survived in, I think, excellent condition.
I'm not sure, but I think for many pictures the separation masters don't survive, or weren't made correctly to begin with. Could be wrong about that. Someone here probably knows....

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by GMpasqua /forum/thread/300270/5-westerns-you-d-like-to-see-on-blu#post_3687097
Hollywoodaholic I agree with your pics:
Little Big Man
Once Upon a Time in the West
McKenna's Gold
Also like to see The Maginificent Seven (as a single relase which I would guess will happen)
Also Check out the blu-ray of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"
and while not a very good film, John Ford's "Cheyenne Autumn" should look great on Blu-ray

GM: Nice list. I should see Butch again. I only saw it once in the theaters in the first run with my parents when I was about 5, I think. Don't the main characters both, well, you know, right at the end right after winking at each other, or putting a finger to a nose, or something? That's all that sticks with me...And maybe I'm wrong.
Henry Fonda as the bad guy in Once Upon is truly a bit scary. He could do that kind of thing!

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by BethHarrison /forum/thread/300270/5-westerns-you-d-like-to-see-on-blu#post_3687098
Ride Lonesome / Comanche Station (these could fit on one Blu-ray)
White Feather
McCabe & Mrs Miller
Jubal
The Big Country

BethH: Another fine list of films I haven't seen.....Thanks. Big Country seems to be on a lot of lists. I like Wyler as a director a lot, although I don't know what the general opinion is on him. One of my other favorites by him is The Heiress, which is an adaptation of a Henry James story staring Olivia de H...

 

[benbess]

I'm a teacher, and I'm all done with my grades, and so free to go on a blu movie spree to recover. That's why I'm posting so much....

I've been asking myself, why Westerns? For me, one of the reasons is that I'm getting a bit burned out on the whole superhero franchises that seem like some of the main meals for studios these days. In fact, I burned out on the superhero thing about 20 years ago--about the time of the second batman movie. I haven't seen The Dark Knight or the other one by Nolan, even though I really liked Memento and The Prestige.

In Westerns even the heroes get hurt and feel thirst--even in a film like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. And that film had an interesting anti-War bias that I just was not aware of. And it had some heart, even if it also had some cruelty. Very surreal too. I like Tuco quite a bit. When his last howl merged into the music my 8 year old daughter (who hadn't seen much of the rest of the film) howled with laughter herself.

Anyway, there are lots of conventions and implausible things in Westerns, but when compared with many of today's most popular films, they have at least some true grit of reality. Maybe that's one of the reasons I enjoy them...

Anyone else willing to chime in with why you like Westerns?

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Walter Kittel /forum/thread/300270/5-westerns-you-d-like-to-see-on-blu#post_3687167
Nice to see some love for one of my favorite Westerns, The Big Country.
Four others that I'd love are:
Once Upon A Time In The West
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Red River
The Man From Snowy River
- Walter.

Walter: Another promising list of films I mostly haven't seen....Well, I saw Once once, a long time ago, and I may have seen Red River. Is that by John Ford? Just got a big biography of him from the library....

 

[Vincent_P]

Agree 100% with this one. HEAVEN'S GATE would make for a fascinating special edition on Blu-ray. They could include both the long and short edits of the film, Ron Epstein's excellent documentary FINAL CUT (viewable on Youtube but never released on DVD), and any number of other extras exploring the bruhaha that accompanied the making and release of this film, which is one of my favorites of all time.
Vincent

Originally Posted by benbess /img/forum/go_quote.gif...
Heaven's Gate (1980) About the opposite of Bronco Billy, but I still think it's a powerful and underrated film, flaws and all...
Thanks in advance, Ben