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Best Western Ever

barryboek

barryboek

New Member
Always wanted to plague as many people as possible with this theory : The Unforgiven by Clint Eastwood is the best western ever made . Seeing the general quality of films today , I dare to predict this will not change in the future . I was most impressed by the fact that the ultimate hero (Eastwood)started out as a drunken pigfarmer . Slowly the movie reaches its climax and in the end the terrifying explosion , loved it . Dont understand why one of Hollywoods real stars thinks he now needs to produce such sentimental drivel (Million Dollar Baby , Gran Torina)
 
I would hardly consider Unforgiven the best. And in 2005 the Proposition came out. I haven't seen it but its considered very good.So some stuff coming out is still good. I think the Magnificent Seven is probably one of the best EVER. Even though Seven Samurai puts it to shame!

I was most impressed by the fact that the ultimate hero (Eastwood)started out as a drunken pigfarmer
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That sounds like many Samurai movies with Toshiro Mifune. Starts out drunk and eventually saves everyone. But he usually is drunk for that part too.
I take early Samurai movies over westerns.
 
Well, I really liked both Million Dollar Baby alnd Gran Torino, but I'm still tempted to agree with you. Unforgiven is incredible, one of those movies that manages to both pick a genre apart and restore it. I don't think we're supposed to see Munny as the ultimate hero, though; it's hardly a coincidence that his reply to to the sheriff's "See you in hell" is "Yeah." In fact, a lot of Eastwood's own movies (as opposed to those he just became an iconic star in) seem to focus on deconstructing the whole "hero" myth - culminating, IMO, in Gran Torino, but perhaps done best in Unforgiven.

The Proposition is good, but nowhere near a masterpiece. There have been far better Western movies both before and since. I'll see if I can come up with a personal list.
 
Used to be that Shane was one of the best.
And maybe also The Shootist.
But I won't disagree with The Unforgiven either.
And High Noon probably deserves a few votes also.
Good thread! :)
 
So you want Westerns, and perhaps all (Eastwood) films to include someone who starts off humbly and then becomes a big hero? That's a bit shallow.
 
Nah. Gotta have good shootin too! Shootin's the thing. :lol:
The smoochin kin fit in wherever it will.
 
I saw Unforgiven when I was still small because it was a film that my parents had rented. However, I don't remember anything about it really to say whether or not I can say it to be one of the best westerns ever.

I don't really have a selection that I'd consider to be the best. I tend to watch Appaloosa more than most westerns, but I don't consider it to be the best or anything.
 
beer good said:
Well, I really liked both Million Dollar Baby alnd Gran Torino,[/QUOTE
Probably if it was not Clint Eastwood , Gran Turino might have been an acceptable mediocre movie . But Clint , committing suicide , for the greater good , please ! As admirer of his early work I find this completely unacceptable , riding roughshod over his creations like Dirty Harry and the spaghetti western cowboys . The acting quality required to be an authentic movie hero is seriously underestimated , as any movie starring Steven Segal , Chuck Morris or Dolph Lundgren to name but a few sorry examples abundantly shows . I do not mean Eastwood can not play different characters , although I prefer his hardboiled roles , I just hate to see him deconstructing the hero role as you call it beer good .
I agree that the Seven Samurai was an impressive movie Disenthral , but hardly a western in the strict sense . Thanks for the tip , certainly going to see the proposition .
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No harm Polly Parrot. Just making a light-hearted point.
Actually love interest plus shooting climaxes seem to be the heart of the matter for good Westerns IMO. Hero wins and loses big and goes off into the sunset. Tear jerker both ways.
 
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

There, I said what everyone else had better be thinking. ai5.photobucket.com_albums_y187_sparkchaser1998_smileys_devillook.gif

As far as lighthearted goes, Maverick is one of my favorites.
 
Polly Parrot said:
So you want Westerns, and perhaps all (Eastwood) films to include someone who starts off humbly and then becomes a big hero? That's a bit shallow.
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I dont care , I like shallow , especially where Eastwood movies are concerned . But what I wanted to say was I enjoyed the acting effort involved , to sell to the viewer the metamorphosis from alcoholic slob to stone cold psychopathic killer (hero I now see might not be the best description of Eastwoods role) The good the bad and the ugly , was also my favourite before I saw the unforgiven (close second sparkchaser ?)
 
barryboek said:
beer good said:
But Clint , committing suicide , for the greater good , please ! As admirer of his early work I find this completely unacceptable , riding roughshod over his creations like Dirty Harry and the spaghetti western cowboys .
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Personally I'd agree with Polly Parrot and argue that that's missing the point of both Unforgiven and Gran Torino, and possibly of Dirty Harry too. Let me get back to that.

No love for Lonesome Dove, anyone? Or what about Peckinpah - Wild Bunch, Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (hey, it's got Bob Dylan throwing knives)?
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barryboek said:
Probably if it was not Clint Eastwood , Gran Turino might have been an acceptable mediocre movie . But Clint , committing suicide , for the greater good , please ! As admirer of his early work I find this completely unacceptable , riding roughshod over his creations like Dirty Harry and the spaghetti western cowboys . I do not mean Eastwood can not play different characters , although I prefer his hardboiled roles , I just hate to see him deconstructing the hero role as you call it beer good . .
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I think that would hurt Clint a lot.

I would agree with Unforgiven if Sam Peckinpah,Sergio leon and Howard Hawks had been victims of miscarriage.Say it would fit well in a top ten western .
Like
The Wild bunch,Junior Bonner,Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid(staring Dylan)By Peckinpah(sorry BG saw your post after)
The big sky by Howard Hawks
Most of Sergio Leone though to be honest,a little editing as for the lenght of the musical eyeballing before the gunfights would be welcome.
Winchester 73 by Anthony Mann
What about The Missouri Breaks by Arthur Penn (with mad Brando and Nicholson)
Little big man by Ahtur again was not bad ether.
And of course Pale rider and Unforgiven
That's all i can think of now but i'm sure some expert around here could add a few good ones.
 
saliotthomas said:
Little big man
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Yes! Excellent movie.

Also, Dead Man. Seriously, Dead Man. Where else can you find Robert Mitchum as a badass, Johnny Depp as an accountant forced to become a gunslinger, and Iggy Pop in a dress?

In recent years, 3:10 To Yuma and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford were pretty damn good.

And on a more comical note, Blazing Saddles and Cat Ballou.

What about horror westerns? Near Dark, Vampires, Ravenous, Cannibal! The Musical?

Or westerns in a modern or even future setting? Down In The Valley, Midnight Cowboy, Brokeback Mountain, El Mariachi, A Perfect World, The American Astronaut, Serenity...?
 
Midnight Cowboy, yes, but it seems we could use a less expansive definition of "Western." Or even a definition, any definition. At least enough to distinguish it from general drama.
So, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in or out?
 
I'm not a fan of westerns. But Cat Ballou is worth a vote. Lee Marvin is brilliant as the aging alcoholic gunman.

What about The Magnificent Seven? Do none of you like it? I love it.

Desperado's another great film. Any other fans out there?

I wouldn't call Midnight Cowboy a western, but it is one of my all time favourites.
 
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