zen Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 On the Sight & Sound recent critics poll on greatest films of all time Link, The Searchers came in at #7, the highest rank for a western. Is it the greatest western of all time? What are your top 3-5 westerns? 7. The Searchers John Ford, USA 1956 John Ford created perhaps the greatest of all westerns with this tale of a Civil War veteran doggedly hunting the Comanche who have kidnapped his niece. Cricketics, Vijy and velu 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranvir Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Despite liking movies with lots of shootouts I've never really gelled well with Westerns. The classic ones are all very slow with a very shallow plot, even an action packed one like The Wild Bunch. One Upon A Time In The West was like watching paint dry. The Good The Bad And The Ugly was quite decent. My favourites would be Desperado Django Unchained 3:10 To Yuma (2007) True Grit The Good The Bad And The Ugly I need to check out The Outlaw Josey Wales and High Plains Drifter. Overrated ones have been: Once Upon A Time In The West The Wild Bunch No Country For Old Men Tombstone Unforgiven Cricketics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velu Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Searchers is one of my favourite movies . I like spaghetti western more than westerns . My favourites Among western movies in no particular order , The searchers Stagecoach High noon 3.10 to yuma The wild bunch Among spaghetti westerns, Django ( 1967 ) Once upon a time in the west Dollars trilogy The great silence Hang them high Butch Cassidy and sundane kid The mercenary Death rides a horse Trinity series ( comedy ) Cricketics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mariyam Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Chinagate ravishingravi and Lord 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 If we have to make a case for The Searchers, its positives include: Direction by John Ford Starring the legendary western genre actor John Wayne, who is believed to have given one of his best performances here Breathtaking cinematography by Hoch. It is said that David Lean watched this film many times to gain inspiration for Lawrence of Arabia Locations: Monument Valley Story: The film is based on a novel so the story has layers to it rather than being an action film in a western setting. It touches upon the conflict between natives and "cowboys" Old-world charm: It has that old classic film charm to it which gives it a relative high repeat value Vijy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 (edited) Some of the best Westerns, Western equivalent from other regions, and Neo-Westerns that I have seen recently: Seven Samurai (1954, Japanese). A western equivalent directed by Kurosawa. Probably the best western/western equivalent of all time. Has inspired films such as The Magnificent Seven (1960) and Sholay (1975). The Searchers (1956, English). John Wayne, John Ford, brilliant cinematography, and a strong story. Yojimbo (1961, Japanese). A Kurosawa masterpiece. The simplicity of the film gives it a timeless feel with Mifune's performance remaining iconic. Has inspired films such as A Fistful of Dollars (1964). Django (1966, Italian/English). The story moves from A to B without much fuss. Memorable sequences including Django dragging a coffin, his gun, shooting with crushed hands, etc. Once Upon A Time in the West (1968, English/Italian). Arguably Sergio Leone's, the Spaghetti Westerns master, best work. Sholay (1975, Hindi). A curry western that also incorporates other genres. Highlights include characters such as Gabbar Singh, arguably the best villain in Westerns, and the foot-tapping background score by R.D. Burman. Dances With Wolves (1990, English). Despite being 4 hours long, it manages to hold attention. A touching story told with great cinematography and a suitable background score by John Barry. Probably the Western with the most Oscar wins. No Country for Old Men (2007, English). A Neo-Western. Gripping story. Anton Chigurh is a memorable character. Django Unchained (2012, English). A solid western with memorable performances by Waltz, DiCaprio, and Samuel Jackson. Logan (2017, English). Not only a X-Men film but also a perfect neo-Western. Edited July 27, 2021 by zen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bharathh Posted July 28, 2021 Share Posted July 28, 2021 Cowboys vs Aliens :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravishingravi Posted July 28, 2021 Share Posted July 28, 2021 On 10/11/2020 at 1:35 PM, Mariyam said: Chinagate Why not Joshilay ? With this great song by Bappi da. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted July 28, 2021 Author Share Posted July 28, 2021 The Mask of Zorro (1998, English) is a swashbuckler but can also be counted as a Western if one wants to. Have a thread on it below: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bharathh Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Mask of Zorro - so much fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 Viva Zapata (1952) directed by Elia Kazan and staring Marlon Brando. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravishingravi Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Its close. But I would say, all considered, "Once upon a time in West" My rankings:- 1) Once Upon a time in West 2) The good the bad and the ugly 3) Wild Bunch ( Sort of western ) 4) Searchers 4) Unforgiven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 4 hours ago, ravishingravi said: Its close. But I would say, all considered, "Once upon a time in West" My rankings:- 1) Once Upon a time in West 2) The good the bad and the ugly 3) Wild Bunch ( Sort of western ) 4) Searchers 4) Unforgiven What did you consider? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravishingravi Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 1 hour ago, zen said: What did you consider? I would say the top 10 would be all really really great movies. At that level, rewatchability is probably the biggest factor. I would say OUATIW is perhaps one films I can watch over and over again for different reasons. Sometimes just for technique, sound and cinematography. Sometimes for the pure masala factor and background score. Its an interesting mix of good ol'fashion popcorn movies but with rather intriguing plot and characters with complex motives. Not to mention the whole angle of railways track and land acquisition adds a historical context to the whole thing. It kind of also manages to side step many of stereotype while playing firm in masala genre. The equation of the lady and three men is complex and each time I see it differently. There are some other mentions I can make in the genre :- 1) Rio Bravo 2) Bone Tomahawk 3) Yojimbo ofcourse 4) High Noon ( maybe ) 5) Tombstone ( just for Val Kilmer ) 6) Django Unchained ( perhaps ) Vijy and zen 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, ravishingravi said: I would say the top 10 would be all really really great movies. At that level, rewatchability is probably the biggest factor. I would say OUATIW is perhaps one films I can watch over and over again for different reasons. Sometimes just for technique, sound and cinematography. Sometimes for the pure masala factor and background score. Its an interesting mix of good ol'fashion popcorn movies but with rather intriguing plot and characters with complex motives. Not to mention the whole angle of railways track and land acquisition adds a historical context to the whole thing. It kind of also manages to side step many of stereotype while playing firm in masala genre. The equation of the lady and three men is complex and each time I see it differently. There are some other mentions I can make in the genre :- 1) Rio Bravo 2) Bone Tomahawk 3) Yojimbo ofcourse 4) High Noon ( maybe ) 5) Tombstone ( just for Val Kilmer ) 6) Django Unchained ( perhaps ) A nice list ... Note that personal rewatchability factor is more suited to a favorite films discussion. For e.g., I can probably watch Sholay more than any other western but that would not make it the greatest western if other factors are only competitive Edited January 11, 2022 by zen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vijy Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) On 10/10/2020 at 8:01 PM, zen said: On the Sight & Sound recent critics poll on greatest films of all time Link, The Searchers came in at #7, the highest rank for a western. Is it the greatest western of all time? What are your top 3-5 westerns? 7. The Searchers John Ford, USA 1956 John Ford created perhaps the greatest of all westerns with this tale of a Civil War veteran doggedly hunting the Comanche who have kidnapped his niece. My own take is that Ford's greatest "Western" is: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Beautiful use of flashbacks, exquisite direction, evocative music and cinematography, superb acting, and a dreamy otherworldy air that makes us truly understand and imbibe the whole theme of the film: "print the legend, not the fact". The movie is a thought-provoking exploration of history is created and transmitted, and why legends dominate narratives despite running counter to facts. Hard to make a top 10, but here are some of my fav westerns. I have deliberately excluded all non-Hollywood films (ergo, no Kurosawa) 1. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 2. The Shootist [beautifully shot and directed with wayne's arguably greatest performance] 3. Rio Bravo [one of the great conversationalist films in the genre] 4. The Searchers ['nuff said] 5. High Noon (simple setup, great execution) 6. Unforgiven (in my book, greatest Western in last 30 yrs) 7. Once Upon a time in the West (that harmonica score is something to die for) 8. The Ballad of Cable Hogue {Sam Peckinpah's underrated masterpiece) 9. The Far Country [any film by anthony mann is amazing, but this one is my fav] 10. Shane [the great conflict between chaos and law is played out on glorious landscapes] 11. McCabe & Mrs. Miller [a wonderful film from Altman that veers between comic and tragic] Honorable mentions (most would still get 8.5 or 9 or 9.5/10 in my book): 1. Wagon Master [in many ways, the simplest and purest of Ford's westerns] 2. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon [one of Ford's most beautifully shot and composed films] 3. Meek's Cutoff [may not quality fully as Western, but truly gripping] 4. Blazing Saddles [a hilarious self-aware spoof of the genre] 5. The Magnificent Seven [not comparable to the much greater 7 Samurai, but still a very fine film] 6. Johnny Guitar [high camp and high fun; unusually female-centric too] 7. 7 Men From Now [Boetticher: the greatest western director that almost no one has heard of] 8. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly [not much more needs to be said] 9. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [nimble direction, with great chemistry between Redford-Newman] 10. Red River [superb direction; all frames are so dynamic] 11. Stagecoach [a masterclass in direction and how to use ensemble casts] @zen : thoughts? Edited January 12, 2022 by Vijy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 49 minutes ago, Vijy said: My own take is that Ford's greatest "Western" is: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Beautiful use of flashbacks, exquisite direction, evocative music and cinematography, superb acting, and a dreamy otherworldy air that makes us truly understand and imbibe the whole theme of the film: "print the legend, not the fact". The movie is a thought-provoking exploration of history is created and transmitted, and why legends dominate narratives despite running counter to facts. Hard to make a top 10, but here are some of my fav westerns. I have deliberately excluded all non-Hollywood films (ergo, no Kurosawa) 1. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 2. The Shootist [beautifully shot and directed with wayne's arguably greatest performance] 3. Rio Bravo [one of the great conversationalist films in the genre] 4. The Searchers ['nuff said] 5. High Noon (simple setup, great execution) 6. Unforgiven (in my book, greatest Western in last 30 yrs) 7. Once Upon a time in the West (that harmonica score is something to die for) 8. The Ballad of Cable Hogue {Sam Peckinpah's underrated masterpiece) 9. The Far Country [any film by anthony mann is amazing, but this one is my fav] 10. Shane [the great conflict between chaos and law is played out on glorious landscapes] 11. McCabe & Mrs. Miller [a wonderful film from Altman that veers between comic and tragic] Honorable mentions (most would still get 8.5 or 9 or 9.5/10 in my book): 1. Wagon Master [in many ways, the simplest and purest of Ford's westerns] 2. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon [one of Ford's most beautifully shot and composed films] 3. Meek's Cutoff [may not quality fully as Western, but truly gripping] 4. Blazing Saddles [a hilarious self-aware spoof of the genre] 5. The Magnificent Seven [not comparable to the much greater 7 Samurai, but still a very fine film] 6. Johnny Guitar [high camp and high fun; unusually female-centric too] 7. 7 Men From Now [Boetticher: the greatest western director that almost no one has heard of] 8. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly [not much more needs to be said] 9. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [nimble direction, with great chemistry between Redford-Newman] 10. Red River [superb direction; all frames are so dynamic] 11. Stagecoach [a masterclass in direction and how to use ensemble casts] @zen : thoughts? A very good list with variety ... I plan to rewatch The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, which is now available in 4K Vijy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vijy Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 2 minutes ago, zen said: A very good list with variety ... I plan to rewatch The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, which is now available in 4K You should definitely go for it. It's my fav western of all time, which is why I also named it in the other list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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