The Good, The Bad, and The Official Western Thread

[gwynplaine]

I agree, it definately wasn't something I rewatched.



While I am thinking of people from the old west. Which movie with Wyatt Earp as a character does everyone enjoy the most?

For me, it's still Gunfight at the OK Corral. I love Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday.
Funny you should ask, because I'm rewatching it right now. I had forgotten Lee Van Cleef and dennis Hopper were in it.

 

[gwynplaine]

I forgot if it has already been mentioned in this thread but I think it deserves a shout out as the most hilarious Western ever: Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles."t:

 

[Figs]

Anyone love Paint Your Wagon as much as I do? I don't care for musicals all that much, but a western with Eastwood and Lee Marvin, plus some pretty entertaining and funny songs makes a damn fun film.

 

[gwynplaine]

Anyone love Paint Your Wagon as much as I do? I don't care for musicals all that much, but a western with Eastwood and Lee Marvin, plus some pretty entertaining and funny songs makes a damn fun film.

I have to check this one out. As well as Cat Ballou.

 

[Mr.Webs]

For me, it's still Gunfight at the OK Corral. I love Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday.
Funny you should ask, because I'm rewatching it right now. I had forgotten Lee Van Cleef and dennis Hopper were in it.

What? A movie about Wyatt Earp that has Lee Van Cleef!?

*runs off to Netflix*

 

[gwynplaine]

What? A movie about Wyatt Earp that has Lee Van Cleef!?

*runs off to Netflix*

Haha.
I don't want to spoil it for you but let's just say that he doesn't have a lot of screen time.
Still he is very menacing and it's great to see him in his prime facing off against Kirk Douglas, perfectly cast as Doc Holliday. Lancaster is really good as well. Anyway, it's a great "classical" Western.

 

[C. Lee]

I actually like how the re-edit through in Bob Dylan's vocals when they played Knockin' On Heaven's Door. As for the scene in general, I think out of context, it's a really powerful, emotional scene. In context with the rest of the film, it feels a little hollow as we know nothing about Slim Pickens' character or his relationship with his wife.

I'm a little confused by your first sentence there. I liked the version where you hear the vocals better (not sure if that's what you were saying or not). It's one of the best scenes in the movie, and I don't think you really have to have a lot of backstory on the old sheriff and his wife explained....they act like they've been through a lot of tough times together.

While I am thinking of people from the old west. Which movie with Wyatt Earp as a character does everyone enjoy the most?

For me it's TOMBSTONE (Kurt Russell)....then HOUR OF THE GUN (James Garner).....GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL (Burt Lancaster)....MY DARLING CLEMINTINE (Henry Fonda).

I forgot if it has already been mentioned in this thread but I think it deserves a shout out as the most hilarious Western ever: Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles."t:

I don't actually consider it a western more than just a great example of slapstick comedy....for actual full on funny westerns try CAT BALOU, SUPPORT YOU LOCAL SHERIFF, DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, NORTH TO ALASKA, or McCLINTOCK.

Anyone love Paint Your Wagon as much as I do? I don't care for musicals all that much, but a western with Eastwood and Lee Marvin, plus some pretty entertaining and funny songs makes a damn fun film.

Yeah, I love it too. It goes in the great comedy western category too.

What? A movie about Wyatt Earp that has Lee Van Cleef!?

If you're a Lee Van Cleef fan, I recommend the mostly overlooked BARQUERO...he stars, and it costars Warren Oates and Mariette Hartley.

 

[Figs]

I don't actually consider it a western more than just a great example of slapstick comedy....for actual full on funny westerns try CAT BALOU, SUPPORT YOU LOCAL SHERIFF, DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, NORTH TO ALASKA, or McCLINTOCK.

I used to watch that all the time growing up, as well as Support Your Local Gunfighter.

 

[CrimsonMist]

I have to check this one out. As well as Cat Ballou.

I have Paint Your Wagon and haven't been able to bring myself to watching it. I mean, it's the ONLY pairing up of Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood, and it's a romantic comedy western musical. Also, as a huge Lee Marvin fan, I'm still peeved at the Movie Gods because Marvin was offered and accepted the role of William Holden's character in The Wild Bunch, but then dropped out when he was offered more money for Paint Your Wagon. Think about that a second: Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan and Ernest Borgnine directed by Peckinpah. It hurts thinking about it.

Cat Ballou is great though. You need to check that one out. It's pretty funny. At the same time though, I felt it may have worked better had it been more of a serious film. But as it is, it's still great fun, and Lee Marvin is a hoot to watch.

I'm a little confused by your first sentence there. I liked the version where you hear the vocals better (not sure if that's what you were saying or not). It's one of the best scenes in the movie, and I don't think you really have to have a lot of backstory on the old sheriff and his wife explained....they act like they've been through a lot of tough times together.

Nah, you're understanding me right. The 2005 re-edit is the version that reinstates Dylan's vocals over the scene. The 1988 Turner Preview Cut doesn't have the vocals over the scene. But Th 2005 cut axes some stuff with Slim Pickens before and during the scene. The 1988 cut leaves it all intact.

 

[Dark Victory]

Anyone mention Fort Apache yet? One of my faves from Ford.

 

[gwynplaine]

^

Watching "Chato's Land" right now. Great Western. Kinda like "First Blood" in the West. With Jack Palance leading a posse hunting down Charles Bronson.

 

[gwynplaine]

I really like "Westerns in Disguise". Films that belong to another genre but borrow heavily from the Western themes and imagery.
Films like "Bad Day at Black Rock", "The Road Warrior", "Westworld", "Outland" etc...

 

[Dark Victory]

Survival of the Dead is a recent one. That definitely had the same strange feeling of community a lot of westerns have.

 

[gwynplaine]

Survival of the Dead is a recent one. That definitely had the same strange feeling of community a lot of westerns have.

Cool, I haven't seen it but I'll check it out.
If anyone else thinks of other "Westerns in Disguise", I'd be curious and interested to hear which ones.
"Assault on Precinct 13" is another (obvious) one, since it's more or less a Rio Bravo remake. I think I heard somewhere that "The Road Warrior" was actually studied as a Western at the USC Film School. I can see that, just replace the Indians with big bikers with Mohawks.

 

[Mr.Webs]

If you're a Lee Van Cleef fan, I recommend the mostly overlooked BARQUERO...he stars, and it costars Warren Oates and Mariette Hartley.

Alright, thanks!t:

 

[gwynplaine]

I like That Rango is a Western.

 

[Mr.Webs]

Agreed. I can't wait to see it. Looks very true to the genre with lots of heart.

 

[gwynplaine]

Just watched "The Lonely Man". A really good western with Jack Palance, Anthony Perkins and Lee Van Cleef. It was great to see Perkins, just a couple years before Norman Bates. He was really good and as usual Palance was awesome. I think I read somewhere that Lee Marvin was considered for Rooster Cogburn in the original True Grit. I don't know if that's true. Anyway, he would probably have been great but Palance could have pulled it off too. One of my favorite actors.

 

[C. Lee]

Perkins did another good western around the same time called THE TIN STAR with Henry Fonda.

 

[gwynplaine]

Thanks. I'll look for it.

 

[gwynplaine]

Next Up: "Johnny Guitar." A western I saw on TV when I was a kid.

 

[gwynplaine]

"Johnny Guitar" was a little slow and dated, but there were still some great moments in it. I really like the well-trodden concept of the gunslinger putting down his guns and I like the fact that he was picking up a guitar instead.
Sterling Hayden was great and it's always a pleasure to see Ernest Borgnine in anything (once again getting his a$$ handed to him by the herot. Also the music was really beautiful with a great song by Peggy Lee.
Next up "The Ballad of Cable Hogue."

 

[Max J Power]

I saw Rango today and it's one of the best westerns I've seen from recent years.

 

[Mr.Webs]

Have to agree with Max. Didn't expect to love it as much as I did, but I damn sure did love it. Greak flick, and had all the ingredients of an awesome Western.

 

[gwynplaine]

I really liked "The Ballad of Cable Hogue".
For the first hour, I wasn't really sure if I liked it or not because it was a little too comical for my taste (that's why I'm still a little reticent to watch Cat Ballou) and it seemed to meander without any real sense of purpose, but then it turned out to be kinda like a buddy story between two great actors that I really love: Jason Robards and David Warner, so I was sold.
A very different kind of Peckinpah movie, lighter and more gentle, revealing another facet of this incredible director.
Next up: "Big Country" with Charlton Heston and Gregory Peck.
Oh, and I can't wait to see Rango.