The Good, The Bad, and The Official Western Thread

[gwynplaine]

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

I agree and I liked it better than True Grit.
I think it's because Rango had better villains. A rattlesnake that looks like Lee Van Cleef and a turtle reminiscent of John Huston in Chinatown, I liked that.

 

[gwynplaine]

Just watched "And God Said To Cain", a good Spaghetti Western starring Klaus Kinski.
I think Tarantino might have Kinski in mind with his spaghetti western that he is hopefully shooting with Christoph Waltz.

 

[gwynplaine]

Ok, so it looks like I'm the only one left posting in this thread. But what can I say, I love Westernst:
I just watched "Breakheart Pass" with Charles Bronson and really liked it.
It's a Murder Mystery, kinda like a Western version of Agatha Christie's " 10 Little Indians." Bronson is awesome as usual, but in a more cerebral role than he usually plays. I recommend it.

 

[Motown Marvel]

i thought rango looked amazing, but the story was clunky and too drawn out.

 

[gwynplaine]

Just finished watching "Breakheart Pass." I love snow in movies and specially in Westerns. They go well together and it's almost a sub genre by now. One of the best ones being of course "Jeremiah Johnson."
"Breakheart Pass" was really cool. It almost felt like watching what a successful translation of the TV Show "Wild, Wild West" could have looked like. Minus Artemus Gordon, the gadgets and the flamboyant villains.
I'd like to see Wild Wild West done well on the big screen. The last one was so bad that it deserves a second chance. James Bond in the Far West. How can you mess that up? I don't think it will happen soon though.

 

[Vindex]

Still haven't seen that, although I've been meaning to.

 

[C. Lee]

Just finished watching "Breakheart Pass." I love snow in movies and specially in Westerns. They go well together and it's almost a sub genre by now. One of the best ones being of course "Jeremiah Johnson."
"Breakheart Pass" was really cool. It almost felt like watching what a successful translation of the TV Show "Wild, Wild West" could have looked like. Minus Artemus Gordon, the gadgets and the flamboyant villains.
I'd like to see Wild Wild West done well on the big screen. The last one was so bad that it deserves a second chance. James Bond in the Far West. How can you mess that up? I don't think it will happen soon though.

The reason BREAKHEART PASS is so good as a mystery as well as a western is that it is from a book by Alister McClean. It's good fun film (last time I saw it was about a year ago) with a lot of great character actors in it.

I too love westerns that take place in snow or forestry mountains....I like deserts, but 90% of westerns are set there. JEREMIAH JOHNSON is one of my favorite movies of any genre. The book it is mainly taken from is called "Mountain Man" by Vardis Fisher.....if you ever find an old copy I recommend you read it....it's ten times better than the movie (and I love the movie).

A nice turn of the century western I recommend is DEATH HUNT starring Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. I bring this one up because it takes place in the woods and mountains of Canada in the winter. So there's your snowy western. Marvin is a Mountie...Bronson is a loner misunderstood trapper...local trouble makers start trouble......

 

[gwynplaine]

The reason BREAKHEART PASS is so good as a mystery as well as a western is that it is from a book by Alister McClean. It's good fun film (last time I saw it was about a year ago) with a lot of great character actors in it.

I too love westerns that take place in snow or forestry mountains....I like deserts, but 90% of westerns are set there. JEREMIAH JOHNSON is one of my favorite movies of any genre. The book it is mainly taken from is called "Mountain Man" by Vardis Fisher.....if you ever find an old copy I recommend you read it....it's ten times better than the movie (and I love the movie).

A nice turn of the century western I recommend is DEATH HUNT starring Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. I bring this one up because it takes place in the woods and mountains of Canada in the winter. So there's your snowy western. Marvin is a Mountie...Bronson is a loner misunderstood trapper...local trouble makers start trouble......

Thank you for the advice C. Lee. Your knowledge of Westerns is pretty impressive. I'm ordering "Death Hunt" on Amazon as we speak.
Bronson, Marvin, snowy western
And I'll look for "Mountain Man" as well.

 

[C. Lee]

Like I said about Death Hunt...it's turn of the century...so there is a bi-plane and such....but it has Mounties and gunfights in the mountains of Canada. The funny thing is...there was a kid friendly version made called CHALLENGE TO BE FREE that starred old character actor Mike Mazusrki (more nature footage, none of the bloody shootouts).

I'll think of some more snowy westerns to recommend for you.

 

[C. Lee]

Don't know why I didn't think of it before...THE WHITE BUFFALO starring Charles Bronson, Wil Sampson, and Jack Warden......snowy western.

 

[gwynplaine]

Thanks C.Lee.
I really liked The White Buffalo. I haven't seen it in a long time and had forgotten Will Sampson and Jack Warden were in it. Now I want to watch it again.

 

[C. Lee]

Here's a few good Westerns in the snow I thought of tonight...

The Mountain Men - Charlton Heston and Brian Kieth

Day of the Outlaw - Robert Ryan and Burl Ives

McCabe and Mrs Miller - Warren Beatty and Julie Cristie

Chuka - Rod Taylor and John Mills

Pale Rider Clint Eastwood and John Russell

 

[gwynplaine]

Here's a few good Westerns in the snow I thought of tonight...

The Mountain Men - Charlton Heston and Brian Kieth

Day of the Outlaw - Robert Ryan and Burl Ives

McCabe and Mrs Miller - Warren Beatty and Julie Cristie

Chuka - Rod Taylor and John Mills

Pale Rider Clint Eastwood and John Russell

Thanks. I appreciate that. Of those, I've only seen Pale Rider. More to add to my list
Also I just got The Tin Star with Fonda and Perkins, which I think you recommended too.

 

[C. Lee]

Thanks. I appreciate that. Of those, I've only seen Pale Rider. More to add to my list
Also I just got The Tin Star with Fonda and Perkins, which I think you recommended too.

No problem...I love westerns and I'm glad to find others who do too.

I'm watching HOW THE WEST WAS WON right now. Have you seen the digitally fixed version that they've been showing on the Western channel? It makes the movie a lot better to watch, really great improvement.

 

[gwynplaine]

No problem...I love westerns and I'm glad to find others who do too.

I'm watching HOW THE WEST WAS WON right now. Have you seen the digitally fixed version that they've been showing on the Western channel? It makes the movie a lot better to watch, really great improvement.

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

 

[C. Lee]

I sent you a PM with this info....but to share it with others....

HOW THE WEST WAS WON is an epic....it covers around 80 years and a couple generations of a family as they go through America's expansion into the west. The cast includes John Wayne, Richard Widmark, James Stewart, Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, Carole Baker, Karl Malden, Lee Van Cleef, Walter Brennan, Robert preston, George Peppard, Harry Morgan, Eli Wallach.....

It was originally shot in a super widescreen format with 3 cameras to be shown on a special curved screen. The middle section always looked fine. The sections on either side had a distorted look when seen on a TV screen due to being made to be shown on a curved screen. Where the middle section met the side sections there was always a glaringly noticable line where they overlapped. I've seen the movie dozens of times on TV over the last 40 some years and about 8 years ago bought the studio DVD of it. The DVD still has the distortions, but has some nice extras talking about the movie.

About a year ago....the WESTERN channel of the ENCORE Movies Channels introduced the digitally repaired version. It is beautiful. They have removed as much of the distortion from the side screens as they could (it's only noticable in a couple scenes now) and the lines that seperated the middle from the sides is also now almost completely gone (again, only really noticable in a few scenes). Also....the overall picture quality is sharper, clearer, and more colorful than I've ever seen before. I've recorded it off of the channel to DVD....but if they ever officially release this improved version to DVD I will be sure to buy it.





On a side note....I'm currently watching BUTCH AND SUNDANCE THE EARLY YEARS starring Tom Beringer and William Katt...there's a section of the movie set in the winter with a funny scene of them learning to ski.

 

[Figs]

A nice turn of the century western I recommend is DEATH HUNT starring Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. I bring this one up because it takes place in the woods and mountains of Canada in the winter. So there's your snowy western. Marvin is a Mountie...Bronson is a loner misunderstood trapper...local trouble makers start trouble......

I caught that on TV randomly a year or two ago and liked it alot.

 

[gwynplaine]

I sent you a PM with this info....but to share it with others....

HOW THE WEST WAS WON is an epic....it covers around 80 years and a couple generations of a family as they go through America's expansion into the west. The cast includes John Wayne, Richard Widmark, James Stewart, Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, Carole Baker, Karl Malden, Lee Van Cleef, Walter Brennan, Robert preston, George Peppard, Harry Morgan, Eli Wallach.....

It was originally shot in a super widescreen format with 3 cameras to be shown on a special curved screen. The middle section always looked fine. The sections on either side had a distorted look when seen on a TV screen due to being made to be shown on a curved screen. Where the middle section met the side sections there was always a glaringly noticable line where they overlapped. I've seen the movie dozens of times on TV over the last 40 some years and about 8 years ago bought the studio DVD of it. The DVD still has the distortions, but has some nice extras talking about the movie.

About a year ago....the WESTERN channel of the ENCORE Movies Channels introduced the digitally repaired version. It is beautiful. They have removed as much of the distortion from the side screens as they could (it's only noticable in a couple scenes now) and the lines that seperated the middle from the sides is also now almost completely gone (again, only really noticable in a few scenes). Also....the overall picture quality is sharper, clearer, and more colorful than I've ever seen before. I've recorded it off of the channel to DVD....but if they ever officially release this improved version to DVD I will be sure to buy it.





On a side note....I'm currently watching BUTCH AND SUNDANCE THE EARLY YEARS starring Tom Beringer and William Katt...there's a section of the movie set in the winter with a funny scene of them learning to ski.

I have never seen that one. I'm a huge fan of the original and it's hard for me to see anyone else than Newman and Redford in the roles.
But I'm probably wrong, because like all great parts and great stories, it's interesting to see someone else's take on it. Like with Hamlet or Batman...
And since you've mentioned snow, now I'm curioust:

 

[gwynplaine]

Just started watching The Tin Star and I really like it so far. Thanks for the recommendation C. Lee
Perkins is great and Fonda is awesome too. Looking forward to finishing it and discovering more Anthony Mann Westerns, since I've only seen The Naked Spur so far, that was great.

 

[C. Lee]

I have never seen that one. I'm a huge fan of the original and it's hard for me to see anyone else than Newman and Redford in the roles.
But I'm probably wrong, because like all great parts and great stories, it's interesting to see someone else's take on it. Like with Hamlet or Batman...
And since you've mentioned snow, now I'm curioust:

When it was made, Beringer and Katt were relatively unknowns....and they did look like a young Newman and Redford. Some people give the movie short shrift due to it not having the original stars and for being at that time an almost unknown subgenre of filmaking...the PREquel.

It's even more light hearted than the original, relying more on humor and less on actual deadly gunfights....this is helped out with some fine comedic costars such as John Shuck, Christopher Lloyd, and Vincent Schiavelli.

A nice connection to the original is having Jeff Corey reprise his role as sheriff Bledsoe (the only actor to appear in both films) and to have the mysterious character of Le Fors fleshed out more with Peter Weller in the role.

As I've heard several people over the years say....it's not as good as the original, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It's just lighter.

 

[gwynplaine]

When it was made, Beringer and Katt were relatively unknowns....and they did look like a young Newman and Redford. Some people give the movie short shrift due to it not having the original stars and for being at that time an almost unknown subgenre of filmaking...the PREquel.

It's even more light hearted than the original, relying more on humor and less on actual deadly gunfights....this is helped out with some fine comedic costars such as John Shuck, Christopher Lloyd, and Vincent Schiavelli.

A nice connection to the original is having Jeff Corey reprise his role as sheriff Bledsoe (the only actor to appear in both films) and to have the mysterious character of Le Fors fleshed out more with Peter Weller in the role.

As I've heard several people over the years say....it's not as good as the original, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It's just lighter.

Both from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"? (one of my favorite films) Cool. And I like Peter Weller too. I'm going to check it out. Thanks, C. Lee.

 

[gwynplaine]

Thanks again C. Lee for recommending The Tin Star, great Western with fantastic performances by Fonda and Perkins. And the presence of a young Lee Van Cleef is always a plus.
If you have any other Anthony Mann Westerns that you like and recommend, it'd be much appreciated

 

[C. Lee]

Thanks again C. Lee for recommending The Tin Star, great Western with fantastic performances by Fonda and Perkins. And the presence of a young Lee Van Cleef is always a plus.
If you have any other Anthony Mann Westerns that you like and recommend, it'd be much appreciated

Well, let's see.....

WINCHESTER '73 - starring Jimmie Stewart, Dan Duryea, and Shelley Winters. Also look for Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis in minor roles at the start of thier careers.

THE FURIES - starring Barbara Stanwyck and Walter Huston.

BEND OF THE RIVER - Starring James Stewart, Julie Adams, and Rock Hudson.

THE NAKED SPUR Starring James Stewart, Robert Ryan, and Janet Leigh.

THE MAN FROM LARAMIE - starring James Stewart and Arthur Kennedy.

MAN OF THE WEST - starring Gary Cooper, Julie London, and Lee J. Cobb.

He made a few more, but I haven't seen them, or it's been so long since I saw them, that I don't remember much. I definately recommend the Stewart ones.

 

[gwynplaine]

Well, let's see.....

WINCHESTER '73 - starring Jimmie Stewart, Dan Duryea, and Shelley Winters. Also look for Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis in minor roles at the start of thier careers.

THE FURIES - starring Barbara Stanwyck and Walter Huston.

BEND OF THE RIVER - Starring James Stewart, Julie Adams, and Rock Hudson.

THE NAKED SPUR Starring James Stewart, Robert Ryan, and Janet Leigh.

THE MAN FROM LARAMIE - starring James Stewart and Arthur Kennedy.

MAN OF THE WEST - starring Gary Cooper, Julie London, and Lee J. Cobb.

He made a few more, but I haven't seen them, or it's been so long since I saw them, that I don't remember much. I definately recommend the Stewart ones.

Thank you, C. Lee. I haven't seen any of them besides The Naked Spur which I really liked. I'm going to look for them.

 

[gwynplaine]

Just watched "Arrowhead" with Charlton Heston.
What a great Indian chief Jack Palance makes. It's funny and interesting how an Ukrainian man like Palance can play a believable Native American.
Same can be said about Bronson in "Chato's Land" (not an Ukrainian man but of Russian descent. Charles Buchinsky, I believe)