My buddy Jay, who is a gamer, sent me this link for IGN's Top 25 Westerns of All Time. A pretty solid gathering (only film I haven't seen was THE PROFESSIONALS) but I would have placed RIO BRAVO higher.
I am surprised UNFORGIVEN ranks that high. I liked it but #2? 25 is not enough because some of my favorites aren't here-SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON and THREE GODFATHERS to name two. But it is a good list and I haven't seen about one-third.
You know 3 GODFATHERS is a Duke film I quite often forget but damn that was a good one. May be high time to watch again. Yeah, UNFORGIVEN and the remake of 3:10 TO YUMA should be much lower on the list.
The original 3:10 TO YUMA was better than the remake. Whoever wrote this left out the word "stinking" in the Sierra Madre quote and Yul Brynner, not Steve McQueen said "We lost. We always lose."
I've seen all of those, David, and the Professionals is a great fun movie. The 1936 Three Godfathers is a much better film than the Duke's remake. The ending in the first is very noir.
I've seen all the films that made the list, but I would structure them differently, as most all of us would, i think. All so subjective. I would not have included Tombstone, and agree with Patti about Yellow Ribbon. And what about Hombre? I'd have to include it. Or Jeremiah Johnson? Some folks probably wouldn't classify it as a western, but i think if Treasure of Sierra Madre qualifies (a movie I love), than why not JJ?
Thanks for posting this one. It's a textbook example of the term "subjectivity." For comparison's sake, here's AFI's listing of the top 10 westerns:
http://www.afi.com/10TOP10/western.html
A lot depends on how well you like John Wayne. He made so many westerns, if you're a fan, at least half a list of 25 westerns would be his. If you aren't, there could be only a couple.
I lean toward the latter. To me his performances often seem stiff and wooden. When he was his congenial self, like the earlier scenes of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, I think he's wonderful. When he's supposed to be tough, like the entire Searchers, his emotional range goes flat and (for me) gets tiresome.
And I'd be happy to hear a persuasive dissenting opinion to all that.
I happened to like Wayne's performance in THE SEARCHERS, RED RIVER, THE QUIET MAN and THE SHOOTIST to name a few. It's definitely subjective and I’m not one to critique acting.
I remember the AFI list causing quite a stir but overall thought they did a fine job. (With the exception of CAT BALLOU in the top ten?!)
It's better in a different way, David. I think you always know with a John Wayne movie that he'll do the right thing but with the first film you have no preconceived notion about the characters or what they're going to do. And in Wayne's version you have a Hollywood happily ever after ending. The ending in the original breaks your heart. Plus there's Walter Brennan, how could you go wrong?
I was thinking about that list and wondered why there's no Randolph Scott or Joel McCrae movies on it!! Especially missing is "Ride the High Country".
The video wouldn't play for me so I still don't know who they picked for number one, but I'm assumeing they picked "once upon a time in the west," and they would be correct.
Bill, I know I'm in the minority on this but I liked the remake of YUMA. I prefer the original but didn't think Crowe's version was that bad.
Sandra, Geez, RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY was so amazing. Peckinpah still astounds me, especially that final shot of the film. I'm going to check out that original 3 GODFATHERS soon.
The YUMA remake wasn't bad, but one of the 25 best? No, I don't think so. Although I don't expect anyone to agree with me (since popularity and influence were part of the criteria), I'd put Audie Murphy's No Name on the Bullet in there.
Some fine films on this list, but judging by the rest, the good ones are probably here by accident. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST as No. 1? It wouldn't make my top 1000.
Naomi, The films of Audie Murphy have completely escaped me. Except for TO HELL AND BACK, I haven't watched any of the others.
Evan, Have to admit I'm surprised you don't care for ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. It's in my top five behind THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY and THE WILD BUNCH.
Alyssa, People want UNFORGIVEN to be better than it is. A fine film that would be in my top 100 but not top 25.
Not a bad list. I've seen worse of these "Best of" sets. The original 3:10 should be there instead of the remake and I might rearrange the ones here. It's all subjective anyway. One can see even here dissenting opinions.
I am surprised UNFORGIVEN ranks that high. I liked it but #2? 25 is not enough because some of my favorites aren't here-SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON and THREE GODFATHERS to name two. But it is a good list and I haven't seen about one-third.
ReplyDeleteYou know 3 GODFATHERS is a Duke film I quite often forget but damn that was a good one. May be high time to watch again. Yeah, UNFORGIVEN and the remake of 3:10 TO YUMA should be much lower on the list.
ReplyDeleteThe original 3:10 TO YUMA was better than the remake. Whoever wrote this left out the word "stinking" in the Sierra Madre quote and Yul Brynner, not Steve McQueen said "We lost. We always lose."
ReplyDeleteI've seen all of those, David, and the Professionals is a great fun movie. The 1936 Three Godfathers is a much better film than the Duke's remake. The ending in the first is very noir.
ReplyDeleteI've seen all the films that made the list, but I would structure them differently, as most all of us would, i think. All so subjective. I would not have included Tombstone, and agree with Patti about Yellow Ribbon. And what about Hombre? I'd have to include it. Or Jeremiah Johnson? Some folks probably wouldn't classify it as a western, but i think if Treasure of Sierra Madre qualifies (a movie I love), than why not JJ?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, hastily thrown together it is.
ReplyDeleteSandra, I've heard about the original but haven't seen it. Better than the remake? Carumba because I like the Duke version quite a bit.
Frank, I'd leave TOMBSTONE on because I think it's fast on the way to becoming a classic but agree that Jeremiah Johnson should have made the cut.
Thanks for posting this one. It's a textbook example of the term "subjectivity." For comparison's sake, here's AFI's listing of the top 10 westerns:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.afi.com/10TOP10/western.html
A lot depends on how well you like John Wayne. He made so many westerns, if you're a fan, at least half a list of 25 westerns would be his. If you aren't, there could be only a couple.
I lean toward the latter. To me his performances often seem stiff and wooden. When he was his congenial self, like the earlier scenes of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, I think he's wonderful. When he's supposed to be tough, like the entire Searchers, his emotional range goes flat and (for me) gets tiresome.
And I'd be happy to hear a persuasive dissenting opinion to all that.
I happened to like Wayne's performance in THE SEARCHERS, RED RIVER, THE QUIET MAN and THE SHOOTIST to name a few. It's definitely subjective and I’m not one to critique acting.
ReplyDeleteI remember the AFI list causing quite a stir but overall thought they did a fine job. (With the exception of CAT BALLOU in the top ten?!)
I've seen all of these. Wouldn't put the 3:10 remake anywhere on the list, probably not even in my top 100.
ReplyDeleteIt's better in a different way, David. I think you always know with a John Wayne movie that he'll do the right thing but with the first film you have no preconceived notion about the characters or what they're going to do. And in Wayne's version you have a Hollywood happily ever after ending. The ending in the original breaks your heart. Plus there's Walter Brennan, how could you go wrong?
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about that list and wondered why there's no Randolph Scott or Joel McCrae movies on it!! Especially missing is "Ride the High Country".
The video wouldn't play for me so I still don't know who they picked for number one, but I'm assumeing they picked "once upon a time in the west," and they would be correct.
ReplyDeleteBill, I know I'm in the minority on this but I liked the remake of YUMA. I prefer the original but didn't think Crowe's version was that bad.
ReplyDeleteSandra, Geez, RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY was so amazing. Peckinpah still astounds me, especially that final shot of the film. I'm going to check out that original 3 GODFATHERS soon.
Charles, That's the one they went with.
The YUMA remake wasn't bad, but one of the 25 best? No, I don't think so. Although I don't expect anyone to agree with me (since popularity and influence were part of the criteria), I'd put Audie Murphy's No Name on the Bullet in there.
ReplyDeleteSome fine films on this list, but judging by the rest, the good ones are probably here by accident. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST as No. 1? It wouldn't make my top 1000.
ReplyDeleteI was quite pleased that I'd seen (at least parts) of a good number of those. I'm not sure I agree with putting Unforgiven at #2 though.
ReplyDeleteNaomi, The films of Audie Murphy have completely escaped me. Except for TO HELL AND BACK, I haven't watched any of the others.
ReplyDeleteEvan, Have to admit I'm surprised you don't care for ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. It's in my top five behind THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY and THE WILD BUNCH.
Alyssa, People want UNFORGIVEN to be better than it is. A fine film that would be in my top 100 but not top 25.
Not a bad list. I've seen worse of these "Best of" sets. The original 3:10 should be there instead of the remake and I might rearrange the ones here. It's all subjective anyway. One can see even here dissenting opinions.
ReplyDeleteI've seen twenty-one of this list.
Randy, lists are fun to get folks talking but really don't amount to much more than a plugged nickel.
ReplyDelete