Westerns for any diet

List creator: cammelltoe Created on: September 24, 2003 - 3:21 PM PDT Description: saddle up for a sampler of dusty delicacies!

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	movie title	related list	average rating	MPAA rating	watch	rent	buy
	Stagecoach (Criterion) (1939)
1st great western. Orson Welles claims to have watched this movie repeatedly when learning how to make moves before Citizen Kane. Personally, I think that John Ford and John Wayne can keep it, but there is no denying how exciting and fun this film is.
	Red River (1948)
Montgomery Clift's first film role as John Wayne's surrogate son(?). cattle rustlin' and betraying in a barren landscape. Awesome.
	Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
forget clint eastwood and his dollars. this is the ultimate spaghetti western. Henry fonda plays memorably against type but leone is the real star. required viewing!
	Once Upon a Time in the West (Bonus Disc) (1968)
	Bend of the River (1952)			Not Rated
The westerns Jimmy Stewart made with director anthony mann are brilliant, stripped- down, scary masterpieces with jimmy wrestling with his dark side in a desolate technicolor landscape of betrayal and humiliation. a sheer delight.
	The Man From Laramie (1955)			Not Rated
Mann and stewart again, this time with the sadistic cruelty pumped up a few notches. Did i mention that Scorcese pimps these films in his bfi documentary on film history?
	The Professionals (1966)
Great adventure film with a great cast. A little on the lighter side, but still gold.
	Great Silence (1968)
a gnarly revenge epic from the director of the better known Django. Outside of Once upon a time in the west, the best of the italian westerns. good disc with an alex cox interview and a restored ending.
	Sholay (1975)
great bollywood western boasting all the virtues of hollywood productions + two male leads not afraid to ride a scooter together singing.
	Shanghai Express (Millionaire's Express) (1986)			Not Rated
Sammo Hung says he was inspired by john ford westerns on this one, but you've never seen john wayne battle baddies like Hung and Yuen Biao do in this one.
	The Wild Bunch (1969)
Bloody Sam's violent ode to the disappearing values...blah, blah. I included this film because any western list worth it's spurs needs a peckinpah film, but the truly great one is Pat Garrett and Billy the kid--- unfortunately unavailable on dvd.
	Dead Man (1995)
Jarmusch's ghost story of a western, poetically sifting through the ashes of a dead genre.
	Unforgiven (Special Edition) (1992)
The last great western, made with gravitas by one of the genre's lasting icons, clint eastwood. If you haven't seen it you should.