Posted on 01/11/2010 11:34:55 AM PST by stillafreemind
Not only are there no stand outs as far as actors go, but writers don't seem to be able to come up with an interesting western story line without nudity, extreme violence and horrible language. Why is that? How did Gunsmoke last those many years without nudity? A shy grin, wink and a nod between Matt Dillon and Kitty was sufficient and somehow much more palatable than seeing them rip clothes off and get down to business.
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My favorite line from “The Outlaw Josie Wales”....”Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’, boy”..
Is that the “Last Man Standing” with Bruce Willis? That’s more of a gangster movie than a western.
SnakeDoc
Most Westerns had a simple theme that bad is bad and good is good and its not that hard to tell them apart. In a day when the media and politicians try to explain away a officer killing thirteen and wounding 28 more of his charges (yes as a Major, Nidal Malik Hasan, was in charge of the safety and well being of most of the people he shot)because he may have felt insulted by some comment made, the lines are far too blurred for that simple message to take hold.
Nowadays it's hard for Westerns to compete as action films. They usually don't move as fast or pack as much firepower. Consequently, they've gone into decline in a more fast-moving era.
But people are always lamenting the death or celebrating the rebirth of westerns. The problem is that it can be hard to tell what's an example of dying and what's an example of new life.
I "liked" Unforgiven, but was really bored for long stretches of the movie. Maybe "esteemed" or "respected" would be a better word than "liked" or "enjoyed."
I really did like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, but could easily understand somebody finding it boring and overlong -- even the title was on the longish side.
Apaloosa with Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen was the last newer western that I thought was decent. I liked the huge shotgun Viggo’s character carries around.
Freegards
“.... my opinion is the western is dead because today’s Hollywood leading men all look like boys not like men.”
You nailed it! ...and not just westerns. Crime movies, war movies, mob movies...just doesn’t seem to work anymore.
Right down to Costner fanning 9 rounds out of a SSA.
I'll climb on the "3:10 To Yuma" bandwagon, along with "Open Range", "Broken Trail", "Unforgiven" (again, not exactly a current movie), and the 2003 remake of "The Alamo".
Robert Duvall, Sam Elliot and Tom Berenger are probably our best current cowboy actors, IMNSHO. But I do miss The Duke, Arness, the entire cast of "The Magnificent Seven", et al.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
A lot of the old tv-westerns are available in dvd-sets. Right now I’m in the process of viewing the 1st-season set of “Wagon Train.” Next month, the 1st-season of “The Virginian” is coming out.
A lot of those old shows pre-date me, but I far prefer watching them than the depressing junk on current tv.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
“Proposition” is an Australian flick. Takes place in Australia so I guess it doesn’t qualify as a “Western” but wow-gritty, tough, flick. Ray Winstone should have gotten the Academ Award as a peace officer determined to let his beloved wife have a little bit of civilization in a godforsaken corner of the world.
No fans of Deadwood on here?
I used to call him Leonardo DiCrappio...still do actually, but I was pleasantly surprised by him as Howard Hughes in “The Aviator”. Excellent film,and surprisingly very sympathetic to Hughes.
No fans of Deadwood on here?
No, I tried to like it, but found it boring and demeaning. The biggest problem with any story is finding someone within the story that you can identify with and pull for, with Deadwood I could not connect with any of the characters. Further, I thought the script was too cartoonish for its own good.
I confess. I am a Western junkie. I have found no cure!
In that case . . .
Gunsmoke---the radio originals. (With William Conrad as Matt Dillon, who beat James Arness hollow.)
Fort Laramie. (No relation to the television hit Laramie, and featuring Raymond Burr just before he hit big on television as Perry Mason.)
The Six Shooter. (Starring James Stewart as Britt Ponsett, ran only one season but held its own with the best of them aesthetically.)
I wouldn't trade any of the above for every last film or television Western of them all, and I was a big fan of The Virginian when I was growing up. Those three radio Westerns were written with more intelligence and understatement, the sound men knew what they were doing without exaggeration, and the acting was more genuine and less cartoonish than you would hear on the earlier radio Westerns or see in most film and television Westerns.
“I had to come back”.....
“I know.....”
anti-fence, anti-private property
in a way
Hmm...you bring up a good question, what are flicks like this, “Man from Snowy River” and “Quigley DownUnder” about the settlement of the 19th century Australian Outback called?
Siimilarly to Westerns, films about Canadian Mounties, sled drivers, prospectors and bush pilots are called “Northerns”. (Think “Sgt. Preston”.) The “Northern” used to be quite a popular genre itself.
Outbackers? DownUnderers? Bush Films? (That could have other connotations though LOL...) Antipodeans? Kangaroo Operas?
I know there are a few ‘stralian freepers out there, maybe one of you downunder types can enlighten us!
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