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Pete - in a post below, you said you think this is one of the all-time
great westerns. Well, I tried to watch it a while back, and I could
not. Boring, boring, boring! The best scene is the opening scene,
where Jack Elam traps the fly in his pistol barrel and cant figure out
what to do next. Absolutely classic!For my money, Sam Peckinpah is the undisputed champ of the genre.
The Wild Bunch, Ballad of Cable Hogue, and Major Dundee (some also
include Ride the High Country) are just about the be-all and end-all
of westerns.Mike.
"Once.." is a fav of movie critics too. It's a very visual film, very stylistic. It has some great actors too--but they're not important. What's special about this movie is the camera. The camera is the star. I think the more you see it the more you'll like it (sounds crazy--and the soundtrack will make you crazy too). Yep, I agree it's boreing too...until you open your third eye and look back at the camera. You have to think like a director. This film is really a satire about film, and a satire of the Western. The whole thing is a big joke. Last time I saw it was very late (I don't sleep well). There was something there...something behind the cartoon that sent me a message. It's funny, that the Italians, and the Europeans in general, and even the rest of the world, seem to know more about the essence of the myth of the American West that we do.You know, it's embarassing, but I can't recall a single scene from the movies you've mentioned, or even if I've seen them. Peckinpah grosses me out. I'm kind of a wimp about "realistic" violence. Now I'm thinking...about the Westerns I love. I love "The Outlaw Jose Wales" but I think that's more of a Vietnam War movie than a western, so I won't count it...hummm. I guess I'm too tired to think now. What about the one with Charlton Heston...gee, I can't think of the name. The movie is titled after the name of the character, and he's an old cowboy who lands a job riding fence at the end of the cowboy era and then end of his life... and ends up in a shack with a woman and a boy (sounds like Jeramiah Johnson) and life seems good...but it all comes unraveled. It's one of the best Westerns ever made...and I can't think of it...
But I have been thinking about Nickelson's "Going South". I just love the opening scene, when he's crossing that God forsaken desert, and something or someone is following him, and he finally gets across the Rio Grande, and turns to jeer at his persuers, while his horse dies behind him. Is that not one of the best scenes in a western?
And how about "A man called Horse"? I've read some about Native Americans and do like the Sun Dance scene--it's pretty close to what the Kiowas did. Richard Harris does a fair job too. I better go check on the kids.
Any movie that you remember clearly and can quote scenes, must have gotten to you. Once Upon .. is one of my favorites. It's haunting; mesmerizing. Goin South is another unforgettable one. If you could watch a movie over and over, it must have some special quality.
You know, I loved "Goin' South", but haven't seen it in quite a while.
Another one to rent soon.As for Peckinpah, yes, the violence is graphic, and it is brutal, but
it is never gratuitous. BTW, "Ballad of Cable Hogue" is not violent,
is actually quite funny in spots. And it has one of my all-time
favorites in it - Strother Martin. Put it on your "to rent" list if
you have not seen it - you wont be disappointed.I had not thought of "Once upon a time ... " in the way you describe.
I shall keep your comments in mind the next time I see it.Another good one - but only good, it should have been *great* - is
"Missouri Breaks" with Nicholson and Brando.And I must remember to check in here more often ...
Mike.
thanks for giving me that title. I've been trying to remember it for some time. I only saw parts of it on tv late one night years ago, and have been meaning to see the whole thing sometime. You know, this string has made me realize how many good westerns have been made. Now if only I could remember the name of that one with Charlton Heston...
I think Ennio Morricone's theme music isn't that bad for "...West"; and I like the opening female vocalise. Try Ennio's "Navajo Joe" for music that is much worse.I am a sucker for films that are both mythically grand and yet debunk the legends of the characters ("Patton", "The Right Stuff", "Unforgiven"), so I nominate "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" as a great western, starring an epic cast (James Stewart, John Wayne, Lee Marvin), and my favorite Burt Bacharach song to perform karaoke to.
"Once Upon a Time in America" (long version only - a year end best of list by a movie critic put the long version on their "best of" list and the short version on their "worst of" list!) A film about Jewish gangsters in America with a great cast. I watched it on home video years ago over two subsequent nights because of its length (Iseem to recall it was about 3hr.45min.)
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