news-record.com

Loved "Shane."

I liked "For a Few Dollars More" better than the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Was "Unforgiven" too new to make the list?

You're kidding with "Dances," right? Costner makes me itch.

I would like to place in nomination: The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre.

Oh, man -- I think I meant to put "Unforgiven" and put "Silverado."

Sorry about that. Good catch.

I thought about The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and then I thought...is that an actual Western? I guess it is -- they have horses and guns and they're prospectors. That's a good addition.

I think Sierra Madre qualifies...not exactly an "open range" kind of scenario, but still...it had Bogie!

Yeah - it happens in Mexico, but I'd say it has all of the essential elements of a good Western.

I disqualified "The Proposition" for being an Australian Western - but Mexico figures large in the history of both the American West and the American Western.

Open Range and Wyatt Earp are good choices too.

It doesn't belong on your list because it's a TV series rather than a movie, but don't forget "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr." as a comedy western. Bruce Campbell? How can it not be good?

Oh, and "Wild Wild West" should get an honorable mention for Best Ridiculous Comedy Western Featuring an Awesome Robotic Death Spider.

I love Bruce Campbell and Brisco County, Jr.

While I sort of generally think "Wild, Wild West" is kind of crap, I do appreciate its willful ridiculousness.

The Western is so good for comedy -- probably because it's a genre that generally takes itself and its conventions so seriously.

Most old school Western fans like my dad consider Eastwood's Unforgiven to be too post modern and anti-heroic to be counted as a good western. However, they would be more than cool with Silverado. Another omission that several Western fans will find regretable is Toumbstone. The movie was dumped by its studio when it was released, only to be turned into a cult classic because of the brilliant turn by Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday. Many feel it is the greatest performance to never get nominated for an Oscar. I would agree.

And personally, as far as 'sketty Westerns go, I'd bet A Fist Full of Dollars on Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West.

I hear a lot of people say they prefer some "Once Upon a Time" or "A Fistfull of Dollars" to "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"...and I wonder if I just prefer the latter because it was the first one I saw.

I also think "The Last Crusade" is the best Indiana Jones movie. Could be the same reason.

I have to agree with Joe Scott. Tombstone should be on the list.

Wyatt Earp, while more historically accurate, was so dull I wished he'd just shot me and got it over with.

Also, I really like The Quick and the Dead. Is that going to get me lynched?

Chirs:

Quick and the Dead: There's nothing wrong with staring at Sharon Stone for a couple hours...and Gene Hackman is okay too. Still, yeah, get a rope!

Re: Tombstone: "I'm your huckleberry."

Another great western - though not a top ten-er by any means - is The Cowboys. It's sort of John Wayne's swan song wherein the Duke teaches a gaggle of young boys how to be a gang of spittin', drinkin', fightin', and swearin' gang of cattle hands, ready to put outlaws in their graves should the time call for it. It's no longer politically correct by any means, but it's a great film.

I don't dislike Tombstone -- and it's certainly easier to sit through than the longer, overblown but more historically accurate "Wyatt Earp" -- but Kilmer's really the only reason to see it more than once.

Back To The Future Part III count? :)