Had planned to watch the extended version of Major Dundee on Blu-ray but ended up watching the theatrical cut since I can’t stand the new score. I suppose it’s a flawed film regardless of which version you watch but the extended is preferable provided that you can watch it with the original soundtrack, which I have always liked despite the criticism. I guess I’ll stick with with the DVD in future. It’s strange that the Blu-ray didn’t also provide the original audio as an option.
How The West Was Won (1962)
All the cinerama shots, big names and large budget can’t help this messy romanticization. A movie that’s neither compelling nor a proper history lesson… worth watching (once), but not half as good as the genre it boasts to be crowning.
2.5/5
Finally watched One-Eyed Jacks.
3.5/5.
Rio Bravo, because one of my family friends liked it. I wanted to see how it compared to one of my favourite films, High Noon. The pacing, while leisurely, got to the point where the movie seemed to forget there was a plot. It even had time to throw in a cute little jam session. I liked the beginning, though, and how it was done.
The music was good and the photography was really something at times. The main characters were annoying though. The only one I was into at all was Dean Martin’s character.
Western World (2017)
Saw the poster on a movie site and decided to check it out. Well, it turned out to be a low-budget amateur affair with the usual ingredients. Bad acting, bad directing, bad writing and shooting scenes that were pretty poorly done. Waste of time this was, nice poster though.
Excellent film.
Would love to see it!
Red Sundown, with Rory Calhoun and Dean Jagger.
Earlier today I saw it listed elsewhere on this forum in a list of good 1950s American westerns.
Next up – Fort Dobbs, with Clint Walker.
“A Good Day for a Hanging” (1959)
“Gunman’s Walk” (1958)
40 Guns
-Sam Fuller’s classic western. Leone was obviously influenced by this film, there’s the extreme close up of eyes during the showdown scene and the group of 40 gunmen reminded me of wild bunch from My name is Nobody.
Django the Bastard
-Rewatched this from Retrovision dvd. Finally a good looking version.
After reviewing “The Guns of Fort Petticoat” a few weeks ago, a friend told me that this movie, Showdown, was one of his favorite Audie Murphy westerns. I had never heard of it. It’s actually not too well-known, maybe because it was shot in black & white. But it’s a nice little western. Here’s my review:
The Homesman
A story set in the west as I understood.
I like directors that take time to tell a story and Tommy Lee Jones did that. I liked the movie apart frome some odd bits (introducing Mr. Briggs in a slapstick manner, the unexpected end of Mary Bee Cuddy and the part at the hotel.
But the mnages are strong and therewith I enjoyed the movie.
Yesterday: Brimstone (Koolhoven, 2017). Grim but outstanding period piece about a mute woman (Dakota Fanning) on the run from a psychopathic preacher (Guy Pearce). Also features turns by Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington and Carice van Houten. Highly recommended, but it’s not a western to doze off to in front of the family on a Sunday afternoon. Strictly grown-ups only, this one.
Watched High Plains Drifter & The Outlaw Josey Wales. They were okay.
Just okay? 
The Outlaw Josey Wales is one of the best American westerns in my opinion.
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When I first saw it in cinemas, I thought it was overlong and preachy. My thoughts about it are a bit more positive these days, but it has never become a favorite movie. I prefer High Plains Drifter and Pale Rider; Both have flaws as well, but to me they’re more fun to watch
I loved whenever Josey spat on the dog, and it was great to see Bill McKinney in something other than Deliverance.
I still need to see Pale Rider and Joe Kidd. Thoughts on those?
Pale Rider is great in my opinion, but others weren’t too positive about the movie, Joe Kidd is a minor genre movie. An okay watch, but nothing special. Should’ve been a lotter better with that cast and director
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Yes, Joe Kidd is a bit underwhelming for both, Eastwood and John Sturges. Ok for a watch though. 4/10
Josey Wales is one which grew on me through the decades. 8/10
And Pale Rider is somewhere between those 2. Characters are not interesting, and the story is a bit too basic. 6/10
Other Eastwoods:
Hang em Low 6/10
Two Mules for Sister Sara 6/10
High Plains’s Drifter 6/10
Unforgiven 8,5/10
Sad that Clint did not make the one or another western more in his long, long career.
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Ooh, a Clint-rankin’ western roundup! Yee-haaa!
- The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
- Unforgiven
- For a Few Dollars More
- High Plains Drifter
- A Fistful of Dollars
- The Outlaw Josey Wales
- Pale Rider
- Two Mules For Sister Sara
- Hang 'em High
- Joe Kidd
- Paint Your Wagon
Like Scherp, I had a considerable preference at one time for Pale Rider over Josey Wales but, whilst I maintain that Pale Rider is an entertaining pic (certainly more immediately rewarding than Josey Wales anyway) my appreciation for Josey Wales has deepened as I’ve got older to a point where I think I prefer it now, ever-so-slightly. It’s close between those two, anyway.