This is a hard one for me i love john ford,pekinpah and mann.wondering what others think.
sure it’s Sam Peckinpah!
Hard to choose directors from very different times,for me also pekinpah cause of the graphic use of violence.
I got to go with Sam, the others were from a more innocent & different time they are a bit too preachy now in their dialogs and story lines, we all know that life isn’t perfect and the bad guys don’t always loose.
Ford, Hathaway, & Mann cinematograhically though are still great.
Hey you forgot to mention Eastwood. He’s directed several American Westerns as well as Budd Boetticher,he made some fine films. But as to your list, It’s a very tough choice, I’m a fan of all these directors, but I’ll probably go with John Ford
[quote=“Phantom Stranger, post:5, topic:217”]Hey you forgot to mention Eastwood. He’s directed several American Westerns as well as Budd Boetticher,he made some fine films. But as to your list, It’s a very tough choice, I’m a fan of all these directors, but I’ll probably go with John Ford.[/quote] your right stranger,boetticher should have defintly been on the list.
I can understand that you americans like old classical westerns, but they are a million miles away from spaghettis. However from the late sixties and onwards some american westerns have been made that are fairly good I think. But even so I prefer the stylized western-operas from europe instead 
I also like good Spaghetti westers above the american made westerns.
Of the list Ford is my facorite. Seeing the time when he made his films they are wonderful shot. He has an eye for the landscape. This is what I like most about the western in general.
Of Peckinpah i like most “The Wild Bunch”. That is because it gets close to a Spaghetti western in my opinion.
sturges should be mentioned as well, and late directors like eastwood and costner
Martin Ritt actually did a great job with Hombre, Paul Newman, Richard Boone, Cameron Mitchel, you can almost here a Jew’s Harp twang after Newman’s one liners, and it has a three way shoot out at the end. One of my favorites.
still haven’t seen Hombre. I almost read the novel, though, by Emore Leonard. I am gonna start a topic about western novels I think
Are the novels by Karl May still popular in Germany?
Sure, so do I think. Because there are a few cities celebrating every year a special Karl May festival. I hope the novels won’t die out in the next 1000000000000000 years 
[quote=“Silvanito, post:7, topic:217”]I can understand that you americans like old classical westerns, but they are a million miles away from spaghettis. However from the late sixties and onwards some american westerns have been made that are fairly good I think. But even so I prefer the stylized western-operas from europe instead ;)[/quote]so whats your point?
No particular point, just that old american westerns are not for me, but some of the newer ones are pretty good.
the poll lacks choices
I’ve included more choices.
For me it’s “Bloody Sam” Pat Garret is so good, and the Wild Bunch is one of my top films of all time! He helped change the face of Hollywood and they hated him for it. God bless Sam.
well I just watched the wild bunch two days ago, so I have to say peckinpah, I wish I could see more from him.
Sam Peckinpah, Clint Eastwood and Walter Hill.
Has any one seen Walter Hill’s “The Long Riders” it is one of my favourite U.S. westerns.you can see the Peckinpah appreciation in some scenes (Hill also scripted “The Getaway” with Peckinpah) Walter Hill also directed the pilot episode of “Deadwood” (What a show!)