[quote=“scherpschutter, post:6640, topic:141”]Yes, Stanton is known for the fact that he thinks “Boot Hill” is better than “God 4gives… I don’t”[/quote]which is form of insanity.
Yeah, I’m mad, or in fact the only sane here, but I think Boot Hill is the best of the 3. But I like them all, and generally think that Colizzi was a fine SW director. There’s more about this in the film’s respective threads.
I don’t have a copy of TV or VHS versions of Ave Maria. I have a German fan dub of the Italian DVD, but unfortunately I’m not allowed to give it away.
There are at least 2 different fan dubs which are circling around. I know that Koch is trying to release the film, but the situation is probably still tricky. But so it was for Il mercenario and now, voila.
And generally said, if this forum is meant to be a place to search for informations and opinions about SWs, it would generally be better to post any thoughts about the films in the film’s threads. Meanwhile there must be a thread for most SWs, at least for all the so called important ones
And then to use this thread only for the “other” westerns. Bollywood, Hollywood, Holywood, Eastwood etc.
Haven’t seen Ace High yet so lets hope for a release.
I just watched “Broken Arrow” with James Stewart a western about the difficult peace with the indians.
7/10.
Watched around 80% of The Big Country. It looks good most of the time, but the plot is too corny. It´s also too long. Some nice actors in it though. Overall just not too impressive. Missed the end because it was dinner time, but didn´t really care. The Chinese food was great!
“Broken Lance” with Spencer Tracy has been watched.
8/10.
Long Days of Vengeance (Florestano Vancini)
Well well. What and odd one we have here. The film sounds and often looks like your normal, violent, hard edged, comic book style Spaghetti Western. But in reality, it is almost none of those. It has a vengeance theme, and at times is quite violent. It even has a few scenes that are pure Spaghetti. But the film is much more a drama than any other Spaghetti. Vancini’s directiorial choices are very odd for an Italian western. He often films the skirmishes and gunfights from a great distance. Taking on the point of view from a spectator. Also the offscreen violence is odd for a Spaghetti. But all these choices make for interesting viewing. Altogether, I’m undecided about this one.
“Forty guns” with Barry Sullivan has been watched.
7/10.
[url]http://img196.imageshack.us/i/l49619bd3cd34b1.jpg/[/url] [size=12pt]Pillars of the Sky[/size] (1956, George Marshall)
![http://img196.imageshack.us/i/l49619bd3cd34b1.jpg/[/url]](http://img196.imageshack.us/i/l49619bd3cd34b1.jpg/%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
You don’t see that very often: a Christian western, I mean a real Christian western. The Indians in it, living happily in a reservation, have adopted the Christian faith, and are all having biblical names now: Zacharias, Abraham, Aaron, one is even called Simon! But then the army starts to construct a road across the reservation, and the Indians feel betrayed. Because of the Christian message, the large action sequence, usually the climax and conclusion, starts after some 45 minutes. It lasts a quarter of an hour, leaving some thirty minutes for a reconciliation Christian style: the Indians and the cavalry end up together in a chapel, on their knees, asking god for forgiveness and advice! I’m not trying to be funny or disrespectful here, it’s just very odd to see a similar scene in a western. The Christian background has another consequence for the script: unhappily married beauty Dorothy Malone falls for gentle sergeant Jeff Chandler, but divorce is not done in this context: she goes back to her husband, wounded in combat.
The action sequence is quite good, and surprisingly violent considering the year of making. I watched the film in Spanish, without subs, to see how my ears are dealing with this language. Still some work to do.
I have no idea how many of these Christian westerns were made. Maybe they were aimed at the home market - or a segment of it - and not distributed abroad. This one was obviously made with a fairly high budget, but it’s not in Phil Hardy’s standard work on westerns. It’s also absent in a few other reference books.
”Garden of evil” with Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark, Susan Hayward and Cameron Mitchell has been watched. It’s a great western about greed and what that does to people who doesn’t have the strength to keep their cool when they are tempted by gold or women.
9/10.
Anyone seen HOW THE WEST WAS WON? I was toying with picking up the blu-ray as i’ve never seen it, it’s £9 in Sainsburys.
Thing is i find a lot of these older westerns boring.
[quote=“Yodlaf Peterson, post:6652, topic:141”]Anyone seen HOW THE WEST WAS WON? I was toying with picking up the blu-ray as i’ve never seen it, it’s £9 in Sainsburys.
Thing is i find a lot of these older westerns boring.[/quote]
In that case I think you won’t like it. It’s not bad, but it’s very long and it’s very old-fashioned. Personally I don’t dislike it, but I like old-fashioned stuff. I saw parts of the blu-ray disc at the local library here, and thought it had a bit of a (what I call) plastic look. Some of the old movies don’t stand the transfer to blu-ray very well, they start looking artificial. This is one of them.
Cheers Scherp
I just watched “Rancho notorious” with Arthur Kennedy And Marlene Dietrich.
8/10.
Just viewed Monte Walsh.
Charming film…what more can I say.
Saturday I watched Fury of Johnny Kid.
[quote=“Dorado, post:6655, topic:141”]I just watched “Rancho notorious” with Arthur Kennedy And Marlene Dietrich.
8/10.[/quote]
I really liked this. But then, I am a big fan of Lang.
I see you have been watching a lot of classic westerns lately; tell me, what did you think of Forty Guns as I am planning on viewing it soon.
The Great Train Robbery - Edwin S. Porter 1903
Some call it the 1st western and it looks pretty good for the year it was made.
Lot of things happening in only 12 min. A robbery, a shoot-out, a lovely dance scene and even a special effect when a man is thrown from the train.
The Hills Run Red rewatched last night - I’ll say a little on the appropriate thread.