Would this include (he, he) our recent, wildly off-topic discussion on post-modernism in art on this thread (it start’s with lordradish’ post: “Speaking of controversy…”): http://forum.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/topic,1292.240.html? 
Over-intellectualisation of some films is a bad thing, but others were designed to be discussed, be analysed, be interpreted and doing so can lead me to see new things in movies I thought I knew very well, although that could well be just me.
I have gotten to the point where I do not "think" too much about cinema, anymore, Stanton. I am a bit bored by what I perceive as an increasing tendency of fans to over-intellectualize films
I plead guilty, but then again Chris & I are great friends, so he seems to be inclined to forgive me my sins …
Hey, welcome back Chris!
I don’t think I could make my own top 20 US westerns yet, I just haven’t seen that much of them. The Wild Bunch, Unforgiven and the newest True Grit would probably be in it though, as well as that little b-western called Colorado Sundown. Personally, when I make top something lists it’s always about what I love more (which admittedly, can sometimes be difficult to say).
John, what’s about the results?
I’m curious …
Uh… this week, I assure you.
With 16 lists, here is the inaugeral SWDB Top 20 U.S. Westerns of All Time!
[size=18pt]The Wild Bunch[/size] – 237
Pat Garret & Billy the Kid – 124
Unforgiven – 118
High Noon – 115
Ride the High Country – 89
Rio Bravo – 86
High Plains Drifter – 83
One-eyed Jacks – 80
The Outlaw Josey Wales – 79 / Ride Lonesome – 79
The Searchers – 75
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – 71 / My Darling Clementine – 71
Pale Rider – 64
The Magnificent Seven – 62
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – 58
Tombstone – 54
Jeremiah Johnson – 53 / Lawman (1971) – 53
El Dorado – 51 / The Professionals – 51
The Gunfighter – 49
The Naked Spur – 46
True Grit (2010) – 45
Dead Man – 44 / Little Big Man – 44
Vera Cruz – 42
Hombre – 41
The Ox-Bow Incident – 40
The Hunting Party – 39 / Warlock – 39
Shane – 38
The Man from Laramie – 37
The Tall T – 36
Two Mules for Sister Sara – 35
Forty Guns – 34 / Stagecoach – 34
The Far Country – 32
The Ballad of Cable Hogue – 30
Doc – 29 / McCabe and Mrs. Miller – 29
Bend of the River – 27 / Open Range – 27
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford – 26 / Ulzana’s Raid – 26
The Culpepper Cattle Company – 24 / Day of the Outlaw – 24 / Major Dundee – 24
Posse – 23
Chato’s Land – 22 / Fort Apache – 22 / Monte Walsh (original) – 22
Man of the West – 21 / Posse from Hell – 21 / Yellow Sky – 21
Comanche Station – 20
3:10 to Yuma (remake) – 19 / The Shooting – 19
Heaven’s Gate – 18
Duel at Diablo – 17 / 3:10 to Yuma (1957) – 17
Django Unchained – 16 / Winchester ’73 – 16
Buchanan Rides Alone – 15 / Gunfight at the O.K. Corral – 15 / Hang’em High – 46. 15 / Silverado – 15 / She Wore a Yellow Ribbon – 15
The Big Country – 14 / Last Train from Gun Hill – 14
Johnny Guitar – 13 / Macho Callahan – 13 / Support Your Local Sheriff! – 13
Colorado Territory – 12 / Cowboys and Aliens – 12 / 100 Rifles – 12
Blazing Saddles – 11 / Deathhunt – 11 / Shanghai Noon – 11
The Hired Hand – 10
Blood on the Moon – 9 / Mackenna’s Gold – 9 / Man with the Gun – 9 / Seven Men from Now – 9 / Soldier Blue – 9 / The Tin Star – 9
The Badlanders – 8 / The Shootist – 8 / Tom Horn – 8 / True Grit – 8 / The True Story of Jesse James – 8
Breakheart Pass – 7 / Dawn at Socorro – 7 / Hour of the Gun – 7 / Terror in a Texas Town – 7
Boss Nigger – 6 / The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean – 6 / The Quick and the Dead – 6 / Ride, Vaquero! – 6 / Something Big – 6 / Tell Them Willie Boy is here – 6
Barbarosa – 5 / Broken Arrow – 5 / The Deadly Trackers – 5 / Four Guns to the Border – 5 / The Spikes Gang – 5
The Last of the Fast Guns – 4 / The Last Hard Men – 4 / The Long Riders – 4 / The Stalking Moon – 4 / Union Pacific – 4 / Young Guns – 4
Appaloosa – 3 / Barquero – 3 / Rancho Notorious – 3 / Red River – 3 / Santa Fe Trail – 3 / The Violent Men (1953) – 3
Buck and the Preacher – 2 / Doge City – 2 / The Paleface – 2 / Three Amigos – 2 / Time for a Killing – 2 / Wagonmaster – 2
Cat Ballou – 1 / Dances with Wolves – 1 / Louis L’Amour’s Quick and the Dead – 1 / Man without a Star – 1 / Rio Grande – 1 / Seraphim Falls – 1 / Welcome to Hard Times – 1 / Wyatt Earp – 11 / Zachariah – 1
Thanks for the effort John “Ruthless” Welles. 
Great stuff John and nice to see The Wild Bunch at the number one slot.
Some conclusions:
I would have expected The Wild Bunch to top the list without seeing any of the Top 20’s, it seems logical that the more violent type of westerns are more popular among spaghetti western fans, and Bloody Sam is of course identified with bloody violence.
Also predictable that Clint Eastwood would score high with his westerns, but it surprises me a little that his more thoughtful Unforgiven beats the more action-oriented efforts.
Ford and Hawks are still the kings of the classic western, and far more popular than others like Mann, Walsh or Boetticher.
High Noon is far more popular than Shane.
Surprisingly popular: The Hunting Party (but it is violent), Lawman (same story)
Surprisingly low marks: Ulzana’s Raid, Red River (Hawks is defined as the director of the Rio Trio, so it seems)
Apart from the good marks for Ford and Hawks, I find it good to know that more thoughtful, less violence-oriented movies like Butch cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Monte Walsh, Jeremiah Johnson, The Gunfighter, Warlock and Ride the High Country are still watched and loved by younger generations. There’s hope, for both the future and the past.
Nice work, John. Interesting list, there’s couple of titles I haven’t seen in top20 (or top24). I will be definitely watching those in future.
Two from the Top 50 I haven’t seen: Doc + 3:10 to Yuma (remake)
Not sure about Death Hunt (it’s a Bronson movie, if I’m not mistaken, and I often mix his films up, they all then to blur into one movie starring Chuck and Jill)
It’s quite an odd Top 20, looking at it, with twenty four films (of which I’ve seen seventeen) and certainly a widespread. I’m surprisied that both the Coen Bros.’ True Grit and the one-two of Jeremiah Johnson and Lawman. I didn’t think a Michael Winner film would crack the top twenty (one I will have to check out). Clint Eastwood is by far the most popular director with four films in there (with ol’Sam having three). I’m surprised that Mann almost didn’t crack it (only two points away from position no. 21) and that Boetticher is has one film that is very widely loved, but his next movie is forty three points down. I am sad to see not much affection for Nicholas Ray’s Westerns. The remake of 3:10 to Yuma is (slightly) more popular than the original.
Lawman is really a surprise to me. Good cast, but by no means a good film.
I should really watch 3:10 the remake, don’t know why I haven’t so far. I have the DVD (got it for free from my newspaper a while ago)
Chris Casey managed to list a few movies I hadn’t even heard of. Good old Chris.
How many people voted? With a larger base things would be more clear, as it is right now the first choices of each voter have more gravity and influence strongly the results.
I am sad to see not much affection for Nicholas Ray's Westerns.
Apart from Johnny Guitar, what notable Westerns has he done? I had a quick look at imdb and none are immediately familiar.
He did Run for Cover with James Cagney and The True Story of Jesse James which was re-cut against his wishes.
And a famous Rodeo western set in the present: The Lusty Men with Robert Mitchum. Oopps, one I haven’t watched yet.
The first one (of only 3) which I haven’t seen yet is Boss Nigger on # 55.
Lawman is a great film for me. Just love the way Lancaster is tunnel visioned in his quest and does not flinch from what he sees is right.
The Last of the Fast Guns and Zachariah are the other 2 i never came across.
16 people have so far voted. As you say, one voter right now has a lot of sway over the list; for example, Comanche Station (at position no. 39) could get to no. 20 with one #1 vote.
Apart from Johnny Guitar, what notable Westerns has he done? I had a quick look at imdb and none are immediately familiar.My love for [b]The True Story of Jesse James[/b] (cut around with as it is) blinded me to the fact that only [b]Johnny Guitar[/b] is actually highly regarded.
3:10 to Yuma (remake) Shanghai Noon (watched a few minutes while it was on TV) Terror in a Texas Town (not sure) Rancho Notorious[b]3:10 to Yuma[/b] remake is a good, aggressive Western, but by no means a masterpiece of the best Western of the '00s. It's still worth a watch though. [b]Shanghai Noon[/b] is a pretty funny Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson Western comedy, but it isn't the best in that sub-genre and neither is it Jackie Chan's finest hour (although it is his Best American film). [b]Terror in a Texas Town[/b] is a low-budget B-movie that I haven't seen in years but sticks in my mind for its unusualness, in particular its climax. Certainly a recommend, as is Fritz Lang's [b]Rancho Notorious[/b], which I voted for, an excellent revenge-driven film.
I am still disappointed that Stagecoach did not chart higher.
For members who haven’t voted yet, you can submit your list anytime!
Stagecoach has a very simple and basic feel for a SW audience. And probably generally for an audience interested less in very old films.
That TWB “wins” this voting is surely not a surprise, cause it was clear that here the 60s/70s would be preferred to the “classic” western. I’m only surprised about the bigger than expected advance.
TWB is for the US western (at least for the 60s and 70s, but for me in general) what OuTW is for the SW. A superior film totally different in ambition and visual style to the rest. A league of its own.
And Pat Garett & Billy the Kid is for me just like GBU the logical 2nd. But surely is for that position much more controversial than GBU.