That’s what I’ve always heard anyway. I’ve also heard that VCI has had to delay their new widescreen Tennessee’s Partner (1955) till May 3rd. Production issues. I hate it’s delayed, but look on the bright side — this gives me yet another chance to post about an Allan Dwan Western.
Henry Cabot Beck brought this to my attention — Time Out‘s list of the The 50 Greatest Westerns. It’s quite a list, with some really interesting choices. There were a number of pictures I was happy to see make the list, and some things that made me scratch my head, such as Decision At Sundown (1958) being included, but not The Tall T (1957). Seven Men From Now (1956) was also there.
My list would naturally lean heavily on the 50s, but I was glad to see Monte Hellman’s The Shooting (1966) appear. And while you expect these things to never match what you’d pick yourself, I was kinda cheesed off that Silver Lode (1954) was omitted.
So look it over, gang, and let’s tear it apart.
The problem usually on lists of this sort is who’s in the top five, and in what order–and it’s always the same five. What’s fun about this particular list is all the dark horses, like El Topo, that they threw into it. And I can pretty much guarantee that no list this side of the Atlantic would put McCabe & Mrs. Miller at the top, loved (or not) though it might be. I want to see more eccentric lists of this sort–they’re far more entertaining. And I love the irate responses from readers–that’s half the fun.
I was pleased that the WWA put The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre in their list–I think it qualifies, as does Tommy Lee Jones’ Three Burials and No Country.
Now if only someone would toss in gooders like Robert Downey’s Greaser’s Palace, Zachariah (with Country Joe & The Fish), and one of my favorites, the fairly recent psychedelic Western, Renegade (AKA Bluberry).
Hmm, that’s certainly an interesting list.
I sometimes get the feeling that, while compiling these things, the writers have a sudden attack of “I know, let’s get deliberately controversial” and toss titles in for the sake of provocation. The selection of DECISION AT SUNDOWN certainly smacks of that.
Also, I did wonder at the inclusion of FORTY GUNS. I mean I like Fuller a lot, I even like the movie quite a lot – but one of the 50 greatest?
And since when did Ford’s 7 WOMEN become a western?
I also wondered about 7 Women. Haven’t seen it in a long time, but I remember enough to know I wouldn’t qualify it as a Western.
Forty Guns is also an odd choice. Significant certainly, but I don’t know if I’d go as far as great. However, it has one of the best openings of any film in any genre.
Some of the worst westerns ever made are on this list!
And that includes “Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid”
“Ride The High Country” would not only be my number one
but also is my favourite movie of all time!
I hope that Time Out staffer of many years back, Phil Hardy
had nothing to do with this list!
HCBeck, you have really un-made my day bringing this
travesty to my attention;still anyone who name-drops
Country Joe & The Fish cant be all bad.
GIMME AN F!!!!!!!!
I love going over “Best” lists and arguing with the pros and cons, but I felt this list was, shall I say…”uninformed.” I don’t even know where to start with critiquing it, so I won’t try. (big grin)
Best wishes,
Laura
The English are obsessed with worthless lists. From Time
Out to Empire magazine to Channel 4 (the worst offenders
and with the same mindset as Time Out)
They did a list of the Top 100 greatest Screen Actors a
while back. Guess what; the likes of Edward G and Cagney
did not even make the list but hey,Ewan McGregor clocks
in at number 7!
All these list compilers are beneath contempt and should
not be encouraged,here or anywhere else.
Anyway there is nothing like Encore Westerns in England
and the TV stations keep the same films time & time again.
Furthermore Robert Altman is my all time un-favourite
director.Anyone who likes his godawful “Nashville” should
check out Daryl Dukes wonderful “Payday”if they want to see a “real” movie.
I like Altman’s technique a lot, with the overlapping dialogue and stuff. And I can see why his pictures have become so beloved by some folks. Pictures like McCabe & Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, MASH and California Split I like a lot, but I’ve never quite seen the appeal of Nashville.
His overuse of the zoom lens drives me nuts. (Come to think of it, the lack of zooms may be one of the reasons I like older films so much.)
Payday is terrific. What a neglected picture that is.
I completely agree that lists are a total waste of time and ultimately mean nothing. Didn’t know the English were in love with them — I would’ve guess they were an exclusively American dawdle.
But for some reason, complaining about them and “correcting” them is a whole lotta fun. When Rolling Stone did their 500 Best Albums list, I practically had a stroke about the stuff that did or didn’t make the cut. Same goes with the many, many AFI lists. it can’t be long before they start working on the AFI’s 100 Best Movies Featuring A Chinchilla.
The value of this Time Out list for me? I watched The Shooting again the other night.
I’m not a huge fan of Altman myself, THE LONG GOODBYE annoys me but that may be down to Elliot Gould as much as anything, though his work does clearly have merit. Still, I’d never dream of putting McCABE in the top spot.
I get a kind of perverse enjoyment out of perusing lists; it’s hard to beat that chuffed feeling at seeing some of my own personal favourites lauded while simultaneously getting a vague sense of outrage at their being lumped in with apparent dross. I’ve found Time Out to be particularly adept at consistently hitting that combination of pain and pleasure.
Altman’s “The Long Goodbye” is so bad, that I felt I had to re-read the book if didn’t want the gost of Chandler to haunt me for the rest of my life. So – at least I got that out of it
It’s interesting that this list could very well be made by someone who hadn’t seen a single one of the movies included – or any western at all, for that matter. All that would be needed would be a decent knowledge of movie history and traditional lists of Great Westerns – and a strong determination to be “different” (“Look! I know that Arthur Penn did more than one western”).
Ivan’s response to this list at Thrilling Days Of Yesteryear are certainly worth checking out:
http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2011/04/best-of-west.html