What happened to this once great, and prevalent, genre of movies? Between the 1950s to 1980s the Western genre was very abundant; though they were starting to lose their appeal by the 80s. After that time, they all but dried up and blew away with the cliched tumbleweed never to have been really seen again. There were a couple in the early to mid-90s, then again in the early 2000s and 2010s, but they've never stayed around for longer than one or two fleeting movies at a time.
Now, you can argue that they genre just evolved to be included in, and melded with, others; such as SciFi (i.e. Firefly), Horror (i.e. Bone Tomahawk), Comic Book (i.e. Logan or Jonah Hex) or Modern Day (i.e. Justified). But a standard western needs to make a return, and soon. And I'm talking good guy vs. bad guys (or at least morally grey characters fighting each other), saloons, shootouts, quick-draw duels on main street at the stroke of high noon, large sweeping vistas and little to no CGI, and characters riding off into the sunset! Whether it's throwback to the romanticized cowboy or a revisionist take on an old, retired gunslinger; these are stories that could use a resurgence! And if for no other reason than for Hollywood to produce something other than mostly Comic Book adaptations (don't get me wrong, I enjoy Batman and Spider-Man movies, but a variety would be nice)!
And with all that out of the way, here are some of my favorite Westerns of all time!
5. Django Unchained (2012)
This is the newest movie on this list, but that doesn't make it any less of a modern classic of the genre!
Bounty-hunter Dr. King Schultz frees Django--a slave--and enlists him into his profession to track down wanted men. But soon after Django needs his help to find his wife that was sold to a ruthless plantation owner.
If you've ever wanted to see Quentin Tarantino tackle the western genre, this is it! A highly stylized revenge flick with all the Tarantino dialogue you can handle! And while the story is rather simple (like many stories of the genre) it's his characters, dialogue and style that help this one stand out!
And this film is chock-full of great actors! Christoph Waltz is a treat as Schultz, employer and mentor to Django; Jaime Foxx gives the right amount of style and determination to Django; and Leonardo DiCaprio is mesmerizing as the sadistic Calvin Candie! And that's not to forget the rest of the cast comprised of Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, James Remar, Jonah Hill, Don Johnson and many more!
And what more is there to say here? If a Tarantino directed western is something you've been looking for, then it's there waiting for you to enjoy! Then go check out The Hateful Eight as well!
4. High Plains Drifter (1973)
Looking for something that might have a slight supernatural bent? Then look no further than High Plains Drifter!
When a gun-slinging stranger rides into the town of Lago the townspeople quickly plead for his aid to protect them from returning outlaws. But little do they realize the stranger not only has a high cost for his services, but also have his own motives for being in the town.
Clint Eastwood decided to continue his Man With No Name persona (though this is not related) that he had been widely known for, and made this as his first western he directed. And what a film it is too! There's something to be said about a movie whose protagonist could be just as dangerous as the men he's supposed to be defending the town from. And I think that's why it's one of my favorite westerns. Watching the stranger wreak his own havoc on the town as his motives become more clear throughout the runtime is one of the best aspects of the film. It gives the story an extra sense on danger and dread until its ambiguous final shot.
Performances are good all around as well! Clint Eastwood, as The Stranger, had all but perfected this type of role by this point, and is just as good here. But I think one of the standouts is Billy Curtis, as Mordecai, one of the few townsfolk that are decent and try to do the right thing.
Go check this one out as soon as possible! If you like The Man With No Name Trilogy, you'll like this one as a spiritual successor!
3. Deadwood Series/Movie (2004-2006/2019)
It might be a slight cheat to have both the show and the movie in this spot. But the movie concludes the story that the show started, so I'll allow it. Plus it's my list and there's nothing you can do to stop me!
Set in Deadwood, South Dakota during late 1800s in a rough mining camp. The show follows the lives of Al Swearengen, the local brothel and saloon owner; Seth Bullock, a former lawman trying to start a new life; and Wild Bill Hickok--along with many others. Their lives begin to intertwine as more and more outside disturbances--such as a new saloon owner, a wealthy tycoon and the U.S. Government--begin to move into the camp.
And that's about the best, and shortest, description of the show I can get across as it's a show packed with side-characters and subplots for it's 3 season (and movie) run. And that's the best thing about this show, it's so rich with a diverse cast of characters that you get a pretty good sense of pretty much everyone's wants and motivations throughout it runtime. Now, there are standouts, of course; Al Swearengen, played by Ian McShane, is hands down the best (and most prominent) character as you watch him do everything he can to scheme to keep control of what power his has on the camp. Then you have Seth Bullock, played by Timothy Olyphant, a retired lawman just wanting to start a new life by opening a hardware shop to sell goods to would-be miners hoping to strike gold, but as time goes by he once again has to put on the badge.
And make no mistake, while there are some villainous characters here, the good ones are just as likely to do something questionable as well. Every one of these characters tend to do things that will suit their own interests, and they tend to help others if it will benefit them in some way. That's not to say they're all cutthroats or anything, they just feel like they make more human choices in the end.
So, if you're looking for a different type of western, look no further than Deadwood!
2. Tombstone (1993)
What a fun, almost perfect, movie this is! If you know someone who's never seen a western before, this is the best one you could possibly show them!
Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Morgan and Virgil, arrive in the town of Tombstone looking to make their fortune and become reacquainted with an old friend, Doc Holiday. But soon after they are thrust into the roles of lawmen, when a group of outlaws calling themselves, The Cowboys, begin to terrorize the town, leading to the historic shoot-out at the O.K. Corral.
Easily the most re-watchable film on this list! And for good reason! The cast here are all excellent, bringing the right performance to all their characters. Sam Elliot and Bill Paxton, as Virgil and Morgan respectively, while not having a ton of screen time, make their presence felt both on and off screen. Powers Boothe looks like he's having a ball playing the villainous leader of The Cowboys and Michael Biehn stands out as his right hand man.
And, of course, there's Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday. And what else is there to say that hasn't already been said about this performance? The movie becomes even more electric every time he is on screen and any actor that plays Doc Holiday will forever be in the shadow of that legendary performance!
Wondering where Kurt Russell is for my praise of this film? I wanted to give him his own solo spot. I feel when people talk about this movie they always bring up Doc Holiday first, and for good reason. But it always feels like Kurt Russell's turn as Wyatt Earp gets almost pushed back to a secondary character, like Virgil and Morgan, when he is quite literally the glue that holds this film together. Not only did he bring the right type of stoicism to the role, but rumors have it (and Val Kilmer later confirmed it) that he stepped in behind the camera to ensure the film stayed on track and they got the shots they needed; basically doing some ghost directing. And I think that's worthy of some praise!
So, if you, or someone you know, are looking for an all-around great western, look no further than Tombstone!
1. Unforgiven (1992)
God. Damn. For me, this is the best western ever made. While the others helped solidify my growing interest and appreciation for the genre, this one got me through the door! Before I was introduced to this masterpiece (not a word I throw around a lot, mind you) I never really cared much for western movies. I always saw them as the typical "good guys in white hats fighting bad guys in black hats" or more like "John Wayne" type of westerns. The characters never seemed particularly interesting to me as most of them were good guys out to win the day. And before you ask, I wasn't introduced, or cared about, the Spaghetti Westerns that came out before. It wasn't until my dad bought this movie on DVD and suggested I might like it as it wasn't what I considered a typical western; and he was absolutely right!
Unforgiven follows William Munny(Clint Eastwood), a retired gunslinger, as he and his old friend Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) take on one last job to help a young bounty hunter known as "The Schofield Kid"(Jaimz Woolvett).
And while that doesn't sound like much of a story--or at least a worn out one--it's how it's told that keeps you engaged until the end.
This is a dark film, filled with characters with dark pasts. It's a very grounded film giving off a more authentic feel to how the west might have been in some ways. This is not a good guys vs bad guys film; these are morally bankrupt people trying to make a living or maybe just trying to redeem their past sins.
This movie is downright perfection for me. Everything from the performances--I dare you to take your eyes from the screen whenever the characters are present; to the cinematography with its gorgeous color pallet and wide expansive shots. Even the editing is exactly how it needs to be, allowing the characters time to breathe; for you to get to know them and in turn allow them to grow. Make no mistake, this is not a fast paced, action packed movie, its a slower character driven piece. But when the violence does start it has the the right amount of weight to it that this story should.
Let's backtrack to those performances for a moment. Clint Eastwood gives one of, if not the, best performance of his career as William Munny; bringing us a world-weary man who never really reconciled with his past, thrust back into it once more. Morgan Freeman brings the smallest of levity as William's friend and old partner. Gene Hackman is great as the antagonist, giving the right amount of menace, but also humanity. And Richard Harris has a memorable role as an aged gunfighter, who may not be as true to that persona as he lets on; tying him into one of the revisionist themes here.
God, I miss movies like this!
And I could continue to gush about this film all day if I could, but I think I'll leave it at where it is. I cannot recommend this movie enough. If you like westerns, or just slower character driven movies, you can do any better than Unforgiven!
And that's my list! Let me know what you think in the comments! And what are some of your favorite western?
And before we go, here a few quick bonus recommendations!
Open Range (2003)
Kevin Costner stars as a former gunslinger forced to take up arms when a corrupt lawman threatens him and his cattle crew.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
A bounty-hunter and his prisoner take refuge from a winter storm in a cabin full of other shady characters!
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
A woman enters a dueling contest to seek justice for her father's death.
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
A rancher agrees to watch over an captured outlaw before being put on a train to Yuma for his trial.
The Shootist (1976)
A terminally-ill gunfighter looks for a way out on his own terms while still holding on to his dignity.
True Grit (2010)
A farm girl hires a tough U. S. Marshall to track down the man who killed her father.
Blazing Saddles (1974)
In this western spoof, a corrupt politician hires a black sheriff to try to ruin the town. But he soon finds out the sheriff is a formidable adversary to his plot!
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