Best Ever Western Films [LIST] - Games - Forums : Best Ever Albums

badseed

Gender: Male
Age: 35
Location: FL

Appreciate your patience while I messed around and put this off. Anyway here it is. Not going all out with pictures but I'll be providing points total, director and year of release. Also not breaking ties this time because in some cases there's no logical reason to break them.

Runners-Up: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Hang 'Em High, Cheyenne Social Club

100. Seven Men from Now - 62 points
Budd Boetticher (1956)

99. Rancho Notorious - 64 points
Fritz Lang (1952)

96. The Last Frontier - 65 points
Anthony Mann (1955)

96. The Professionals - 65 points
Richard Brooks (1966)

96. Wind River - 65 points
Taylor Sheridan (2017)

94. Open Range - 66 points
Kevin Costner (2003)

94. Heaven's Gate - 66 points
Michael Cimino (1980)

92. Keoma - 67 points
Enzo G. Castellari (1976)

92. How the West Was Won - 67 points
John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall (1962)

90. Last Train from Gun Hill - 69 points
John Sturges (1959)

90. Pale Rider - 69 points
Clint Eastwood (1985)

89. There Will Be Blood - 71 points
Paul Thomas Anderson (2007)

86. Support Your Local Sheriff - 74 points
Burt Kennedy (1969)

86. The Tall T - 74 points
Budd Boetticher (1957)

86. Wagon Master - 74 points
John Ford (1950)

84. The Ballad of Cable Hogue - 76 points
Sam Peckinpah (1970)

84. No Name on the Bullet - 76 points
Jack Arnold (1959)

83. The Man from Laramie - 77 points
Anthony Mann (1955)

82. 3:10 to Yuma - 79 points
James Mangold (2007)

81. Death of a Gunfighter - 80 points
Alan Smithee [Robert Totten & Don Siegel] (1969)

80. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - 82 points
John Huston (1948)

78. Deadlock - 84 points
Roland Klick (1970)

78. Westworld - 84 points
Michael Crichton (1973)

76. The Stalking Moon - 88 points
Robert Mulligan (1968)

76. The Westerner - 88 points
William Wyler (1940)

74. Jeremiah Johnson - 89 points
Sydney Pollack (1972)

74. Forty Guns - 89 points
Samuel Fuller (1957)

73. The Shooting - 90 points
Monte Hellman (1966)

72. Walker - 91 points
Alex Cox (1987)

69. Day of Anger - 92 points
Tonino Valerie (1967)

69. The Iron Horse - 92 points
John Ford (1924)

69. Bend of the River - 92 points
Anthony Mann (1952)

68. High Plains Drifter - 94 points
Clint Eastwood (1973)

66. The Hanging Tree - 97 points
Delmer Daves (1959)

66. Meek's Cutoff - 97 points
Kelly Reichardt (2010)

65. Little Big Man - 100 points
Arthur Penn (1970)

64. My Name is Nobody - 105 points
Tonino Valerii (1973)

63. Duel in the Sun - 107 points
King Vidor (1946)

60. The Big Gundown - 108 points
Sergio Sollima (1966)

60. Red Sun - 108 points
Terence Young (1971)

60. The Tin Star - 108 points
Anthony Mann (1957)

59. Day of the Outlaw - 109 points
Andre DeToth (1959)

58. Man of the West - 110 points
Anthony Mann (1958)

57. Companeros - 111 points
Sergio Corbucci (1970)

56. The Return of Ringo - 112 points
Duccio Tessari - 1965

55. Blazing Saddles - 115 points
Mel Brooks (1974)

53. Two Mules for Sister Sara - 116 points
Don Siegel (1970)

53. Death Rides a Horse - 116 points
Giulio Petroni (1967)

51. Ulzana's Raid - 119 points
Robert Aldrich (1972)

51. Hell or High Water - 119 points
Taylor Sheridan (2016)

49. Gunfight at the OK Corral - 122 points
John Sturges (1957)

49. Dances with Wolves - 122 points
Kevin Costner (1990)

48. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean - 127 points
John Huston (1972)

47. Warlock - 129 points
Edward Dmytryk (1959)

46. A Bullet for the General - 131 points
Damiano Damiani (1967)

45. No Country for Old Men - 135 points
Joel & Ethan Coen (2007)

44. The Shootist - 140 points
Don Siegel (1976)

43. The Far Country - 142 points
Anthony Mann (1954)

41. Fort Apache - 147 points
John Ford (1948)

41. Django - 147 points
Sergio Corbucci (1966)

39. Duck, You Sucker - 152 points
Sergio Leone (1971)

39. Ride the High Country - 152 points
Sam Peckinpah (1962)

38. The Big Country - 158 points
William Wyler (1958)

37. My Darling Clementine - 166 points
John Ford (1946)

36. Bone Tomahawk - 168 points
S. Craig Zahler (2015)

35. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - 170 points
Sam Peckinpah (1973)

34. Tombstone - 175 points
George P. Cosmatos (1993)

33. Destry Rides Again - 176 points
George Marshall (1939)

32. The Revenant - 177 points
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (2015)

31. The Naked Spur - 190 points
Anthony Mann (1953)

30. The Magnificent Seven - 200 points
John Sturges (1960)

29. Johnny Guitar - 202 points
Nicholas Ray (1954)

28. The Great Silence - 206 points
Sergio Corbucci (1968)

27. Dead Man - 218 points
Jim Jarmusch (1995)

25. True Grit - 228
Joel & Ethan Coen (2010)

25. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - 228 points
George Roy Hill (1969)

24. The Proposition - 229 points
John Hillcoat (2005)

22. Shane - 236 points
George Stevens (1953)

22. The Hateful Eight - 236 points
Quentin Tarantino (2015)

21. The Gunfighter - 240 points
Henry King (1950)

20. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - 247 points
Andrew Dominik (2007)

19. Red River - 254 points
Howard Hawks (1948)

18. Winchester '73 - 255 points
Anthony Mann (1950)

17. 3:10 to Yuma - 271 points
Delmer Daves (1957)

16. A Fistful of Dollars - 287 points
Sergio Leone (1964)

15. The Outlaw Josey Wales - 290 points
Clint Eastwood (1976)

14. The Ox-Bow Incident - 295 points
William A. Wellman (1943)

13. Django Unchained - 304 points
Quentin Tarantino (2012)

12. El Topo - 308 points
Alejandro Jodorowsky (1970)

11. Rio Bravo - 309 points
Howard Hawks (1959)

10. Unforgiven - 328 points
Clint Eastwood (1992)

9. For a Few Dollars More - 333 points
Sergio Leone (1965)

8. Once Upon a Time in the West - 334 points
Sergio Leone (1968)

7. Stagecoach - 339 points
John Ford (1939)

6. The Wild Bunch - 362 points
Sam Peckinpah (1969)

5. McCabe and Mrs.Miller - 380 points
Robert Altman (1971)

4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - 401 points
Sergio Leone (1966)

3. High Noon - 416 points
Fred Zinnemann (1952)

2. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - 428 points
John Ford (1962)

1. The Searchers - 438 points
John Ford (1956)

In total there were 214 individual films submitted from 12 lists. Four films made the most lists at 10 each: The Searchers, High Noon, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and Django Unchained. Conversely, seven films appeared on only one list but scored enough to make the final list: The Hanging Tree, The Stalking Moon, Deadlock, Death of a Gunfighter, Keoma, The Last Frontier, and The Professionals.

More stats plus thoughts to come. I just spent like 4 hours typing this up so I'm tired.

Last edited by badseed on 06/07/2018 07:51; edited 2 times in total

CA Dreamin

Gender: Male
Location: LA

StreetSpirit wrote:

1. High Noon (1952)
2. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
3. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966)
4. Stagecoach (1939)
5. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
6. The Wild Bunch (1969)
7. Dances with Wolves (1990)
8. Unforgiven (1992)
9. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
10. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
11. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
12. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
13. Rio Bravo (1959)
14. 3:10 to Yuma (1957)
15. The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
16. There Will Be Blood (2007)
17. The Searchers (1956)

Quote:

17. 3:10 to Yuma (1957) - 271 points
16. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) - 287 points
15. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) - 290 points
14. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) - 295 points
13. Django Unchained (2012) - 304 points
12. El Topo (1970) - 308 points
11. Rio Bravo (1959) - 309 points
10. Unforgiven (1992) - 328 points
9. For a Few Dollars More (1965) - 333 points
8. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) - 334 points
7. Stagecoach (1939) - 339 points
6. The Wild Bunch (1969) - 362 points
5. McCabe and Mrs.Miller (1971) - 380 points
4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) - 401 points
3. High Noon (1952) - 416 points
2. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) - 428 points
1. The Searchers (1956) - 438 points

It's hard to take recommendations when the top of my list and the top of our final list look so similar. Further down I see some unfamiliar territory. The big takeaway for me is I need to watch some non-Leone Spaghetti Westerns.

Before this poll, I had actually never seen an Anthony Mann Western. I knew he was well-known for his Westerns, but I was more familiar with him as a film-noir director. Thanks to that dailymotion channel, I was able to see Bend of the River, The Far Country, and The Tin Star. Unfortunately, that dailymotion channel doesn't have Winchester '73 plus a few other Mann Westerns which had no trouble making the final list anyway. Nevertheless, lots more for me to see next time I go through a Western phase.

So Ford, Wayne, Eastwood, Leone, and Mann dominate the list. Not a big surprise. They are kinda like the Mt. Rushmore of Westerns.

I am a little surprised the 1969 original version of True Grit is nowhere to be found, but the 2010 remake is high at #25. What's up with that? I have a theory. Several participants in this poll are very modern-leaning and likely haven't seen the original. The 2010 remake of True Grit has a great/recognizable cast (Bridges, Steinfeld, Brolin, Damon) and is directed by the Coens. For the those who have seen the original, off the top of your head, name the director and at least four cast members. Not as easy. Anyway, there's no denying the Coens remake is a great film that appeases everyone. Therefore, I reckon several modern-leaning BEA participants of this poll watched it, loved it, thus felt little need/desire to watch the original. If that is the case, I recommend the original.

badseed

Gender: Male
Age: 35
Location: FL

Meh. The original True Grit is good but not great. I'm surprised it didn't make it, but not that surprised. I can see how one might assume John Wayne's Oscar win means it's one of his better films, but it's not. The remake is way better. I'm more surprised at no She Wore a Yellow Ribbon when it comes to John Wayne, especially since Fort Apache scored quite well. Although I prefer Apache, I think Ribbon is the more popular film.

One thing I find interesting (if my memory serves me right) is that on our 60s list, most Sergio Leone films did phenomenal but For a Few Dollars More was considerably behind the rest in the low 90s. That film upped its performance this go round, leaving Fisful in the dust and winding up a single point behind Once Upon a Time in the West. Not sure if that film has grown in popularity or if the participants are considerably different this time but totally deserved. While his next two films get most of the "masterpiece" praise, FAFDM is just as good in my opinion.

Honestly I thought Leone would beat out Ford on this thing but I was wrong. I know there are some people out there that are put off by certain political aspects of The Searchers in particular. Liberty Valance I'm not quite as shocked about, even though it's generally speaking not considered top 3-5 Ford, because James Stewart owns BEA (conversely, My Darling Clementine, his most famous non-Wayne collab, didn't score as high as I expected). Once again kinda surprised Stagecoach was in the top 10 (like it was on the 30s list) but I still haven't watched it in years. Not that I dislike it (it made my list). Just recall it being a tad dated.

Also big ups to Robert Altman, one of our most underrated directors (He was #90-something on that list), for hitting the top 5.

Neo-Westerns didn't dominate as I once expected. That's mainly thanks to Gowi and I, who were the only users with a top 100, not including them. You can also thank us (and Chief) for basically any non-Leone spaghetti western making it.

hereforashortime

Gender: Male

StreetSpirit wrote:

off the top of your head, name the director and at least four cast members. Not as easy.

I haven't even seen the movie, but I know off the top of my head that it was directed by Henry Hathaway and stars John Wayne, Glen Cambell, Dennis Hopper, and Robert Duvall.
_________________
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PurpleHazel

StreetSpirit wrote:

Before this poll, I had actually never seen an Anthony Mann Western. I knew he was well-known for his Westerns, but I was more familiar with him as a film-noir director. Thanks to that dailymotion channel, I was able to see Bend of the River, The Far Country, and The Tin Star. Unfortunately, that dailymotion channel doesn't have Winchester '73 Nevertheless, lots more for me to see next time I go through a Western phase.

Bend of the River, The Far Country, and The Tin Star are three of his lesser westerns (though they're pretty good). Man of the West and The Naked Spur are essential viewing for anyone who want to delve into Mann. Winchester '73 and The Man From Laramie would be next. In a western poll on a cinephile site I belong to, Man of the West was #1.

Quote:

I am a little surprised the 1969 original version of True Grit is nowhere to be found, but the 2010 remake is high at #25. I have a theory. Several participants in this poll are very modern-leaning and likely haven't seen the original.

It's not just because of contemporary film-leaning members. The original True Grit, while enjoyable, is just above-average entertainment. The remake's more faithful to the novel, which has a great rep (haven't read it). The remake is a top 5 Coen Bros. film for me. John Wayne's still a big draw, so casting shouldn't make a big difference. I had the original on my initial list but dropped it because I didn't want two versions of movies on my list unless felt strongly about both.

Last edited by PurpleHazel on 06/02/2018 19:22; edited 2 times in total

CA Dreamin

Gender: Male
Location: LA

badseed wrote:

Meh. The original True Grit is good but not great. I'm surprised it didn't make it, but not that surprised. I can see how one might assume John Wayne's Oscar win means it's one of his better films, but it's not. The remake is way better.

I agree the remake of True Grit is better, but not my much. I feel the original deserves to be on here.

badseed wrote:

One thing I find interesting (if my memory serves me right) is that on our 60s list, most Sergio Leone films did phenomenal but For a Few Dollars More was considerably behind the rest in the low 90s. That film upped its performance this go round, leaving Fisful in the dust and winding up a single point behind Once Upon a Time in the West. Not sure if that film has grown in popularity or if the participants are considerably different this time but totally deserved. While his next two films get most of the "masterpiece" praise, FAFDM is just as good in my opinion.

Yup, For a Few Dollars More is great. Shows Lee Van Cleef didn't always play a villain. He's just great in everything.

badseed wrote:

Neo-Westerns didn't dominate as I once expected. That's mainly thanks to Gowi and I, who were the only users with a top 100, not including them. You can also thank us (and Chief) for basically any non-Leone spaghetti western making it.

Yes, thank you three for the exposure of non-Leone Spaghetti Westerns. Again I need to see them some day. I'll take a little credit for the lack of Neo-Westerns. My list wasn't 100, but no Neo-Westerns were on it. Still, a few made the final list...Hell or High Water, Wind River, No Country, etc. Plus Blazing Saddles and Westworld, smh. Prefer to see True Grit (1969) in place of any of those.

CA Dreamin

Gender: Male
Location: LA

StreetSpirit wrote:

Before this poll, I had actually never seen an Anthony Mann Western. I knew he was well-known for his Westerns, but I was more familiar with him as a film-noir director. Thanks to that dailymotion channel, I was able to see Bend of the River, The Far Country, and The Tin Star. Unfortunately, that dailymotion channel doesn't have Winchester '73 Nevertheless, lots more for me to see next time I go through a Western phase.

PurpleHazel wrote:

Bend of the River, The Far Country, and The Tin Star are three of his lesser westerns (though they're pretty good). Man of the West and The Naked Spur are essential viewing for anyone who want to delve into Mann. Winchester '73 and The Man From Laramie would be next. In a western poll on a cinephile site I belong to, Man of the West was #1.

I'm aware of those other Mann Westerns, but I haven't seen them, and they aren't on that dailymotion channel. I will get to them someday, somehow. Which cinephile site are you talking about?

StreetSpirit wrote:

I am a little surprised the 1969 original version of True Grit is nowhere to be found, but the 2010 remake is high at #25. I have a theory. Several participants in this poll are very modern-leaning and likely haven't seen the original.

PurpleHazel wrote:

It's not just because of contemporary film-leaning members. The original True Grit, while enjoyable, is just above-average entertainment. The remake's more faithful to the novel, which has a great rep (haven't read it). The remake is a top 5 Coen Bros. film for me. John Wayne's was a bigger star in the early 70s than Jeff Bridges is now, so casting should favor the original. I had the original on my initial list but dropped it because I didn't want two versions of movies on my list if I could avoid it.

Ok, so a couple participants have seen both versions, but much prefer the remake. Again, I prefer the remake too, but not by a wide margin. Perhaps my opinion on the original is above the norm, while my opinion on the remake is a little below. I still feel the original should be on the final list towards the bottom, but I won't argue with those who feel it doesn't belong at all (as long as you've actually seen it).

Hayden

Location: CDMX

This feels about right.

Plenty in the 50-100 range that I've never even heard of.

PurpleHazel

badseed wrote:

Honestly I thought Leone would beat out Ford on this thing but I was wrong.

Thought TGTB&TU would be #1 and Revenant would be in the top 10.

Quote:

Some people out there that are put off by certain political aspects of The Searchers.

The ambiguity of whether Wayne's a hero or an antihero and his racism are the main reasons the film's so great (and has its exalted rep). It's just that one awful scene with Jeffrey Hunter kicking the squaw that's repugnant.

Quote:

Liberty Valance I'm not quite as shocked about, even though it's generally speaking not considered top 3-5 Ford

The Sight & Sound and TSPDT? polls have it at #2 among Ford films. #1 for me.

Quote:

Neo-Westerns didn't dominate as I once expected. That's mainly thanks to Gowi and I, who were the only users with a top 100, not including them. You can also thank us (and Chief) for basically any non-Leone spaghetti western making it.

I only voted for a couple of neo-westerns that came out before 1965, and ones that wouldn't garner many votes. I voted for two non-Leone spaghetti westerns, so I did my modest part.

PurpleHazel

StreetSpirit wrote:

I won't argue with those who feel it doesn't belong at all (as long as you've actually seen it).

Even though it didn't make my final list, I wouldn't go as far to say it doesn't belong at all. There are movies that made the list that aren't as good.