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Classic Westerns on Blu-ray

post #1 of 25
3/15/13 at 8:07am
Thread Starter 
I love those oldies and I realize I don't have that many of them in my collection... Now since it's not a discussion about a specific "software" title, I decided to put it in this forum wink.gif

Here's the ones I have:

-Once Upon a Time in The West
-How the West Was Won
-The Searchers
-True Grit (Coens - not really an old classic but a pretty good one nonetheless)
-3:10 To Yuma (Crowe/Bale - same as above)
-The Magnificent Seven
-Unforgiven
-Stagecoach
-Dances With Wolves

I'll get Rio Bravo soon but I still have the special edition dvd for now...

I don't know if it's because they remind me of my childhood or something, and I'll say I'm still much younger than (most of) these classics wink.gif, but I watched many of them as a kid. As I watched How The West Was Won the other day, I realized that sometimes, that kind of movies simply makes me feel good and I like this. smile.gif

So what would you guys recommend? (Blu-ray only please)
Edited by Morpheo - 3/15/13 at 8:13am
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post #2 of 25
3/15/13 at 5:28pm
Thread Starter 
well I can't be the only fan of them good ole fashioned westerns! wink.gif I think my next purchases will most likely be Fort Apache, The Wild Bunch and High Noon... But I'm still waiting for more suggestions tongue.gif
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post #3 of 25
3/15/13 at 8:29pm
Skipping what you've already mentioned...

Spaghetti westerns are sort of a separate category, but the other Leone films are worthwhile:

  • A Fistful of Dollars
  • For a Few Dollars More (my favorite)
  • The Good the Bad and the Ugly

John Ford's Fort Apache is available.

Heaven's Gate is a trial, but sticks with you.

High rewatchability:
  • Jeremiah Johnson
  • The Professionals
  • The Wild Bunch

Many more I'm waiting for.

I've reviewed all of the above in the combined review threads.

-Bill
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post #4 of 25
3/16/13 at 12:55am
Open Range
Silverado
Quigley Down Under
Lonesome Dove
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Heaven's Gate
The Proposition
One Eyed Jacks
The Long Riders
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
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post #5 of 25
3/16/13 at 4:42am
Thread Starter 
Thank you both for your suggestions. I forgot to mention Silverado in my original post, which I already own. I think I'm gonna add Heaven's Gate to my grocery list. I trust Criterion won't disappoint.

...interesting list KOA! cool.gif
Open Range seems a little too recent (as 2010's True Grit and the 3:10 to Yuma remake actually).

@Bill, indeed spaghetti westerns are a separate category, but they are true classics of the genre. They require a different mood though than John Wayne's... wink.gif and your high rewatchability little selection is quite tempting. I think I saw Jeremiah Johnson only once and it was a looooooooooonnnng time ago tongue.gif I'm not sure I ever saw The Professionals; I'll check your review.
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post #6 of 25
3/16/13 at 5:32am
Quite a lot of Eastwood is still not on Blu-ray: particularly High Plains Drifter but I'd like to see Two Mules for Sister Sarah and even Joe Kidd again.

His The Beguiled is Civil War and has a fine, gothic feel. Off-beat for him.

There are a bunch of "small westerns" I'd like to revisit; new Blu-ray editions would be a good excuse:

  • The Stalking Moon
  • Will Penny
  • Monty Walsh (Lee Marvin)
  • Waterhole #3 (my favorite comedy western)


-Bill
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post #7 of 25
3/16/13 at 5:59am
Pretty much any of the John Ford titles, but "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" never fails to please.

The Cowboys should also be in any western collection.
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post #8 of 25
3/16/13 at 1:20pm
Not a classic western, but every classic western fan should watch Rango.
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post #9 of 25
3/16/13 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rdgrimes View Post

Pretty much any of the John Ford titles, but "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" never fails to please.

Indeed - unfortunately not yet available on Blu-ray. Hopefully sooner than later...
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post #10 of 25
3/16/13 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MovieSwede View Post

Not a classic western, but every classic western fan should watch Rango.

hehe... and yet I haven't seen it! I guess I should check it out! smile.gif
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post #11 of 25
3/16/13 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Morpheo View Post

hehe... and yet I haven't seen it! I guess I should check it out! smile.gif

It is so much fun! You really should...
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post #12 of 25
3/16/13 at 9:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rdgrimes View Post

Pretty much any of the John Ford titles, but "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" never fails to please.
.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Morpheo View Post

Indeed - unfortunately not yet available on Blu-ray. Hopefully sooner than later...

Actually, it is on BD.

http://www.amazon.com/Shot-Liberty-Valance-Blu-Ray-Reg/dp/B0098756DC/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1363493031&sr=1-1&keywords=the+man+who+shot+liberty+valance
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post #13 of 25
3/17/13 at 10:39pm
Try "The Last of the Dogmen" a modern western, not available on BD but has been on the premiums lately along with "The Mountain Men" also playing on the Sony movie channel in HD, both are favorites of mine...
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post #14 of 25
3/17/13 at 11:00pm
I'm a huge fan of The Big Country.

For a modern take on the western, I really liked Red Hill, an Australian work from just a few years ago. I posted the trailer on another thread, but here it is again.

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post #15 of 25
3/18/13 at 7:13am
Most that have been mentioned are all solid. I'd like to add "Young Guns" which never fails to please. Likewise, "Unforgiven". "Rio Bravo" never fails to please. My go-to western of all-time is, and always will be, "Tombstone." I'll have to echo Bill's choice for "The Wild Bunch." It will always stick with me because up to that point, people were simply shot in the movies with no blood to show for it. My buddy and I came out of the theater after watching it (I believe in '69) and all we could say was "whoa!" The whole visceral effect was eye-opening for a young teen.
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post #16 of 25
3/18/13 at 8:22pm
A lot of good ones on these lists. I would probably add Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Little Big Man, both available on Blu-ray now.

Some I don't believe are available on Blu-ray yet but ought to be are Shane, Red River, Hombre and, a really interesting Paul Newman starring western that, as far as I know, isn't even available on regular DVD, The Left Handed Gun.
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post #17 of 25
3/19/13 at 8:14am
There has been a Budd Boetticher revival recently and a good DVD box set. If the source film can take it, I would like BR copies of:


-Bill
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post #18 of 25
3/22/13 at 1:19pm
Anyone mention The Jack Bull? It's an original movie on HBO with John Cusack. Very cool. Can't find a blu-ray though.
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post #19 of 25
3/22/13 at 4:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by darthrsg View Post

Anyone mention The Jack Bull? It's an original movie on HBO with John Cusack. Very cool. Can't find a blu-ray though.

Me neither. Closest I found was one out of Germany.
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post #20 of 25
3/23/13 at 8:42am
I must also mention "The Wild Bunch," as the film is perfect in every way.

Its classic music score by Jerry Fielding was just released as a 3-CD set if you're also into listening to scores outside of their respective films.
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post #21 of 25
3/23/13 at 10:57am
Thread Starter 
Yesterday I found The Quick And The Dead for $4.99! So while it's not a "John Ford-Classic" type of thing, apparently it's an above average western... And believe it or not I've never seen it. I'll check it out tonight - Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, what's not to love? cool.gif
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post #22 of 25
3/23/13 at 11:34am
The Quick and The Dead is actually an old Louis L'Amour novel, and was previously done for HBO starring Tom Conti, Kate Capshaw and Sam Elliott. I prefer the previous version by far, its much closer to the novel.
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post #23 of 25
3/24/13 at 7:47am
I'm not that well-versed in Westerns but I just recently revisited The Outlaw Josey Wales and Pale Rider with my 6 year old daughter, and we both really enjoyed them. Yeah, the other parents are gonna love me when she starts dropping quotes like "Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms..."
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post #24 of 25
3/24/13 at 9:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by simontan View Post

I'm not that well-versed in Westerns but I just recently revisited The Outlaw Josey Wales and Pale Rider with my 6 year old daughter, and we both really enjoyed them. Yeah, the other parents are gonna love me when she starts dropping quotes like "Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms..."

Win.
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post #25 of 25
3/24/13 at 7:43pm
The Comancheros
Rio Bravo
Magnificent Seven
Searchers
High Noon
Gunfight at OK Corral
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