Real Westerns

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AcWxRadar

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Apr 26, 2006
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40 miles NW of Omaha. Omaha?
This may be a little off topic from satellite stuff, but I need to know... Why don't they make westerns, good westerns like High Noon, True Grit, Eldorado, Rio Lobo, Rio Bravo, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, etc. anymore? Am I the only one left in this world who appreciates these movies? I think not. I think that they aren't making good western movies any longer because the writers are junkies and don't have a clue about real life. What do you think?

RADAR

YouTube - My Rifle, My Pony and Me - Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson
 
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is probably my favorite Western :) ... It's hard to say that with absolute certainty, as there are so many good ones, but I'm always happy after I watch it. It is extremely funny, but serious at the same time. No fluff, and I like my Westerns gritty. Sergio Leone used close-ups masterfully in this film, and the Ennio Morricone score is timeless.
 
For the same reason that most shows in prime time on the major networks are so bad, All the good writers aren't with us any more.
 
And they keep remaking the old classics.... coming up is True Grit.
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To me, no matter how good the remake is, True Grit with Rooster Cogburn will always be the John Wayne movie.
Even the various western series such as Gunsmoke and The Virginian always had a good or funny story. They did not rely on the over the top special effects. Too many movies today concentrate on the special effects and forget there is a story.
 
Good luck trying to find any good cowboys today. I can't think of one. John Wayne made it look easy. I met many of the old school cowboy actors back in 1991 at the Grand Opening of the Wild West Show at Universal. If I remember they had Denver Pyle, Hugh Obrain, Patrick Wayne(son of John Wayne) Harry Carey Jr, Hal Needham etc. A few of them talked to the local media before and after the show and some said it was time to move on. I agree.

One thing they shouldn't do it remake any of the classics. It's stupid to do so. And I don't see any movie studio going on location to shoot in a real location.

Perhaps after the sucess of the video game Red Dead Redemption they might find a way to make a movie out of it.

As for the violence in the old western movies it's tame compared to today.
 
Spacejocks and Reavers

Unforgiven was the last good western I remember. With, of course, Clint Eastwood.

However for that "Western Vibe" in future "Wild Space" genre I suggest you check out the short lived "Firefly" TV show (especially Train Job)and its movie Serenity.
 
"The Cowboys" was 1 of my favorite Duke westerns. It's hard to make a criticism of western violence when many of the sitcoms today are filled with mindless sexual situations that don't add anything to the plot, and there are so many other primetime shows showing the bodies of murder victims in various stages of decay or dissection on the autopsy table. Doesn't speak well for our society that we would tolerate this garbage. One of the many reasons I'm thankful for the FTA alternative.
 
The western / scifi connection.

Serenity is a great scifi movie, and I would agree it is similar to a gritty western adventure.

Gene Roddenberry pitched his original Star Trek series as a "Wagon Train to The Stars" according to a book I have. Roddenberry was already well known at that time as a top script writer for TV westerns.
 
"The Cowboys" was 1 of my favorite Duke westerns. It's hard to make a criticism of western violence when many of the sitcoms today are filled with mindless sexual situations that don't add anything to the plot, and there are so many other primetime shows showing the bodies of murder victims in various stages of decay or dissection on the autopsy table. Doesn't speak well for our society that we would tolerate this garbage. One of the many reasons I'm thankful for the FTA alternative.

The Cowboys for sure. I saw this with my father and I remember the reaction in the audience when John Wayne gets it from Bruce Dern. Many people in the audience were very upset including my father. Bruce Dern said he received many negative reactions from people who liked Wayne after the movie came out. And the kids in the movie said they were afraid of Bruce Dern while they made the movie. A credit to his acting . Wayne did a TV special about America called John Waynes Tribute to Amercia that was shown on NBC. You can get it on DVD. Some of the actors from that Movie appeared on that special.
 
TVArchives,
That is an interesting bit of behind-the-scenes information. I think I remember seeing at least part of John Wayne's America, but not sure where. On THC or BIO maybe?
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You can buy it on Amazon and also netflix has it. It also includes the time John Wayne was on What's My Line. He gets a huge round of applause and one of the panel members said after they figured out who he was that only John Wayne would get that kind of applause. It has a ton of stars in it and it starts out with the original NBC Peacock. My kids watched it because it's a good history lesson as well. Amazon.com: John Wayne's Tribute to America: John Wayne: Movies & TV@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51U4MQarHoL.@@AMEPARAM@@51U4MQarHoL
 
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The wild west and the yearning to see a plot unfold in a classic movie like True Grit is definitely not dead nor a bygone era! You folks have proven that there is a definite desire and market for these films still today! Oh! How I thank you for simply being supportive of such films! It makes me feel very good inside that there are still others out there that find this genre important and valuable! Not to mention, simply entertaining as all heck!

For all of you who liked the John Wayne movie, The Cowboys, I am right there with you on that! Heck, just look at my signature below!

Thumbs up :up to all the CLASSIC WESTERN FANS! You all have made my day, today! :)

RADAR
 
Harry Tracy and Wild Bill were 2 of my favorites, both based on real people. I wish they would do something on Soapy Smith.:D
 
Two words... Lonesome Dove

I didn't know it until recently, but it was supposed to be made into a movie in the 70s with John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and Henry Fonda, but the deal fell through.
 
Yep, Lonesome Dove is going to be a timeless classic [already is IMO]. The thing about Lonesome Dove is, the story and writing was so strong that it didn't take those big-name stars to pull it off. Not that Tommy Lee Jones and the others were no-namers - they were outstanding, just saying the content was bigger than the actors. Actual no-namers could still have made it a classic. "Legends of the fall", while not exactly a western was that same sort of story that was bigger than the actors, tho some of the content I found objectionalble.
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Watched my first western in 1953 on a neighbors tv. It was the Cisco Kid with Duncan Renaldo, good western(yes, I know the reruns are on RTV). I sure wish they would make some good westerns today. The crap on network tv is not worth watching, I never watch it. I also enjoyed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Gun Smoke, Wagon Train and many others including western full length movies. The "Duke" was the man. You knew who the good guys were back then.
 
For me it's a part of America and a history lesson to boot. Hats off to Festus!!YouTube - Ken Curtis "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" Festus Country

Gunsmoke, Bonanza and Rawhide are my all-time favorites for western series.

That Festus, he is just amazing! He can sing! He can also irritate the hell out of Doc! LOL!

Hey, don't forget the Lone Ranger and Tonto. It was easier to know who the good guys were and they didn't spend a lot of time worrying about being politically correct back then, did they?
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And, don't forget Hoppy!

RADAR
 
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