
Let us begin with an excerpt from Patty Limerick's field-defining work, The Legacy of Conquest:

All but the smallest countries have regions. Few have a region of such historical and mythological import as the West does in the United States. No wonder, then, that the largest and most powerful film industry in the history of cinema developed a genre dedicated solely to the region. No wonder that this genre became America's most popular during its long mid-century heyday. Small wonder that the genre collapsed in on itself in the same era when the entire American project became attenuated and dubious. And yet, the West -- as a place, a concept, or a constellation in the social imaginary -- continues to beguile and intrigue us.
Goal:
Watch Westerns. Discuss them.
Rules:
- I leave eligibility up to the discretion of participants. I ask only for good-faith submissions. Please be mindful that not every movie set in a Western state or featuring some tropes typical of the Western is truly a Western.
- Challenge runs May 1, 2022 - May 31, 2022.
- A feature film (at least 40 minutes) counts as one point.
- 80 minutes of short films or miniseries/TV episodes counts as one point.
- Films must be watched one at a time, at single speed (not sped up), and in their entirety.
- Not a rule but a request: When you post what you have watched, please include your reaction or at least a rating so that other people can learn about movies they might not know about.
Stats & Formatting:
- Title (Year) is the preferred format.
- Don't edit posts to include new movies you've watched. Always make new posts.
Previous Editions:
2012 - Led by sushantv10 with 84 points.
2013 - Led by sushantv10 with 30 points.
2014 - Led by Kasparius with 46 points.
2015 - Led by Chemosh6969 with 57 points.
2016 - Led by PUNQ with 113 points.
2017 - Led by PUNQ with 189 points.
2018 - Led by RogerTheMovieManiac88 with 85 points.
2019 - Led by PUNQ with 157 points.
2020 - Led by PUNQ with 86 points.
2021 - Led by PUNQ with 342 points.
Official Lists:
BFI's 100 Westerns
The Spaghetti Western Database's Essential Top 50 Films
IMDb's Western Top 50
Unofficial Lists
Westerns on ICM official lists
How The West Was Shot
100 Western Masterpieces
Sky Movies' Top 100 Westerns
Sol's Alternative Westerns (under 250 checks)
iCM Forum's Favourite Western Movies
Bonus Challenge - Blocho's Recommendation
Only one recommendation this year: Lawman from 1971. From my review last year:
You can see Lawman for free on Youtube."You carry the law," Burt Lancaster's marshal says to Robert Ryan's sheriff early in this unusual Western. In most Westerns, a line like that would pass as an unremarkable macho aphorism. Here, it begins a lengthy exploration of justice, honor, and mortality. ... Lancaster's lawman is the focus, providing a fascinating middle point in Western law enforcement moral philosophy between the ultimately upright McCrea/Scott duo of Ride the High Country and the perpetually compromised Olyphant of Deadwood. All this would be enough to make Lawman a delightful movie ... and then comes one of the more surprising endings I've ever seen in a Western.
Rank | Participant | # of Points | Lawman? |
1 | PUNQ | 156 | --- |
2 | gunnar | 48 | Yes! |
3 | RogerTheMovieManiac88 | 30 | --- |
4 | flavo5000 | 25 | --- |
5 | ororama | 19 | --- |
6 | blocho | 18 | --- |
7 | jdidaco | 14 | --- |
8 | beasterne | 9 | --- |
9 | VincentPrice | 8 | --- |
9 | maxwelldeux | 8 | --- |
9 | peeptoad | 8 | Yes! |
12 | AB537 | 6 | --- |
12 | sol | 6 | Yes! |
14 | Silga | 5 | --- |
15 | Mochard | 3 | --- |
16 | DudeLanez | 2 | --- |
17 | hurluberlu | 1 | --- |