Western Challenge (Official, May 2023)

[AB537]

2. Soleil rouge - Red Sun (Terence Young, 1971) 7/10

[flavo5000]

Any you would recommend among the bunch you've seen so far, flavo?

Actually Rustlers' Rhapsody was pretty funny. It's a comedy where Tom Berenger plays a singing cowboy similar to Gene Autry with the premise that he finds himself in a modern western. Lots of little western in-jokes. It's not flawless, but still has some laugh out loud moments in it.

[VincentPrice]

2. 5 Card Stud-1968: B-

Spoiler

1. 3:10 to Yuma-2007: A- Rewatch

[Tngy]

4. 7 Men from Now (1956) 3.5/10

Spoiler

1. Une Corde, un Colt... Cemetery Without Crosses (1969) 5/10
2. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) 8/10
3. The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) 7.5/10 #Blocho

[PopperTheKungFu-Dragon]

1. The Ballad of Little Jo (1993, Maggie Greenwald) FTV #blocho
An interesting, but rather strange movie based on the true story of Josephine Monaghan who lives in the wild west as a man. I can't say I loved it, but it was an interesting watch.

[PopperTheKungFu-Dragon]

2. Drums Along the Mohawk (1939, John Ford) FTV #1830
An okay film, but I didn't really care for it all that much. I like both Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, but I found both of them much too bland in their roles here.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. Angel and the Badman (1947)

2. Hellfire (1949)



Intent on fulfilling the dying wishes of a preacher who took a bullet for him, a former gambler chases a female gunslinger, hoping to use the reward money to build a church in this western starring Bill Elliott and Marie Windsor. This is a pretty unusual film from the lush colour photography (in a 40s western!) to Windsor's tomboyish turn, to Elliott's strict moral code. The film pushes it pro-religious agenda a bit hard and the romance feels a tad forced. Elliott and Windsor are great though when simply matching wits, and I also can't think of another western in which the good guy sets the baddies' guns on fire (!).

[VincentPrice]

3. Cry Macho-2021: B

Spoiler

1. 3:10 to Yuma-2007: A- Rewatch
2. 5 Card Stud-1968: B-

[PopperTheKungFu-Dragon]

3. Lonely Are the Brave (1962, David Miller) FTV #1900

Loved this one. Kirk Douglas was fantastic in the lead and Walter Matthau and Gena Rowlands are great in their supporting roles. Beautiful, but tragic film.

[PopperTheKungFu-Dragon]

4. Comanche Station (1960, Budd Boetticher) FTV

Pretty good western though Randolph Scott does look a bit too old for the role.

[Maddieanne]

4. Zachariah(1971) 3/5
5. Logan(2017) 4.5/5 #1900 [takes place in 2029]

[PUNQ]

My first challenge this year, and naturally I was going to return for the Western Challenge. Not sure how competitive I'm going to be, but as a annual tradition I'm watching all the new Westerns that's come my way the past year.

Good seeing you back here. I was wondering when you would join in.

Ditto! When you didn't post anything in the first four days, PUNQ, I was afraid you might sit this one out. It wouldn't be a Western challenge without you.

Thanks barflies! I don't have particular plan beyond the modern westerns. I'll do a search for older pre-1951 westerns, but I've found so many in recent years that well should be drying up soon. There'll be some from 1951, but I won't binge-watch all of them like I usually do. I'll just add the ones I come by through my chronological journey when I continue on March 1951. Not impossible I'll do a modern TV series or something like that, but depends on mood.

Damn! Done the short westerns I could find from 2015 through to today. That was a lot more than I had expected. Overwhelmed me a little. But at least that portion is over with, and I can continue with the 30 or so feature films I have lined-up from 2020 to 2023.


13a. Dobbs' Cowboys (2016, Daniel García) [**] - 16min
--- More style than substance it felt like. Abrupt editing in black & white. Not sure I got much out of this.

13b. Enter the Cowboy (2016, Jack Hansen) [***] - 13min
--- The Wild West according to Denmark with martial arts, song and violence. Just goofing around.

13c. Guns of Purgatory (2016, Brock Davis Mitchell) [***] - 24min
--- Tries a dark western, but ends up mostly being boring in between the excessive violence.

13d. Outlawed Faith (2016, Ron Newcomb) [***] - 14min
--- Production quality isn't that great, but it still has its cool bits with the steampunk style elements. Fun for what it was.

13e. Free Period (2017, Alison Piper) [**] - 6min
--- A schoolgirl has a dual with the tampon machine. Humorous modern problem solving using a western soundtrack. Felt more like a promotional film.

13f. Red Rose of Texas (2017) [**] - 7min
--- A young girl tells her school class about the wild west story of Red Rose of Texas. Apart from the cute kids angle and using a MIA track as it's soundbite, this felt a little too amateurish to really appreciate.



14a. Marty: A Wild West Neverland (2016, Vu Hoang) [****] - 18min
--- A kid's western! And almost as violent as the adult wild west shorts I've been seeing lately. Only difference is that all the roles are played by children. And of course feels more playful. A good little time.

14b. Sons of Bitches (2017, Arnaud Baur) [****] - 20min
--- A whore on the loose in the old west getting hunted down. Grueling little tale of abuse and ownership. Not a pleasant view, but does provoke feelings.

14c. Magnificent Stranger (2020, Holden McNeil) [***] - 14min
--- Outlaw women getting gunned down. Cool little Swedish produced western short, but lacked a little tension to make it work to full effect.

14d. Bullet Time (2017, Frodo Kuipers) [****] - 5min
--- Dueling bullets fall in love. Such a sweet little animation film.

14e. Cowboy (II) (2017, Giannis Haritidis) [*****] - 23min
--- Humorous short telling the tale of a original. A wannabe cowboy in Athens. He wants to win on a reality show so he can buy himself a ranch. Has a lot of charm, corny as it was.



15a. Dark West (2017, John Redlinger) [**] - 8min
--- A modern west crime story. Only a short one, which means it goes straight to the climax without it being anything noteworthy.

15b. Fear the Unknown Men (2017, Luke Shelley) [**] - 20min
--- A unoriginal and dull western short that struggled to find it's footing. I mean, everything was the old west. It just didn't find a identity of it's own for it's short story.

15c. Insidia (2017, Paco Ruiz) [***] - 18min
--- Moody short, but not particularly thrilling. A lot of lurking shots, but it all boils down to very little.

15d. Like Animals (2017, Leland Montgomery) [***] - 14min
--- Tragic-comic story about not being able to escape the rural west. Does what it sets out to do, even if it's not a very big thing.

15e. Once Upon a Woman (2018, Wayne Hodges) [**] - 20min
--- Not very interesting. Tries to add elements of trauma without really making it pass through the screen. That, on top of it being a very budget affair.



16a. Ida Western Exile (2017) [***] - 8min
--- Weird documentary-like short where a woman prepares herself for life exile out in the western wilderness. Various footage is shown while we listen to costumer support calls. Amusing concept.

16b. The Deputy (2017, Michael Brian Rawlins) [***] - 7min
--- Doesn't quite take you into the wild west world, but there was some fun to be had by this shootout. Typical action tribute to those outlaw days.

16c. The Zim (2017, Alexander Bedria) [**] - 18min
--- A short taking place during the Zimbabwean land seizures, and feels very western like with the wilderness and battles protecting oneself. Not too exciting, though. Would have worked better with a full story attached.

16d. Black Knuckle and Deputy Maltese (2018, Jason Phillips) [***] - 14min
--- Just a standard western with a romantic touch. Ends up being more cheerful than amazing.

16e. Blood is My Name (2018, Zach Ball) [**] - 18min
--- Just a guy called Zach Ball directing himself in a clichéd western short. Not particularly interesting or good.

16f. Don't Be a Hero (2018, Pete Lee) [***] - 15min
--- All about a woman who likes to dress up as cowboys robbing banks. While it got that rush, this is mainly a brief look into a lonely life. A little too brief to really get under the skin of this lady and her hobby.



17a. Running Free with the Buffalo (2018, Kevin Mounce) [*] - 27min[/b]
--- Too much like amateur hour for this mini western to ever be interesting in my eyes.

17b. Snowblind (2018, Brady McAtee) [**] - 35min
--- Even with the thin layers of snow, this looked pretty bad. And when the story was as boring as it was, this was a total drag.

17c. This No Land (2018, Alexander Decommere) [***] - 16min
--- And old grandpa in cowboy gear take little Laura on a road trip to Disneyland, but things get revealed that changes the situation. Could have gone darker, but it's a fairly innocent short film. Does what it sets out to do.

17d. Maelstrøm (2018, Carlos Gómez-Trigo) [**] - 3min
--- A too short meltdown which results in a wild west style killing. Blink and you missed it.



18a. For It Is Written (2018, Daniel Ståhl) [***] - 17min
--- A man returns home to his rural home in Sweden after his trip to America, experiencing trauma from his battles with Indian over there. Fine and a bit dull.

18b. Potter's Ground (2018, Michael Butts) [***] - 12min
--- Prototype short for the feature film that would come out 3 years later by the same name and people. The '21 feature Potter's Ground, is one I consider one of the better no-budget westerns to come out in recent years, and you could see here they had the basics down. Okay for a short.

18c. The Rabbit's Foot (2018, Charlie Brafman & Magnus McCullagh) [****] - 19min
--- I really liked the opening of this short and the lore of The Rabbit's Foot (2018). And with the dry joke to close it, I appreciated the effort.

18d. Bury Me Not (2019, Charlene Bagcal) [****] - 13min
--- Had a little story to tell and did it well. There is only so much one can do in 13 minutes to create suspense and Bury Me Not (2019) managed to do it with this Sheriff trying to get information out of these two ladies. There's not too much else to it, but this was fine.

18e. Ghost in the Gun (2019, Andrew Chen) [****] - 19min
--- Fairly gritty western short. Haunting at times too, but didn't always keep the mood as strong. Still, it's captures a good dose of what makes the wild west thrilling.



19a. John Doe: A Western Tale (2019, Ryan Harrison Riffle & Richard Riffle) [****] - 17min
--- A camp approach to a western. Good for a quick giggle.

19b. Last Stand to Nowhere (2019, Michelle Muldoon) [***] - 15min
--- All female westerns are always cool, as it breaks with the traditional look of a western. Doesn't automatically make the film must-see. Doesn't have the biggest of budgets, but at least you get to have a bunch of women having fun playing wild west characters.

19c. Lefty/Righty (2019, Max Walker-Silverman) [***] - 12min
--- A divorced cowboy brings his daughter to see her dying grandfather. Got a certain somber mood, but not too much else. Simple little peak into a specific moment of life.

19d. Showdown in Fort Henry (2019, Alexander Krahl) [**] - 12min
--- A German western without dialogue. Riding on the quiet suspense wasn't enough to make me like this one.

19e. The Automaton (2019, W. Alex Reeves) [****] - 21min
--- Cool idea with the machine and this looked good visually, but didn't feel it took advantage of what it had. Ended kind of flat after a decent build-up. But the machine thing was awesome.



20a. Johnny: The Punisher (2019, César Santos) [***] - 7min
--- There is a deliberate goofiness about this Portuguese western short that at least put a smile on my face. Whether it's good or not, is a different question.

20b. Take Back Calamity Canyon (2019, Taylor Torres) [***] - 9min
--- Silly cartoon parody of a masked rider, and the real hero, the woman that saves him. Does give throwbacks to the days when cartoon shorts of old, but its also got that modern plastic about it.

20c. The Awful Kind (2019, Justin Taite) [**] - 24min
--- They were certainly trying something with this western short, but the dialogue and those delivering it prevented me from appreciated it.

20d. The Redeemer (2019, Harry Locke IV) [***] - 23min
--- Outlaw sibling rivalry, or revenge is you will. Okay at best, but not exactly the most believable tale of the old west.

20e. Rhapsody in Blue (2020, Ashley Hays Wright) [**] - 17min
--- You don't fool me! I've seen many times how great silent westerns can be, and this is not it! Just a man and a wife having fun making a silent western short during the pandemic.



21a. Hangman's Trail (2021, R.A. Flynn & Jack Morris) [*] - 23min[/b]
--- Just some friends making a short western to the benefit of no other than their own amusement.

21b. Red Dead Revival: A Red Dead Redemption Fan Film (2021, Ahmad 'Akiin' Thomas) [*] - 11min[/b]
--- As I said in the other Red Dead Redemption fan film I saw, I've not played any of the games so I don't know the lore, but I don't think that'd change my opinion on this one. Pointless.

21c. Straw Man (2021, Alexander Casimir) [****] - 12min
--- Amusing little story of a scarecrow that comes to life, goes to town and gets into trouble. One of the more charming shorts I've seen of late.

21d. The Time Traveling Sheriff (2021, Colin Levy) [****] - 12min
--- During the shooting of a western movie Zach King puts on a cowboy hat and it teleported back in time to the wild west. And so events happen that changes the course of production. Was kind of funny.

21e. West of Calico (2021, Luca Pizzoleo) [***] - 10min
--- Just some talking by the bonfire. Short and neat.

21f. Bushwhacker Blues (2022, James Campbell) [***] - 12min
--- A short British western interrupted by a monster. Rather boring until the very end when at least something gory happened.



22. Blood Country (2017, Travis Mills) [**]
--- In the current western terrain Travis Mills is a notch above the absolute worse film makers. Blood Country (2017) looks alright, and passes nicely as a western. It's just that it's so God damn boring, you struggle to appreciate it.


23. Run for the High Country (2018, Paul Winters) [**]
--- Pretty bad. The one thing I'll say is that it wasn't vague in its story telling, which I appreciated. But besides that there is very little positive to tell.


24. Iron Brothers (2018, Josh Smith & Tate Smith) [***]
--- The Smith Family make a movie. Not a particularly great movie, but the use of the rough winter terrain certainly helped make it more interesting than it had any right to be. Gave it a sense of realism.

Spoiler

1. Sheriff of Cimarron (1945, Yakima Canutt) [*****]
2. Marshal Law (2015, Patrick Stark) [*]
3. Marshal Law: Insurrection (2018, Patrick Stark & Tom Smith) [*]
4. Marshal Law: Reconciliation (2018, Patrick Stark & Tom Smith) [*]
5. Jezebeth 2: Hour of the Gun (2015, Damien Dante) [*]
6. C-Bar (2015, Patrick Ball) [*]
7. The Porter Brothers (2016, Wilhelm Kuhn) [***]
8. In Dubious Battle (2016, James Franco) [****]
9. A Fistful of Pebbles (2015, Somchanrith Chap) [****], A Girl and Her Gun (2015, Samuel Dawe & Paul Holbrook) [****], A Killer of Men (2015, Gregg Meller) [***], Cowboys & Engines (2015) [***], Bisonhead (2016, Elizabeth Lo) [**]
10. The Ballad of Immortal Joe (2015, Hector Herrera) [****], The Little Deputy (2015, Trevor Anderson) [****], The Lotus Gun (2015, Amanda Milius) [**], The Mediator (2015, Graham Phillips & Parker Phillips) [***], Savant: Kali 47 (2015, Mike Diva) [**], Times Like Dying (2015, Evan Vetter) [****]
11. All Raccoons Are Bandits (2015, Brett Wagner) [****], Bird of Prey (II) (2015, Jelle Brunt & David de Rooij) [***], Cowboys: High Noon (1991, Phil Mulloy) [****], Cowboys: Murder (1991, Phil Mulloy) [****], Cowboys: Slim Pickin's (1991, Phil Mulloy) [***], Cowboys: Outrage! (1991, Phil Mulloy) [*****], Cowboys: That's Nothin' (1991, Phil Mulloy) [****], Cowboys: The Conformist (1991, Phil Mulloy) [***], Along the River (2016, Daniele Nicolosi) [***], Cold Hearts (2016, Danielle Baynes & Yolanda Ramke) [***]
12. Seth's Gold (2015, Guillermo de Oliveira) [**], The Canary (2015, Karl Herrmann) [***], The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (2015, Cal Evans) [***], Where the Shadows Fall (2016, Kate Phillips) [**], Revoltoso (2016, Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz) [******]
13. Dobbs' Cowboys (2016, Daniel García) [**], Enter the Cowboy (2016, Jack Hansen) [***], Guns of Purgatory (2016, Brock Davis Mitchell) [***], Outlawed Faith (2016, Ron Newcomb) [***], Free Period (2017, Alison Piper) [**], Red Rose of Texas (2017) [**]
14. Marty: A Wild West Neverland (2016, Vu Hoang) [****], Sons of Bitches (2017, Arnaud Baur) [****], Magnificent Stranger (2020, Holden McNeil) [***], Bullet Time (2017, Frodo Kuipers) [****], Cowboy (II) (2017, Giannis Haritidis) [*****]
15. Dark West (2017, John Redlinger) [**], Fear the Unknown Men (2017, Luke Shelley) [**], Insidia (2017, Paco Ruiz) [***], Like Animals (2017, Leland Montgomery) [***], Once Upon a Woman (2018, Wayne Hodges) [**]
16. Ida Western Exile (2017) [***], The Deputy (2017, Michael Brian Rawlins) [***], The Zim (2017, Alexander Bedria) [**], Black Knuckle and Deputy Maltese (2018, Jason Phillips) [***], Blood is My Name (2018, Zach Ball) [**], Don't Be a Hero (2018, Pete Lee) [***]
17. Running Free with the Buffalo (2018, Kevin Mounce) [*], Snowblind (2018, Brady McAtee) [**], This No Land (2018, Alexander Decommere) [***], Maelstrøm (2018, Carlos Gómez-Trigo) [**]
18. For It Is Written (2018, Daniel Ståhl) [***], Potter's Ground (2018, Michael Butts) [***], The Rabbit's Foot (2018, Charlie Brafman & Magnus McCullagh) [****], Bury Me Not (2019, Charlene Bagcal) [****], Ghost in the Gun (2019, Andrew Chen) [****]
19. John Doe: A Western Tale (2019, Ryan Harrison Riffle & Richard Riffle) [****], Last Stand to Nowhere (2019, Michelle Muldoon) [***], Lefty/Righty (2019, Max Walker-Silverman) [***], Showdown in Fort Henry (2019, Alexander Krahl) [**], The Automaton (2019, W. Alex Reeves) [****]
20. Johnny: The Punisher (2019, César Santos) [***], Take Back Calamity Canyon (2019, Taylor Torres) [***], The Awful Kind (2019, Justin Taite) [**], The Redeemer (2019, Harry Locke IV) [***], Rhapsody in Blue (2020, Ashley Hays Wright) [**]
21. Hangman's Trail (2021, R.A. Flynn & Jack Morris) [*], Red Dead Revival: A Red Dead Redemption Fan Film (2021, Ahmad 'Akiin' Thomas) [*], Straw Man (2021, Alexander Casimir) [****], The Time Traveling Sheriff (2021, Colin Levy) [****], West of Calico (2021, Luca Pizzoleo) [***] Bushwhacker Blues (2022, James Campbell) [***]
22. Blood Country (2017, Travis Mills) [**]
23. Run for the High Country (2018, Paul Winters) [**]
24. Iron Brothers (2018, Josh Smith & Tate Smith) [***]

[Lonewolf2003]

2. Le colt cantarono la morte e fu... tempo di massacro [Massacre Time/The Brute and the Beast] (1966, Lucio Fulci): 7.0 - The plot is very run-of-the-mill, but who cares, cause the action packed finale makes this a very entertaining spaghetti western with an always solid Franco Nero in the lead and a show stealing George Hilton as his drunkard brother. For people interested in the evolution of Fulci's career this is a must see since it is the first movie he made moving away from comedies and musicals to more violent and darker material.

3. The Overlanders (1946,Harry Watt): 5.8 - Based on the real events of Australian herders, who fearing a coming Japanese invasion, evacuated thousands of cattle from Northern Australia to Queesnland. While it looks beautiful, the problem with this movie is that it primary purpose seems to be to educate people about this event and telling a compelling story is only secondary to that instead of making a good engaging movie that also educates its viewer. The acting is terribly wooden.

Spoiler

1. Forty Guns (1957, Samuel Fuller) rewatch: 8.0 > 8.0

[blocho]

5. Unconquered (1947) #1830
Having grown up on Westerns, I have a pretty high tolerance for retrograde depictions of American Indians in movies. Unconquered put that tolerance to the test. This is a very old-fashioned epic about Pontiac’s War with the setting and some of the narrative elements copying The Last of the Mohicans. Boris Karloff is in redface as Guyasuta, chief of the Senecas, a role that involves him getting flummoxed when Gary Cooper uses a compass to claim the power of “strong magic.” Risible stuff. There’s a halfway exciting story buried within this movie, but the sodden romantic subplot doesn’t help. On the other hand, I do appreciate the historical setting, which is unusual and features several real people. It’s not often I see a movie where the settlement of the Ohio Valley and the Proclamation of 1763 are relevant.

6. The Secret of Convict Lake (1951)
A decent Western with an excellent narrative set-up, based very loosely on a true story. In the 1870s, five convicts break out of a Nevada prison and escape over the White Mountains into California, where they are momentarily trapped in a snowed-in valley. The local townsfolk are all women, the men being away prospecting at the moment. Some complex interpersonal attraction and animus inevitably develop. With Glenn Ford, Gene Tierney, Ethel Barrymore and an excellent Zachary Scott as the villain, this feels like an “A” picture on a “B” budget. The only thing holding it back from being a truly memorable Western is the short length and some of the more ridiculous romantic entanglements.

[Lonewolf2003]

4. 2 once di piombo [My Name Is Pecos] (1966, Maurizio Lucidi): 6.0 - Mediocre spaghetti western (luckily even a mediocre spaghetti western is still watchable). Let's hope this is the lowpoint in Arrow's classic spaghetti western box

Spoiler

1. Forty Guns (1957, Samuel Fuller) rewatch: 8.0 > 8.0
2. Le colt cantarono la morte e fu... tempo di massacro [Massacre Time/The Brute and the Beast] (1966, Lucio Fulci): 7.0
3. The Overlanders (1946,Harry Watt): 5.8

[celldweller7]

First time poster and challenge joiner.

My first movie was 1. The Shooting (1966) 7/10
- Monte Hellman directed starting Warren Oates, Millie Perkins, and Jack Nicholson in a early New Hollywood styled western. I like the look and feel of this one. One particular sequence is just beautiful. A miner returns to the worksite and finds a fresh grave. Shot for why, we don't know. Then a lady shows up and pays them to track for her going somewhere we don't know or to what purpose. The Shooting is carried by Warren Oates and the barren landscape. I think one Letterboxd reviewer summed it well, "Riding for Godot."

[Lonewolf2003]

Welcome celldweller

[blocho]

First time poster and challenge joiner.

Welcome to the forum and the Western Challenge! You chose a good movie to start with.

[flavo5000]

19. Bells of San Angelo (William Witney, 1947)


20. Fighting Caravans (David Burton, Otto Brower, 1931)


21. Apache Rifles (William Witney, 1964)


22. Man of the Forest (Henry Hathaway, 1933)


23. The Good Old Boys (Tommy Lee Jones, 1995)


24. Jesse & Lester - Due fratelli in un posto... a.k.a. Two Brothers in Trinity (Renzo Genta, Richard Harrison, 1972)


25. Trinità & Bambino... e adesso tocca a noi! a.k.a. Sons of Trinity (Enzo Barboni, 1995)


26. The Kissing Bandit (Laslo Benedek, 1948)

YEEHAW

1. Riders of the Whistling Pines (John English, 1949)
2. The Big Show (Mack V. Wright, 1936)
3. Springtime in the Rockies (Joseph Kane, 1937)
4. Boots and Saddles (Joseph Kane, 1937)
5. Man Without a Star (King Vidor, 1955)
6. The War Wagon (Burt Kennedy, 1967)
7. Rooster Cogburn (Stuart Miller, 1975)
8. Rustlers' Rhapsody (Hugh Wilson, 1985)
9. Tedeum a.k.a. Father Jackleg (Enzo G. Castellari, 1972)
10. La collera del vento a.k.a.Revenge of Trinity (Mario Camus, 1970)
11. King of the Cowboys (Joseph Kane, 1943)
12. My Pal Trigger (Frank McDonald, Yakima Canutt, 1946)
13. Song of Texas (Joseph Kane, 1943)
14. Kill or Be Killed (Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, 2015)
15. Under California Stars (William Witney, 1948)
16. Utah (John English, 1945)
17. Sing, Cowboy, Sing (Robert N. Bradbury, 1937)
18. Kansas Pacific (Ray Nazarro 1953)
19. Bells of San Angelo (William Witney, 1947)
20. Fighting Caravans (David Burton, Otto Brower, 1931)
21. Apache Rifles (William Witney, 1964)
22. Man of the Forest (Henry Hathaway, 1933)
23. The Good Old Boys (Tommy Lee Jones, 1995)
24. Jesse & Lester - Due fratelli in un posto... a.k.a. Two Brothers in Trinity (Renzo Genta, Richard Harrison, 1972)
25. Trinità & Bambino... e adesso tocca a noi! a.k.a. Sons of Trinity (Enzo Barboni, 1995)
26. The Kissing Bandit (Laslo Benedek, 1948)

[AB537]

3. Cry Macho (Clint Eastwood, 2021) 6.5/10
4. Ride Lonesome (Budd Boetticher, 1959) 7.5/10
5. Appaloosa (Ed Harris, 2008) 7/10

[celldweller7]

2. Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) 6.5/10

For second viewing I went back to Monte Hellman/Jack Nicholson well. Once again we follow riders who are caught in a situation without understanding of why it is happening. This time 3 riders come upon a cabin in the wilderness where several men, including a severely injured one are staying. They claim to be cattlemen. It all comes across suspicious. Harry Dean Stanton stands out. I love that guy.

A group of men appear and unleash a blaze of bullets and fire upon them and our riders are assumed to belong to the gang they were hunting down. For the rest of the film we follow Cameron Mitchell & Jack Nicholson as they attempt to outrun the posse.

[celldweller7]

Welcome celldweller

Thank you!

[Maddieanne]

6. Red Rock West(1992) 3.5/5 #1900[modern cars]{Roger ebert says it exists between a western and a thriller}
7. Prisoners Of The Ghostland(2021) 3.5/5 #1900[nuclear post-apocalypse]

[VincentPrice]

4. The Train Robbers-1973: B Rewatch

Spoiler

1. 3:10 to Yuma-2007: A- Rewatch
2. 5 Card Stud-1968: B-
3. Cry Macho-2021: B

[PopperTheKungFu-Dragon]

5. The Professionals (1966, Richard Brooks) FTV #1900

An action-packed western with some stalwarts of cinema.

[Silga]

9. The Raid (Hugo Fregonese, 1954) 7/10
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966) 9/10 (re-watch)

When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings

1. All the Pretty Horses (Billy Bob Thornton, 2000) 5/10 #1900
2. Riding Shotgun (André De Toth, 1954) 6/10
3. The Bounty Hunter (André De Toth, 1954) 7/10
4. A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964) 8/10 (re-watch)
5. Ride Clear of Diablo (Jesse Hibbs, 1954) 6/10
6. Drums Across the River (Nathan Juran, 1954) 4/10
7. Four Guns to the Border (Richard Carlson, 1954) 8/10
8. For a Few Dollars More (Sergio Leone, 1965) 9/10 (re-watch)
9. The Raid (Hugo Fregonese, 1954) 7/10
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966) 9/10 (re-watch)

[peeptoad]

2. The Marshal of Mesa City (1939) 7-

Spoiler

1. Due volte Giuda/Twice a Judas (1966) 6

[VincentPrice]

5. Pray to God and Dig Your Grave-1968: C

Spoiler

1. 3:10 to Yuma-2007: A- Rewatch
2. 5 Card Stud-1968: B-
3. Cry Macho-2021: B
4. The Train Robbers-1973: B Rewatch

[Lammetje]

3. Blazing Saddles (1974): 6/10

I found this somewhat slow, but at least I had a few laughs. The bromance between Bart and Jim was kind of nice as well. I can also appreciate that the movie is just new enough to include a couple of dirty jokes.

Seen

1. The Mississippi Gambler (1953)
2. Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966)
3. Blazing Saddles (1974)

[RogerTheMovieManiac88]

Hi blocho, thank you for hosting this yearly highlight!

(Screenshots from 'Rails into Laramie' and 'The Last Sunset')



1. Adventures in Silverado (1948, Phil Karlson) - 7/10
2. The Texas Rangers (1951, Phil Karlson) - 6.5/10
3. Wagons West (1952, Ford Beebe) - 7/10
4. Overland Pacific (1954, Fred F. Sears) - 5.5 or 6/10
5. Rails Into Laramie (1954, Jesse Hibbs) - 7.5/10
6. Seminole Uprising (1955, Earl Bellamy) - 5.5/10
7. The Last Sunset (1961, Robert Aldrich) - 9/10
8. The Misfits (1961, John Huston) - 8.5/10
9. The Stalking Moon (1968, Robert Mulligan) - 8/10

[Silga]

11. Rails Into Laramie (Jesse Hibbs, 1954) 6/10

Roger, I just finished Rails Into Laramie, I open this thread and see a familiar screenshot.

While my rating is a bit lower than yours, I still feel mostly positive about the film. I've only seen John Payne in this and Silver Lode, but he seems like a fine actor for this kind of roles.

When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings

1. All the Pretty Horses (Billy Bob Thornton, 2000) 5/10 #1900
2. Riding Shotgun (André De Toth, 1954) 6/10
3. The Bounty Hunter (André De Toth, 1954) 7/10
4. A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964) 8/10 (re-watch)
5. Ride Clear of Diablo (Jesse Hibbs, 1954) 6/10
6. Drums Across the River (Nathan Juran, 1954) 4/10
7. Four Guns to the Border (Richard Carlson, 1954) 8/10
8. For a Few Dollars More (Sergio Leone, 1965) 9/10 (re-watch)
9. The Raid (Hugo Fregonese, 1954) 7/10
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966) 9/10 (re-watch)
11. Rails Into Laramie (Jesse Hibbs, 1954) 6/10

[RogerTheMovieManiac88]

11. Rails Into Laramie (Jesse Hibbs, 1954) 6/10

Roger, I just finished Rails Into Laramie, I open this thread and see a familiar screenshot.

While my rating is a bit lower than yours, I still feel mostly positive about the film. I've only seen John Payne in this and Silver Lode, but he seems like a fine actor for this kind of roles.

When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings

1. All the Pretty Horses (Billy Bob Thornton, 2000) 5/10 #1900
2. Riding Shotgun (André De Toth, 1954) 6/10
3. The Bounty Hunter (André De Toth, 1954) 7/10
4. A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964) 8/10 (re-watch)
5. Ride Clear of Diablo (Jesse Hibbs, 1954) 6/10
6. Drums Across the River (Nathan Juran, 1954) 4/10
7. Four Guns to the Border (Richard Carlson, 1954) 8/10
8. For a Few Dollars More (Sergio Leone, 1965) 9/10 (re-watch)
9. The Raid (Hugo Fregonese, 1954) 7/10
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966) 9/10 (re-watch)
11. Rails Into Laramie (Jesse Hibbs, 1954) 6/10

Nice to see that you saw this one, Silga!

It's an action-packed film with a lot crammed into its running-time. I really appreciated the intricacies to the controlling of the town under the monopolistic thumb of Duryea's Shanessy. I think the main weakness of the film is that it gets into the intrigues, the rough-and-tumble, the labour shut-downs, the conflicts between interests (really fun, mind you!) without laying out WHY Duryea's character is opposed to the railroad. Had that been addressed, I probably would have upped my rating to an 8/10. The climactic showdown atop a speeding train between old friends is a rip-roarer of a conclusion!

I like Payne in these sort of tough guy roles. 'Santa Fe Passage' and 'El Paso' are two of my faves, with him playing a vilified scout and a vigilante lawyer respectively.

[jdidaco]

5. The Deserter (Burt Kennedy (& Niksa Fulgosi), 1970) 7.5/10



6. Captain Apache (Alexander Singer, 1971) 7.5/10

Spoiler

1. Lola Colt (Black Tigress, Siro Marcellini, 1967) 6.5/10
2. Little Rita nel West (Rita of the West, Ferdinando Baldi, 1967) 7/10
3. Giarrettiera Colt (Garter Colt, Gian Rocco, 1968) 7.5/10
4. Il mio corpo per un poker (The Belle Star Story, Lina Wertmüller & Piero Cristofani, 1968) 7.5/10

[Fergenaprido]

Gonna see a few westerns for DTC, and I want to improve my scores on the 3 official western lists (imdb, BFI, spaghetti), so might as well join in.

1. The Gunfighter (1950) - 8.0
2. Da uomo a uomo [Death Rides a Horse] (1967) - 7.2
3. Il mercenario [The Mercenary] (1968) - 7.4 - #1900 - takes place during the Mexican Revolution

Peck's film was great (and on both the imdb and BFI lists), while the two spaghettis were watchable (and both on Tubi and the spaghetti list), so I've hit all three lists now. Might hit 10 in total this month.

[PUNQ]

Along with these I also saw four movies that claimed to be westerns, per IMDB, but I didn't feel had enough of that western influence to be included here. Those were Haunting at Death Valley Junction (2020), The Prodigal Cowboy (2020), Ida Red (2021) and The Last Victim (2021).


25. Emperor (2020, Mark Amin) [****]
--- Average slave movie with Dayo Okeniyi on the run. Feels like a slim budget, but there is a heart there. It's just that what's here has been done better many times elsewhere. James Cromwell adds a little dignity to it.


26. 30 Seconds in Hell (2021, Michael Anthony Giudicissi) [ *]
--- Probable the worst film ever made based on the infamous events that took place in the town of Tombstone. You don't actually see much of the gunfight. Just a bunch of characters sitting around drinking while talking bullshit leading up to the event with a half-naked milf serving them drinks.


27. The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021, Leah Purcell) [*****]
--- Story of a recluse woman and the troubles she faces whenever a stranger enters her property. Stars Leah Purcell, who directs herself to look every bit the part. A strong character with clear motivations. A little on the slow side at times, but still a was rock solid film.


28. Chaos Walking (2021, Doug Liman) [****]
---Doesn't quite reach the potential it had. With it's stars Tom Holland, Nick Jonas & Mads Mikkelsen, and a fairly outlandish scenario, which felt like a post-apocalyptic alien western, it made for a solid foundation. Perhaps had more potential as a TV-series than a one-off, for it took some time to get used to the more sci-fi elements of this one. So a multi-part creation getting to know the characters better would seem like the better option. Here you just get to know them and it's over, not really having time for this whole thing to sink in.


29. Anglerfish (2022, Calvin Jacob) [**]
--- I guess it tries to be experimental, but all it does is flicker some clips when someone interesting was about to happen....


30. Dilly Loves Kitty (2022, Gary Bosek) [**]
--- A country bumpkin going looking for his long lost love. Looks super amateurish, goofy and down right corny.... and it is. Yet, some of that corny naive nonsense actually grew on me. Then it went full religious drama on me, and I was lost. This is a very small experience, certainly not for everyone.

Spoiler

1. Sheriff of Cimarron (1945, Yakima Canutt) [*****]
2. Marshal Law (2015, Patrick Stark) [*]
3. Marshal Law: Insurrection (2018, Patrick Stark & Tom Smith) [*]
4. Marshal Law: Reconciliation (2018, Patrick Stark & Tom Smith) [*]
5. Jezebeth 2: Hour of the Gun (2015, Damien Dante) [*]
6. C-Bar (2015, Patrick Ball) [*]
7. The Porter Brothers (2016, Wilhelm Kuhn) [***]
8. In Dubious Battle (2016, James Franco) [****]
9. A Fistful of Pebbles (2015, Somchanrith Chap) [****], A Girl and Her Gun (2015, Samuel Dawe & Paul Holbrook) [****], A Killer of Men (2015, Gregg Meller) [***], Cowboys & Engines (2015) [***], Bisonhead (2016, Elizabeth Lo) [**]
10. The Ballad of Immortal Joe (2015, Hector Herrera) [****], The Little Deputy (2015, Trevor Anderson) [****], The Lotus Gun (2015, Amanda Milius) [**], The Mediator (2015, Graham Phillips & Parker Phillips) [***], Savant: Kali 47 (2015, Mike Diva) [**], Times Like Dying (2015, Evan Vetter) [****]
11. All Raccoons Are Bandits (2015, Brett Wagner) [****], Bird of Prey (II) (2015, Jelle Brunt & David de Rooij) [***], Cowboys: High Noon (1991, Phil Mulloy) [****], Cowboys: Murder (1991, Phil Mulloy) [****], Cowboys: Slim Pickin's (1991, Phil Mulloy) [***], Cowboys: Outrage! (1991, Phil Mulloy) [*****], Cowboys: That's Nothin' (1991, Phil Mulloy) [****], Cowboys: The Conformist (1991, Phil Mulloy) [***], Along the River (2016, Daniele Nicolosi) [***], Cold Hearts (2016, Danielle Baynes & Yolanda Ramke) [***]
12. Seth's Gold (2015, Guillermo de Oliveira) [**], The Canary (2015, Karl Herrmann) [***], The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (2015, Cal Evans) [***], Where the Shadows Fall (2016, Kate Phillips) [**], Revoltoso (2016, Arturo Ambriz & Roy Ambriz) [******]
13. Dobbs' Cowboys (2016, Daniel García) [**], Enter the Cowboy (2016, Jack Hansen) [***], Guns of Purgatory (2016, Brock Davis Mitchell) [***], Outlawed Faith (2016, Ron Newcomb) [***], Free Period (2017, Alison Piper) [**], Red Rose of Texas (2017) [**]
14. Marty: A Wild West Neverland (2016, Vu Hoang) [****], Sons of Bitches (2017, Arnaud Baur) [****], Magnificent Stranger (2020, Holden McNeil) [***], Bullet Time (2017, Frodo Kuipers) [****], Cowboy (II) (2017, Giannis Haritidis) [*****]
15. Dark West (2017, John Redlinger) [**], Fear the Unknown Men (2017, Luke Shelley) [**], Insidia (2017, Paco Ruiz) [***], Like Animals (2017, Leland Montgomery) [***], Once Upon a Woman (2018, Wayne Hodges) [**]
16. Ida Western Exile (2017) [***], The Deputy (2017, Michael Brian Rawlins) [***], The Zim (2017, Alexander Bedria) [**], Black Knuckle and Deputy Maltese (2018, Jason Phillips) [***], Blood is My Name (2018, Zach Ball) [**], Don't Be a Hero (2018, Pete Lee) [***]
17. Running Free with the Buffalo (2018, Kevin Mounce) [*], Snowblind (2018, Brady McAtee) [**], This No Land (2018, Alexander Decommere) [***], Maelstrøm (2018, Carlos Gómez-Trigo) [**]
18. For It Is Written (2018, Daniel Ståhl) [***], Potter's Ground (2018, Michael Butts) [***], The Rabbit's Foot (2018, Charlie Brafman & Magnus McCullagh) [****], Bury Me Not (2019, Charlene Bagcal) [****], Ghost in the Gun (2019, Andrew Chen) [****]
19. John Doe: A Western Tale (2019, Ryan Harrison Riffle & Richard Riffle) [****], Last Stand to Nowhere (2019, Michelle Muldoon) [***], Lefty/Righty (2019, Max Walker-Silverman) [***], Showdown in Fort Henry (2019, Alexander Krahl) [**], The Automaton (2019, W. Alex Reeves) [****]
20. Johnny: The Punisher (2019, César Santos) [***], Take Back Calamity Canyon (2019, Taylor Torres) [***], The Awful Kind (2019, Justin Taite) [**], The Redeemer (2019, Harry Locke IV) [***], Rhapsody in Blue (2020, Ashley Hays Wright) [**]
21. Hangman's Trail (2021, R.A. Flynn & Jack Morris) [*], Red Dead Revival: A Red Dead Redemption Fan Film (2021, Ahmad 'Akiin' Thomas) [*], Straw Man (2021, Alexander Casimir) [****], The Time Traveling Sheriff (2021, Colin Levy) [****], West of Calico (2021, Luca Pizzoleo) [***] Bushwhacker Blues (2022, James Campbell) [***]
22. Blood Country (2017, Travis Mills) [**]
23. Run for the High Country (2018, Paul Winters) [**]
24. Iron Brothers (2018, Josh Smith & Tate Smith) [***]
25. Emperor (2020, Mark Amin) [****]
26. 30 Seconds in Hell (2021, Michael Anthony Giudicissi) [*]
27. The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021, Leah Purcell) [*****]
28. Chaos Walking (2021, Doug Liman) [****]
29. Anglerfish (2022, Calvin Jacob) [**]
30. Dilly Loves Kitty (2022, Gary Bosek) [**]

[Lonewolf2003]

5. Bandidos (1967, Massimo Dallamano): 7.0 - Renowned gunman Richard Martin is traveling on a train, held up by Billy Kane, a former student of Martin's. Kane spares Martin, but only after shooting his hands. Years later, Martin meets an escaped convict, wrongly convicted for the train robbery. Martin trains his new student and both men seek out Billy Kane. This spaghetti western gets better during while watching with the plot taking interesting twists and characters revealing intriguing motivations. Massimo Dallamano was Sergio Leone’s cinematographer on A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. So the influences of Leone are evident, but Dallaomo also clearly tries to do his own thing to get out of the master shadows in his debut. Even for a spaghetti western this is very nihilistic, best exemplified when the camera takes a slow long tracking shot of all the death victims after the opening heist of a train.

Spoiler

1. Forty Guns (1957, Samuel Fuller) rewatch: 8.0 > 8.0
2. Le colt cantarono la morte e fu... tempo di massacro [Massacre Time/The Brute and the Beast] (1966, Lucio Fulci): 7.0
3. The Overlanders (1946,Harry Watt): 5.8
4. 2 once di piombo [My Name Is Pecos] (1966, Maurizio Lucidi): 6.0

[ororama]

2. The Hellbenders (1967) * 92 min.
A family of Confederate die-hards ambush an army convoy to steal a currency shipment to fund a new Confederate army. A good action movie with great scenery, a few twists and a chance for Joseph Cotten to play to two of his strengths, southern gentleman and quiet psychopath.

Spoiler

1. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974) * 113 min.  #1900

*First time viewing

[gunnar]

20 - The Proposition (2005) - 7/10 - Three brothers are wanted for the rape and murder of a woman and her family. The two younger brothers are captured and the Captain in charge releases the middle brother and tells him he has to kill his older brother by Christmas or else his younger brother will hang.

21 - Oh, Susanna (1936) - 5/10 - #1900 - Gene Autry is heading to visit a friend that he hasn't seen in 15 years when he is robbed and thrown off a train by a wanted bandit. When Autry gets to town, he is arrested by the sheriff who thinks he is the notorious bandit who robbed him. The movie is kind of dumb and the acting isn't all that great, but it is watchable and the music is decent.

22 - Across the Wide Missouri (1951) - 7.5/10 - Clark Gable stars as a beaver trapper in the 1830s Northwest. He marries a Native American woman as a means to gain access to their territory, but later falls in love with the woman. There is conflict with a strong warrior who also desires the woman. It was generally fun.

23 - 'Neath the Arizona Skies (1934) - 5/10 - #1900* - John Wayne stars as the guardian of a young half-Native American girl whose mother died in childbirth and whose father left before she was born. Oil has been discovered on her mother's land and a gang of bad guys are after the girl in order to grab the claim which is worth $50,000. Wayne also runs across other bad guys along the way. The acting is generally pretty bad, but the story is watchable at least.

24 - Blue Steel (1934) - 5/10 - John Wayne stars as an undercover U.S. Marshal who is looking into a series of robberies. He just misses the bandit at his latest theft and the local sheriff initially thinks that Wayne is the thief. The two end up stumbling upon a group of bandits attacking a young woman whose father was shot by them and this leads to uncovering a bigger plot by a local landowner. The acting is better than 'Neath the Arizona Skies, but the story isn't as interesting.

* The oil land leases should make this take place in the 20th Century - probably in the 1920s or maybe even 'present day' 1934.

Spoiler

1 - A Bullet for the General (1967) - 7/10 - #1900
2 - A Pistol for Ringo (1965) - 7.5/10
3 - And God Said to Cain (1970) - 8/10
4 - Bandidos (1967) - 7.5/10
5 - California (1977) - 7/10
6 - The Tracker (2002) - 7.5/10 - #1900
7 - The Overlanders (1946) - 6.5/10 - #1900
8 - Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot! (1967) - 4/10
9 - The Four of the Apocalypse (1975) - 6.5/10
10 - The Grand Duel (1972) - 7/10
11 - If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death (1968) - 6/10
12 - Johnny Hamlet (1968) - 6/10
13 - Light the Fuse... Sartana Is Coming (1970) - 6/10
14 - ¡Matalo! (1970) - 2/10
15 - Navajo Joe (1966) - 7/10
16 - Requiescant (1967) - 7/10
17 - Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead (1971) - 6/10
18 - The Brute and the Beast (1966) - 5.5/10
19 - Black Robe (1991) - 7.5/10 - #1830

[flavo5000]

27. The Harvey Girls (George Sidney, 1946)


28. Daniel Boone (David Howard, 1936)
I was surprised at the violence they got away with in this one coming a couple years after the Hays Code was instituted.


29. The Big Trees (Felix E. Feist, 1952)


30. Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold (Matt Cimber, 1984)
Hot garbage.


31. The Man from the Alamo (Budd Boetticher, 1953)
Man, I do like me a nice, lean Boetticher flick.


32. The Lawless Breed (Raoul Walsh, 1953)

YEEHAW

1. Riders of the Whistling Pines (John English, 1949)
2. The Big Show (Mack V. Wright, 1936)
3. Springtime in the Rockies (Joseph Kane, 1937)
4. Boots and Saddles (Joseph Kane, 1937)
5. Man Without a Star (King Vidor, 1955)
6. The War Wagon (Burt Kennedy, 1967)
7. Rooster Cogburn (Stuart Miller, 1975)
8. Rustlers' Rhapsody (Hugh Wilson, 1985)
9. Tedeum a.k.a. Father Jackleg (Enzo G. Castellari, 1972)
10. La collera del vento a.k.a.Revenge of Trinity (Mario Camus, 1970)
11. King of the Cowboys (Joseph Kane, 1943)
12. My Pal Trigger (Frank McDonald, Yakima Canutt, 1946)
13. Song of Texas (Joseph Kane, 1943)
14. Kill or Be Killed (Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, 2015)
15. Under California Stars (William Witney, 1948)
16. Utah (John English, 1945)
17. Sing, Cowboy, Sing (Robert N. Bradbury, 1937)
18. Kansas Pacific (Ray Nazarro 1953)
19. Bells of San Angelo (William Witney, 1947)
20. Fighting Caravans (David Burton, Otto Brower, 1931)
21. Apache Rifles (William Witney, 1964)
22. Man of the Forest (Henry Hathaway, 1933)
23. The Good Old Boys (Tommy Lee Jones, 1995)
24. Jesse & Lester - Due fratelli in un posto... a.k.a. Two Brothers in Trinity (Renzo Genta, Richard Harrison, 1972)
25. Trinità & Bambino... e adesso tocca a noi! a.k.a. Sons of Trinity (Enzo Barboni, 1995)
26. The Kissing Bandit (Laslo Benedek, 1948)
27. The Harvey Girls (George Sidney, 1946)
28. Daniel Boone (David Howard, 1936)
29. The Big Trees (Felix E. Feist, 1952)
30. Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold (Matt Cimber, 1984)
31. The Man from the Alamo (Budd Boetticher, 1953)
32. The Lawless Breed (Raoul Walsh, 1953)

[blocho]

7-9. The English (2022)
There’s a long conversation in the first episode between an Englishwoman new to the West and a middle-aged man who vows to show her “the real America,” a promise full of portent. They sit at a table in a darkened house on the high plains, with plates of bull testicle as their meal. Their dialogue is tart and abstruse, well-mannered but full of threat. We know one of them will die imminently. The episode, so quick to move through plot and action at other times, lingers here uneasily. This conversation feels in many ways like the modus operandi of the miniseries. The English barrels through narrative at rapid speed, introducing plenty of fascinating characters while giving them little time to develop. And then it slows to drink deeply from deep wells of menacing dialogue. Fast and slow. Writer/director Hugo Blick loves the rhythms of the Western and all of its narrative possibilities.

He also loves a vibrant and colorful Western landscape. All of you who dislike desaturated cinematography will be happy with this series. The landscapes are some of the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen in a Western. A little too gorgeous. These look like composite shots, with the sky and background layered in. We’re miles away from traditional studio sets.

Our story concerns the aforementioned Englishwoman and a Pawnee man, a former cavalry scout. These two heroes traverse a slice of the Great Plains (from Oklahoma up to Wyoming) in 1890, finding a constant array of bandits, ranchers, lawmen, Indians, and migrants. Most of them are deadly. All of them are desperate. As the Englishwoman says in one episode while recounting just a couple of the killings she’s witnessed in her short time in the West, “There’s just something about this country.” This is an exploration of the Western as epic, a vast historical and social canvas. We will hear about the Dawes Allotment Act, about the Land Rush of 1889, about the new germ theory of disease, and about bloody incidents like the Fetterman Fight and the Sand Creek Massacre. There’s complicated narrative turns, sharp dialogue, and philosophical musings. There’s even a game of cricket.

Everyone in this series speaks obliquely. Instead of saying someone likes scalping her enemies, she’s described as “partial to lifting our hair.” I love this kind of dialogue, though the conversations occasionally wander a bit too aimlessly. The Pawnee character’s development is never fully realized. And there’s a bit too much preoccupation with physical deformity. Those are the only faults I can find here. In all other regards, The English is excellent.

And the score is great too.