Your Favorite Clint Eastwood Western(s)

Rather than make this a poll, anyone want to mention their favorite Eastwood western(s)? I haven't seen them all yet, but my top picks would be The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, Two Mules for Sister Sara, and Pale Rider. Did not like Unforgiven.

 

All the Dirty Harry's...and his Westerns...all of 'em!

 

I can see why you didn't make this a poll, Rudy...although I think you get up to 25 choices to list, nobody can pick just one.

First of all, Michael makes a great point by mentioning the Dirty Harry films: they are westerns, just of the urban kind. The original is still the best, and I like that, on the DVD, the Lalo Schifrin score was finally spread out with decent stereo separation(the LD stereo was very, very tight).

Of the westerns he's made--and there are many, obviously--my faves, in order:

1. HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER

2. UNFORGIVEN

3. THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY

4. THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES

5. TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA

Major honorable mentions for the other two Leone films and THE BEGUILED, a very underrated psychological western. HANG 'EM HIGH has its moments, but lacks the proper director's touch. The others are fair to middling, and PAINT YOUR WAGON is best forgotten.

ED

 

I also didn't make it a poll because I know most of the films, but not all of them. And with my luck I'd leave out one of them.

I have "Dirty Harry" and "Magnum Force" on DVD so far. My memory is so bad anymore, I can't remember the names of the others! Pretty sad, to be 39 and can't remember something I did five minutes ago, let alone movies that I used to be able to quote from quite easily.

 

In no particular order: Unforgiven, High Plains Drifter, Pale Rider, Outlaw Josie Wales, The Good, The..................and on and on

 

Hey, I even liked those "stupid ape movies" he made. I have an unexplainable affinity for the bikers.

 

Clint has a number of movies on DVD...He's easy to watch and a fine actor...On a sidebar, speaking of "Bikers"...I'm still waitng to be released on DVD, for that cool biker/cop/blow'em up movie..."Stone Cold" with Brian Bosworth...A fun movie and I really enjoy William Forsythe (not sure if spelled right)...another fine actor.

 

I love Clint's Westerns. "For A Fist Full Of Dollars" hits me because of the music, the atmosphere and the opening credits.

Strange as that sounds, the opening transports me to a time I was too young to know but wished I could have........

John

 

High Plains Drifter

 

I guess the Dirty Harry Movies count as westerns since they take place in San Francisco, huh?

Thanks to Eli Wallach's great work in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, that one's my favorite of the early ones; The Unforgiven is my favorite of all of them, though.

 

This is interesting. I feel Unforgiven is a masterpiece and may be one of the 3 or 4 best westerns ever made. I just watched the SE DVD last night. Great PQ and a stunning achievment for Eastwood. I'm a big Eastwood fan but more the director than actor. Unforgiven is not my favorite Easwood film, that goes to Absolute Power, but its clearly his best. The screen play is just terrific. I'm glad he has not touched the genre after that because I don't think it can be topped.

 

Okay, I gotta ask...what's so special about those two? I confess to having seen only a limited number of the old Rawhide's; must have been very special!

ED

 

What, no votes for Hang Em High? That one made a big impression on me when I saw it on TV at age 7. It's got Alan "Skipper" Hale in it... how can you not like that?

 

The Good The Bad & The Ugly Hand Down !!

 

Unforgiven
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
The Outlaw Josey Wales

I like all of the "man with no name" films, but Unforgiven is my favorite. Such a great cast!

Tony

 

Me neither. My choice would probably be "A Fistful of Dollars."

 

Is it just me, or do those spaghetti westerns have a low-budget look to them?

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and the Outlaw Josey Wales. Unforgiven was the first one I ever saw. Sort of an anti-Leone western. Much more intimate in feel, very muted, washed out instead of bright, brilliant colors, somewhat slow...Not a lot of fast moving action, some of the biggest scenes are intentionally 'sabotaged' like when they kill their first guy. The violence is made less glamorous, even awkward. The whole movie has a real cynical view of the Western myth.

Haven't seen it in awhile, I thought it was an interesting movie, but didn't really leave a huge impression on me, not as much as I would hope for something with that much acclaim.

 

Yup! More like -no budget-.They definetly have that -look- of cheapness...still you got to love 'em...A great looking and great story is Clint's "The Outlaw Josey Wales". I believe is up to par of "The Unforgiven".

 

I think a lot of the dubbing in the Spag Westerns sort of reminds me of those cheap kung-fu flicks. Those three are good in spite of the cheap production, I think. It's like I've said elsewhere--when the movie's over, and I'm still thinking or wondering about it, or it haunts me, it's a great film. With others, I sit there wondering why I bothered to watch it. There is a lot going on in those three films to savor and revisit. I'll sit and watch the same Hitchcock film a few nights during a week, and still pick up things I missed, or just because I enjoy the experience so much.

 

I agree, If a movie strikes a nerve or a funny bone you -Never- forget it. There are so many movies that I love and most likely NEVER will appear on DVD. I could name hundreds...I still have them on old VHS tapes that are waitng to be replaced with pristine DVD's.

 

When I was growing up Clint Eastwood movies were compulsory viewing at home and were enough reason for me being allowed to stay up after my normal bed time - this means they have a very fond place in my heart

A Fistful of Dollars
For A Few Dollars More
Hang 'Em High
High Plains Drifter
Pale Rider
The Good The Bad And The Ugly
The Outlaw Josey Wales

All the best - Andrew