The editors of Wild West magazine recently published a special edition of the magazine: 100 Greatest Westerns. Here are the films that made the top 10 on the list:
1. High Noon (1952)
2. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
3. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
4. Ride the High Country (1962)
5. Rio Bravo (1959)
6. Seven Men From Now (1956)
7. The Searchers (1956)
8. Shane (1953)
9. Tombstone (1993)
10. Red River (1948)
Click here to see the full list of Wild West‘s 100 Greatest Westerns.
January 25, 2009 at 10:01 am
Oh dear, how predictable! Although I don’t question the choices, as films, it suggests a very narrow definition of the film western 1948-1962 … and a limitation on what we can define as a western from the point of view of the 21st century. There’s a kind of nostalgia built into these choices too; a need to situate them in a certain frame, a certain time and a certain politics. Where does Leone belong here?
January 25, 2009 at 10:24 pm
That pretty much hits the nail on the head! The top ten is fairly reflective of the list as a whole, although there are a few surprises on the full list. For the most part, though, the definition of the film western that informs the list is indeed fairly narrow. I was somewhat surprised by the willingness to pretty much ignore (with a few exceptions) film history before 1950, particularly the silent era and even the early sound era. I’m trying to formulate a list of top 5 films left off the 100 Greatest list. More on that later.
March 28, 2009 at 4:58 pm
_Tombstone_? _Tombstone_? _Tombstone_? They must be kidding.
Outside of Kilmer’s Doc Holliday, just not very much there that attains anything beyond mediocrity.
August 28, 2009 at 2:41 am
What were Lonesome Dove and Lonesome Dove II. — Not movies?