20 westerns to watch for the release of Red Dead Redemption 2

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Dirty bandits, corrupt sheriffs, spectacular duels and a beautiful Wild West in their own way.

Westerns have a rather strange history: for a long time it was one of the most popular genres, then interest in it abruptly faded, but not forever. Westerns have also greatly influenced modern culture - including video games.

The first part of Red Dead Redemption, which was released in 2010, was a huge success. The action movie, which takes place in the Wild West, has become one of the best open world projects. Now that the even more promising second part of the game is on its way, it's time to plunge into the atmosphere of a specific cowboy romance with your head.

For a fistful of dollars

• Italy, Spain, Germany (FRG), 1964.
• Duration: 99 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

For decades, the Italian film industry has been known for its own variations on popular American genres. Sergio Leone's For a Fistful of Dollars is a great example of this.

The film marked the beginning of the Dollar Trilogy, which also included "A Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly." In it, the bounty hunter played by Clint Eastwood travels through the ruthless and immoral Wild West and shoots everything and everyone in his path.

In "For a Fistful of Dollars", as in the rest of the films of the trilogy, there is a lot of violence and black humor. This is complemented by the characteristic soundtrack of the cult composer Ennio Morricone.

Django

• • Italy, Spain, 1966.
  • Duration: 91 minutes.
  • IMDb: 7, 3.

Django is a former military man who becomes involved in a racial conflict between American soldiers and Mexican bandits. The action takes place several years after the end of the Civil War.

This is a gripping film with a rather clear political overtones. At one time, due to the abundance of violence over "Django" there was a lot of controversy, but today it has become a real cult classic.

Great silence

• Italy, France, 1968.
• Duration: 105 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

The film is set in the snow-capped mountains of Utah, although it was actually filmed in the Italian Dolomites. The great French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant plays a silent shooter who roams the countryside and pursues those he considers evil. His main target is the terrible killer Loko, played by Klaus Kinski, known for his psychopathic roles.

The Great Silence is a pessimistic and cynical movie. It has a place for both breathtaking landscapes and intense action. Therefore, the film is a must-see - it was just recently restored and released on Blu-ray.

Once Upon a Time in the Wild West

• Italy, USA, 1968.
• Duration: 165 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

Sergio Leone was about to retire when suddenly Paramount studio offered him to shoot a western with the legend of the big screen Henry Fonda. The latter in the film plays a ruthless killer, and the events unfold around the struggle for the construction of the railway.

It is a long and often stringy film, which is nevertheless hard to break away from. It has very morally ambiguous characters, and the tone is pessimistic, which distinguishes the picture from the much lighter Dollar trilogy.

Wild gang

• USA, 1969.
• Duration: 135 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

The end of the 60s was a turning point for American cinema: then the number of violence and sex scenes increased in it. The Wild Bunch is a key film of the time, a kind of farewell to the old school westerns.

A group of notorious criminals are being pursued by a former gang member turned legalist. The latter's mission is to find and bring to justice a corrupt Mexican general.

The film is best known for its bloody final scene shot in slow motion. But the rest of it is no less cruel and at the same time deep.

McCabe and Mrs Miller

• USA, 1971.
• Duration: 121 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

The story of John McCabe, a gambler who, with the help of an English traveler and drug addict Constance Miller, opens a brothel in a small town.

It is a strange film with a loose structure, sharp editing and sometimes bewildering sound design. But the beautiful landscapes, the hypnotic atmosphere and the author's refusal to play by the rules of the genre make the picture one of the best Westerns of the 70s.

High Plains Drifter

• USA, 1973.
• Duration: 105 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

An unusual film directed by Clint Eastwood and inspired by the work of Sergio Leone. In it, the director again plays an unnamed stranger who has been hired to defend the city from bad guys.

The atmosphere of "High Plains Tramp" is more like a horror than a western - some of the things in it are as surreal as possible. It's not your typical Eastwood film, but it definitely deserves a spot on the list.

Unforgiven

• USA, 1992.
• Duration: 131 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

The Unforgiven was written by David Webb Peeples, best known for his work on the original Blade Runner. Clint Eastwood had to wait ten years to achieve the resemblance to the main character - the veteran assassin William Manny. He also directed the picture.

The result is an all-time classic - a dark and brooding meditation on violence and atonement. "Unforgiven" received four "Oscars, and for good reason: it does not have the boring clichés of the genre, but it is not devoid of what Western fans love and appreciate.

Toomstone: Legend of the Wild West

• USA, 1993.
• Duration: 130 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Toomstone has undergone many behind-the-scenes problems that have resulted in director Kevin Jarre being replaced by George Cosmatos. But all this remained behind the scenes, and the film itself turned out to be dynamic and exciting.

Western is notable for its cast. The main roles are played by Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, while the minor roles are by Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton and Michael Bean.

Fast and dead

• USA, Japan, 1995.
• Duration: 108 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

A dirty town in the middle of the desert is terrorized by the brutal killer John Herod. But one fine day a stranger-cowboy arrives, who will radically change the life in the settlement.

There are a lot of spectacular duels in this western. They are also an important part of the storyline.

"The Fast and the Dead" is one of the best works of Sam Raimi, director of Spider-Man in 2002 and the second and third installments of Evil Dead. The film stars such Hollywood stars as Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Dead man

• USA, Germany, Japan, 1995.
• Duration: 121 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Jim Jarmusch, who made a name for himself with bizarre comedy dramas in the 80s, made his first genre movie in 1995. It turned out to be a completely strange, completely black and white film.

Johnny Depp played William Blake - a man from the city who goes to the West when his parents die and his bride leaves him. Throughout almost the entire timing, the hero suffers from a bullet wound, and an Indian named Nobody helps him.

Dead Man is a dark but funny film about death and reconciliation with the past. He is also notable for the brilliant guitar solo of Neil Young, who, as Jarmusch himself put it, "took the whole picture to a higher level, intertwining the spirit of the storytelling with his musical-emotional reaction to it."

Deadwood

• USA, 2004.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 7.

This series ended up on the list of films for a reason: it is the most worthy representative of the genre. It has everything you need: a dirty town from the time of the gold rush, a bunch of pathetic criminals, rampant corruption and countless murders that the locals take for granted.

Deadwood's first season is one of the highest-rated in HBO's history. The authors and actors of the series have won eight Emmy awards and one Golden Globe. One of the main characters, Sheriff Seth Bullock, is played by Timothy Olyphant, best known for his roles in The Hitman and Die Hard 4.0.

Train to Yuma

• USA, 2007.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Remake of the classic Western at 3:10 to Yuma, rumored to have inspired Rockstar Games to create Red Dead Redemption. The 2007 version starred Christian Bale and Russell Crowe and was directed by James Mangold, the man who later gave us the films Wolverine: The Immortal and Logan.

In the story, Civil War veteran Dan Evans agrees to secretly deliver the famous bandit Ben Wade to the railway station, who must then be transported to Fort Yuma. But the secret is revealed, and they are hunted.

Train to Yuma took the best of the genre and also brought in something of its own. The film is primarily notable for the acting and the twisted plot.

How the cowardly Robert Ford killed Jesse James

• USA, Canada, UK, 2007.
• Duration: 160 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

An adaptation of the historical novel of the same name from 1983 and one of the best westerns of the 21st century. The legendary criminal Jesse James is played by Brad Pitt, and his accomplice is Casey Affleck.

There was a problem during the production of the film. Director Andrew Dominic wanted to create a dark and meditative story, and the studio hoped for dynamic action. As a result, Dominic won more. And despite the fact that the picture failed at the box office, its disturbing and atmospheric plot after viewing will not fade from memory for a long time.

Oil

• USA, 2007.
• Duration: 158 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Oil is a dark and very beautiful epic drama about soulless entrepreneur Daniel Plainview, who discovers oil while searching for precious rocks in California. In order to become a real tycoon, he is ready for anything.

The film won two Oscars: one for the cinematography of Robert Elsweet, and the other for the acting performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, who perfectly fitted into the role. The film was directed by the notorious Paul Thomas Anderson, and the music was written by Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood.

Iron grip

• USA, 2010.
• Duration: 110 minutes
• IMDb: 7, 6.

The Coen brothers once tried to remake the classic black comedy Lady Killers, resulting in one of their worst films. So when the directors set about rethinking True Courage, many were worried. And in vain.

Jeff Bridges plays the dubious lawyer and alcoholic Rooster Cogburn. He is hired by a 14-year-old girl who is trying to find her father's killer and is as serious as possible. They are later joined by the Texas Ranger LaBeefe, played by Matt Damon.

"Iron Grip" combines quirky humor and elements of traditional Westerns. The Coen brothers have made a film that looks a breeze.

Django Unchained

• USA, 2012.
• Duration: 165 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 4.

For his first western, Quentin Tarantino borrowed the title from a legendary representative of the genre. Like the original Django, the film addresses the issues of racial prejudice, but in its own way.

Jamie Foxx plays a slave who is promised freedom if he helps the bounty hunter played by Christoph Waltz to track down dangerous killers. At the same time, Django's wife is being held captive by a cruel landowner - the character of Leonardo DiCaprio.

The film has a place for both serious thoughts and bloody action. And the characters are remembered no worse than the heroes of the director's cult films like Pulp Fiction.

Survivor

• USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, 2015.
• Duration: 156 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

Few managed to recreate the harsh conditions for their characters as believably as Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu did. The Survivor tells the story of Hugh Glass, a hunter who traveled a long and grueling journey through the incredibly cold Missouri River valley in order to take revenge on those who left him to die.

For his role as Glass, Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar. He conveyed the torment of his hero so believably that even every breath of the icy wind seems to feel with your own skin.

The Hateful Eight

• USA, 2015.
• Duration: 187 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Tarantino's second Western is very different from "Django Unchained" and is more reminiscent of the debut "Reservoir Dogs". Much of the film is set in an inn where eight strangers wait out a blizzard. The case is not complete without murders, and the more corpses appear, the more tense the situation becomes.

In The Hateful Eight, the director did not change himself: this is a long film, full of not only blood, but also poignant dialogues. The cast is especially happy - here you are Kurt Russell, and Samuel L. Jackson, and Tim Roth, and Michael Madsen.

Foes

• USA, 2017.
• Duration: 134 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

The legendary captain Joseph Blocker did not tolerate the Indians all his life and perceived them only as enemies. But at the end of the war, he received an order to take the dying leader of the Redskins and his family to their homeland. Overcoming his hatred, Blocker will have to go through the lands, where at every step he will face danger in the face of fugitive bandits and hostile tribes.

A beautiful and atmospheric adventure film that can seem boring if you expect a classic dashing western from it. It is necessary to prepare in advance for the fact that this is a difficult philosophical drama, and then "Foes" will bring great pleasure.

The main roles were played by Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike. It was directed by Scott Cooper, who directed Black Mass and From the Hell.