I recently read an excellent article in American Cowboy called "Top Ten Western Movies: the Great Westerns Debate." It posts the question and the answers from a group of reviewers and the editor of the magazine.

In True West Magazine, the Western Writers of America have selected their "100 Greatest Western Movies of All Time." (Shane is number one. Search on "Shane" to find the article, which is 'way down on a big long page!)

I listed my favorites for myself and started trying to rank them. It's pretty hard. Over here are my very personal thoughts on movies in general, and Westerns in particular. What happened in the 70s??

I started thinking about Bad Guys and started a new section of the site on it. A real Bad Guy makes a good movie better!

Below, I comment on some categories.

Blockbusters

These are mostly extravaganza that showcase a big Hollywood cast. The western theme is usually trite and almost incidental. (Busby Berkley visits Tucson, eh?) Examples:

	How the West Was Won (1962, John Ford/Henry Hathaway) With Everyone!! This is one of Time's 100 Best Movies*
	Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) Serge Leone's crowning achievement, highly rated by critics and fans alike. The intro, which features Charles Bronson with a harmonica, is riveting. Watch that intro here on YouTube.

Themes & Cliches

Rustlers' Rhapsody is a cute movie that makes fun of the recurring themes in Western Movies: The oaters utilized these themes heavily. Some of them are still used in Melodramas in many western town.

Favorite Stars

Most great movie stars made one or more Westerns. Some specialized in them.

	John Wayne. The Duke gets his own page, of course.
	James Stewart. Jimmy made 15 westerns, some of which are very highly regarded!

Series and Serials

A series has the same hero and (maybe his sidekick) Many of the westerns had the same hero (e.g. The Lone Ranger or Gene Autry. Click here to relive those thrilling days of yesteryear -- at the Saturday Afternoon Movie.

Cartoons

* Altho I respect the Time reviewers (Richard Scheckel & Richard Corliss) they are, after all, <gasp> New Yorkers. ("Everything west of the Hudson is Wilderness") They only include three westerns in their list. The list has lots of classics from the 20's. (ho hum)

The song is the Highwaymen, "Desperados waiting for a train"

Western Movies

Blockbusters

Themes & Cliches

Favorite Stars

Series and Serials

Cartoons

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