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Its hard to explain exactly why I loved Dances With Wolves. I can't seem to find anyone who had a similar reaction. Flawed or not, I seemed to watch the film at a perfect time. I expected Hollywood trash, and maybe it was the underinflated expectations, but this film really connected with me. Perhaps I was just sick of old fashioned film attacking "savages". As for Shane, I hate it primarily because of the performance of Brandon DeWilde. My vote for worst child performance, aside from Mickey Rooney in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Eugggghhhh!!!!).
I would agree that Hollywood westerns were at their peak in the time you described, although I would extend it back a year and begin with 1948. In that year Ford made two rather important Westerns with Fort Apache (a rare pro-Indian), as well as The Three Godfathers (a personal favorite that no one else seems to acknowledge). That was also the year of Red River, which I'm not a particular fan of, but plenty of others like it. The second time I watched High Noon, it didn't hold up as well. It was a little too frustrating, and the more it puts me off, the bettter I like Rio Bravo. I'm also a fan of Winchester '73, and am certainly up for watching more Anthony Mann westerns. Man of the West has been sitting in my to watch pile for over a year, and I swear I'll eventually get to it. As for Leone, he is the shit. I think that A Fistful of Dollars has the greatest gun fight in movie history. If I had to pick though, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly would be my all time favorite Western, although The Searchers is coming up close. I also forgot Little Big Man, and decided that Treasure of the Sierra Madre didn't really count as a Western. As for Unforgiven it is a great film, although Malcolm X was certainly more deserving of an Oscar. Unforgiven was the rare film that actually showed the guilt of killing better than any other Western at least. I am also a big fan of Dead Man, which I think is the best Jarmusch film, but that may be another post.
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Deadman
Dead Man is most certainly my favorite western of all time and I'm happy to see it at the top of your list too, oscar.
High Planes Drifter was terriffic as well: Gritty and kind of scarry. Some of Eastwood's best work, no doubt.
I also enjoyed the Beastie Boys track of the same name, off the album Paul's Boutique
Raoul
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There was an article in the Times a few months ago about the popularity of High Noon in various White House administrations over the second half of the 20th century (and into the new century). Evidently the film's highly popular with the Bush Administration. Seriously. The lone sheriff wipes out the bad guys by himself because his fellow townfolk are too scared to fight. Sound inspirational?
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Raoul:
Dead Man is definitely one of my 10 fave westerns. I'm wondering how you feel about McCabe and Mrs. Miller, which has a similar sensibility.
JustaFied:
Carl Foreman wrote the screenplay for High Noon and was slated to direct until he got blacklisted for alleged commie "sympathies". Isn't it iro...?
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Nixon's favorite was "Patton" which he would force the White House staff to watch over and over... I'm detecting a pattern here...
By the way, it was revealed that the person behind the "boat scandal" commercials against Kerry was the same person Nixon hired to pull dirty tricks 30 years ago in his campaign. Why doesn't the press jump on this shit?
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I dunno if I want to get into a position of completely defending Unforgiven (I've got some problems with it too), but I think it's worthy of mention. I liked the way it make sure that the deaths counted for something. (Think of the way Eastwood & co. were hesitant to kill from the cliffs overlooking the camp.) Even Hackman's line, "I don't deserve this. I'm building a house!," reverberated along those lines.
BTW, what did you think deserved the Oscar that year? 1992 included Reservior Dogs, The Player, One False Move, Crying Game, and a personal favorite, Light Sleeper. Not sure what was nominated that year, but just curious as to your thought.
And, Oscar Jubis, I'd agree with you on the films of Ford, Hawks and Mann. Lots of terrific stuff there, and I'd add a couple of Peckinpahs in there too.
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Malcolm X, best film of 1992 definitely.
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wpqx, so I assuming you see Malcom X as a greater film than Unforgiven?
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My statement makes that pretty obvious, as for what was nominated that year
Unforgiven
The Crying Game
Howards End
Scent of a Woman
A Few Good Men
In my opinion the Academy was a little off this year, as they are every year. Unforgiven is a great film, but Lee had the best movie that year, but like always he was denied any Oscar nod. Denzel should have definitely won as well, but we'll save that for another thread, which I think I already made here.
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My top westerns
1.The wild Bunch
2 once upon a time in the west
3 the searchers
4 the ox-bow incident
5.stagecoach
6.the good the bad & the ugly
7 the outlaw josey wales
8.theunforgiven
9.the man who shot liberty vallance
10 my darling clementine
11 red river
12 she wears a yellow ribbon
pretty standard bu i reckon #4 is the most underrated of all these films.
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good list, and nice to see someone else from the defunct http://www.foreignfilms.com Welcome to your new home.
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The Ox-Bow Incident was a case of great short story being made into a perfect screenplay. Nice list and welcome.