The Western as a genre has been pretty played out. Whether it's the cheesy John Wayne westerns, or the gunslinging Sergio Leone Spaghetti Westerns, the genre has very few things left to do with originality anymore. Django Unchained came close, mostly taking the standard Western formula and transplanting it into the setting of late-19th century American slavery. Even that, … [Read more...]
Review: A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
Lazy Saddles [pullquote cite="" type="left, right"][amazon text=Amazon&template=carousel&chan=that film guy&asin=B00JKE4UGC][/pullquote] Stepping out from behind the camera, the creative force behind Family Guy and American Dad Seth MacFarlane takes his first leading role in A Million Ways to Die in the West. … [Read more...]
The Lone Ranger (2013) review by That Film Doctor
The Lone Ranger started off as a radio play in America in 1933. Since then, he has become a cultural touchstone within contemporary Americana, epitomising the spirit of freedom, justice and courage that has become synonymous with the American Dream. It is perhaps equally fitting then this current incarnation represents the bilious trite, commercially driven vacuity that is … [Read more...]
Sukiyaki Western Django (2007, Japanese) review by That Film Dude
It's tough to know how to summarise Sukiyaki Western Django. It is, without question, one of the most singularly insane films going; it makes basically no sense and is wildly incoherent at the best of times, but it's so stylish and so entertaining in such a weird way that you can't help but really like it. … [Read more...]
Howling VI: The Freaks (1991) review by That Film Geek
Directed by Hope Perello, Howling VI: The Freaks has a strange style, it's in an unspecified time, which appears to be modern (at least for when the film was made) but with the style of 50's Americana permeating the film. The opening feels very much like a western, with the lone drifter coming into the dying town of Canton Bluff (droughts are causing tough times for the … [Read more...]
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) review by That Film Dude
After the success of the Dollars Trilogy, Sergio Leone had intended to retire from Westerns, believing that he had finished with the genre. However, when he was offered the chance to work with Henry Fonda, one of his favourite actors, he returned for one last time with Once Upon a Time in the West. … [Read more...]
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966) review by That Film Dude
This is, for many people, the Big One as far as Westerns go. Others may argue for The Searchers or Once Upon a Time in the West, but Sergio Leone's spectacular conclusion to the Dollars Trilogy, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, invariably comes at or near the top of Western best of lists. And it's not hard to see why. Everything that was lacking in the previous two films has … [Read more...]
For a Few Dollars More (1965) review by That Film Dude
Considering the success of A Fistful of Dollars, a sequel was all but inevitable, and thus what were conceived as three standalone films began to be thought of as the Dollars Trilogy. For a Few Dollars More is definitely the weakest of the three, as is frequently the case with the middle part of a trilogy, but not being as good as Fistful and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is … [Read more...]
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) review by That Film Guy
Rounding out Robert Rodriguez's ˜El Mariachi Trilogy' is Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Following the continuing story of El Maricahi (Antonio Banderas), the third instalment brings with it some big Hollywood stars and a far more tongue-in-cheek approach to storytelling. Considered by Rodriguez as the equivalent of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly in Sergio Leone's ˜Dollars … [Read more...]
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) review by That Film Dude
It's quite hard to overstate how influential A Fistful of Dollars has been to the Western genre. In 1964, the Western was beginning to show its age, as was its most recognisable star, John Wayne; Sergio Leone's ironic, subversive film helped breathe new life into the Western, created the spaghetti Western subgenre, and began a serious of revisionist Westerns which would be the … [Read more...]