The Only 10 Westerns Worth Watching, According to Tarantino

Summary

This video explores Quentin Tarantino's personal top 10 Westerns, featuring both well-known and obscure films. The list includes influential spaghetti Westerns like 'Django,' 'Navajo Joe,' and 'The Hellbenders,' alongside classic Hollywood fare like 'Stagecoach' and revisionist Westerns such as 'Little Big Man' and 'The Searchers.' Tarantino admires these films for their raw violence, complex characters, and groundbreaking storytelling. He celebrates the absence of heroes in many of these films, focusing instead on morally ambiguous figures and unflinching depictions of the American West.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tarantino's favorite Westerns include films that defy mainstream popularity, focusing on what he believes are truly great works.
• 😀 'The Hellbenders' is a unique spaghetti western that features a morally complex cast of characters, with no heroes, making it one of Tarantino's favorites.
• 😀 'Winchester 73' is a landmark film in the Western genre, particularly for James Stewart, who revitalized his career with it. The film's rifle, the titular Winchester, plays a key role in the story.
• 😀 Tarantino is a huge fan of 'Django' (1966), a spaghetti western that heavily influenced his own 'Django Unchained'. He even gave a cameo to the original film's star, Franco Nero.
• 😀 'Navajo Joe' (1966) features Burt Reynolds as a revenge-driven Native American, and Tarantino appreciates its violence and surreal style, even borrowing music from it for 'Kill Bill'.
• 😀 'Ulzana's Raid' (1972) is Tarantino's favorite Western of the 1970s, blending Western and war genres while offering a gritty portrayal of Apache warfare.
• 😀 Tarantino highlights 'Sukiyaki Western Django' (2007) as a unique Japanese take on the spaghetti western, blending styles from both Western and samurai films.
• 😀 'Stagecoach' (1939) revolutionized the Western genre by adding depth to characters and improving cinematography, making it a pivotal film in both Western and film history.
• 😀 'Little Big Man' (1970) is a revisionist Western that explores Native American mistreatment, with a satirical and dark approach that influenced films like 'Django Unchained'.
• 😀 'The Searchers' (1956) is one of the most influential Westerns, known for John Wayne's portrayal of a man whose obsession with rescuing his niece leads to disturbing consequences.
• 😀 Despite its failure, 'The Lone Ranger' (2013) is a film Tarantino admires for its action sequences, particularly the train scenes, and believes it was unfairly criticized.

Q & A

Why does Tarantino consider *The Hellbenders* to be an important Western?

Tarantino loves *The Hellbenders* because it features no heroes, only scheming and backstabbing criminals, which is unusual for a Western. He appreciates that it focuses on morally ambiguous characters, making it unique and impactful.

What makes *Winchester 73* a significant film for both James Stewart and the Western genre?

*Winchester 73* is significant because it revitalized James Stewart's career when it was floundering. It also introduced a narrative innovation with the titular rifle passing through various hands, symbolizing the fleeting nature of power and possession in the West.

How did *Django* influence the Western genre, and what impact did it have on Tarantino's work?

*Django* was a major influence on Tarantino, inspiring both his love for spaghetti Westerns and elements of *Django Unchained*, including the name, music, and visual style. The original *Django* also helped lay the groundwork for the genre's brutal and stylized violence.

Why does Tarantino recommend *Navajo Joe* despite its troubled production?

Tarantino recommends *Navajo Joe* because of its unique portrayal of a Native American revenge story, combined with the violent and surreal direction of Sergio Corbucci. Despite its troubled production, the film left a lasting impact on Tarantino's own work.

What sets *Ulzana's Raid* apart from typical Western films of its time?

*Ulzana's Raid* is notable for its historical accuracy and its slow-burn approach, focusing on the psychological and tactical cat-and-mouse game between the cavalry and Apache warriors. The film also combined Western and war film elements, providing a gritty portrayal of frontier violence.

How did *Sukiyaki Western Django* bring the spaghetti Western genre full circle?

*Sukiyaki Western Django* combined elements from *Django* and *Yojimbo*, blending Japanese cinema influences with classic Western tropes. Tarantino's cameo in the film further connects it to his love for both Westerns and Japanese cinema.

What makes *Stagecoach* a pivotal film in John Wayne's career?

*Stagecoach* transformed John Wayne from a B-movie actor into a star. The film reinvented the Western genre, adding depth to characters and elevating the intensity of the action, which helped to shape Wayne's legacy in the genre.

What was revolutionary about the way *Little Big Man* approached Native American representation?

*Little Big Man* was a revisionist Western that portrayed the mistreatment of Native Americans in a more honest light, while also incorporating dark humor. It questioned the traditional narrative of American history and provided a more complex view of the West.

Why is *The Searchers* still considered one of the most influential Western films despite its controversial aspects?

*The Searchers* is influential due to its deep exploration of racism and obsession through John Wayne's character, Ethan Edwards. While Tarantino criticized some parts, the film's impact on subsequent Westerns and its iconic shots cannot be denied.

What was Tarantino's opinion on *The Lone Ranger*, despite its failure at the box office?

Despite its box office failure, Tarantino defended *The Lone Ranger*, highlighting the impressive action set pieces, particularly the train sequences. He believed the film was unfairly criticized and deserved more recognition for its execution.