Author Topic: Most historically accurate western movies?  (Read 10882 times)

Offline Ben Beam

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Most historically accurate western movies?
« on: June 18, 2017, 04:06:07 PM »
There have been lots of topics about favorite westerns, or best westerns, but I didn't see anything for most historically accurate westerns? My own research turned up a few candidates:
The Culpepper Cattle Company
Unforgiven
Dances with Wolves

All of them have some issues (Unforgiven references a .30-30 twelve years before it was invented, and Dances With Wolves got some tribal details wrong due to a change in shooting locations, among other things). Are there any other good ones people can recommend?
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Offline Capt Quirk

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2017, 04:18:02 PM »
Appaloosa? Ed Harris not only gave a great performance, but wrote and directed. He was quite a stickler for detail.

Offline Stillwater

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2017, 04:24:55 PM »
Appaloosa? Ed Harris not only gave a great performance, but wrote and directed. He was quite a stickler for detail.

Ed Harris is an anti-gun hypocrite...!

Bill

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #3 on: Today at 11:38:41 AM »

Offline River City John

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2017, 04:44:45 PM »
Tom Selleck's work holds up, I think.
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Offline Stillwater

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2017, 04:51:20 PM »
Tom Sellack's work holds up, I think.


Tom Selleck's westerns are some of the best I have ever seen...!

Bill

Offline Baltimore Ed

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2017, 04:57:48 PM »
I enjoyed the sets, firearms, clothing, storyline, just about everything was perfect in the Deadwood series but I couldn't get past the horrible language. I expected it in The Sopranos but not in Deadwood. Just ruined what could have been a great show.
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Offline Stillwater

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2017, 05:04:43 PM »
I enjoyed the sets, firearms, clothing, storyline, just about everything was perfect in the Deadwood series but I couldn't get past the horrible language. I expected it in The Sopranos but not in Deadwood. Just ruined what could have been a great show.

I agree with you. The horrible language ruined it for me...

Bill

Offline Galloway

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2017, 02:21:03 PM »
Hands down little house on the praire! Everyones bored, hot and sad. Very authentic

Offline Jake C

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2017, 03:25:33 PM »
I enjoyed the sets, firearms, clothing, storyline, just about everything was perfect in the Deadwood series but I couldn't get past the horrible language. I expected it in The Sopranos but not in Deadwood. Just ruined what could have been a great show.

From what I've heard, they used the language to show offensive such a town would have been to folks of the period. Had they used the authentic language, everyone would have sounded like Yosemite Sam and the modern audience wouldn't have understood how shocking and offensive a frontier boom town like that was. Given that reasoning, I solidly approve.

Having said that, the show is certainly not for everyone, and I don't blame anyone who turns away from it for the language.
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Offline Scattered Thumbs

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2017, 04:29:50 PM »
Hands down little house on the praire! Everyones bored, hot and sad. Very authentic

I believe you are absolutely right.

Offline Baltimore Ed

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2017, 05:26:38 PM »
Don't know if that was their thinking but given the great authentic period westerns such as Lonesome Dove, Tombstone, Open Range, Quigley Down Under, Gettysburg ( not a western but certainly a historical film)  to name a few,  the over the top language was totally uncalled for and unnecessary. I understand that they were doing an 'adult' sexy western as opposed to a 'G' rated one. But had they toned it down it could have been a really terrific series. Never much liked Little Joe on the Prairie. My wife and I spent a couple of days in Deadwood on a vacation trip to Cody/ Yellowstone and I never heard the 'f' word once the whole time we were there.
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Offline Abilene

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2017, 05:44:52 PM »
There have been lots of topics about favorite westerns, or best westerns, but I didn't see anything for most historically accurate westerns? My own research turned up a few candidates:
The Culpepper Cattle Company
Unforgiven
Dances with Wolves

All of them have some issues (Unforgiven references a .30-30 twelve years before it was invented, and Dances With Wolves got some tribal details wrong due to a change in shooting locations, among other things). Are there any other good ones people can recommend?

I always had a little problem with Buffalo being taken down with the Henry in Dances With Wolves  :)

Offline Tuolumne Lawman

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2017, 06:04:40 PM »
Lonesome Dove, the first one
Open Range,
Quick and the Dead (Sam Elliot Version) and Conagher also Elliot,
Last stand at Saber River, Monte Walsh, and Crossfire Trail (Tom Selleck),
Cullpepper Cattle company.
Broken Trail
The Missing
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Offline Capt Quirk

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2017, 06:14:01 PM »
Hands down little house on the praire! Everyones bored, hot and sad. Very authentic
If hot, bored, and sad are what make things authentic and enjoyable, come spend a summer on our homestead. You'll be overwhelmed with "authentic" ;)

Offline Stillwater

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2017, 07:18:56 PM »
From what I've heard, they used the language to show offensive such a town would have been to folks of the period. Had they used the authentic language, everyone would have sounded like Yosemite Sam and the modern audience wouldn't have understood how shocking and offensive a frontier boom town like that was. Given that reasoning, I solidly approve.

Having said that, the show is certainly not for everyone, and I don't blame anyone who turns away from it for the language.

And, you solidly approve that, because you were there - right?

Bill

Offline Ben Beam

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2017, 07:22:10 PM »
Hands down little house on the praire! Everyones bored, hot and sad. Very authentic

I read a couple books about the children of settlers being abducted by Native Americans, and it seems almost every one of them was miserable after they got "rescued." They briefly had a life spent doing whatever they wanted, and then were brought back to poverty, misery, toil, and prudishness. Seems to me Little Tipi on the Prairie would be a much more enjoyable show to watch! And almost certainly R-rated for nudity and gratuitous violence.
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Offline Baltimore Ed

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #16 on: June 20, 2017, 08:29:30 PM »
Read or watch Little Big Man. It's all about being kidnapped by Native Americans and the 'rescued'.  Totally Hilarious.
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Offline Capt Quirk

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #17 on: June 20, 2017, 08:31:21 PM »
Read or watch Little Big Man. It's all about being kidnapped by Native Americans and the 'rescued'.  Totally Hilarious.
Excellent movie, but I think there is a bit too much "literary license" taken  ;)

Offline Abilene

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #18 on: June 20, 2017, 08:59:05 PM »
Excellent movie, but I think there is a bit too much "literary license" taken  ;)
  yeah, just a tad  :)

Offline Major 2

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Re: Most historically accurate western movies?
« Reply #19 on: June 21, 2017, 06:11:50 AM »
In 1970, a film deemed the most shocking at the time, was Soldier Blue.

Based loosely around the Sand Creek Massacre.... Graphic scene's of brutality,   Rape and killing the female survivors, nudity.

I saw it once, that was sufficient   ::)

     
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