Most Authentic Western?

[PJ Hardtack]

There is no such thing as an "authentic western" movie. People wouldn't spend money to go see one.

Well, I guess that settles the matter .....   Next topic?

[nagantino]

There is no such thing as an "authentic western" movie. People wouldn't spend money to go see one.

Western life was tough, full of work and mostly uneventfull.

But I did like "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence".

That's true but we have to watch something and if an author or director can boil down the Ordinary into the Extrodinary then we watch that.

An ordinary cowboy attacked by a psychotic family on the prairies.
A 14 year old girl sets out to bring her fathers murderer to justice.
A country lawyer finds himself up against a murderous bully as the territory fights for statehood.
An aging gunman stays to help a homestead family up against a hired muderer.
The endless pursuit to find a young girl stolen by a Comanche tribe.
A bunch of misfit bandits, caught up in a Mexican revolution, decide to go out in a blaze of bullets and glory.

Is any of it true? Probably not but it is now, because someone immortalised it in celluloid. I think it's the context of The West that has given authors and directors the place to create wonderful stories and when they do it with authenticity.........it's magic.

[MattSnow]

"The Magnificent Seven" ? Great movie, philosophical..well directed, played, quite authentic IMO.

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[greyhawk]

"The Magnificent Seven" ? Great movie, philosophical..well directed, played, quite authentic IMO.

What is Authentic?? its all stories really but for the sake of the story is a much better experience when the maker takes the trouble to ensure that things are at least time period correct
it grates my nerves to see model 92 winchesters in use twenty years before they were invented - it grates to see fellers riding carved hollywood style 1960's saddles a hundred years out of place - specially when in the overall scheme of things these details could have been correct for a very minor cost
 - this is the great shame of the early westerns - after WW2 up until the spaghetti western saga - shot in some of the most magnificent scenery on this planet - the real west ? but phony guns and fake horse gear
The real west is questionable too I guess - much of the real west is covered in centre pivot corn these days .