As many of us know, the Western genre was virtually non-existent in the mid-1980s. Sliverado and Pale Rider were clearly the champions of the genre in 1985.
Silverado had it all. Emmit and Paden, ex outlaws, try to make a new life for themselves. Mal Johnson, a former slaughterhouse worker toting a trusty Henry rifle, ventures out to Silverado to rejoin his family. And who can forget Jake? He may not be on the same page as everyone else, but he can handle any situation that gets thrown at him. Wagon trains, bandits, corrupt lawmen, treacherous gamblers, and a cattle barron with a vendetta against Emmit, Jake, and Mal. That's alot to take in! John Cleese is rather convincing as Sherrif Langston. Now I think I can safely say that Silverado was the first Western I ever saw at a very young age. Interesting how everyone seems to carry a Colt SAA in this one! I especially like the sound of the guns being cocked and fired. Yes sir, this here is my "Go To" Western!
Pale Rider was something else. It stood in stark contrast to the adventurous Silverado. Who better to help bring back the Western than the Man With No Name himself, Clint Eastwood. Clearly an inventive remake of Shane, this movie also takes on the concept of a previous Eastwood Western, known as High Plains Drifter, and takes it a few steps further. My favorite moments in the film, other than the gunfight, is the scene where the Preacher makes his entrance into town. Now you see him, now you don't. Note that all of the bad guys carry a Colt, whereas the Preacher carries a Remington, and uses it to great effect by the way.
Also worth mentioning is that this was the last of Clint Eastwood's Western movies where he was the Man With No Name.
Both of these movies rank high on my list favorites. Not only that but they have inspired me to write my own Western stories.
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