Rich Halls How the West was lost

[Tommy Tainant]

I dont know if he is well known over there but Hall is a grumpy American comedian who was quite popular over here. He made a series of docs explaining America to us Brits.

I thought you may find this interesting. He explores the western from its early days to the present and has some interesting thoughts on the way.

He ties each period in to the prevailing political situation at the time it was made. I dont agree with all his findings and I also think he calls time on the genre too soon. Unfiorgiven is the last one he rates but I disagree. Since then we have had Open Range and Lonesome Dove which stand with the best of the genre.

Lots of films not mentioned and some of his choices are a bit odd. But if you like westerrns this is a pleasant way to reminisce.

 

[ReinyDays]

No thank you ... not at an hour and a half ...

They did give John Wayne an academy award eventually ... alas ... True Grit ruined the format ...

The genre is racist ... The West is covered with mass graves full of Chinese ... why do you think that's funny? ...

 

[Soupnazi630]

No thank you ... not at an hour and a half ...

They did give John Wayne an academy award eventually ... alas ... True Grit ruined the format ...

The genre is racist ... The West is covered with mass graves full of Chinese ... why do you think that's funny? ...

There is nothing racist about it

 

[Tommy Tainant]

No thank you ... not at an hour and a half ...

They did give John Wayne an academy award eventually ... alas ... True Grit ruined the format ...

The genre is racist ... The West is covered with mass graves full of Chinese ... why do you think that's funny? ...

I think that is too sweeping a statement. Some of it is for sure and some of it just reflects what was going on at the time.

But there have been some great westerns, and some of them are the best films ever made.

 

[ReinyDays]

There is nothing racist about it

You don't think the Chinese Exclusion Act targeted a specific race for discrimination? ...

 

[Soupnazi630]

You don't think the Chinese Exclusion Act targeted a specific race for discrimination? ...

Which has nothing to do with the wetern genre

 

[Flopper]

I dont know if he is well known over there but Hall is a grumpy American comedian who was quite popular over here. He made a series of docs explaining America to us Brits.

I thought you may find this interesting. He explores the western from its early days to the present and has some interesting thoughts on the way.

He ties each period in to the prevailing political situation at the time it was made. I dont agree with all his findings and I also think he calls time on the genre too soon. Unfiorgiven is the last one he rates but I disagree. Since then we have had Open Range and Lonesome Dove which stand with the best of the genre.

Lots of films not mentioned and some of his choices are a bit odd. But if you like westerrns this is a pleasant way to reminisce.

The Western is not about how life was in the old west but how many American wish it was. The Western is a wonderful and horrible piece of Americana.