Travis Simpkins

Go West (1925): Buster Keaton

Written, directed by and starring Buster Keaton, Go West (1925) sets his familiar character as a man named "Friendless", who heads West to find posterity and becomes an awkward Cowboy, with hilarious results. Keaton's physical humor is in fine form and the scenes of the cattle stampede through the streets of Los Angeles are classic. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, whose career was in shambles at the time following a murder scandal, has an uncredited role, dressed in drag as a woman in a department store.

Go West. 1925: Buster Keaton

a scene from "Go West" (1925)

Go West. 1925: Buster Keaton

The Wild Bunch (1969): Sam Peckinpah, William Holden and Ernest Borgnine

Directed by Sam Peckinpah, The Wild Bunch (1969) is ranked on both the Best Western list as well as the AFI's Top 100 Films of All Time. The story concerns a group of aging outlaws, struggling to cope with the end of the Old West era in 1913, and looking for one last score. Innovative in it's structure and realism (particularly in regard to violence), the film is still quite relevant and influential. The cast is wonderful, including William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien and Ben Johnson.

The Wild Bunch. 1969: William Holden and Ernest Borgnine

The Wild Bunch. 1969

The Wild Bunch. 1969: William Holden and Ernest Borgnine

The Wild Bunch. 1969

The Wild Bunch. 1969: William Holden and Ernest Borgnine

The Wild Bunch. 1969: William Holden

The Wild Bunch. 1969

"The Wild Bunch"- movie trailer

Appaloosa (2008): Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Jeremy Irons and Renee Zellweger

Co-written, starring and directed by Ed Harris, based on the 2005 novel by Robert B. Parker, Appaloosa (2008) is a superb Western film that contains many story elements from old genre classics combined with modern grittiness and graphic violence. The plot concerns a terrorized town that hires a rough lawman and his fearless deputy to stand up to the brutal rancher that causes so much misery. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen are great as the good guys. Jeremy Irons is fantastic as the bad guy. Renee Zellweger is sexy as the promiscuous love interest, appearing nude in a distant shot. The supporting cast is good as well, including Lance Hendriksen.