CHUD.com Community › Forums › SPECIFIC FILMS › Films in Release or On Video › Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

post #1 of 67
8/23/08 at 10:55pm
Thread Starter 
When a film's opening credits include "story by Bernardo Bertolucci, Dario Argento, and Sergio Leone," you know it's gonna be good.

The railroad coming to an area and testing its different types of men reminded me a lot of No Country and its drugs and codes. Fonda is told he'll never be a businessman; Bronson acknowledges they're of a dying "race." The difference here is that we do get a final showdown between equals, and the change coming to the area is probably an overall positive.

One thing that surprised me was the amount of funny lines. You wouldn't think these filmmakers were English-language wordsmiths, but I guess somebody involved punched it up.
Reply
post #2 of 67
8/23/08 at 10:59pm
Cluadia Cardinale looks simply incredible in this one.
Reply
post #3 of 67
8/23/08 at 11:06pm
"Only at the point of dying, Frank"

Bronson and Fonda's last conversation is a great way to show how their time is coming to a close much like The Wild Bunch.
Reply
post #4 of 67
8/23/08 at 11:34pm
I'm not a particular fan of Westerns, but this is one of my all time favourite films. I love the thematics, I love the fact that it has both a grand sweeping story and some great intimate character beats and I love the dialogue so much. Just hearing Bronson say 'One Horse too many' sold me on the film completely and I was pretty much enthralled from then.
Reply
post #5 of 67
8/23/08 at 11:42pm
One of my absolute favorite movies ever. I can't think of one negative thing about it. One of my favorite shots is in the bar when Cheyenne slides the lantern across the bar to reveal a close-up of Harmonica. The Harmonica flashback at the end is also one of my favorite scenes ever.
Reply
post #6 of 67
8/23/08 at 11:53pm
I'm still amazed at what Leone accomplished with his westerns, he essentially chronicled the birth of america from it's very beginnings (Fistful of Dollars) to it's emerging status (Once upon a time in America)
Reply
post #7 of 67
8/24/08 at 1:51am
This movie has such an impact on me, it's almost hard to put into words. The imagery, the pacing, the blocking, the cinematography, the dialogue, the score, the acting, it all changed me at the core. It changed how I look at films. It directly influenced how I approach my directing, my editing, and my photography. There's something almost operatic about the film, yet at the same time it's incredibly intimate--at its core it's a story about one man avenging himself on another man, but it plays out like the entire universe is at stake when it comes to their final meeting. That's not even scratching the surface of Cheyenne, or Jill, or Morton's themes.

I could on for hours about this movie, I love it so.
Reply
post #8 of 67
8/24/08 at 1:59am
Every moment in this film feels like it is the work of a master. The introduction of Fonda is always mentioned when it comes to the film, and there is a reason why. Not only is it a play on a classic actor's film persona, but cinematically it is one of of the most well thought out and shot introductions in film history. I know that sounds like hyperbole but if any film deserves that kind of praise this is the one.
Reply
post #9 of 67
8/24/08 at 3:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by felix natalya View Post
Cluadia Cardinale looks simply incredible in this one.
Amen. No female in the history of cinema has ever looked better.
Reply
post #10 of 67
8/24/08 at 3:45am
The conjunction of editing, music, and acting by Fonda during the Frank/Harmonica showdown has got to be one of my favorite moments in film. The cemetery showdown scene in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a monument of masterfully-built suspense, but Harmonica's flashback added an emotional dimension to really intensify the suspense here. The spin into closeup, the piercing blue eyes, the shock registering -- it literally sends chills down my spine.

And the opening shootout is so finely choreographed, too. I never realized how boring violence can be until Woody Strode went into his quasi-rigor mortis and Bronson did his little pirouette, and I saw how transcendentally beautiful it can be. After seeing that, it seems like no other action director's ever even considered being so meticulous, nevermind trying and failing.
Reply
post #11 of 67
8/24/08 at 3:49am
This film also has one of the most painful looking stunts I've ever seen.
Reply
post #12 of 67
8/24/08 at 4:27am
Which one is that? The drop from the rooftop?
Reply
post #13 of 67
8/24/08 at 4:30am
"And you can count... all the way to 2."

"All the way to 6 if I have to."

Dialogue like that is priceless.

As others have said here already, this is one of my favorite films ever. The score is amazing, especially Frank's and of course Harmonica's themes. The showdown between Frank and Harmonica is one of the best ever, as is the opening reveal of Frank and his thugs one at a time, all the way to the pan around to Frank's face. Showing an evil Henry Fonda's face in close up in all it's 2.35:1 glory.
Reply
post #14 of 67
8/24/08 at 5:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Clark View Post
Which one is that? The drop from the rooftop?
Yeah, the guy crashes to the ground, headfirst
Reply
post #15 of 67
8/24/08 at 2:40pm
"But sons of bitches... yeah."

I think that is my favorite line of the movie right there. Such a great film. I can watch that ending over and over again. Everything from Frank finding the train to Cheyenne shaving to the gunfight to the ride off.

Every time I start trying to come up with a decent story about the railroad going through the West I come back to this movie.
Reply
post #16 of 67
8/24/08 at 3:21pm
The fist time I saw it I had no idea what I was getting into, I picked it up on DVD on a whim and was totally shell shocked by what I saw.

Boy I love this movie. For all the reasons mentioned in this thread and more. It's a true masterpiece.
Reply
post #17 of 67
8/24/08 at 3:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JuddL View Post
The fist time I saw it I had no idea what I was getting into, I picked it up on DVD on a whim and was totally shell shocked by what I saw.

Boy I love this movie. For all the reasons mentioned in this thread and more. It's a true masterpiece.
Yeah, I bought the 2-disc for $6 a few years back and we had just bought our 50" plasma so it was our first real demo. My God, it was beautiful.

The DVD has a truly gorgeous transfer. But I'm hoping to watch this at the Drafthouse or something if it ever gets there someday.
Reply
post #18 of 67
8/24/08 at 3:48pm
Oh, and I think I showed this to James awhile back. But this is great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyp34v6Lmcc

Don't watch it if you've never seen this movie though.
Reply
post #19 of 67
8/25/08 at 2:42am
Hopefully Paramount gets the Blu Ray of this out sooner rather than later.
Reply
post #20 of 67
8/31/08 at 7:27pm
A film with this kind of personality couldn't be made today. Bronson, Robards, and Fonda... all three of them delivering lines like men of a totally different era. I can't really imagine many actors who could deliver such lines these days without coming across as posers.

The single wide shot of the three men at the railroad station standing against a single Bronson. Such AMAZING composition.

I can thank Entertainment Weekly for getting me to see the film. I think it was one of their 'greatest moments in cinema' lists and it was the introduction of Fonda's character that was gushed over. Bought the 2 disc DVD for 10 bucks and didn't regret it. What was even more awesome was that I had already listened to the Harmonica theme years ago on a Morricone anthology disc. So when that theme kicked in during the film, I was in heaven.

EDIT: Anyone else who saw this film later on notice the shot 'stolen' from Back to the Future Part 3? The crane shot that reveals the town?
Reply
post #21 of 67
8/31/08 at 8:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Eaton View Post
Oh, and I think I showed this to James awhile back. But this is great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyp34v6Lmcc

Don't watch it if you've never seen this movie though.
Awesome.

Yeah, by the way, if anyone doesn't own this movie, go pick it up at Target for $5.50. Don't know why it's so consistently cheap, but it is.
Reply
post #22 of 67
8/31/08 at 8:38pm
Anyone ever listen to the film critic commentary on the disc? Any good?
Reply
post #23 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:08pm
It's pretty good, but it's no Armageddon. I wish Micheal Bay would remake it. Or Renny Harlin.

It's so dumb when Harmonica is supposed to be playing the harmonica, but it's obvious he's not really playing the harmonica.


For you, Spike.
Reply
post #24 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:10pm
I demand that Harry Gregson Williams and Trevor Rabin collaborate to create a contemporary techno version of Morricone's themes to make it more palatable for today's youth!!
Reply
post #25 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith Fordyce View Post

For you, Spike.
Sweet, sweet vindication.

I've decided that I'm doing a triple bill with some of my friends on Saturday. Once Upon A Time In The West followed by There Will Be Blood followed by Once Upon A Time In America. Essentially it's a Leone 'Foundations of Modern America' sandwich.
Reply
post #26 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:19pm
I bet Paul W.S. Anderson could tell this story in half the time.
Reply
post #27 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:28pm
With 2 times the Milla!
Reply
post #28 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcnooj82
The single wide shot of the three men at the railroad station standing against a single Bronson. Such AMAZING composition.
http://img174.imagevenue.com/img.php..._122_876lo.jpg

Stunning.
Reply
post #29 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:34pm
Yes. YES. Thanks for that!
Reply
post #30 of 67
9/1/08 at 8:46pm
Christian Bale as Harmonica.
Reply
post #31 of 67
9/1/08 at 9:05pm
CG Heath Ledger as Frank!
Reply
post #32 of 67
9/2/08 at 9:46am
Monica Bellucci as Jill McBain (yeah, like you didn't see that one coming)
Reply
post #33 of 67
9/2/08 at 10:31am
I'm getting Neal Moritz on the phone RIGHT NOW.

And Neal Moritz will get Harry Gregson Williams on the phone after that.

And then he'll drive up to Montreal to hire Arcade Fire to record a song for the shootout. "Why's that?" asks James. Because they like cars more than telephones.

Your move.
Reply
post #34 of 67
9/2/08 at 11:02am
Watched it for the first time a couple of weeks back. A perfect movie if here ever was one and unfortunately the type of movie that couldn't be made anymore. It was amazing realising that I was 30 minutes in and still had no clue what the film was about.

Also, I had no idea how heavily Sam Raimi borrowed from this for THE QUICK AND THE DEAD.
Reply
post #35 of 67
9/2/08 at 2:04pm
I've got lots of friends who "like films" but "don't like westerns" (itself a ridiculous thing to say, in my opinion - I don't like musicals, but I still own Singin' In the Rain) apart from maybe Unforgiven. This is the film I tell them to watch and then tell me they don't like Westerns. When they admit how great it is, then tis time for me to bust out some other stuff. But in honesty, this is the only Western you need. Its certainly one of the very best and, as so many in here have said, one of my all-time favourite films, a work of impeccable craftsmanship in all aspects.
Reply
post #36 of 67
9/2/08 at 2:21pm
For all the reverence I have for Ford and Hawks this is THE film when it comes to westerns. I admire it so much that it kind of spoiled my love for the other Leone westerns. No matter how hard I try, I keep comparing them to this and they always come up short.
Reply
post #37 of 67
9/2/08 at 4:51pm
The Good The Bad and The Ugly matches up if you want some dirty, violent fun. Its on a different level, but its every bit as good, if that makes sense.
Reply
post #38 of 67
9/2/08 at 11:24pm
Caught this at the Brattle last week. It was a beautiful, new print and such a joy to watch in the theater. Nice and loud too. When harmonica gunned down the three dusters in the beginning, I actually flinched a little. And I've seen the movie three times.

One thing I noticed that was kinda interesting. Harmonica doesn't really kill that many people. The three in the beginning. The two at the well. And then Frank. It's like he's narrowing down his search bit by bit...and there are only really three notes on the harmonica he plays. There are lots of threes in the movie I never caught before. Strange...
Reply
post #39 of 67
9/3/08 at 10:21am
The only acceptable Frank in a remake is Tom Hanks.
Reply
post #40 of 67
9/6/08 at 9:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sackley View Post
The Good The Bad and The Ugly matches up if you want some dirty, violent fun. Its on a different level, but its every bit as good, if that makes sense.
I've often referred to the two films as opposing sides of the same coin. Different vibe, different kind of storytelling and pace, but both done with the same intricate amount of care and craft. Essentially, whenever anyone asks me what my fave film of all time is, my answer is always "OUATITW. Or TGTB&TU if I'm in a more playful mood".

Also re: the above-mentioned rooftop fall stunt. I've been an indie pro wrestler for about 8 years or so now, and every single time I've watched that film with a bunch of "the guys", the reaction to that bump is house-shaking! It invariably ends up getting watched anywhere from 5-10 times in a row and the reaction never diminishes.
Reply
post #41 of 67
9/8/08 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon Ma View Post
Monica Bellucci as Jill McBain
But dubbed with someone else's voice, preferably that of Carolyn De Fonseca.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0208403/
Reply
post #42 of 67
12/8/08 at 6:27pm
No way can this be remade.

Weirdly, I watched this yesterday, and then last night my wife insisted we watched a 2-parter of CSI MIAMI. (I know, shoot me)

Anyway, David Caruso kept getting into shootouts, and they kept playing a remixed version of the Harmonica theme! The horror.
Reply
post #43 of 67
12/12/08 at 6:01pm
I finally watched this for the first time maybe 3 months back and I was immediately struck by the early railroad station scene. It was so methodical in getting where it wanted to be, but by todays standards it was crawling and I kept thinking to myself how much I was enjoying it and how we've taken such giant steps backwards that our action movies can't have that any more. Rotating the focus on each of the three dusters as they waited for the train, and with almost no lines you learned so much about each of them. Just perfect.
Reply
post #44 of 67
9/1/09 at 12:14am
This movie, fuck yeah.

It's 4:11 in the night here and I have an immense craving for Leone right now, but there's really no way I can justify even starting one of his movies, since I should be up at decent hours tomorrow. So I listened to "The Man With The Harmonica" instead, but it isn't enough.

Might just start up that Christopher Fraying Something To Do With Death book as bedtime reading, I guess.
Reply
post #45 of 67
9/1/09 at 12:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluelouboyle View Post
No way can this be remade.

Weirdly, I watched this yesterday, and then last night my wife insisted we watched a 2-parter of CSI MIAMI. (I know, shoot me)

Anyway, David Caruso kept getting into shootouts, and they kept playing a remixed version of the Harmonica theme! The horror.
0_0

EDIT: Just checked this out on YouTube. Good fucking lord.
Reply
post #46 of 67
9/1/09 at 5:35pm
They used a remix of it for the "parley" scene in the 3rd Pirates movie, too.

This is my favorite western but I haven't seen many of the classics. Before this I wouldn't have said I was a fan. Between this and the love evident in the Dark Tower books, I've definitely developed a taste for it.
Reply
post #47 of 67
9/1/09 at 9:46pm
Not a lot I can add to this, Leone is a master at the top of his game here. I honestly don't know if it's my favorite of his westerns - but it's definately his best.

I feel nothing but unbridled cinephile joy every time I watch this film, the same zing up my spine I get watching Kurosawa. It's simply one of those "movies that remind me why I adore the movies" films.

Also, it simply cannot be overstated how big a deal it was for super clean cut Henry Fonda to play such an unmitigated bastard, did he ever play a bad guy in another movie? I don't think so, not that he needed to, his Frank is the definative western villain anyways. No more so than because it played so starkly against Fondas image. It was like Tom Hanks playing a villain times a hundred....

"Now that you've called me by name"
Reply
post #48 of 67
9/1/09 at 10:57pm
Morton: You didn't have to kill them, I only wanted you to scare them!

Frank: People scare better when they're dyin'.


If the internet had been around back then, there would have been talk of Henry Fonda being a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actor.
Reply
post #49 of 67
9/4/09 at 3:18pm
And badasses would quote the characters in their signatures!
Reply
post #50 of 67
9/4/09 at 3:34pm
Heads up: OUATITW is in rotation this month on HDNET Movies. In HD, needless to say.

Air Dates:4:30 AM ET / 1:30 AM PT - Tue, Sep 8th
9:15 AM ET / 6:15 AM PT - Sat, Sep 12th
11:15 AM ET / 8:15 AM PT - Fri, Sep 18th
5:15 PM ET / 2:15 PM PT - Sun, Sep 27th
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Films in Release or On Video
CHUD.com Community › Forums › SPECIFIC FILMS › Films in Release or On Video › Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)