The Coen brothers can’t do much wrong, and it becomes evident as ever here. This masterful script based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel captures the disparities between young and old.
The Coens, together with their prized director of photography, Roger Deakins, shed light on the viciousness that took place in the vast wild region of the western landscape.
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (Sam Peckinpah, 1970)
"The Ballad of Cable Hogue" production caused quite a stir at the time. It went over the budget by three-million dollars and continued 19 days after schedule. That being said, the film that was shot in the desert landscapes of Nevada ended up being a masterful commentary on American despair.
Sadly due to production issues, Holywood lost interest in Peckinpah after this film. But we sure didn't!
Bad Company (Robert Benton, 1972)
What starts out as an odyssey to the "promised land" of American riches evolves into something far more dark and even bizarre. Jake (Jeff Bridges) and his buddy have stripped of their dreams and even dignity thanks to a cruel gang of roaming bandits.
It's a dog eat dog world out there.
A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964)
The film has aged really well considering it's from 1964. The Man With No Name (Clint Eastwood) rolls into a village of San Miguel in the middle of a power struggle between the Rojo brothers. Of course, Eastwood inserts himself right into the battle with plans of his own.
Shots of menacing faces and forbidding landscapes almost make this western feel like a comic book.
The Assassination of Jesse James (2007)
This western revisionist film dramatizes the relationship between "wild west" legends Jesse James (Brad Pitt) and Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) and causes on the events that led up to the actual assassination. Beyond the gripping story, the film has one of the best scores in recent cinema.
Oddly enough, it's taken about 10 years for this film to get the recognition it truly deserves.