Watching Your Favorite Westerns at Home with Satellite TV
Whether you happen to be from Texas, Colorado, or somewhere that cowboy hats aren’t part of daily dress, there’s no denying the appeal of a good western. One of the most beloved forms of American cinema, there’s something about watching a great classic film that really makes you excited to be from the States. Whether it’s watching John Ford direct John Wayne in one of the numerous timeless classics that’s always airing on Turner Classic Movies or AMC or catching up with someone who definitely isn’t meant to be riding a horse if “City Slickers” happens to be on, there have been numerous takes on the western since it became a popular genre.
Whether your personal taste runs more towards spaghetti westerns or simply films that feature exciting horse racing, there’s usually something worthwhile on satellite tv. This is the advantage of having countless channels to choose from: being sure that even a somewhat older, more obscure form of cinema is going to be adequately represented. And whether you’re a true blue fan who has seen it all or someone just looking for a great film to watch together with the whole family, the world of westerns is a great place to get started picking out a film for this Friday night. Here are some of the best, which look even better if you’re watching in HDTV.
If you’re looking for a family film that can be enjoyed by everyone, an excellent pick is “The Man From Snowy River.” Based on a wild horse and its even wilder rider, this is one of those Australian romps through the outback that features one of the best horse racing scenes ever recorded. Though it’s not quite as old as the classics, it definitely still has a place in the hearts of many who wish that they were home on the range, rather than dealing with the stresses of life in the city.
There are more than enough John Ford and John Wayne collaborations out there, and if you’re used to watching TCM on your HDTV, you’ve likely seen at least 70 percent of them. But for a true cinematic classic unlike any other, it has to be “The Searchers.” There is a reason that this film has received accolades year after year, and if you are in search of something with the feel of a classic western but a different sort of story, it’s an excellent starting point to get serious about cinema.
You can’t possibly talk about westerns and cinema without mentioning the incredible directorial feats of Sergio Leone, who is responsible for the spaghetti western genre having such success. With incredible performances by Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” is one of those classic films that guys love to watch, and that anyone who is serious about cinema will definitely enjoy. It also has the best soundtrack out of any film made by Leone, according to many, and is the final in a trilogy that begins with the equally great “A Fistfull of Dollars.”
For another classic with a different sort of feel to it, try to find “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” when it happens to be airing on satellite tv. It shouldn’t be difficult, since it is one of the best performances given by both Robert Redford and Paul Newman, both of whom have never looked more handsome. It consistently ranks as one of the best films made in the past century due to incredible directing, great acting, and a script that just won’t quit. There’s definitely a reason why this film was able to net so many Oscars.
Of course, there have been contemporary twists on the western that also got a great deal of attention. None raised as many eyebrows or commanded so much presence at the box office as “Brokeback Mountain,” which featured incredible performances by both the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Based on an incredible short story written by the tried-and-true western writer Annie Proulx, it’s no wonder that this unconventional film went on to win multiple Oscars and end up worth re-watching for tons of Americans interested in a new take on the western genre.
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Get into the game with westerns on direct tv satellite. If you’re enjoying Directtv in Texas, then all of these and more should be at your fingertips.
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