Still a Classic

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 2003)

I am a huge fan of westerns and I dont understand why other fans of westerns have not taken this movie to heart as much as I have. All of the classic themes are still there but told more boldly than ever. The arrival of civilization and the loss of the west. In essence, the western is a tragedy about the loss of the rugged individualism, the character from which America was made. People miss this and that is why we revisit the western time and again. Modern "western" like Tombstone (which I really liked) kind of give us the window dressing of why we liek westerns (e.g., gunfights, black hats, etc.) but dont catch the main theme of the disapearing west..the tradeoff of the rugged individualism for civilization. In most westerns, this is a willing sacrifice by the west (often portrayed by noble anti-hero types). In this movie, it is not a willing sacrifice but a fight to the death.