The Silver Screen Oasis

Hi Dee:

I'm glad you came back to check out westerns. One of the reasons I enjoy them is that they are much deeper than people think. "The Hanging Tree" is a good example.

WG:

I really like "No Name." It was pretty offbeat for Murphy and an interesting study on what one's mind can do to you. And all that in about 80 minutes.

I really prefer compact Westerns for the most part. NO NAME ON THE BULLET, THE GUNFIGHTER, THE OX BOW INCIDENT - they all tell their stories simply and cleanly, and do not wear out their welcome.

Most of Audie Murphy's Westerns were like that.

Westerns isn't a genre I've embraced wholeheartedly, I do like quite a few but some of the most beloved westerns of the Oasis haven't held me, I do tend to like movies at around the 90 minutes mark, 2 hours is tops, if your going to have a movie lasting longer than that it has to have real drama about it, like Gone With The Wind. Looking back at the westerns I've enjoyed the most they would all come in under 2 hours. The exception might be Red River, that might run longer but I like that movie, possibly the handsomest looking western ever filmed (well, from what I've seen that is)

"No Name" is another good example. An ironic little story that could be told in any setting. Little of it is restricted to the western genre.

they all tell their stories simply and cleanly, and do not wear out their welcome

I feel that way about all movies. Short atention span!