The Outlaw Josey Wales
1976 Directed by Clint Eastwood
Synopsis
...an army of one.
After avenging his family's brutal murder, Wales is pursued by a pack of soldiers. He prefers to travel alone, but ragtag outcasts are drawn to him - and Wales can't bring himself to leave them unprotected.
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Dyin' ain't much of a livin', boy.
-Josey WalesI think Clint Eastwood manages to merge some elements from the classic western with elements from the spaghetti western to create something original. The story itself plays against formula as the main character is almost seeking out death but life seems to not want to leave him alone. It starts out seemingly like a classic western revenge story, and ends up being almost forced redemption.
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It wasn't quite what I was expecting. I knew it wouldn't be like a spaghetti Western; I assumed that it would be more mature and straight. I still thought that considering its genre that it would still be quite a mild drama with overacting and mostly big open landscapes filling the gaps in narrative.
It actually was quite a deep film. It's almost a mishmash of ideals taken from Spaghetti western's but stripped down and raw. The stylish outer layer and over-the-top characters are peeled back and reveal a rather brutal and honest story.
Clint Eastwood plays Wales in a cool yet ultimately human way. His evasion of the union forces is obviously a way for him to be alone…
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One of Clint's best westerns.
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A Western classic, “Outlaw Josey Wales” was Eastwood’s dark return to the genre he made a splash in. The film opens at Eastwood’s homestead in Missouri. A group of Kansas Redlegs, who were non-affiliated Civil War soldiers, burn his house down and murder his family. No reason why is given. Soon Josey is on the move, riding horse back from his home state South to Texas, seeking the men who ruined his life.
The film starts fairly brisk, with loads of action, gunfights, and showdowns, but as Wales settles in with a Native friend and a family he saves from “Comancheros”, the film slows down. I liked the first half A LOT, but unfortunately, it seemed to have lost its… -
No one comes close to Eastwood in a western.
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Many people forget that Clint Eastwood directed this film, despite the fact that it is his best film to date. Not only that, It's on of the best westerns of all time. Eastwood is also great in the lead role, and the supporting cast is just as good. The story is exciting and involving and has some great action pieces. the cinematography is beautiful, and the sound and visuals form a great picture. Overall, this is a fantastic film, and one of my favorites.
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For the first third of the film I wasn't sure what I thought of the film, as it was clear who the good guys and bad guys were, if something bad happened to someone, the film would show them doing something bad first, it was a little simplistic in that way. Over time though, I found that the film had an interesting structure, I loved the many clever lines of dialogue, great cinematography, how it got more complex, Eastwood as the protagonist in general was great.
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Like all films, The Outlaw Josey Wales can be better appreciated by taking a moment to consider its context. Of obvious reference is the fact that it marked one of Clint Eastwood’s early stints behind the camera (though it was not without the controversial displacement of original director Philip Kaufman, whose firing so outraged the Directors Guild of America that they created the Eastwood Rule). The film is also often cited as an exemplification of the revisionist Western. But there are other notable traits of this 1976, post-Jaws affair.
When we think about Clint Eastwood Westerns, we often remember his most recognizable work from the mid- to late-1960s. Perhaps it is this recollection that makes the editing and music of…
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Pretty standard revenge flick turns into enough of a better movie to warrant it being recommended. The constant beat of the drum about how evil the Union forces from the Civil War are is fairly ridiculous, though.
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Dark, visually stunning western set just after the south's defeat in the American Civil War. Eastwood is not only iconic as Wales but deserves great credit for the films aesthetic quality and revisionist themes, turning many of the western genres conventions on their head.
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A Clint Eastwood Western Revenge film. This is definitely one of his best films and on par with the greatest westerns of all time. That is saying A LOT.
It's dark, moody, strange, violent, tense, exciting, expertly photographed, full of amazing characters, great dialogue and acting. Clint Eastwood carries this film like the bastard I hope he is and it's awesome to watch. Every growl and snarl seems effortless and haunting for whomever hears it.
It's a little long and some people might not like the pacing. I found it to be captivating throughout and it feels like a mini epic. It starts with an incredible bang and keeps the tense moments and action spaced perfectly. This dude encounters so…
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I kind of can't get over how much I enjoyed this movie. It starts off weird but it gets real good.
Plus Clint was just so goddamn hot, oh my GOD, it's unreal *hyperventilates*
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It's not his greatest film, but it's a good western that solidified Eastwood as a great director. Although it didn't hit me as hard as anything in Sergio Leone's "Dollars trilogy" or some of Eastwood's later films, I think it's definitely worth a watch.
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"Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?" - Josey Wales
The Outlaw Josey Wales is another western masterpiece starring and directed by Clint Eastwood. The pacing, the dialogue, the gorgeous scenery, the characters, the performances, the music, the action, the hat..........all are fantastic. It has instantly become one of my favorite westerns and one of my favorite Eastwood directed films. A must see.
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No one comes close to Eastwood in a western.