"The Wild Bunch" 1969. Violent, operatic and dynamically mounted, Sam Peckinpah’s game-changing classic is a film of mortal passions and loyalty above all things; a one-of-a-kind valedictory to male conduct and codes of honor, for better or worse; brilliantly conceived and executed, lyrical and lethal, it is a work of mythic proportions.

“Shane” 1953. Richly textured seminal story of lone gunman coming to the aid of beleaguered settlers battling ruthless ranchers captures the very essence of the western form; majestically filmed with first-rate performances all around; film’s climax and denouement is the stuff of movie legend.

“The Wild Rovers” 1971. Astonishing combination of realism and allegory in western concerning an aging cow puncher and his rambunctious young friend who decide on a whim to rob a bank with disastrous consequences; gorgeously composed, this overlooked entry is an exciting and poetic pondering of fate.

“Johnny Guitar” 1954. The ultimate deconstruction of the western genre is achieved in a story that pits two determined, gun-totting women against one another, each backed-up by subservient men. Director Nicholas Ray turns every Hollywood convention he can think of on its head; film is loaded with eroticism, symbolism and naked rebellion.

“The Great K&A Train Robbery” 1926. Superstar Tom Mix sets the bar for countless westerns to follow with this exciting hire-wire act that in spite of its absence of sound (there’s a musical score, of course) is a pure delight; lots of daring do, shoot-outs, nick-of-time rescues and a breakneck pace make this one loads of fun.

“Yellow Sky” 1948. Little-known western is high-octane psychological drama about a group of outlaws laying siege to a ghost town inhabited only by an old man and his daughter that might also be home to a gold mine; one of their numbers has a change of heart, and the twists and turns follow.

“Ulzana’s Raid” 1972. Tough-minded western about an aging cavalry scout who accompanies an inexperienced, idealistic captain on a hunt for a renegade Apache warrior; extremely adult tale pulls no punches, with Burt Lancaster never better.

“Bad Company” 1972. Two youths seeking to escape serving in the Union Army during the Civil War turn to good-natured robbery instead; this unique offering is something like a road trip western; young cast is excellent in energetic story with good action and character development.

"The Long Riders" 1980. Real-life brothers play the James, Youngers and others in director Walter Hill’s look at the pains of reconstruction through the lives of notorious outlaws; beautifully filmed, with a great Ry Cooder score; violent but passionate all the same.

“McCabe & Mrs. Miller” 1971. Revisionist western tosses aside nostalgia for an unforgiving landscape dominated by corrupt capitalism, mud and grime; hustler and his call-girl partner dream of establishing their own business until reality gets in their way; typical Altman effort is long on mise-en-scene, contemplative and oddly realistic.

“High Plains Drifter” 1973. Eastwood’s greatest western; Clint directs and turns in an iconic performance as “the man with no name,” come to Lago to deliver their comeuppance; existential, brutal, misogynist and highly symbolic, almost biblical in tone, this ghost story cum western is a bona fide classic.

“Stagecoach” 1939. Granddaddy of the genre is another John Ford masterpiece; film made a star of John Wayne and created a formula still in use; virtuoso technical achievements and composition style rivals top-notch screenplay and performances; dynamic, moving film doesn’t miss a beat.

“Magnificent Seven” 1960. American re-make of Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” is unrivaled ensemble piece as disparate men come together to protect helpless Mexican village from marauding bandits. Humor, action, memorable Elmer Bernstein score create exciting, emotional film.

“Riders of the Purple Sage” 1996. Zane Grey’s exhilarating sagebrush novel comes to life in this spirited re-telling; story of religion run amuck is solidly handled; good central performances, strong action scenes and nice outdoor locales make this sleeper well worth a look.