Western

‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974) sends up Westerns before running out of gas

Director/co-writer Mel Brooks starts his run of original genre spoofs in fiery fashion with “Blazing Saddles,” the first of a one-two punch in 1974 with

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For those wonton more: ‘The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again’ (1979)

The poster for “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again” (1979) acknowledges the first film in this two-film franchise and its strengths: The Apple Dumpling Gang

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‘Apple Dumpling Gang’ (1975) is the apple of my eye

I grew up with “The Apple Dumpling Gang” (1975). I would have been 8 years old upon its release. It showed repeatedly at local theaters

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Legal puzzle awaits clownish lawman in ‘Hoppy Serves a Writ’ (1943)

“Hoppy Serves a Writ” (1943) is a playful romp of a film. That’s probably the best that can be said of it. It survives from

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‘Survival of the Dead’ (2009) zombie-walks to series’ finish line

I have to give writer-director George Romero credit for this much: No two of his “Living Dead” films are quite like each other. He can’t

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Lovegrove steps up game in ‘Firefly: The Ghost Machine’

After leaning into the Western side of sci-fi/Western in his first two “Firefly” novels, James Lovegrove uses sci-fi to good effect in “The Ghost Machine”

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‘Bone Tomahawk’ (2016) is gritty, brutal, great

“Bone Tomahawk” (2016) is a rare horror-Western and also a standout example of the genre. Writer-director S. Craig Zahler mashes up John Wayne and Eli

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‘Firefly’ goes full-on Western in ‘Magnificent Nine’ (2019)

James Lovegrove’s first “Firefly” novel – 2018’s “Big Damn Hero,” co-plotted with Nancy Holder – spans several genres. But his second is a straight-up Western,

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‘Jonah Hex’ (2010) a stylish but thin Wild West yarn

I appreciate that “Jonah Hex” (2010) is only 82 minutes long – the length of some episodes of “Westworld” nowadays – because it makes for

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‘Back to the Future Part III’ (1990) chugs to finish line

After “Back to the Future” (1985), a pitch-perfect comedy, and “Back to the Future Part II” (1989), a thrillingly inventive time-hopper, “Back to the Future

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