I grew up watching Westerns, says West.
And to me, the most traditionally cinematic genre in American cinema is the Western.
The experience of directing the film very much lived up to Wests dreams.
Credit: Blumhouse Productions
We were all just so happy to be there.
It was really special.
In a Valley of Violenceis screening Tuesday at 7 p.m. (Tickets were still available at the time of writing.)
The film will be released in cinemas, on VOD, and digital HD by Focus World on Friday.
West picks his five favorite Westerns, below.
My favorite types of films are the films where, if that filmmaker didnt exist, that moviecantexist.
Theres notanotherguy who was like, Man, I had the same idea forBlue Velvet!
But David Lynch got there first!OnlyDavid Lynch makes that movie.OnlyTerry Gilliam makesBrazil.OnlySergio Leone makesThe Dollars Trilogy.
Its a really unique voice.
Whats so fun is, its so apparent youre watching a movie.
Theres a full embrace of cinema.
Those had a profound impact.
High Plains Drifter(1973)
Its a borderline horror film.
Thats Clint Eastwoods own version of a Man With No Name coming into a town.
I like that that film has a lot of subtext, but there is no plot.
Typically, Im not very interested in plot and realism in movies.
Im interested in the filmmaking of the movies and the performances in the movies.
That movie has a very bare-bones plot and theyliterallypaint the town red.
Thats such an evocative image.
You dont see the movie a second time forthat.
You watch it to see all the esoteric details of the filmmaking.
This was like, What if this was real-life?
What if you were an old man who had stopped being this guy?
Maybe it would start to weigh on you, and the sadness would creep in.
I dont like the term elevated but it feels like a very elevated movie.
Its a really mean-spirited, ridiculous Spaghetti Western.
Its in the spirit of theDjangofilms and things like that.
But its a really special one.
you could see the trailer ofIn a Valley of Violence, below.
