The Westerns of Clint Eastwood - with 'Clint' Biographer Shawn Levy
A towering figure in the history of the Western, Clint Eastwood redefined the image of the lone hero with his portrayal of the flint-eyed, morally ambiguous gunslinger in Sergio Leone's influential “Dollars Trilogy.” Later, as a director, he fused the stylized detachment of the Italian subgenre with the classic structure of the Hollywood Western — and created a series of unforgettable films that deconstructed the myths of the Old West and earned critical acclaim, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. On this very special episode, bestselling author Shawn Levy joins us to discuss his brand new biography, Clint: The Man and the Movies.And stick around for a bonus interview with returning guest Mark Swan, who shares his thoughts about Eastwood’s Westerns and offers a behind-the-scenes look at his new album, All the Gold in the West!Click HERE to purchase Shawn Levy’s book. Click HERE to purchase Mark Swan’s album.You can find and follow Shawn Levy HEREYou can find and follow Mark Swan (aka Rex Hooper) HERE
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The Searchers (1956) - with Author Glenn Frankel
You asked for it, so we’ve delivered! Since the launch of this podcast, John Ford’s masterpiece The Searchers has been our most frequently requested film by far. In this highly anticipated episode, we have a fascinating conversation about it that you won’t want to miss. Joining us to discuss Ford’s influential Western is author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Frankel, whose bestselling book The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend belongs on the shelf of every serious Western movie fan. So saddle up and hit the trail with us as we explore one of the greatest films of all time.The conversation with Frankel took place at the American West Center of the University of Utah on January 17, 2025.Special thanks to the podcast Music of Bond for permission to use a clip from their show. To hear the entire episode featuring Matthew Chernov’s guest appearance, visit their Apple Podcast page or look for it wherever you download your favorite podcasts.
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Ride the High Country (1962) - with Author Robert Nott
On this trailblazing episode, reporter and historian Robert Nott drops by to discuss Sam Peckinpah's Ride the High Country. Robert is the author of several acclaimed books on Western film history, including The Films of Randolph Scott, Last of the Cowboy Heroes, The Films of Budd Boetticher, and Goin' Crazy with Sam Peckinpah and All Our Friends. His latest book is titled Ride the High Country, and it's the first book to focus exclusively on Peckinpah's poignant 1962 classic. Robert Nott's book, Ride the High Country, is published by the University of New Mexico Press, and is part of the Reel West series, edited by Andrew Patrick Nelson.
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Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 (2024)
On this super-size episode, Matt and Andrew discuss the biggest Western movie event in recent memory. Is Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 a bold and breathtaking vision of the Old West or a television miniseries masquerading as a feature film? Our hosts debate the issue, covering everything from key scenes and performances to John Debney’s score to the critical and commercial reaction to the movie. And in a special bonus segment at the end of the episode, returning guest Travis Eller drops by to share his thoughts on the film’s impressive Western hats. He also discusses his principal lead role in the exciting new INSP television series Elkhorn! Be sure to visit Travis’s custom hat shop, Ugly Outlaw Hats, to order your very own hand-crafted Western hat.
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Western Movie Books – with Authors Henry C. Parke and Cory Everett
Read any good Western movie books lately? On this page-turning episode, we’re highlighting some of our favorite books about the Western genre. From biographies and coffee table books to scholarly studies and acclaimed film guides, you’ll find plenty of reading recommendations here that will deepen your love of Westerns. And joining us to talk about their own recent Western film books are two authors you’ll definitely enjoying meeting. First, Andrew interviews Henry C. Parke about his new book The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made Them. After that, Matthew chats with Cory Everett about his adorable children’s book My First Spaghetti Western. It’s an episode you’ll want to listen to from cover to cover! Books discussed on the show:The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made ThemMy First Spaghetti Western100 WesternsOnce Upon a Time in Italy: The Westerns of Sergio LeoneHorse Opera: The Strange History of the 1930s Singing CowboyJohn Wayne: The Life and LegendAmerican Titan: Searching for John WayneBloody Sam: The Life and Films of Sam Peckinpah"If They Move . . . Kill 'Em!": The Life and Times of Sam PeckinpahHang 'Em High: 110 Years of Western Movie PostersClick HERE to watch the trailer for Cory Everett’s My First Spaghetti Western
Whether you grew up watching the movies of John Wayne, cut your teeth on Clint Eastwood’s “Man with No Name” trilogy, or consider Kevin Costner to be the screen’s quintessential cowboy star, HOW THE WEST WAS ‘CAST is just the podcast you’ve been waiting for. Join screenwriter and journalist Matthew Chernov and film historian Andrew Patrick Nelson as they discuss the beloved masterpieces, forgotten treasures, and curious cult movies that make up the Western film genre. From the timeless classics of the 1940s and ‘50s, to the bold and bloody titles of the 1960s and ‘70s, to the prestige Westerns of today, HOW THE WEST WAS ‘CAST explores one of cinema’s most fascinating and enduring genres.
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