1. The Western Genre

2. What is the Western Genre?
Genre that started since the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus
One of the oldest film genres (1903), which predates film itself
The Western genre is focused on the good guys keeping law and order within the frontier
Nostalgic genre of the 1900s – Dates back to the American west, creating our historical background

3. History of Western Genre
The era of the American West began from to the 1900s
Are usually set between the American Civil war and the early 1900s
Popular in the 1930s-60s, but resurged in the 1990s. Popular for how it explained the history of America/myths and how the West had culture
Influenced by individualism – the importance of an individual

4. Western Settings/Costumes
Settings in Western films generally include breathtaking settings and open landscapes ( The Tetons and The Monument Valley)
Usually takes place in the afternoon when the sun is still bright
Can see lots of ranches, frontiers, cactus, and lots of wildlife
Costumes usually include hats, leather boots, masks, denim jeans, guns, vests, and rope for lassoing animals and people

5. Western Heroes & Antiheroes
Heroes usually include local lawmen or enforcement officers, ranchers, army officers, cowboys, territorial marshals, or skilled gunfighters
Hero Characteristics: Masculine people of integrity and principle – courageous, moral, tough, solid and self-sufficient, independent and honorable attitude
Hero could usually stand alone and face danger against protagonists (may have sidekicks)

6. Western Heroes & Antiheroes (cont)
Codes of the Hero: Protecting good vs. evil, uphold the law, saving the innocent/those held captive, keep oaths made, helping the needy/unfortunate
The antiheroes (antagonists) would usually wear black hats – black being a symbol of evil
Men would mainly play the roles of the hero; trying to stop the antagonists
Women are usually the housekeepers and serve as those that tend to the wounded

7. Western Dialogue Dialogue:
Usually seen as quirky, witty, having emphasis being placed on the words, and is usually laconic (concise/brief), making it enjoyable to the audience

8. Western Film Plot Maintain law and order in the frontier
Settlers vs the Indians
Humanity vs. Nature
Civilization vs. Wilderness
Villains vs. Heroes
Law and order vs. Anarchy
Plot may be gloomy in the middle due to the antihero; usually resolved by the hero

9. Western Iconography
Guns- usually includes gun fights, violence, and human massacres
Bank robberies by the villains
Runaway stagecoaches (for rescuing, escaping the villain)
Cattle drives and rustling
Bar room brawls
Shootouts and showdowns
Hats, Horses, Cigars, Alcohol, Rodeos

10. Mood & Tone
Suspenseful
Gloomy
Violent
Happy
Dark

11. Test Questions
Western films had a great influence on American culture and were able to shape Americans’ views of the old frontier by replacing actual history with myth.
Westerns films got their start because Dime Novels about the Wild West were extremely popular
Culture: opposite of nature in the western
Class: opposite of equality in the Western

12. Test Questions
Clint Eastwood & John Wayne were the actors most associated with Westerns
Young males (tenderfoots) characters get educated in westerns with shooting lessons
The roles of women in westerns are conventional and secondary to men
Cowboys vs. Indians was a sub-genre that dominated box-office reign

13. Types of Westerns Epic Western ‘Singing cowboy’ Western
Spaghetti Western
Noir Western
Contemporary Western
Revisionist Western
Comedy Western
Post-Apocalyptic Western
Space Western

14. Spaghetti Western Developed in the 1960s and 1970s
Named for how most of the films were produced and directed by the Italians
These films tended to be low budget and were often shot in the desert
Introduced more violence over the other genres

15. Contemporary Western
Reflects the themes and motifs of Classic westerns, yet it is set in Contemporary America
Are usually taking place in the West
Often explore the “ classic cowboy” struggling in the “civilized world”

16. Revisionist Western
Came out around the 1960s in response to contemporary westerns
Took a different look at the West; saw Native Americans as more than savages
Call the audience to examine whether the use of violence is moral – even if the protagonist is justified

17. Space Western Is a genre that integrates Sci-Fi into its films
Future technology is often used transport the characters into the Wild West
Tend to have a lighter tone and less violence than traditional Western films

18. Film Techniques
Western films tend to have distinct cinematography and editing
Early films included title cards and ellipses
Lighting was crucial to dramatic films/humorous films
Serious western films that had conflict and violence used plenty of low-key lighting to emphasize the characters and the surrounding landscape
Used camera techniques like zoom shots and panning for fight/gun scenes
Crosscutting for chase scenes