From Shane Conto

What happened to the once great cinematic genre of the Western? John Ford helped make this type of film one of the biggest and most successful in the first half of the 20th Century. The likes of Sergio Leone and then Clint Eastwood took up the mantle and rode the success all the way up to the early 90’s. But Eastwood made a crucial decision that had lasting effects on the genre ever since. Unforgiven became his last period western (he has briefly dabbled in neo-westerns in a minor way lately). But not only that, Unforgiven tore down the genre and showed the truth behind the wonder. Ever since, this genre has been considered “dead”. 

But is the western truly “dead”? As a matter of fact, it is nowhere close. We might not receive dozens of high profile westerns like in early cinema but we are still treated to some incredible films. There have been some important factors keeping this genre going throughout the 90’s and into today. There are select filmmakers with the right voice who have been able to capture this genre’s former glory. There are different places around the world capturing their own approach to this classic genre. Filmmakers have found ways to shake things up and find fresh approaches to this tired genre. All of these elements have kept this a viable genre which is still worth exploring in the modern cinematic landscape. 

Who are those talented directors who have captured such classic genre glory today? The Coen Brothers tackled a classic tale from Charles Portis, True Grit. This dynamic fraternal duo brought an authenticity from the book and gave this retelling a darker and harder edge that worked perfectly. Paul Thomas Anderson ventured into the late moments of the west in the search for oil in his instant classic, There Will Be Blood. Martin Scorsese is even diving into this classic genre with his new murder mystery/crime thriller wrapped in a western setting, The Killers of the Flower Moon. Even Tarantino has offered up a double dose of bloody and bold westerns with Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight. As long as there are great filmmakers like them as well as James Mangold, Andrew Dominick, S. Craig Zahler, and others, we have something to be excited about. 

But the western is no longer just an American genre, is it? If you head down under, you will find a new approach with the Meat Pie Western with such films as The Proposition leading the way. This is a sharply stylish flick with a stacked cast which breathes fresh air into this aging genre. Some films take the genre in a…strange way. We get The Good, the Bad, and the Weird as well as Bacarau which capture the spirit of the genre while mixing plenty of other flair in them. Slow West is a joint Kiwi outing that is a brisk watch and packed full of gorgeous visuals and another stacked cast. The Salvation is a Dutch take on the genre capped off with a Mads Mikkelsen performance worth experiencing. So no…you have plenty of places to look today when it comes to finding good quality westerns. 

But what is the best way to keep things fresh? The neo-western. This has given this iconic genre a whole new lease on life. You can look no further than Taylor Sheridan who is making a whole career out of modern westerns. Series like Yellowstone and films like Hell or High Water and Wind River handle all the western trappings with great care while delivering a more modern setting that could be more accessible. One of the most iconic neo-westerns of them all is The Coen Brothers’ Best Picture winning Cormac McCarthy adaptation, No Country of Old Men. This outlaw and lawless film full of dread and nihilism is something to behold. It just might be the best western of any kind in almost 30 years. James Mangold delivered a great western remake in 3:10 to Yuma but it is his superhero neo-western Logan that gets mountains of praise. This is such a clever way to shake up the biggest genre today while delivering something classic and engaging. Mad Max: Fury Road, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sicario, Brokeback Mountain, and plenty more fill out this western twist and keep it a viable genre in the 21st century. 

Do you need any more convincing? There are plenty of great recommendations littered throughout this article. Each one has its merits on why it is worth seeing and each boasts some of the essential essence of what makes a film a western. Don’t let the discourse fool you, the western is alive and is still delivering some of the best films each year. Trust in talented filmmakers and dive into this modern world of this classic genre.

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