Category: Western Literature
|February 6, 2012||Posted by berns under Western Literature, Westernfilms||
Western films make us imagine Cowboys and Indians in their glory days on the frontier. However, the classic western movies are much more than that and there are many actors as well as actresses that have taken part in this wonderful and sometimes historic representation of the early American history and way of living.
Usually, these kinds of movies would show towns covered in dust that would be inhabited by people who are scared of the gunfighters that would try to scare them. There would almost always be a scene that would be shot in the town’s saloon and there was always at least one gunfight and usually more than that. It is a time of cattle and horseback riding and mountains and other elements that defined the west during that time.
Popular Locations for Western Films
Quite a few of these western films were done in actual locations or at least the actual areas that would enable the ability to have the typical western background. Places like Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado were especially used for their western atmosphere, and Eastern California was popular for the desert types of filming needed in certain stories. Entire face board, buildings which would just depict the facade, towns would be built out in the middle of nowhere for many of these movies and then be torn down when finished, this was the standard practice of many film makers.
A particular on-site location was the main backdrop for the movie “Stagecoach” and this was at the four corners region that included Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico and is called Monument Valley. Similarly, the “Cheyenne Autumn” western film was also done in that same location.
Some History on Western Films
Experts agree that the first western film that was made is titled “The Great Train Robbery” and it was all silent but is still considered to be a classic considering that it put the word western in the Hollywood dictionary.
Then there are those western movies that were done by the Italian director Sergio Leone and would feature relative newcomer Clint Eastwood. These were films such as “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The Outlaw Josie Wales, and A Fist Few of Dollars.” These are now considered to be the new classics of this interesting genre.
The best western film actor is known to be John Wayne and he was one of the most prolific actors of his generation. Roles such as “Rooster Cogburn” and films like “The Alamo” are simply a couple of the many westerns he had made in his lifetime and he won for playing the protagonist in “True Grit.”
Lastly, those are just two of the outstanding actors that have starred or took part in the western film genre. There are many more that have had their start in these wonderful types of films as well and we will continue to enjoy their work for many years to come.
|February 6, 2012||Posted by berns under Western Literature, Westernfilms||
Many old western movies are favorites of many film buffs and even ordinary moviegoers. This type of movie genre has withstood the many decades of the entertainment industry will most likely continue to do so for decades more. Although, many of these types of films were usually filmed on an enclosed set, they were also films or movies that utilize some of the most beautiful locations while telling a story about the western way of life.
Nearly all of these kinds of movies involve a gunfighter and a saloon considering that these were considered to be a way of life in the wild west. There are many movies that have taken on this concept and they are now considered to be classic films. This article describes some of the old western movies and the details that made them so interesting.
The Development of Western Movies
The earliest kinds of western movies depicted Indians as the bad guys and therefore, created the typical cowboys and Indians battles. However, as time progressed, this changed into the gunfighter type of movie and would then depict a bad gunfighter against a good gunfighter while making it very appealing to the viewers. Then there were the films that would completely depict the bad cowboys taking over a town. This seemed to be the most well known storyline and it has still been used even at present.
Some Great Examples of Western Movies
One of the best is “The Magnificent Seven” as one of those kinds of films. This depicts a group of gunfighters as the good guys that are protecting the people of the town from the bad guys. It is also considered to be one of the best western type of movies made of this type. It was made in 1960 and had Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen as some of the actors.
Another is the “Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”, a great example of western movies. This one had Clint Eastwood and was made in 1960 as well by an Italian film director. It was to become the start of Clint Eastwood’s highly acclaimed career as actor. He also continued to work with this director and went on to film other classics like “For a Few Dollars More” as well as “A Fist Full of Dollars.”
These are all very well known western movies that lots of people consider classics of that genre. This western rage has continued into the last few years with films like “Appaloosa,” which would utilize the best of today’s crop of actors, and also the “Unforgiven” film, which told the story of an aging old gunfighter that only wanted to earn a living and had to avenge the death of his friend. Both of these movies went on to become enormous successes.
Truly, western movies are here to stay as the quality of stories and the actors playing them get better and better.
|October 7, 2011||Posted by Ariadne under Western Literature, Westernfilms||
What did Wyatt Earp tell John Ford about the real gunfight at the O.K. Corral? What problems did Joan Crawford cause on the set of Johnny Guitar? Why did Steve McQueen fake a car accident prior to filming The Magnificent Seven?
Answers to these questions can be found in Stagecoach to Tombstone, a book full of interesting details about 27 great Westerns. Howard Hughes, the author of the book, based his choice of films on the lists collected from various Western experts, ensuring the book will cover relevant films in the genre.
Before I got my hands on this book, I expected a simple guidebook – a quick and an easy read. However, it was clear at the first glance that Stagecoach to Tombstone is a result of an extensive research – the pages are tightly filled with text, with an occasional photograph on every few pages. To my great delight, the chapters turned out to be written in a way that easily grabs attention, amuses and perhaps even educates. While not quick, this turned out to be a rather easy read after all!
Hughes is very informative and writes about a lot of things, mixing plot overviews with trivia facts and a comprehensive background of the film in question. I must say, his writing would sometimes make me feel as if I transported back in time when the film was made. Also, while writing about Western films based on historical events, such as Butch Cassidy and Sundance the Kid, he makes comparisons between the facts and fiction.
Stagecoach to Tombstone is a versatile delicacy: all the Western enthusiasts who want to take a deeper look behind their favorite films will enjoy it; then again, this is also a great starting point for those who would like to learn something about Western films. Just one thing though – if you never saw (some of) these films before, beware of the plot spoilers. Another warning: this book is heavy with facts, so if you’re looking for a guide with a lot of photos and less text, you might end up disappointed.
Red River, High Noon, Shane, The Searchers, Once Upon a Time in the West, Unforgiven and The Man from Laramie – these are only few of the Westerns discussed in the book. In short, Stagecoach to Tombstone is a stagecoach taking you to the excellent ride down the valley of some of the best Western films ever made.
|September 22, 2011||Posted by Ariadne under Western Literature, Westernfilms||
With Cowboys & Aliens being a summer hit, this seems like a good time to say something about science fiction Westerns – a genre mix that has been around for quite some time now. It’s important to note that science fiction Westerns include science fiction elements in a Western setting; the opposite of this are space Westerns – where Western elements are incorporated into a science fiction setting. For example, Joss Whedon’s Firefly is often considered to be a space Western.
I have to admit that my personal favourites of science fiction Westerns include some of the occasions where a science fiction franchise would take a one-time trip to the Old West. For instance, the fantastic Red Dwarf series had an episode where all of the characters found themselves in a virtual reality Old West, fighting against the Gunmen of the Apocalypse. Another personal favourite includes the Back to the Future III – this film was so enjoyable that I don’t know how to start describing it. The entire concept allowed some nice jokes and nods to the Western genre, such as Marty McFly’s character introducing himself as Clint Eastwood once he travels back to the Old West.
A good example of this subgenre is Wild Wild West, a 1999 film that’s in fact a remake of the Wild Wild West series that ran in the ’60s. The film mixed Western, espionage and science fiction. Westworld, on the other hand, was a 1973 thriller with Yul Brynner as a lifelike robot in a Western-theme amusement park. Written and directed by Michael Crichton, this film was well received by critics. Recently there have even been rumors about a possible Westworld remake.
Among novels, most prominent are Stephen King’s Dark Tower series of books. King himself admitted that the main character of Gunslinger was in part inspired by the Clint Eastwood’s character of “The Man With No Name”, from Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns. Then, among graphic novels we have Rosenberg’s Cowboys & Aliens – the piece which inspired this year’s film of the same name. The title, I believe, is self-explanatory!
In short, this unusual mix of genres might not be for any Western fan, but it can be interesting for those who sometimes want to see the Western genre from a different angle.
|August 25, 2011||Posted by Westernfilms.com under Western Literature||
Many of his films were made into successful movies including Hondo (1953, Farrow)
and Taggart (1954, Springsteen).
During the 1980’s two authors came to
public attention with works that revolutionized the genre. Larry McMurty was a
writer that had written many novels including Terms of Endearment and The
Last Picture Show. However it was his novel Lonesome Dove that struck
a cord with the public and became a blockbuster book and then TV miniseries.
The popularity of this series caused a revitalization of the genre.
|August 24, 2011||Posted by Westernfilms.com under Western Literature||
The genre of the Western has a longstanding
tradition in fiction. Starting around the mid 1800’s the cheap and inexpensive
novels sold as “dime novels” used the setting of the Wild West to capture the
imagination of readers all over the country.
These novels were written quickly,
and were often written about actual people such as Wild Bill Hickock and
outlaws such as Jesse James.
The first major author to work in the genre
was Zane Grey. His Riders of the Purple Sage written in 1912 is believed
by many critics and fans to be responsible for most of the familiar tropes that
are commonly associated with Western literature. Zane wrote many novels that portrayed an
idealized version of the old west.
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