RoderickP

Westerns were a very popular film genre years ago. Classics, such as "The Man with No Name Trilogy," "The Searchers," and "Once Upon a Time in the West," have proved that Westerns are enjoyable and interesting to watch. However, as years have gone by, the Western genre has decreased in popularity as other movie genres like action, and comedy have increased in appeal. Movies like, "Slow West" (2015, John Maclean) and "Django Unchained" (2012, Tarantino) have proved that westerns can still be fun to watch when you are the movie theater or at home.

Many movies today are now considered Neo-Westerns. Neo-Westerns are defined as a film reflecting the Western style, but being set in contemporary America. "No Country for Old Men" is a clear example. With these Neo-westerns, and other genres taking over, will the original western genre ever make a comeback?

It would be a good idea to explore how various genres i.e. Sci-Fi, Horror, have technically developed to entertain audiences in contrast to Westerns. Also you could include any cultural reasons – Ryan Errington 9 years ago
0
Awesome topic. Mad Max: Fury Road and Joss Whedon's Serenity are good examples of films that adopt Western elements to enhance their respective atmospheres, and may be worth mentioning. – IRBurnett 9 years ago
0
I would analyze American culture a bit for this. Westerns are the epitome of masculinity: stoicism, heroism, damsels in distress. In the changing landscape of American society, perhaps we no longer glorify the same principles that we did in the era of Western movies. The Western may no longer be relatable, and Neo-westerns may fall on the genre for nostalgic reasons only. – joshuahall 9 years ago
2
I once read on Wikipedia (not the best source, but please hear me out) that "Breaking Bad" is labeled as a "Contemporary Western" drama series. I think it would be interesting to discuss how Breaking Bad fits into the Western genre (I mean, it DOES take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico). – Tanner Ollo 9 years ago
0
No, it won't. At least not in the way you suggest. It has transformed, evolved, which means it was never gone. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
0

Sorry, no tides are available. Please update the filter.

Latest Comments

Sep 30, 2015 RoderickP I do agree with a point you made earlier in the article. You said that Tarantino is criticized for stealing material from other films and filmmakers. I agree with this statement, because Tarantino doesn’t necessarily steal material from other directors, but sort of pays homage to these guys by adding similar shots these filmmakers have used in their films. George Lucas got the idea of “jedi” from the Japanese term,” jidaigeki.” This old, Japanese term was given to plays and films about Japanese samurais. So, the jedis in Star Wars are clearly being referenced to samurais in old Japanese movies.	The Work of Quentin Tarantino: Quality Over Quantity
Sep 30, 2015 RoderickP I love “The Breakfast Club.” I think it is a great classic that will last the test of time. In your article, you pointed out a lot of key ideas and themes that made John Hughes’ movies so good and enjoyable. I agree that Hughes did an excellent job of writing relatable characters that people can easily sympathize with. It is easy to for anyone to feel a connection with any one of these characters.	John Hughes Remains Relevant: Don't You Forget About Me
Sep 30, 2015 RoderickP Great article. I liked how you pointed out the major shift in comic book movies that happened around the time “X-Men” (2000) came out. I believe after the release of the movie, more people start putting their faith back into comic book movies. Thanks to the laughable, disappointing “Batman and Robin” (1997), people lost hope in future superhero movies. The superhero franchises suffered for a while, but thanks to creative and talented filmmakers, such as Bryan Singer and Sam Raimi, people started to love superhero movies again.	The Three Eras of The Modern Comic Book Movie