‘The Power of the Dog’, directed by Jane Campion, has received numerous nominations and accolades, and is another example of a recent film in the Western genre made by a female director. Chloe Zhao’s ‘The Rider’ and Kelly Reichardt’s ‘Meek’s Cutoff’ are other recent examples. Jordan Kisner’s article ‘The Western Rides Again’ delves into some of these recent adaptations. I’m interested in the staying power of the genre and figuring what, if anything, the genre has left to give us in new iterations.
Really thoughtful question here. I wonder if these directors might push this genre to explore various avenues not gone down before. – alince2 years ago
Also interesting to note is that neither of the two female directors you mentioned are from the United States. The Old West has so many myths and symbols attached to it, including the machismo aspect, that maybe the genre needs more views through a non-American (and less biased) lens with that additional female/outsider perspective. – jwintersallen2 years ago
In the past decade, there have been some quality Westerns released such as No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, and Django Unchained, as well as solid remakes of 3:10 to Yuma and True Grit. There is also the upcoming Bone Tomahawk to look forward to, and obviously the highly anticipated Hateful Eight. Eastwood’s Unforgiven in 1991 was considered by many to the the "eulogy" for the Western genre and a fitting end at that, however it can be said that there has been a resurgence of sorts since then. As one of the most recognizable and classic genres, is the Western is making a legitimate comeback? Or will it die out again by say, 2020?
Good topic, but make sure to check for grammar/typos. – Diego Santoyo9 years ago
Most of the more recent Westerns do not serve as a stereotypical Western so the resurgence is potentially due to innovation in the genre. Perhaps you should include how they've evolved from, say, Stagecoach or Unforgiven. – cbazil9 years ago
This is a good question and could lead to a great article. You could make an argument that the Western is coming back, or this could just be a limited spike in Westerns. It could also be worth mentioning sub-categories like Space Westerns and Western hybrids which adapt many elements but are often not seen by critics and fans as a "true Western" – Austin Bender8 years ago
