‘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