Thread: Is the "Western" back?

It's been a long time since a Western caught my attention as a really special film. "Unforgiven" grabbed me in '92. "Dances with Wolves" in '90. Before that I think it was a while since one did, if so I've forgotten.

I personally think the genre is back. "Open Range" clearly proved Costner's mastery of the Western. The recent remake of "3:10 to Yuma" was a dandy. Christian Bale is sure busy lately. I don't recall seeing the original of '57 with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin since it was before my time, (one year to be exact)

So do all agree that production companies and agents will see a torrent of Western spec scripts come pouring in?

I ask since my first effort at screen writing will most likely be a Western. I know they can be big budget, with horses, trains and location shoots etc...
But I think I have an affinity for those simple, plain-spoken types. Redemption. It's a recurring theme in allot of Westerns. It's a topic I know a bit about personally. At least about the things that make you seek it...


Anyhow, I'd like to start a discussion on this most American of contributions to the big screen and it's resurgence.


Wasn't quite sure where this post belonged but I put it here since it ultimately is about screen writing.

A western hasn't turned a profit in years.

They do seem to be appreciated more as television movies lately. Robert Duvall won an Emmy last year for one he did on one of the cable networks. Maybe if you've written a western script you could try to get it to one of them.

Originally Posted by Mklangelo

Anyhow, I'd like to start a discussion on this most American of contributions to the big screen and it's resurgence.

Americans also contributes film noir and road trip genres to the big screen. We still see these guys because... well, they don't have to be period pieces. They can be made cheap and they can be updated (comedic film noir in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang or Brick are recent examples). Period pieces cost $$ and they don't get a lot of return. Meanwhile, western motifs have surged in other genres... how many action films have some nomadic, morally ambigious gunslinging character in need of redemption from a haunted past? A lot!

Has 'the Western' really resurged, though? I mean, I was trying to make a list and here are some big ones that came up: Serenity, Open Range, Lone Star, 3:10, No Country, Brokeback, the Missing... most of these are modified Westerns... not really the man on a dark horse coming into town type western. Others are crossed with other genres.

I'd say... if you're going to write a Western, try playing on the genre to keep it feeling derivative (and keeping costs down). Updating it to modern day... future... in another country... etc...

Well, I have to say that Open Range is probably one of my favorite movies, if not #1. There are some things about it though that you should probably know about.

First, lets discuss the origin of the film. Open Range is the baby of Kevin Costner. Written and Produced/Directed by him as well. That's the only reason it was able to come out. I guess it helps that it's a fuckin' amazing movie. There's so much detail to the characters and the layout of things. I think personally the only reason it's such a good movie for me is because the detail of the characters. At the end of the movie your sitting there and your like: "Holy shit, that just blew my socks off." That's how a true western, and in general, any movie should be. But I digress...

As I was saying before, the only reason that the movie was put into production was because it was all Kevin Costner's. Also, the only reason it got onto AMC, is because the network as a whole is starving for new films that they consider 'Classic', even if they're only a few years old. The reason they took a grab at Open Range, was because it's such a good film.

Just last week in my English class, we finished watching Open Range, followed by Shane. (Which, is the first and really only important template for any western, then and now. They really broke the mold after the movie and the novel , [the novels by Jack Shaeffer, in case you are interested])

Again, I digress...

If you watch the two movies, you'll see that there isn't much left that someone can write about for a western that hasn't been covered a thousand times over. If you haven't had the chance to pick up any of Louis L'Amour's stuff, I suggest you do. Although some of his novels can be lopsided at times, they are truly the epetamy of all westerns.

A question was asked by my English teacher, which was something like this: 'Why do you think that the western has died?" The whole class finally came to a consensus that, westerns were dead because all of the themes and insparations that are poured into them, have been used and recycled through and through, to the point that no one wants to watch them anymore, because its just the same shit re-hashed and dished out for your viewing pleasure.

Now, I think that the only way you could make a big splash onto the screen with a western now-a-days is only if you make it as good, or better than Open Range and 3:10 to Yuma. Maybe you could take an historical event that took place back in the days of westerns and tweak it to your theme of retribution.

I've rambled long enough, and said more than my fare share of thoughts for you. I hope this helps.

PEACE AND LOVE

Originally Posted by kidstaple

...followed by Shane. (Which, is the first and really only important template for any western, then and now. They really broke the mold after the movie and the novel , [the novels by Jack Shaeffer, in case you are interested])

The funny thing about you mentioning this is that i had to read ( well, it was required but that was the only required reading i actually fiished LOL) Shane in my junior year eanglish class. then we watched the movie. and then we we had a silly little assignment to write a paper ( short story) that was a "prequal" to the book. the minimum was three pages, I wrote 18 pages. and based off of that short story i could make a full length movie, adding things to it of course and changing names. ( it's a action romance )

i actually grew up in a "Wild west" type vibe. I was born and have lived in Texas my whole life. from about birth to age 8 i lived in the wide open country. my dad was(and is) an avid Spagehtti(sp?) weastern watcher as well as the old T.V. Shows. Tioga Texas was the next town over from where my grandma lived ( where i currently live) and the birth place of some weastern guy ( the name escapes me at the moment) And i spent the better half of my teenage years trying to keep myself away from that stuff. but i'm finding my way back.

so lets see what was the question again? oh, right.

I don't think the weastern has died, i just think that people expect more from their movies, and since weasterns ( i think) get a reputation of being single minded and stuck in it's own ways that people don't think there can be any complex story, or something to relate to. which i think they can. like someone said above me, people have more success with putting a twist on the weastern theme.

just to give you an idea of the first 10 years of my life... watch the movie "Urban Cowboy" i watched that a couple of years ago and just the way they dressed alone gave me flash backs to being 8 and going with my mom and little sister after school to pick up my dad from work ( big rig truck driver) and going home to our trailer and then my dad talking about his bull riding years while listening to Country music. lol

The western will never go away. Nor will pirates, Egypt, knights, swashbucklers, detective, etc. It's always there waiting for a new breath to be blown into it.