A Case Study on Genre

The western genre is a genre that has had attracted a lot of viewers, partly because of its ‘mythical’ (legend) context. Due to the fact that the films are often set in locations that are isolated, and removed from the rules of modern society, it gives the film writers a lot of freedom to explore uncomfortable issues among modern society, without ignoring everyday factors. Typically in western films, there is a fight between the good and bad, and the heroic cowboy becoming victorious, and the audience’s faith is restored. However the western films have experienced a series of changes, adaptations and revivals in its life time at the cinema.

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, western films followed a similar formula, and was considered one of the most main genre. Alan Lovell, (as cited in the cinema book), identified four key conventions that made up the western genre. They were:

·        A structure from the 19^th century melodramatic theatre, which involves a hero and villain, who menace a heroin.

·        An action story , made up of violence, chases and crimes appropriate to be a place like western America in the 19^th century.

·        The introduction of the history of migrating westards and the opening  to a place.

·        The revenge structure, which was present in the film ‘Billy the kid’ in 1930.

These were the primise (ideas) from which westerns were developed and from which all other westerns have been created.

In 1939, ‘Stagecoach’ was released. This film was seen as the first ‘modern western’ film, which was a significant development in the genre. This was because of our sympathies for an outlaw and a prostitute who he befriends. After this film, came a series of films starring John Wanye, sticking to similar themes, and flawed characters, the, most recognisable being  ‘Mr Darling Clementine’ and ‘The Searchers’, which John Wayne plays an outsider obsessed with revenge against the Indians who had kidnapped their niece. This period also saw a new section of ‘stylised westerns’ like ‘Johnny Guitar’ and ‘High Noon’. This period has often been sighted  as a ‘classic’ period of western films. This ‘classic’ period is seen as the pinnacle of western films, and is now facing a downward trend in terms of popularity, especially during the 1950’s. In the 1960’s, westerns saw a new rise in popularity due to the ‘spaghetti western’ in the late 1960’s. the name came around due to the Italian producers like Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci, who often stared Clint Eastwood in the films like ‘A fistful of dollars’and its sequels. In these films, the Mexican bandits were up against a much less romantic, and more violent loner, travelling from town to town. The films were also much more violent in content, in keeping with social change and the relaxing of censorship. In 1969 ‘The Wild Bunch’, was a film that told the film from the the view of the outlaws rather than the typical law abiding settlers. The film is clearly influenced by the Vietnam War, which is why there is more violence and instability throughout the film.

Throughout the 1970's, 1980'sand 1990's, the western genre saw a huge decrease in popularity. The genre did not appeal to modern audiences, meanwhile other genres like horror and science fiction did manage to attract the attention of the younger generation of film watchers, especially with the age of VCR's.Throughout the 1970's, 1980'sand 1990's, the western genre saw a huge decrease in popularity. The genre did not appeal to modern audiences, meanwhile other genres like horror and science fiction did manage to attract the attention of the younger generation of film watchers, especially with the age of VCR's.

However, towards the end of this period there were small adjustments made to making westerns. In 1988, "Young Guns" was released, putting together key conventions of a western, including a 'bratpack'of actors. This is a group of actors that were very popular acting together, and they were used along with a modern entrance theme, in order to try and restore peoples desire to watch films under the western genre. Also, in 1990 'Dances With Wolves' was a western film made to be politically correct, showing native Americans (Indians) in a better light, in an attempt to gain the western genre more viewers.

Soon after, even main characters, which were white heroes and key to any good western film, were replaced by 'black westerns' such as ' Posse' and 'Ferminst westerns' like 'Bad Girls' and 'The Quick and The Dead'. In 1992, Clint Eastwood chose to direct films,as well as act in them. In 'Unforgiven' the film decided to use political allegory, (a political allegory is a story or painting that, on the surface, tells one tale, but has a hidden political meaning underneath), commenting on the American government at the time. There other new workings in the genre since then. 

This is not  the full history of the genre, but gives an indication of how one genre has had to adapt to survive in the film industry.