While classic Western movies may no longer be as popular as they were during their peak throughout the 1940s to the 1960s, it’s incredible how the genre’s style has been infused into countless non-Western movies. As classic tales of heroes and outlaws pervade cinema, it’s fascinating to note just how many things would not exist without the influence of classic Westerns. While some movies wear this influence on their sleeves, it’s a much more subtle comparison in other films.
It’s no surprise that Westerns have had a major impact on other genres, as some of the best filmmakers of all time grew up watching cowboys and bandits and have taken those tropes and cliches into their own work. From cult classics that cannot fit into any one genre to major franchises that echo the aesthetics of Westerns, the desert landscape of the Wild West and the individualistic charisma of its protagonists have had an undeniable impact on other types of films. With timeless themes and impactful ideas, plenty of non-Western movies still have a Western feeling about them.
10
The Equalizer (2014)
The Equalizer leans into the lone gunman Western trope
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The lone gunslinger with mysterious motivations and a dark past has long been a trope of the Western genre and was powerfully utilized in The Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington. This updated adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name reunited Washington with the Training Day director Antoine Fuqua and was the star’s first foray into the world of movie franchises. With three movies already made, Washington’s portrayal of the former marine and reluctant hero Robert McCall provided the actor with his own icon hero, who echoes legendary portrayals such as Clint Eastwood’s The Man with No Name.
Although it may not be set in the Wild West, the world inhabited by McCall was no less chaotic as he faced off with a litany of criminals and outlaws in his pursuit of his own version of justice. As a character guided by morality, Washington’s portrayal brought to mind a modern-day vigilante sheriff who listened to his conscience rather than following the exact letter of the law. While Washington has been in genuine Western movies, such as the remake of The Magnificent Seven, The Equalizer stood out as having borrowed plenty of elements from classic Western movies.
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9.3/10
The Equalizer
R
ThrillerActionCrime
The Equalizer is an action thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, a former intelligence operative who lives a quiet life in Boston. When he encounters a young girl named Teri, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, threatened by violent Russian gangsters, McCall comes out of retirement to use his skills to restore justice. The film reimagines the 1980s TV series of the same name.
Release Date
September 24, 2014
Runtime
132 Minutes
Main Genre
Thriller
Cast
Denzel Washington
, Marton Csokas
, Chloe Grace Moretz
, David Harbour
, Haley Bennett
Director
Antoine Fuqua
Writers
Richard Wenk
, Richard Lindheim
, Michael Sloan
Budget
55000000.0
Studio(s)
Lonetree Entertainment
, Columbia Pictures
, Village Roadshow Pictures
, Escape Artists
, LStar Capital
, Mace Neufeld Productions
IMDb ID
tt0455944
TMDB User Rating
7
.272
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9
Dead Man (1995)
Dead Man never fully reveals the truth of its Western-style setting
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The icon of independent cinema, Jim Jarmusch, has never allowed himself to be pigeonholed into any particular genre, as his films utilize many styles to create a totally unique aesthetic. As a director who reflects American culture back onto itself, films like Dead Man lean into Western movie tropes and cliches while also feeling original. With Johnny Depp as a Cleveland accountant named William Blake, Dead Man is set in the late 19th century as this meek man is on the run after a killing and traverses a psychedelic landscape accompanied by a Native American spirit guide named Nobody.
Through black-and-white cinematography and an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere, Dead Man is a postmodern and poetic piece of filmmaking that leans into a Western style without ever fully giving over to it. This philosophical presentation of Americana was made all the more effective by the sparse soundtrack from Neil Young, whose improvised guitar sounds added to its unique feeling. While it’s never fully clear if Blake is dead and wandering the afterlife or if the setting is genuinely a strange version of the Wild West, Dead Man is a film that audiences will ponder well after the credits have rolled.
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Dead Man
R
Western
Dead Man is a 1995 film directed by Jim Jarmusch, featuring Johnny Depp as William Blake, an accountant who embarks on a transformative journey through the American frontier after a series of violent events. Set in the 19th century, the film explores themes of identity and existentialism, with a supporting cast including Gary Farmer, Robert Mitchum, and Iggy Pop. The film’s atmospheric black-and-white cinematography and score by Neil Young contribute to its contemplative tone.
Release Date
May 26, 1995
Runtime
121 Minutes
Cast
Johnny Depp
, Gary Farmer
, Crispin Glover
, Lance Henriksen
, Michael Wincott
, Eugene Byrd
, John Hurt
, Robert Mitchum
, Iggy Pop
, Gabriel Byrne
, Jared Harris
, Mili Avital
, Billy Bob Thornton
, Alfred Molina
Director
Jim Jarmusch
Writers
Jim Jarmusch
Budget
$9 Million
Distributor(s)
Miramax Films
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8
Kill Bill (2003)
Kill Bill echoes the Western genre’s long history of revenge stories
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With a lone, wronged protagonist, Kill Bill depicts a woman on an epic and bloody quest for revenge. Revenge has long been a standard set-up for Wild West stories and has served as the foundation of classic films like The Outlaw Josey Wales or True Grit, and director Quentin Tarantino imbued his two-part kung fu epic with these same themes. As a love letter to martial arts cinema, both parts of Kill Bill also leaned heavily into a Western movie style and aesthetic.
Kill Bill: Volume 2 particularly embraced Western movie tropes as the Bride’s (Uma Thurman) showdown with the titular Bill (David Carradine) felt akin to a classic Wild West standoff where only one could come out alive. Tarantino paid tribute to Spaghetti Westerns and the work of Sergio Leone through many of the visuals, much of the music, and several stylistic nods in Kill Bill. While Tarantino fully embraced the genre in films like Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, Kill Bill was an earlier indication of the filmmaker’s love for this style.
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Kill Bill
The Kill Bill series, directed by Quentin Tarantino, is a two-part martial arts action saga that follows the journey of Beatrix “The Bride” Kiddo as she seeks vengeance against her former assassination squad and their leader, Bill, after they attempt to murder her and her unborn child.
Created by
Quentin Tarantino
First Film
Kill Bill
Latest Film
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
Cast
Uma Thurman
, David Carradine
, Lucy Liu
, Vivica A. Fox
, Michael Madsen
, Daryl Hannah
, Julie Dreyfus
, Sonny Chiba
Character(s)
Beatrix “The Bride” Kiddo
, Bill (Kill Bill)
, O-Ren Ishii
, Vernita Green
, Budd (Kill Bill)
, Elle Driver
, Sofie Fatale
, Hattori Hanzo
Summary
The Kill Bill series, directed by Quentin Tarantino, is a two-part martial arts action saga that follows the journey of Beatrix “The Bride” Kiddo as she seeks vengeance against her former assassination squad and their leader, Bill, after they attempt to murder her and her unborn child.
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7
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
El Camino’s man on the run story felt like it could come straight out of a classic Western
Close
As a TV series exploring the criminal underworld within the barren landscape of the New Mexico desert, Breaking Bad always had a classic Western feeling about it. This became more pronounced as the seasons went on, and Walter White gained a reputation as a notorious outlaw who pulled off massive train heists and did not hesitate to kill anyone who stood in his way of creating an empire. While the series ended with one of the best TV finales of all time, Breaking Bad returned with the epilogue movie El Camino, which further embraced the tropes of the Western genre.
Related
10 TV Shows That Would Not Exist Without Classic Western Movies
While on first glance the classic Western genre may not seem as popular as it once was, its influence can be seen across the modern TV landscape.
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El Camino was released six years after the conclusion of Breaking Bad and gave audiences closure on the story of Jesse Pinkman after he was freed from the Brotherhood compound in Todd Alquist’s Chevrolet El Camino. With a desire to start a new life in Alaska, before Jesse can finally leave his dark past behind, he is forced to confront the welder who assisted with his captivity and takes part in a Wild West-style duel for a share of the money he helped discover. As a worthy farewell to Jesse’s character, El Camino appropriately echoed the show’s Western influences.
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4.5/10
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
TV-MA
DramaCrimeAction
El Camino wraps up Jesse Pinkman’s story after he escapes from a group of Neo-Nazis at the end of Breaking Bad. Written, directed, and produced by Vince Gilligan and starring Aaron Paul, the 2019 movie revolves around Jesse’s attempt to flee to Alaska and start a new life, leaving behind his past with meth kingpin Walter White.
Release Date
October 11, 2019
Runtime
122 minutes
Franchise(s)
Breaking Bad
Cast
Krysten Ritter
, Jonathan Banks
, Matt Jones
, Aaron Paul
, Robert Forster
, Bryan Cranston
, Jesse Plemons
, Charles Baker
Director
Vince Gilligan
Writers
Vince Gilligan
Budget
$6 million
Studio(s)
Netflix
Distributor(s)
Netflix
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6
Mad Max (1979)
Mad Max’s dystopian version of Australia is as lawless as the Wild West
Close
The dystopian action movie Mad Max was the inception point for a major movie franchise that continues to this day. From director George Miller and with Mel Gibson as the titular road warrior Max Rockatansky, the drought-ridden, resource-scarce landscape of The Wasteland was presented as a Wild West-style world where crooked outlaws and deviant criminals run rampant as society collapses around them. As a thrilling mix of action, sci-fi, and Westerns, the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max stripped humanity back to its barest essentials.
As a depiction of Australia devolved into pure brutalism, Mad Max and its various sequels and a prequel have had a significant impact on popular culture and have remained popular to this day. The long-awaited fourth movie in the franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road, recasts Gibson with Tom Hardy and has commonly been ranked among the greatest films of the 21st century. As a highly stylized, genre-bending series with impeccable worldbuilding and a unique sense of identity, Miller was heavily influenced by Westerns when he envisioned Mad Max.
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10
7.8/10
Mad Max
R
ActionThriller Sci-Fi
Mad Max is a 1979 sci-fi action film from director and writer George Miller. Mel Gibson stars as Max a police officer in the future who goes after a gang of vicious motorcycle thugs. The film led to a long-running franchise including The Road Warrior, Beyond Thunderdome, Fury Road, and Furiosa.
Release Date
March 21, 1980
Runtime
88 Minutes
Main Genre
Action
Franchise(s)
Mad Max
Cast
Mel Gibson
, Joanne Samuel
, Hugh Keays-Byrne
, Steve Bisley
, Roger Ward
, Tim Burns
Director
George Miller
Writers
George Miller
, James McCausland
, Byron Kennedy
Sequel(s)
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
, Mad Max: Fury Road
, Mad Max: The Wasteland
Budget
$233–266 Million
Studio(s)
Kennedy Miller Entertainment
Distributor(s)
Roadshow Film Distributors
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5
Serenity (2005)
Serenity is like a Western set in space
Close
Joss Whedon’s sci-fi space Western series Firefly was notoriously cancelled after just one season and left hordes of disappointed fans crying out for more. This was at last achieved when the short-lived series returned for the feature film Serenity, a movie that maintained the series Western influences as its crew of fugitive freedom fighters traversed the uncharted frontiers of space and encountered many foes along the way. From corrupt political forces to rival bounty hunters, Serenity encapsulated al the cinematic stylings of classic Western movie tropes.
Even the Unification War that caused the crew of the Serenity spaceship and its Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) to go on the run in the first place could be compared to the genuine American Civil War that informed countless Western movie narratives. Serenity maintained Firefly’s incredible characterization and strong writing to tell a thrilling sci-fi story that effectively critiques contemporary American society.
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10
9.7/10
Serenity
PG-13
Sci-FiActionAdventure
Directed by Joss Whedon, Serenity is a science fiction film that follows the renegade crew of the spaceship Serenity. Starring Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds, the crew must protect a telepathic girl with powerful secrets from a totalitarian regime while navigating through space against hostile forces. The film blends action and adventure, expanding on the universe established in the television series Firefly.
Release Date
September 30, 2005
Runtime
119 Minutes
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Cast
Nathan Fillion
, Gina Torres
, Chiwetel Ejiofor
, Alan Tudyk
, Morena Baccarin
, Adam Baldwin
, Jewel Staite
, Sean Maher
Director
Joss Whedon
Writers
Joss Whedon
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4
Badlands (1973)
Badlands’ outlaw couple brought to mind real life bandits like Bonnie and Clyde
Close
Outlaws on the run have acted as a standard set-up for Western movies since as long as the genre existed, and Terrence Malick’s cult classic Badlands leaned into the well-worn trope. With elements of real-life figures like Bonnie and Clyde or the spree killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate (via Guardian), Badlands evoked the societal defiance of the best Western movie protagonists. However, this dark story about a 25-year-old garbage collector going on a killing spree with his 15-year-old girlfriend played out like a sinister cautionary tale on choice, freedom, and immorality.
As an extraordinary debut film from Mallick, Badlands’ cinematography, characters, and music all contributed to its Western feeling, although its late-1950s setting meant it was far removed from the Wild West. As a couple on the run making their way across the landscape of America, it was impossible not to conjure images of classic Western antiheroes. With Martin Sheen as the charismatic but deeply troubled leading man, he had the rugged good looks of a noble Western hero yet possessed the characteristics of an immoral, villainous bandit.
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Badlands
PG
CrimeDramaRomance
A teenage girl and her greaser boyfriend from a small, dead-end town set off on a deadly crime spree through the South Dakota badlands.
Release Date
March 24, 1974
Runtime
94 Minutes
Main Genre
Drama
Cast
Martin Sheen
, Sissy Spacek
, Warren Oates
, Ramon Bieri
, Alan Vint
, Gary Littlejohn
, John Carter
Character(s)
Kit Carruthers
, Holly Sargis
, Holly’s Father
, Cato
, Deputy
, Sheriff
, Rich Man
Director
Terrence Malick
Writers
Terrence Malick
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3
Logan (2017)
Logan melded the superhero and Western genres
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After having portrayed the mutant superhero Wolverine in the X-Men franchise since 2000, Hugh Jackman starred in what was billed as his final appearance in the series, Logan. Taking inspiration from the “Old Man Logan” comics by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, Logan featured an aged Wolverine and an extremely ill Charles Xavier protecting a young mutant girl from the Reavers led by Donald Pierce and Zander Rice. With a dark and violent tone that was closer to a Western than a traditional superhero movie, Logan felt like a gritty and mature farewell to the character.
While Jackman has since returned to the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe release Deadpool & Wolverine, Logan remains one of the most impactful and narratively rich superhero movies ever. With themes of revenge and the weary consequences of heroism, Logan had a lot in common with Western classics like True Grit and Unforgiven. The highly stylized nature of Logan harkened back to black-and-white Westerns and film noirs of the past, which were further highlighted by the limited theatrical release of Logan Noir, a black-and-white edition of the film.
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40
8.7/10
Logan
R
Action Sci-FiSuperhero
Logan sees the titular hero, AKA Wolverine, in his twilight years as his healing factor has begun to fail him, and he has begun to age more rapidly. Set several years in the future, Logan finds himself caring for an ailing Professor Xavier, whose mind has begun to succumb to dementia, making him an incredibly dangerous mutant that can cause widespread destruction accidentally. But when the preoccupied Logan is asked to meet with a woman that requests he transports a young girl to a mutant haven known as Eden, he learns that she may have his DNA and that the fate of mutant-kind may rest in her hands.
Release Date
March 3, 2017
Runtime
137 Minutes
Franchise(s)
X-Men
Cast
Hugh Jackman
, Patrick Stewart
, Dafne Keen
, Elizabeth Rodriguez
, Daniel Bernhardt
, Richard E. Grant
, Doris Morgado
, Boyd Holbrook
Director
James Mangold
Writers
Michael Green
, Scott Frank
, James Mangold
Prequel(s)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
, The Wolverine
Budget
$97–127 million
Studio(s)
20th Century
, Marvel
Distributor(s)
20th Century
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2
Seven Samurai (1954)
Seven Samurai originated many tropes and cliches commonly seen in Westerns
Close
Samurai stories and Western tales are two genres regularly compared to each other and whose tropes and tenets share much in common. This was certainly the case with Akira Kurosawa’s martial arts classic Seven Samurai, a movie that had an undeniable effect on the Western genre. Although it was set in the 1500s Sengoku period of Japanese history, the gathering of a team trope seen in the film would be copied and parodied in countless subsequent Western movies. Seven Samurai even received an American remake as the Western classic The Magnificent Seven.
In a story filled with heroes and outlaws, Seven Samurai depicted a village of desperate farmers hiring samurai to protect them from crooked bandits. With a landscape easily comparable to the Wild West, the honor of the samurai felt similar to the vigilante-style justice so often seen from lone wolf Western heroes who live by a personal code of justice. As one of the most influential films ever made, it’s no surprise that Seven Samurai has become such a common reference point for American Western movies.
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9/10
Seven Samurai
ActionDrama
Directed by legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai is an epic Drama and Samurai film that revolves around a group of farmers in 1586 Japan that band together to hire Ronin to help protect themselves and their families from bandits that plan to steal from them.
Release Date
April 26, 1954
Runtime
207 Minutes
Main Genre
Action
Cast
Toshiro Mifune
, Takashi Shimura
, Kamatari Fujiwara
, Daisuke Katô
, Yukiko Shimazaki
, Isao Kimura
, Minoru Chiaki
Director
Akira Kurosawa
Writers
Akira Kurosawa
Budget
$580,000
Studio(s)
Columbia Pictures
Distributor(s)
Columbia Pictures
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1
Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars was majorly influenced by classic stories of cowboys and outlaws
Close
Featuring classic Western archetypes, such as Luke Skywalker’s hero’s journey, Han Solo as the lone gunslinger, or the Wild West frontier that is the desert planet of Tatooine and the rest of the vast universe, Star Wars is packed with Western tropes and cliches. Even the lightsaber battles bring to mind Mexican standoffs and fast-draw duels. George Lucas clearly took inspiration from Westerns, kung fu, and old adventure movie serials when he envisioned the world of Star Wars.
Not only does the battle between good and evil represented by the Force and the Dark Side evoke classic Western themes of heroes and villains, but the dusty landscape and gritty locations bring to mind the Wild West in every scene. From the outlaw-ridden tavern Mos Eisley Cantina to the bounty-hunting smuggling endeavors of Han Solo, Star Wars and its sequels, spin-offs, and extended media could not exist without the influence of Western movies.
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43
9/10
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
PG
ActionAdventure Sci-FiFantasy
The film that began the Star Wars franchise, Episode IV – A New Hope tells the story of wistful Force-sensitive Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who longs to leave his home planet of Tatooine to fight the evil Empire. After inheriting his Jedi father’s weapon, a lightsaber, Luke sets off under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) with smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to join the Rebellion and face the evil Darth Vader.
Release Date
May 25, 1977
Runtime
121 Minutes
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Franchise(s)
Star Wars
Cast
Mark Hamill
, Harrison Ford
, Carrie Fisher
, Alec Guinness
, David Prowse
, James Earl Jones
, Frank Oz
, Anthony Daniels
, Kenny Baker
, Peter Mayhew
, Peter Cushing
Director
George Lucas
Writers
George Lucas
Prequel(s)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
, Solo: A Star Wars Story
, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Sequel(s)
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker
Budget
$11 Million
Studio(s)
Lucasfilm
Distributor(s)
20th Century
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Source: Guardian