Cowboy movies were a bonanza for early filmmakers. The hot Western desert might have been inhospitable to life, but it was saturated with brilliant white light every day. The well-known sounds of galloping horses and popping pistols were easy to recreate in the Foley studio to give the sound a fidelity that could never be achieved with portable microphones. Most importantly, the cowboy’s costume was ideal for makeup artists, sound technicians, and stunt doubles.

The classic Hollywood cowboy’s costume is a treasure trove for a filmmaker. The hats and bandanas are easy to (more…)

Western movies have been popular throughout history, but oftentimes, the female characters and actresses are overlooked. Here are some of the greatest western movie actresses of all time:
• Reno Browne: Reno Browne worked as a professional stuntwoman in early western movies. She is mostly known for her trick-riding with horses.
• Maureen O’Hara: Maureen o’Hara is noted for playing passionate heroines in western cinema and worked alongside John Wayne.
• Claudia Cardinale: Claudia Cardinale entered western movies through beauty pageants and her early roles in Italian cinema. She made her starring debut in “Once Upon a Time in the West.Is (more…)

John Wayne and Clint Eastwood are the two actors whose names always spring to mind when western movies are discussed. They both starred in some epic westerns, and without them the genre would just have not been the same. Movies such as The Searchers, Red Rivers, 3 Godfathers, Unforgiven and a Fistful of Dollars were created with these actors in the lead roles. They transformed how the movies were made and they really managed to put on stellar performances. (more…)

Actresses in western themed films and television have come a long way in their portrayals of their characters. One notable example is the depiction of Calamity Jane, the rough-and-tumble historical character whom has been portrayed in a variety of roles. A western is unlike other genres in that it utilizes many conventions not found elsewhere, such as slower pacing, wide shots, and so forth. A female character historically would have had a secondary role to play at best, it is only in modern cinema that we find female characters (more…)

Like any film genre, the western has its share of solid films that never receive the full appreciation they should. Here are five examples.

“Dark Command’ (1940): Directed by Raoul Walsh, this was John Wayne-s follow-up to “Stagecoach’, the film that made him a star. Based on the story of William Quantrill, the film co-stars William Pidgeon, Claire Trevor and Roy Rogers.

“Ride the High Country’ (1962): Sam Peckinpah-s film stars Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott as aging cowboys guarding a shipment of gold through hazardous territory. The film has a strong supporting cast and gained notoriety for Peckinpah.

“The (more…)

If you’ve gotten some great Direct tv deals lately you’re in luck! Some of the best Western movies in decades have come out in the last few years and should be making the rounds on the rerun circuit. Check out one of our favorites and find yourself struggling to remember the genius of John Wayne:
All the Pretty Horses – Matt Damon actually plays a pretty convincing cowboy and this tale of love and lust has all (more…)

There are two movies, of the western genre that must share the title of most expensive movie ever made. They are Wild, Wild West and Rango. The reason for the shared titleone of the movies is animated, a non-traditional western movie format.

First up, the Wild, Wild West released in 1999 was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. It starred Will Smith as Capt. James West; Kevin Kline in the dual role of Artemus Gordon and Ulysses S. Grant; (more…)

The Western became a popular movie genre as America’s industries and urban areas experienced significant growth. The genre showed a simpler view of the country. People could own a parcel of land, pack up and move west, and work with their hands under the open skies.

Contemporary and revisionist westerns have also become more popular in recent years. Revisionist westerns show a nuanced view of the Old West, and contemporary westerns often portray an anti-hero struggling with his place in a civilized world.The whole story can be found at http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/04/favreau-cowboys-aliens/ These two styles (more…)

When it comes to everything you ever wanted to know about spaghetti westerns, the first question would likely be about the name. These types of westerns started popping up in the early 1960s and continued into the middle of the 1970s. The name “spaghetti western” came about because the majority of them were directed and produced by Italians who were frequently associated with other European countries such as Germany and Spain. Foreign critics felt these mainly low-budget films were second-rate to American westerns and tagged them with (more…)

John Wayne’s real name is Marion Robert Morrison. He never legally changed his name to John Wayne. John Wayne was called “The Duke” because of a family pet he had when growing up. He played football for The University of Southern California. Wayne had an athletic scholarship but lost it due to injury that he never recovered from. Because of his injury John Wayne only played football for one year. John made his first television appearance on ” (more…)