Follow the Western genre’s journey through its decline in the late 20th century to its resurgence in the 1990s and beyond. This article explores why the Western fell out of favour and how filmmakers and authors revitalized it to reflect contemporary values and complexities.
Introduction
The Western genre, once a dominant force in American cinema and literature, experienced periods of decline as tastes changed and audiences grew weary of its familiar tropes. However, despite this ebb in popularity, the Western has repeatedly shown its capacity for resurgence, adapting to reflect contemporary concerns and new storytelling techniques. This section will explore the reasons behind the Western’s decline, its subsequent revivals, and how the genre has evolved to remain relevant in modern times.
This article was inspired by conversations with my son, Bill, during his time at the University of Birmingham, on his degree course in English Literature. This article is the fourth of my “Myth of the West” cycle.
The Decline of the Western in the 1970s and 1980s
By the late 1960s, the traditional Western was beginning to lose its appeal. The genre, which had once symbolised American ideals of freedom, individualism, and frontier justice, began to seem outdated in the context of the political and social upheavals of the 1960s and 70s. The Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and growing disillusionment with American institutions made the simple, black-and-white moral universe of classic Westerns feel out of step with the complexities of the modern world.
During this period, audiences became increasingly interested in films that explored more nuanced and morally ambiguous stories. Revisionist Westerns like The Wild Bunch (1969) and McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) responded to these shifting tastes by deconstructing the myths of the genre. These films were darker, more violent, and often critical of the very values that traditional Westerns had celebrated. In The Wild Bunch, for example, director Sam Peckinpah portrayed the West as a place of senseless violence and moral decay, where honour and heroism were illusions.
However, as the revisionist Western gained traction, the genre as a whole began to lose its dominant position in Hollywood. The Western was no longer the go-to genre for blockbuster entertainment, and the number of Western films being produced dropped significantly. The rise of science fiction and action films in the late 1970s and 1980s, particularly with the success of Star Wars (1977) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), further displaced the Western as a staple of American cinema.
Television Westerns, which had once been immensely popular with shows like Gunsmoke and Bonanza, also began to fade from view. Audiences were now more interested in crime dramas, science fiction series, and sitcoms, leaving little room for the traditional Western format.
The Resurgence of the Western in the 1990s
Despite its decline in the 1970s and 80s, the Western genre made a significant comeback in the early 1990s, largely driven by a renewed interest in the genre’s capacity for moral complexity and introspection. This resurgence was led by films that embraced the revisionist tendencies of the previous decades, while also re-engaging with the emotional and thematic power of the Western myth.
Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (1992) is perhaps the most famous example of this resurgence. The film, which Eastwood directed and starred in, deconstructs the Western hero by presenting William Munny, a former gunslinger, as a deeply flawed and morally conflicted man. Unforgiven explores themes of violence, redemption, and the corrosive effects of a life lived by the gun, offering a dark and thoughtful reflection on the mythic ideals of the West. The film’s critical and commercial success (winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture) demonstrated that audiences were still hungry for Westerns, but only if the stories reflected the complexities of the modern world.
Around the same time, Dances with Wolves (1990), directed by and starring Kevin Costner, became another key film in the Western revival. The film offered a more sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans than traditional Westerns and positioned its white protagonist as an outsider who learns to respect and understand Indigenous cultures. Dances with Wolves was praised for its nuanced depiction of the American frontier and its willingness to challenge the simplistic narratives of good versus evil that had long defined the genre. The film’s success, including winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, helped reintroduce the Western to mainstream audiences.
Television also saw a revival of the Western during this period, with shows like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993–1998) offering a more family-friendly, progressive take on the frontier. The series focused on a female doctor in the American West, addressing issues such as women’s rights, Native American relations, and the challenges of frontier life in a more inclusive and socially conscious way.
Modern Westerns: Continued Evolution and Genre Blending
The Western has continued to evolve in the 21st century, often through genre-blending and by embracing diverse perspectives that were historically absent from the genre. Filmmakers have increasingly used the Western as a framework to explore contemporary social issues, reflecting the changing cultural landscape of the United States and beyond.
One of the most notable modern examples is the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men (2007), which blends the aesthetics and themes of the Western with those of the neo-noir genre. Set in the desolate landscapes of West Texas, the film explores the collapse of traditional notions of justice and morality in a modern world dominated by chaos and violence. While No Country for Old Men is not a traditional Western, it uses many of the genre’s visual and thematic elements to examine the anxieties of contemporary America.
The Coen Brothers revisited the genre again with their remake of True Grit (2010), which stays closer to the original novel than the 1969 film adaptation. Their version, however, retains a darker tone, reflecting the moral ambiguity that characterises much of the modern Western. The protagonist, Mattie Ross, is a determined young girl seeking justice, but the violence that surrounds her quest complicates the idea of heroism in the West. This reinterpretation of classic Westerns shows how the genre can remain relevant by re-examining its traditional narratives through a contemporary lens.
Quentin Tarantino has also played a key role in the modern Western’s resurgence, particularly with his films Django Unchained (2012) and The Hateful Eight (2015). Both films take traditional Western tropes and infuse them with Tarantino’s signature style of hyper-violence, sharp dialogue, and dark humour. Django Unchained, in particular, reimagines the Western as a tale of revenge and Black empowerment, casting a formerly enslaved man as the hero who brings brutal justice to the white slave owners who oppressed him. Tarantino’s films demonstrate the flexibility of the Western genre, showing that it can be adapted to address historical injustices and engage with modern themes of race, violence, and power.
In addition to films, television has also played a significant role in keeping the Western alive. Shows like Deadwood (2004–2006) have embraced the grittier, more realistic aspects of frontier life, while also delving into the political and social complexities of the Old West. Deadwood is notable for its rich character development and its focus on the lawlessness and corruption of frontier towns, offering a far more nuanced portrayal of the West than earlier Westerns.
More recently, Yellowstone (2018–) has brought the modern Western to a wide audience, blending traditional themes of land, power, and family with contemporary issues. Set on a large ranch in Montana, the series explores the conflicts between the Dutton family, Indigenous tribes, land developers, and government agencies. Yellowstone highlights the continuing relevance of Western themes in a modern context, showing that the struggles for land, power, and justice are still central to American identity.
The Future of the Western
The Western continues to evolve, with filmmakers and writers finding new ways to reinterpret the genre’s core themes for contemporary audiences. As society becomes more diverse, so too do the stories told within the Western framework. Filmmakers are increasingly challenging the genre’s historical erasure of women, people of colour, and Indigenous peoples, creating Westerns that are more inclusive and reflective of the broader American experience.
For example, The Harder They Fall (2021), directed by Jeymes Samuel, reimagines the Western with an all-Black cast, telling the story of historical Black outlaws and lawmen who have been largely absent from traditional Westerns. By centring Black characters and blending modern sensibilities with classic Western aesthetics, the film offers a fresh perspective on the genre and demonstrates the potential for further innovation.
In addition, the rise of streaming services has allowed for greater experimentation with genre-blending and long-form storytelling. Shows like Godless (2017), a Netflix mini-series about a town run by women after the men are killed in a mining accident, reflect this trend. Godless combines the visual and thematic elements of the traditional Western with a focus on gender and power dynamics, offering a new twist on the genre’s familiar tropes.
Conclusion
The Western has experienced periods of decline and resurgence, but its capacity for reinvention has kept it alive and relevant. From its traditional roots as a tale of rugged individualism and frontier justice to its darker, revisionist portrayals of moral ambiguity, the Western has continually adapted to reflect the changing values and concerns of American society.
In the modern era, the genre has embraced a wider range of perspectives, focusing on the voices and experiences that were once marginalised. Whether through genre-blending, revisionist storytelling, or the inclusion of previously overlooked narratives, the Western continues to evolve, proving that it is far from a relic of the past. As filmmakers, writers, and audiences continue to engage with the themes of the Western, the genre remains a powerful medium for exploring the enduring questions of justice, morality, and identity in America.