Film Study: The Evolution of the American Western
A virtual film study class you can do at home.
Introduction
It has long been a dream of mine to teach a film study class. I took various such classes in high school and college. I wrote film critiques for my campus newspaper. I was good at it. Really good. Two instructors used my critiques as examples of how to write one in their classes.
I have no teaching credentials, however. This keeps me out of a classroom. But I can have a virtual class of sorts.
Syllabus
This post will act as our syllabus and introductory material.
For the next six weeks I will write three essays on six classic Western films. I will post one essay every two weeks. My topic is, “The Evolution of the Western,” which I will develop throughout the six-week course. The schedule looks like this:
Weeks 1/2 - Stagecoach & The Iron Horse - the spaghetti western.
Weeks 3/4 - The Searchers, Liberty Valance & The Wild Bunch - the transitional western.
Weeks 5/6 - The Unforgiven - the upside-down western.
I invite you to follow along at home. Pick a film from the list below, watch it and write a critique or essay. You can work at your own pace. Write as much or as little as you want. The topic of your essays can be anything you want.
When your piece is finished either post it in the comments or send it to me. My email is invertedgentlemanediting@gmail.com - you can find it on the about page as well. When the essays are posted (or mailed), we will review each other's work.
At the end of the six weeks, I hope you will have learned how to critique a film, what to look for in good film making and have a better appreciation for the art. There are no rules or grades. Just have fun. I hope you will join me.
Film List
The Iron Horse - 1924
Stagecoach - 1939
My Darling Clementine - 1946
Ft. Apache - 1948
Red River - 1948
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - 1949
High Noon - 1952
Shane - 1953
The Searchers - 1956
The Left Handed Gun - 1958
Rio Bravo - 1959
The Magnificent Seven - 1960
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - 1962
A Fistful of Dollars - 1964
For a Few Dollars More - 1965
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - 1966
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid - 1969
The Wild Bunch - 1969
Little Big Man - 1970
High Plains Drifter - 1972
Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - 1973
The Outlaw Josey Wales - 1976
The Shootist - 1976
Pale Rider - 1985
Dances With Wolves - 1990
Unforgiven - 1992
Tombstone - 1993
Things to Consider When Writing a Film Critique
Somewhere in your critique include the title and the director. When you talk about a character, credit the actor playing him or her. You only need to do this on first reference.
The Story - include a brief summary and any critical comments. Some questions you may ask yourself are: Was the story coherent? Were there any plot holes or inconsistencies?
Acting - comment on the acting. Did something pop out at you, either good or bad?
Music & Sound Effects - a missed sound effect can take you out of the story. Music can set the mood; it can make an otherwise innocuous scene horrifying or hilarious. How did the film use sound effectively? Explain.
Cinematography and Editing - you may not think about this now, but when you train yourself to notice cinematography and editing it makes a world of difference. I will discuss this further in the next section
Direction - the director is ultimately responsible for the film. Write about his/her strengths or weaknesses. Did he get the most out of his actors? What are some interesting techniques he employed?
Finally, a film will be whatever it wants to be. It is not necessarily for us to say Sam Peckinpah should not have explored the passing of the Old West in The Wild Bunch. Rather, we ask, “Did Sam Peckinpah successfully and thoroughly explore the themes he set out to explore?” If he did, we may call the film a success. If he did not, then it is a failure.
A Quick Guide to Cinematography and Editing
Framing refers to the inclusion and exclusion of various elements in the video and how they are shown to the audience. Decisions include who or what is shown, the kind of shot used and the particular camera angle.
Visual clarity must be achieved by showing the important actions clearly.
Camera angles can shape the audience’s perceptions of a character or thing. A low angle (camera looking up) may give power or dominance to the subject. A high angle (camera looking down) may create a sense of submission or distance.
A point of view shot can put the audience into a character’s position. John Carpenter made excellent use of this in Halloween (1978).
Long shots and panoramic shots are often used to create an establishing shot. The audience can quickly see the general setting in which the action is taking place. Establishing shots were used with great effect in many westerns.
Editing in the days these films were made was done painstakingly by cutting film and gluing it back together. Good editing helps scenes transition smoothly. Cut aways or cover shots are often plugged in during the editing portion of production.
Don’t Know What to Write? Sample Essay Topics.
Do a personality profile of Dallas (Stagecoach), Laurie Jorgensen (The Searchers) and Hallie (Liberty Valance). In what ways are these three women similar?
Explain how Stagecoach, The Searchers and Liberty Valance are representative of the “Old West,” the “Transitional West,” and the “New West” respectively.
Even though Liberty Valance and The Wild Bunch both deal with the passing of the “Old West,” directors Ford and Peckinpah develop it in very different ways. Explain.
Discuss the main themes in The Wild Bunch. How are these themes reflective of the 1960s?
Compare and Contrast The Wild Bunch and Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid both released in 1969. Which is the better film? Explain.
A Preview of Things to Come
While conducting this virtual film study class, I will continue working on other projects that will be posted at the class’s conclusion. In no particular order, a review of In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park, a review of The Tangleroot Palace by Marjorie Liu, a profile of fantasist Clark Ashton Smith, original fiction and more. If this class is popular, I will do it again in a different film genre.
Thanks for reading! And don’t forget to share.
I have realized I missed labeled "The Iron Horse" and "Stagecoach" as spaghettis westerns. They are old westerns.
This is amazing! I watching unforgiven, will do the review and send it to you! One suggestion, it would be great if you could add some links to the movies!