spaghetti western
European frontier film
A spaghetti western is a western film made by Italian directors and production companies, typically shot in Spain or Italy rather than the American West.
The genre flourished in the 1960s and 70s, characterized by stylized violence, morally ambiguous antiheroes, and Ennio Morricone's distinctive scores.
Sergio Leone's films with Clint Eastwood define the style: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the quintessential spaghetti western.
Mounted cattle herder
- gunslingerExpert pistol fighter
- outlawFugitive from justice
- sheriffCounty's chief officer
- banditArmed roadside thief
desperado · revolver · six-shooter · saloon · duel · showdown · bounty · horseback
Horizontally extended display format
- close-upNear-range photograph
- long takeUninterrupted cinematic shot
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
- quick drawRapid weapon retrieval
zoom · panorama · low-budget · dubbed · Italian · anti-hero · revisionist · violent
Handheld reed wind instrument
- whistleShrill air-blown sounder
- twangSharp vibrating sound
- scoreNumerical standing in competition
- themeCentral recurring concept
orchestra · trumpet · chanting · electric guitar · tension · leitmotif · maestro · arrangement
Imitative artistic tribute
- homageExpression of deep respect
- campyEntertainingly artificial and overblown
- tongue-in-cheekHumorously not meant literally
- TrinityGodhead as three persons
Blazing Saddles · exaggerated · comedic · self-aware · spoof · subversion · irreverent · satire
cowboy
Mounted cattle herder
- gunslingerExpert pistol fighter
- outlawFugitive from justice
- sheriffCounty's chief officer
bandit · desperado · revolver · six-shooter · saloon · duel · showdown · bounty · horseback · poncho
Sergio Leone
Italian western filmmaker
widescreen
Horizontally extended display format
- close-upNear-range photograph
- long takeUninterrupted cinematic shot
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
quick draw · zoom · panorama · low-budget · dubbed · Italian · anti-hero · revisionist · violent · gritty
harmonica
Handheld reed wind instrument
theme · orchestra · trumpet · chanting · electric guitar · tension · leitmotif · maestro · arrangement · bells
pastiche
Imitative artistic tribute
- homageExpression of deep respect
- campyEntertainingly artificial and overblown
- tongue-in-cheekHumorously not meant literally
Trinity · Blazing Saddles · exaggerated · comedic · self-aware · spoof · subversion · irreverent · satire
- genresaction, comedy, detective fiction, fantasy, horror
- film genreshorror, comedy, drama, action, romance
- Westernscowboys, outlaws, sheriffs, saloons, dime novels
- Wild Westcowboy, howdy, sheriff, giddyup, lawmen
- genre fictionhigh fantasy, detective fiction, low fantasy, spy fiction, dark fantasy
- Italian CinemaFederico Fellini, Sergio Leone, neorealism, La Dolce Vita, Sophia Loren
spaghetti westernsamurai film
Japanese swordsman movie genre
film noir · romantic comedy · drawing room drama · costume drama
spaghetti, western, west, westerly, westward, westerner, westerns, westernmost