Film Studies

THE WESTERN AND THE ANTIHERO

What is Genre? A category of artistic composition, as in music, film,

or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter – New Oxford American Dictionary

Organized categories of textso Exist in academic, popular and industry discourse

Put into categories by:o Subject mattero Conventionso Themeso Narrative

Functions of Genres Leads the audience to interpret texts in particular

ways Lets viewers know what to expect Gives creators ideas about how to put pieces

together Industry strategy of appealing to specific

audiences

Examples of genre Science Fiction Horror War Epics/Historical Action/Adventure Drama Comedy Crime/Gangster Musicals

Sub genres:-Biopics-Detective/Mystery-Disaster-Fantasy-Film Noir-Melodramas-Sports-Supernatural-Thriller/Suspense

The Western Genre Western Genre Conventions

o Historical Basis

o Plot Elements/Themes

o Iconography

Historical basis The Western is an American genre, which

interprets and represents its history to itselfo Set approximately between 1860 – 1910o Period of American western expansion o Popular characters based on actual individuals: Wyatt

Earp, Jesse James, Wild Bill Hickok

The Western’s Plot elements/themes

Central Theme: The Binary of Civilization and Savagery/Lawlessnesso East vs. Westo Culture vs. Natureo Community vs. Individualo Settlers vs. “Indians”o Train vs. Horse

Westerns as American mythology o Foundational myth – the forging of a nation

Western plot elements/themes

Patterns of actiono The nomadic Westerner comes to a town, purges it of its

savage elements, and leaveso A group of gunmen are hired to defend villagers from

bandits o Revenge Plots

Narrative Tropeso The climactic gunfight o Indian attacks o The cavalry rescue

The traditional Western Hero

o In between position: mediates between civilization and the lawless frontier

o Marginalized figure outside of the communityo Commonly motivated by revenge and/or sense of justiceo Adheres to a code

Stagecoach

Western Iconography: mise-en-scene

Geographyo An actual place: the American Westo The landscape: deserts, mountains, rivers, Monument

Valleyo Symbolic: wilderness as a site of savageryo The frontier: the border of civilization and lawlessness

Western Iconography: Mise-en-scene

Western iconography/mise-en-scene

Western iconography/Mise-en-scene

Genre cycles Genres are neither static nor fixed; they undergo

change over time with each new film either adding to the tradition or modifying it.

Western a popular genre of B movie fare since 1903 Classical Phase:

o Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)• Elevates the Western to A status• Solidifies conventional tropes

Genre cycles Post-war Phase

o High Noon (Frank Zinnemann, 1952)• Plot takes place in “real time”• Denies the usual generic pleasures• Kane as an individual with a code• Film editing/framing emphasizes the isolation of the hero

Genre Cycles Widescreen Westerns

• The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)• Emphasizes the widescreen landscape• More complex protagonist• The salient techniques of style: cinematography

Genre cycles The Revisionist Western

o The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)

Genre cycles ‘Spaghetti’ Westerns

o A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964)o For A Few Dollars More (Leone, 1965)o The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Leone, 1966)

Genre Mixing Yojimbo (Akira Kurosawa, 1961)

o Jidaigeki genreo Influenced by the films of John Fordo Loosely based on Dashiell Hammet’s Red Harvest (1929)o Basis for A Fistful of Dollars & Last Man Standing (Walter Hill, 1996)

Genre mixing: Science Fiction & the Western

Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)o Influenced by the films of John Ford and Akira Kurosawa:

The Searchers & The Hidden Fortress Westworld (Michael Crichton, 1973) Outland (Peter Hyams, 1981)

o Based on High Noon Star Trek (1966-1969)

o “Wagon train to the stars” Firefly (Whedon, 2002)

The Classical Hero Traditionally, a literary hero

is a character who possesses a strong moral fiber; they always seem to do the virtuous thing.

A hero has strong convictions, is dynamic, and has a certain magnetism that draws the reader to him or her.

The Hero• A hero (or “quester” in the archetypal

sense) typically undertakes a literal or figurative journey or task.

• A hero does not necessarily complete their quest on their own, but they are the central focus of the story.

• The reader cares whether the hero succeeds or not.

The Evolution of the Hero

The Tragic Hero Over time, the “classical” hero

evolved. A tragic hero is typically associated

with Greek and Shakespearean drama. The tragic hero typically has a dark

side (or tragic flaw). The tragic hero allowed audiences to

view the “hero” in a more relatable, human way.

Tragic Heroes

The Antihero The spice of a story, the element that

makes it more than simple heroes and villains, lies within the character of the Antihero.

The Antihero is someone with some of the qualities of a villain, up to and including brutality, cynicism, and ruthlessness, but with the soul or motivations of a more conventional Hero.

The Antihero Many of the protagonists of Western and

Eastern classical and mythological stories fit into the broad antihero mold, especially those who are shown as having turbulent, violent backgrounds and conflicting motivations.

In some cases, the Antihero has been used as a mirror for social commentary and political critique.

The Antihero In later times, authors have been bolder in

their use of flawed heroes and even villains as key characters, perhaps as the threat of retribution has lessened somewhat.

Holden Caulfield, the anti-poster-boy of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, flirts with criminal behavior and is both self-absorbed and depressed. Yet his frank portrait of adolescence resonates with many people, despite the lack of any last-minute salvation or even a final resolution of his many conflicts.

It’s a Fine Line… Over time, there has been a growing

tendency to give villains more complex, even sympathetic, motivations.

The line between an antihero and a villain has always been hazy and open to discussion, but the distinction has decreased over time.