- A History of the Western Genre (YouTube)
For the first fifty years or so of cinema’s life span, the Western was a major genre, dominating the industry up until the 1970s. But as cinema entered into a new era, it left the Western behind, with modern filmmaking rendering the frontier setting stale when compared to alien worlds or alternate dimensions. This video tracks the life cycle of the Western, from its humble beginnings to its end, looking at how it represents America as a country, and why we might benefit from its return.
- What Makes Westerns so Cool? (YouTube)
The Western genre is one of the most recognisable genres out there, with many classics such as ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ and ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.’ When people think of classic films, no doubt Westerns spring to mind. But why are they so memorable? And why have they had such a lasting impact on popular culture and cinema as a whole? This video aims to answer this question by examining what makes them so cool, by focussing on Sergio Leone’s western filmography.
- George Carlin (Wikipedia)
George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed “the dean of counterculture comedians”. He was known for his black comedy and reflections on politics, the English language, psychology, religion, and taboo subjects. His “seven dirty words” routine was central to the 1978 United States Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a 5–4 decision affirmed the government’s power to censor indecent material on public airwaves.
- The Great Train Robbery (1903 film) (Wikipedia)
The Great Train Robbery is a 1903 American silent film made by Edwin S. Porter for the Edison Manufacturing Company. It follows a gang of outlaws who hold up and rob a steam train at a station in the American West, flee across mountainous terrain, and are finally defeated by a posse of locals. The short film draws on many sources, including a robust existing tradition of Western films, recent European innovations in film technique, the play of the same name by Scott Marble, the popularity of train-themed films, and possibly real-life incidents involving outlaws such as Butch Cassidy.