The Western genre has given us some of the greatest movies of all time but is the heyday of this type of film in the past or can it undergo a revival? ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is potentially one of the biggest movies of 2023, so it could lead to interest in Westerns surging again if it turns out to be a success.
A Brief Look at the Western Genre
From the start of the film-making era, Westerns have formed one of the most influential genres. 1908’s The Great Train Robbery was possibly the very first movie of this type and since then we’ve seen everything from silent Westerns, comedies, and horrors as well as the classic tales of revenge and redemption.
The popularity of Westerns means that they’ve reached many other parts of the entertainment industry as well. If you search for great slots online, you’ll see titles like Dead or Alive II and Money Train 3. These games are based on the classic slots mechanism where a series of symbols are needed to provide a win. The Western theme adds symbols such as cowboys and sheriffs to boost the atmosphere.
Westerns have also influenced other areas such as television, books, and even art. Museums including the Autry Museum of the American West show us more about life in the West. Their Cowboy Gallery has videos and infographics among the exhibits that bring the American Frontier to life for visitors.
About the Movie
‘Killers of the Wester Moon’ isn’t a typical Western movie, as they’re usually set in the second half of the 19th century but this new film is set in the 1920s. Directed by Martin Scorsese and following the plot of the book of the same name, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart and Robert De Niro as William Hale.
Based on the true story of mysterious murders in the Osage Nation following the discovery of oil in the region that made them the richest people on Earth per capita, it was filmed in Oklahoma. It received its global premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, ahead of the scheduled theatrical release in October this year. The movie will also be streaming on Apple TV+, although it isn’t yet known if this will happen immediately after its theatrical release.
This review from The Guardian describes ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ as an instant American classic as well as calling it Scorsese’s best effort in three decades. Other reviews have also been full of praise, with De Niro’s performance as the rich and ambitious rancher who is behind the plan to take the new-found riches away from the Osage people by any means possible classed as the standout. However, there are some suggestions that it may prove to be too slow-paced for some movie fans.
The Western genre has never truly gone away but it could be argued that the release of ‘Killers of Flower Moon’ opens up the chance of a new era of Westerns set in a more modern era and exploring stories that are well worth telling.
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