It's common for a film fan to have heard of the term "Spaghetti Western," but the actual meaning behind it is often misconceived. The Western genre is one of the most common and popular in film history, captivating viewers with stories of cowboys, bounty hunters and outlaws in the American frontier. Widely important in the 20th century, the period between 1940 and 1960 is commonly considered the "Golden Age of the Western." These decades are often ed for the works of legendary filmmakers such as John Ford. Like any art medium, the Western evolved over time.
The 1960s saw the rise of the "Spaghetti Western," which carried on the popularity of the Western genre for some time. Primary examples include The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in The West and Django. The films of Italian director Sergio Leone, in particular, sparked interest in this subgenre, as his filmmaking genius and commercial success encouraged the creation of more like it. However, there's a lot more to the genre than the outdated misconceptions some people have been led to believe.
"Spaghetti Western" Was A Reference To The Genre's Filmmakers
The term "Spaghetti Western" was coined in reference to the primary filmmakers of the new subgenre, such as Sergio Leone. His film, A Fistful of Dollars, which is the first in the trilogy that would lead to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, was majorly impactful, and considered one of the seminal and best movies of the "Spaghetti Western" subgenre. Aside from Sergio Leone's visual style, Clint Eastwood's performance as the man with no name was an inspirational part to future actors.
The commonality of "Spaghetti Western" directors being Italian led to an outdated misconception and racial stereotype that the term simply meant a Western created by an Italian filmmaker. Even Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Rick Dalton, in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood seems to have a misconception about what the term means. However, there's far more to the subgenre. While the genius of Sergio Leone and composer Ennio Morricone might've established the "Spaghetti Western," there are key traits that distinguish these films from previous U.S. westerns.
How A "Spaghetti Western" Is Different To Other Westerns
The "Spaghetti Western" was a more rough version of the American genre, following antiheroes, graphic violence and complex, darker characters. The genre is commonly considered to have demythologized the norms of the genre, and took a far less sentimental approach to U.S. history, pulling no punches with racial commentary on U.S. colonialism and the Civil War. With that having been said, this subgenre still followed similar patterns to U.S. westerns, usually portraying clear heroes and villains. It wasn't until the '70s when the revisionist western subgenre began, carrying on to famous films such as Unforgiven, completely breaking down the western myth.
