Best westerns for people who don’t like westerns
The beauty of the western genre is how well it can be adapted to different stories and tones. That’s why we’re confident that the most picky moviegoer in your circle of friends will be able to find a film that suits him or her.For the Horror Junkie: Near Dark (1987)Director: Kathryn BigelowStarring: Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Bill PaxtonSet in the badlands of Oklahoma, this film transplants the legend of the cowboy drifter and imbues it with a touch of the supernatural. A mysterious woman transforms a small-town boy into a creature of the night, embroiling him in her band of drifters while they leave a path of murder and mayhem across the countryside, with the police always a step behind. Scary and sexy, but with real heart in the romance, the film is an obvious precursor to the Twilight series.For the Indie Drama Lover: Down in the Valley (2005)Director: David JacobsonStarring: Edward Norton, Evan Rachel Wood, David MorseDavid Jacobson cites Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as an indirect inspiration for this dark romance, in which a rebellious teen falls in love with a modern-day cowboy. However, it soon becomes clear that the cowboy is not what he seems, and their idyllic romance is shattered. This isn’t an easy film to take in, but it does feature some gorgeous footage of the San Fernando Valley and a stunning, subtly deranged performance from Edward Norton.For Quentin Tarantino Fans: Django (1966)Director: Sergio CorbucciStarring: Franco Nero, Loredana Nusciak, Eduardo FajardoFans of Tarantino’s blend of gallows humor, stylish action, and lots of blood will see an obvious precursor in this icon spaghetti western. The main character is a grizzled killer on a vendetta against the military office who killed his wife. Django drags a coffin behind him which conceals a machine gun. Tarantino actually referenced the film during the ear-severing scene of his debut film, Reservoir Dogs.For Poets: Dead Man (1995)Director: Jim JarmuschStarring: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Billy Bob ThorntonActually, any viewer with an eye for symbolism and metaphor will find much to devour in this black-and-white “acid western,” but it takes some knowledge of the Romantic poet William Blake to understand every allusion in the filmstarting with the main character’s name. An accountant named William Blake travels out to a frontier town for a promised job, but finds the position filled when he gets there. He finds solace with a former prostitute and is drawn into a conflict with her ex-boyfriend, after which he flees and comes under the guidance of a Native American named Nobody, who decides to help Blake reach his destiny.For Classic Rock Fans: Zachariah (1971)Director: George EnglundStarring: John Rubinstein, Patricia Quinn, Don JohnsonThis surreal musical was released at the height of the hippie movement, and it shows. Based loosely on Herman Hesse’s classic novel Siddhartha, the film equally embraces Western archetypes and classic rock motifs. Several musicians make cameo appearances in the film, and it was billed as “the first electric western” upon its release.