Western: 81

Ravenous (1999) is a horror comedy Western cannibal film that takes place in 1840s California. Directed by Antonia Bird and filmed in Europe, the movie follows Second Lieutenant John Boyd during the Mexican-American War. As his unit is slaughtered in battle, Boyd plays dead to avoid fighting. He ends up being put in a cart with the other dead bodies and taken behind Mexican lines. But luck is on his side when he gets the chance to capture the enemy’s command post. His bravery earns him a promotion, but it also reveals his cowardly tactics to General Slauson. As punishment, Boyd is sent into exile at Fort Spencer – ...

The American Western CBS TV miniseries, True Women (1997), is based on a 1993 novel by Janice Woods Windle and directed by Karen Arthur. It follows the story of sisters Euphemia Texas Ashby and Sara McClure. Euphemia returns home from picking flowers to find that Sam Houston is visiting. As Santa Anna approaches, they are forced to flee east in the Runaway Scrape. Sara suffers a miscarriage and her son Little Johnnie dies in Euphemia’s arms while attempting to cross a river. Along the way, many other Texans, both ...

The Good Old Boys (1995), an American Western television film, was helmed by Tommy Lee Jones and co-written by Jones and J.T. Allen. It was adapted from the novel of the same title by Elmer Kelton, published in 1978. The story centers on an older cowboy who is torn between his longing for independence and his duty to care for his family.

Desperado (1995) is an American neo-Western action film that was written, co-produced, edited, and directed by Robert Rodriguez. In a Mexican bar called Tarasco, an American man named Buscemi recounts witnessing a brutal massacre at another bar. The perpetrator was a Mexican armed with a guitar case full of guns. At first, the bar’s patrons are disinterested, but their attention is piqued when Buscemi mentions the name ‘Bucho’. Meanwhile, El Mariachi has a dream about his encounter with Moco – Bucho’s right-hand man who killed his lover and shot his left hand. However, Buscemi wakes him up ...

The American acid Western film, Dead Man (1995), was both written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It follows the story of William Blake, an accountant from Cleveland, Ohio, as he travels by train to Machine, a frontier company town. He is looking to start a new accounting job at the metal works. However, the fireman on the train warns him against this plan. Upon arriving in Machine, Blake realizes that the townspeople are not welcoming towards him. To his dismay, he discovers that the accounting position had already been filled by someone else. The town’s owner, John Dickinson, even resorts to threatening Blake with ...

The American Western movie, The Quick and the Dead (1995), was directed by Sam Raimi. It takes place in Redemption, a town in the Old West, where the notorious outlaw-turned-mayor John Herod reigns supreme. He has declared a single-elimination shooting tournament with specific rules: any contestant can challenge another, no challenges can be declined, each player must fight once daily, and a match ends when one person yields or dies. The Lady, a skilled gunslinger, enters the competition solely for the large cash prize. While sign-ups are underway, Herod’s henchmen appear with Cort, an ex-member of their gang ...

The American epic biographical Western drama film, Wyatt Earp (1994), was directed and produced by Lawrence Kasdan and co-written by Kasdan and Dan Gordon. As a teenager during the American Civil War, Wyatt lived on his family’s farm in Pella, Iowa while his older brothers served in the Union Army. He attempted to join them by lying about his age but was caught by his father. After the war, his brothers returned home with James being severely injured. The family then relocated out west. One day, Wyatt witnessed a man ...

Maverick (1994), directed by Richard Donner, is an American Western comedy film. In the American Old West, gambler Bret Maverick is en route to a major five-card draw poker tournament on the paddle steamer Lauren Belle. His intention? To prove that he is the best card player alive. However, he is $3,000 short of the $25,000 entry fee. To make up for this deficit, Maverick heads to Crystal River to collect on debts and earn some poker winnings. During one game in town, he crosses paths with two interesting characters – ill-tempered gambler Angel and young con artist Annabelle Bransford. Although Maverick manages to ...

Legends of the Fall (1994) is an epic Western drama directed by Edward Zwick. Frustrated with the US government’s repeated betrayals towards Native Americans, Colonel William Ludlow resigns from the Army and relocates to a remote part of Montana. Joining him are his Cree friend One Stab, who helps him build a ranch for his family. Along with them are hired hand Decker, a former outlaw, and his Cree wife Pet and daughter Isabel Two. The Ludlow family consists of three sons: Alfred, the oldest; Tristan, the middle child; and Samuel, the youngest. After his mother Isabel leaves for the East Coast due to her struggles ...

8 Seconds (1994) is a riveting American contemporary Western biographical drama film directed by John G. Avildsen. Growing up in Oklahoma, Lane Frost develops his bull riding skills under the guidance of his father Clyde, who is an accomplished bronc rider himself. As he embarks on a journey through the professional rodeo circuit with his close companions Tuff Hedeman and Cody Lambert, Lane also finds love with a talented barrel racer named Kellie Kyle. Despite the mounting pressure to live up to his growing fame and reputation, Lane remains determined to prove himself as one of the best riders in the sport. However, ...

Airing on TNT, The Broken Chain (1993) is a biographical film that follows the experiences of Thayendanegea, an Iroquois warrior who played a role in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War.

Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) is a historical Western film directed by Walter Hill and written by John Milius. It loosely chronicles the events leading to Geronimo’s surrender in 1886. The renowned healer reluctantly agrees, along with his fellow Apache, to settle on a reservation designated by the American government under the Indian Removal Act. Despite their efforts to adjust, many of the Apache struggle to let go of their traditional lifestyle while the government fails to fulfill its promise of protecting tribal lands from encroachment by American ...

Unforgiven (1992), an American Western film, was both produced and directed by Clint Eastwood himself. Set in Big Whiskey, Wyoming in 1880, the storyline follows a cowboy named Quick Mike who inflicts permanent disfigurement on prostitute Delilah Fitzgerald after she laughs at his small penis. In response, Sheriff ‘Little Bill’ Daggett orders Mike and his accomplice Davey Bunting to compensate Delilah’s employer, Skinny DuBois, for lost revenue by handing over several horses. This decision deeply angers the prostitutes, who offer a bounty of $1,000 for the cowboys’ deaths. Meanwhile, in Hodgeman ...

El Mariachi (1992) is a Spanish language American independent neo-Western action film and the first installment of Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico Trilogy. After escaping from jail in a small Mexican town, a brutal criminal known as Azul sets out for revenge against the local drug lord, Moco. At the same time, a young musician arrives in town with his signature guitar case, hoping to find work and fulfill his dream of becoming a mariachi like his father. As Moco watches from his heavily guarded villa on the outskirts of town, he orders a group of Sicarios to track down Azul. Mistakenly, they pursue the Mariachi ...

Far and Away (1992) is an American epic Western romantic adventure drama film directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Bob Dolman. In Ireland in 1892, tenant farmers worked land they could never own and paid unfairly high rents to their wealthy landlords. Joseph Donnelly dreamed of owning his own land, but after his father’s death, their family home is burned down by their landlord Daniel Christie’s men for unpaid rent. Seeking revenge, Joseph travels to Daniel’s home to kill him but only ends up injured. Nursed back to health by Daniel’s wife Nora ...

Kevin Costner’s feature directorial debut, Dances with Wolves (1990), is an American epic Western film adapted from Michael Blake’s 1988 novel of the same name. In the film, set in 1863 during the American Civil War, 1st Lieutenant John J. Dunbar of the Union Army is severely injured at St. David’s Field in Tennessee. The surgeon plans to amputate his leg, but Dunbar chooses to risk death in battle instead. He steals a horse and charges out in front of the Confederate lines, narrowly missing their bullets. This act distracts the Confederates and allows ...

Pale Rider (1985) is an American Western film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, who also stars as the lead character. The story takes place in the Old West, near LaHood, California in Carbon Canyon. In this area, mining tycoon Coy LaHood is engaged in a campaign of intimidation against independent prospectors and their families. This includes Hull Barret, who is courting Sarah Wheeler. After a violent attack by LaHood’s men that results in the death of her dog, Sarah’s daughter Megan desperately prays for help. Her prayers are answered when a man on a pale horse arrives in Carbon Canyon. When Hull ...

Silverado (1985) is an American Western film, produced and directed by Lawrence Kasdan and written by both Kasdan brothers. While resting in a remote shack, the cowboy Emmett is surprised by three armed men who he ultimately defeats, gaining possession of a horse. His next plan is to meet up with his brother Jake in Turley before visiting their sister Kate in Silverado, then continuing on to California. On the journey to Turley, Emmett comes across Paden, who is stranded in the desert and robbed of all his belongings. Emmett offers Paden one of his extra horses and they ...

Starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke, Bronco Billy (1980) is an American Western comedy-drama film. He works as a stuntman in his troupe’s traveling circus, known as ‘Bronco Billy’s Wild West Show’, which bears resemblance to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. As the owner and operator of the show, Bronco Billy performs in front of a small audience. His finale involves shooting balloons around his assistant on a rotating disc while blindfolded, followed by throwing a knife at the final balloon. However, due to the assistant’s accidental ...

Heaven’s Gate (1980), an epic Western film directed and written by Michael Cimino, follows the story of two recent Harvard graduates, Jim Averill and Billy Irvine. During their graduation ceremony, the Reverend Doctor delivers a speech on the value of education and its connection to different social classes. However, Irvine, as the class orator, has opposing and irreverent views. The festivities continue with a celebration and male students serenading the female attendees, including Averill’s girlfriend. Twenty years later, Averill is now a marshal traveling through Casper, Wyoming on his way to Johnson ...