In our classic western films, there is template in which the film is run. It is very traditional and the alpha male’s actions are pretty similar across the board. In spaghetti westerns, we see how external countries perceive America. These films tend to be much more violent than our original westerns. Navajo Joe is a very different film compared to our original westerns. The plot behind this film is about an Indian seeking revenge on a group of outlaws. This is the first time we have seen an Indian as the main role of a film. Also, Joe successfully becomes the hero in this film because he is hired by the townspeople to protect them from the outlaws. Usually the Indians are the ones the townspeople need protection from. Not the other way around. The townspeople are usually looking to the alpha male cowboy to help keep them safe, but Joe is that role in this film. The townspeople required Joe’s protection and even almost showed a dependency. Indians were shown as more than equals in this movie. They are able to hold their own and demonstrate many of the qualities of an alpha male cowboy. This could exemplify countries beliefs on American Exceptionalism. They believe that we really aren’t independent and need others to help us get by.
In our second film, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, we see another spaghetti western with Clint Eastwood as the main character, “The Good”. The bad and the ugly are both played by non-white characters. We see some aspects of racism between the Tuco and Blondie during this film. The two of them appeared friends in the beginning of the movie, but once Blondie leaves him in the desert the two are now enemies. This constant battling after the issue in the desert demonstrated some of the race wars we had in America at the time. Another aspect of this film is the scene with the soldiers. Clint, Tuco, and Blondie were able to trick soldiers with little to no effort. America’s army took a hit from this rendition because it made them appear to be unorganized and unprofessional.
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In our classic western films, there is template in which the film is run. It is very traditional and the alpha male’s actions are pretty similar across the board. In spaghetti westerns, we see how external countries perceive America. These films tend to be much more violent than our original westerns. Navajo Joe is a very different film compared to our original westerns. The plot behind this film is about an Indian seeking revenge on a group of outlaws. This is the first time we have seen an Indian as the main role of a film. Also, Joe successfully becomes the hero in this film because he is hired by the townspeople to protect them from the outlaws. Usually the Indians are the ones the townspeople need protection from. Not the other way around. The townspeople are usually looking to the alpha male cowboy to help keep them safe, but Joe is that role in this film. The townspeople required Joe’s protection and even almost showed a dependency. Indians were shown as more than equals in this movie. They are able to hold their own and demonstrate many of the qualities of an alpha male cowboy. This could exemplify countries beliefs on American Exceptionalism. They believe that we really aren’t independent and need others to help us get by.
ReplyDeleteIn our second film, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, we see another spaghetti western with Clint Eastwood as the main character, “The Good”. The bad and the ugly are both played by non-white characters. We see some aspects of racism between the Tuco and Blondie during this film. The two of them appeared friends in the beginning of the movie, but once Blondie leaves him in the desert the two are now enemies. This constant battling after the issue in the desert demonstrated some of the race wars we had in America at the time. Greed is a major underlying factor in this film. We see Tuco and Blondie continuously fighting over the riches hiding in the cemetery. These Eastern perceptions on America believe that we use force in the chance for a monetary benefit. Money becomes a more prevalent role in spaghetti westerns compared to our originals. The contemporary westerns we see are usually fought over land or even a concept. An Example would be The Searchers, a story about rescuing a child who was kidnapped. Another aspect of this film is the scene with the soldiers. Clint, Tuco, and Blondie were able to trick soldiers with little to no effort. America’s army took a hit from this rendition because it made them appear to be unorganized and unprofessional.