Westerns have always been an extremely popular film genre, but they are often celebrated for their emotional and complex storytelling. above all. However, the Westerns that are still discussed today are those that effortlessly combine these high-stakes narratives with beautiful, crisp cinematography that helps bring the natural setting of the American West to life on screen. These are the films that are still remembered as the best Westerns ever made.
Westerns were extremely popular during the 50s and 60s, and this is the time when Directors took full advantage of advances in film technology to give your films a unique visual touch. Filmmakers like Clint Eastwood and John Ford were the pioneers in this type of narrative, essentially monopolizing the Western genre and creating the classics that are still seen today. While modern neo-Westerns are growing in popularity, there will always be room for those undeniable classics that use stunning cinematography to make their stories timeless.
10
The Revenant (2015)
Directed by Alejandro González Inarritu
While The Return It is not always thought of as a Western, the film meets all the criteria of the genre. It’s a sprawling, sprawling adventure that follows a legendary frontiersman who uses his skills to survive in the wilderness after the rest of his team is killed in a lethal bear attack. It is one of the most visually impressive westerns ever made, going so far as to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography.
9
Shane (1953)
Directed by George Stevens
Another Oscar winner for Best Cinematography, Shane follows an Old West bounty hunter who decides to help a local farming family who are being terrorized by local criminals. It’s a very simple story, but the way Stevens weaves this narrative together with interesting characters and revolutionary visuals is why it has so easily stood the test of time.
8
Fort Apache (1949)
Directed by John Ford
Undeniably one of John Ford and John Wayne’s best westerns, Fort Apache tells the story of a military colonel from the titular outpost in the American West, whose life is turned upside down when he comes into conflict with his ambitious and selfish deputy. It’s an interesting story about personal conflicts within the lawlessness of the Wild West, and perfectly captures the beautiful landscape that drew so many people there in the first place.
7
Rio Vento (2017)
Directed by Taylor Sheridan
Wind River is one of the most recent Westerns to truly focus on cinematography and dynamic visuals, painting a stunning portrait of the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The story follows a wildlife officer who teams up with an FBI agent to solve a violent crime, hoping it will relieve him of his own unrelated guilt.
6
Hell or High Water (2016)
Directed by David Mackenzie
Hell or high water It’s definitely a Western, but is successful mainly thanks to its ability to mix so many other genres at the same time. It’s a heist movie, it’s a family drama, and it’s a psychological thriller all at the same time, using the American Western setting as its signature visual style. The story revolves around two brothers who resort to bank robberies when they can’t pay their mortgage.
5
The Searchers (1956)
Directed by John Ford
Another of John Ford’s classic westerns, The researchers was famously John Wayne’s favorite Western, thanks to its innovative visual style and captivating narrative. The film follows a man named Ethan who joins a group of rangers to help find lost livestock, but this new lifestyle brings its own dangers, for which Ethan later seeks revenge.
4
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Directed by Sam Peckinpah
The wild bunch was a fairly controversial film that never shied away from showing the truth about the violent lifestyle of the Old West, centering on a group of older outlaws who stage a costly robbery at a local train station. The film became extremely popular thanks to its advanced cinematographywhich helped usher in a new generation of visually focused Westerns in the 1970s.
3
Unforgiven (1992)
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Unforgivable it won the Academy Award for Best Picture and was nominated in the Best Cinematography category, becoming one of the most critically successful westerns of the 1990s. It was one of the few films that made westerns cool again, using a mix of breathtaking visuals and captivating performances to draw audiences into this tightly plotted narrative of morality and revenge.
2
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
Directed by John Ford
She wore a yellow ribbon was one of the first Westerns to become known for its distinctive visual style, helping John Ford create his own image as the father of the genre. The story follows a military captain whose mission to stop a Native American attack goes astray. and he is instructed to escort two local women to safety. It’s a moving and captivating Western that’s totally different from everything else, which helped it stand out from the crowd.
1
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Directed by Kevin Costner
Dances with wolves is another ’90s Western that helped revitalize the genre during a period of relatively low audience interest, using sweeping visuals and grandiose locations to help create a distinct sense of scale and magnitude. The story revolves around an American officer stationed at a Civil War outpost, whose life changes when he meets the Lakota tribe of American Indians.