The History of the Western Movie (eBook)

Register or Login now to post a review!

I enjoyed this deep dive into the history of the Western movie. As someone who watched a lot of Westerns with my grandpa I didn't really know much about them, but this book helped fill in the history.

NetGalley, Carissa Miller

This is an interesting look at a genre that was very popular in my youth and not so much now: the Western. From it’s infancy, in the infancy of film itself, to modern day, it is often a reflection of society at the time the film was made rather than a reflection of the reality of the time. That meant looking back, our modern sensibilities see all the warts and ugliness that we often took for granted decades ago. Like anything, we cannot judge it based on our values today. It is a piece of history of its time.

The Western also transcended the actual time frame in which it existed. That meant that many movies, not necessarily considered of that genre, was indeed a Western in more than one way. I did like the way the author looked objectively at the movies, often giving anecdotal quotes, to give a fair and balanced viewpoint. Like the author, I defy anyone to listen to the score of The Big Country or Magnificent Seven and not have chills go up your spine. The Western was often mythic and perhaps that is why there are so many in favourite lists of all time. The book does it justice. Four purrs and two paws up.

NetGalley, Susan Johnston

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I love Western movies so I was excited to read the history of it and learned a lot during this and enjoyed getting into the historical element of the Western genre. It was so well written and enjoyed how good the research and information worked together. I enjoyed getting into this book and thought Jem Duducu did a fantastic job writing this.

NetGalley, Kathryn McLeer

If you love reading about movies, this book is a wonderful overview of the Western genre, and you get some pretty good recommendations for movie night. It’s a well researched, easy to follow, and very interesting book.

NetGalley, Zohar Laor

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I devoured this book in a couple of sittings. I have an ebook review copy ( my thanks to publisher and Netgalley), but this title is on my Christmas wish list for a paper copy. It’s a volume I want to return to in months to come as I revisit some of my favourite films and discover new titles. I’m in my seventh decade and female, so probably not the target audience, but from childhood I was obsessed with westerns, cowboys and Indians and everything associated with these themes, I had the Davy Crockett hat, feathered headdress, Bowie knife in sheath, cap firing pistol…and watched all the American tv shows; Wagon Train, Rawhide, Wyatt Earp etc etc. You get the picture!
As a genre, Westerns have had a mixed reception over my lifetime with a few notable successes and some memorable failures. What I’ve found compelling about this title is the way the author really delves into the genre. It’s a cornucopia of delight with plot lines , analysis and critique of literally hundreds of films going back over nearly a hundred years. It’s given me a rewarding insight into much detail and every page seemed to reveal a new and treasured fact. It’s very easy to read. The final section of movie stills, posters etc is outstanding and bang up to date with a still if McShane in Deadwood ( I’ve just binged the boxed set of this remarkable series). Incredible research, this book will appeal to movie lovers, even those who don’t like westerns particularly. There’s also a lot of social history around the film industry and the influence of Westerns and their directors, Definitely one of my top non fiction titles not only this year, but for some time.

NetGalley, Anita Wallas

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I am one of those who cannot understand why more people don't love westerns. The most popular television series are westerns; yet, when I tell anyone I love John Wayne movies, the reactions tend to be negative. THE HISTORY OF THE WESTERN MOVIE is an excellent overview of the evolution of westerns and how their plotlines fit into the popular cultures of an era. Any great documentary looks at all sides of a topic, and this is no exception. It's obvious to me that Jem Duducu has spent a considerable amount of time researching the past, present, and future of this genre. His back library contains many books on Hollywood's marketing of movies. This book is written in an easy to follow format and has no boring sections. It's almost as good as some of the westerns I so love to read and watch.

NetGalley, Denice Langley

This was very fun and very fitting considering I just completed another playthrough of Red Dead Redemption 2 and had westerns on my mind (not a movie I know, but still the same genre). I will be taking the authors movie recommendations into mind and watching them asap. Giving this 4 stars.

NetGalley, Emilie Borge