Westerns

1
Westerns

• GCSE MUSIC
• AREA OF STUDY - FILM

2
Types of Western films

• Spagetti western
• Food western
• Apache western

3
Why is it called a Spagetti Western?

• Nickname for 1960s western films
• Most were produced in Italian studios
• Had the following in common the Italian
  language, low budgets, recognisable Western film
  stars from USA, scenes of violence, horse and
  rider escapades,Mexican ghettos and townships,
  cops and robbers style, stage coach robberies,
  saloons, bar fights
• Known as Macaroni westerns in Japan

4
Best known Spagetti westerns

• Man with no name trilogy, starring Clint Eastwood
  and friends , namely
  
• A fistful of dollars
• For a few dollars more
• The good, the bad and the ugly
• Films shot in the Spanish desert
• Usual theme is Mexican revolution, Mexican
  bandits and border zone between USA and Mexico-
  lots to do with farmers receiving help from
  one-crack shot heroes

5
What about Food westerns

• Associated with food / drink of the given film
  location area eg
  
• Chorizo / paella Spanish
• Noodles Japanese
• Burritos Mexico
• Cod Viking English
• Kraut Germany
• Curry Mumbai Bollywood western
• Famous actors Clint Eastwood, Yul Brunner,Burt
  Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum
  
• Action packed scenes on horse back, fights in
  saloons, loose women, good overcoming evil,
  always a few female companions involved to add
  spice to the story line

6
And the Apache westerns?

• US Army and Red Indian tribes at war over land
• Most famous Geronimo genuine Native
  American leader of Apache tribe who warred
  against US army taking over tribal lands people
  in 1850s fought against Mexican US troops
  escaped captures from 1858 1886.
• In 1886, Geronimo surrendered to General Nelson
• Died in 1909 was buried at Apache Indian
  Prisoner of War cemetery
  
• Hero which film industry revitalised and
  immortalised into Apache westerns
  

7
Films of the Apache Geronimo western series

• Famous Actor John Wayne (1940s), Gene Hackman
  (1990s), Robert Duvall as US army Wes Studi as
  the infamous Geronimo
  
• Films include Geronimo, Geronimos last
  raid,Outpost, Gunsmoke, War of buttons, Hot
  Shots!, Walk the proud land, the last of the
  Mohicans
• Even had a TV series created in the 1980s
  entitled Gunsmoke
  
• Scenes of apaches fighting on horse back, US army
  gunfire, stealing of cattle, talks with Indian
  leader called Cochise and interpreters, US
  Army barracks, Indian women falling in love with
  US Army officers
• Revival of westerns in 1990s to raise the
  profile of Red Indians still fighting for full
  democracy in the USA.
  

8
The music of a western

• Must complement the location
• Must prepare the audience for what is about to
  happen
  
• Must assist in telling the story line of both
  sides of good and evil
  
• Must keep the story line moving
• Must give out leitmotiefs for the heroes and
  villains

9
Instruments used in a western

• Full orchestra chase on horseback / battle
  scenes
  
• Jazz instruments - saloon bar scenes
• Strings romantic / death scenes
• Brass US army barracks / soldier burial
• Timpani / percussion red Indian camp prepping
  for war
  
• Woodwind scenes at a running stream / US
  farmers tilling their land
  

10
What to listen for in a Western.

• ACOUSTICS live, recorded, outside, inside
• DYNAMICS ff / f / mf / mp / p / pp
• ATTACK / DECAY immediate / delayed
• PITCH high / medium / low
• TEMPO / TIME fast / medium / slow / 2/3/4
• MELODY easy / difficult
• RHYTHM regular / irregular
• TEXTURE mono- / homo- / polyphonic
• ENVIRONMENT farm, Indian camp, US army
  barracks, Mexican ghetto, church, saloon
  
• PERCUSSION type of drums
• HARMONY major / minor / pentatonic / wholetone
• CULTURE- Mexican / Spanish / USA / red Indian
• TIMBRE bright, pale , dark, hollow, eerie,
  evil, happy, sad
  
• SILENCE if any

• Using the acronym of
• ADAPT to
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• EPHCTS