Hell or High Water as a Case StudyĪ great example of the struggle between modernity and tradition features in Hell or High Water…Īs described in the clip above by Ben Foster, “it’s a film about small men in a big world trying to survive”. In modern Westerns, we see the contrast between modern society, represented by technology, and the old traditions, characterised by farmers, cowboys and a relationship with the land. The early Westerns (from the late 1930s) showcased the emersion of modernity, typically shown by the juxtaposition between the railway and the cowboys and farmers. Modern Westerns are able to explore this conflict in the modern era, an era in which the difference between tradition and modernity is more extreme. Westerns focus on the conflict between civilisation and lawlessness. Modern Westerns will try and contrast with old Westerns, demonstrating the changes that have occurred since the Western genre was at its peak (1940’s -60’s) and since the era it typically depicted (late 19th Century). Modern Westerns don’t only exist because of their traditional forebears but they exist to be in conversation with them. Not only will the setting be contemporary but so will the issues and themes the film seeks to address.
Sicario is a modern Western action thriller.Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a modern Western drama and black comedy.Hell or High Water is a modern Western heist movie.No Country For Old Men is a modern Western crime thriller.In this article we will use five different films that combine genres to form modern Western films. But what does a modern Western look like?Ĭontemporary Westerns are typically genre hybrids. It’s a genre that through its popularity has continued to grow. The Western was one of the earliest cinematic genres and it has had a number of resurgences and reinventions over the last one hundred years.