Even though there were as many as 500 Spaghetti Westerns made between 1964-73, the sub-genre is still mostly associated with Sergio Leone whose A Fistful of Dollars (1964) is the first Spaghetti Western. The Calgary Cinematheque has selected films that give a taste of the sub-genre, depicting its relevant themes and symbols while showcasing some of Spaghetti Western’s famous directors/writers/actors. As a result, Spaghetti Westerns have created a unique and influential place in cinematic history. Also, Spaghetti Westerns injected new life into traditional Westerns which were falling out of fashion in the late 1950’s. In fact, one can draw a line from Spaghetti Westerns to the cinema of John Woo, Johnnie To, Takashi Miike, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez.
These unique characteristics of the sub-genre have in turn influenced diverse filmmakers over the decades. The films may have been spawned from Westerns but they developed their own visual language, soundtracks, distinct characters, themes and iconography.
However, over the decades, the sub-genre has been closely studied and its filmmaking virtues have been acknowledged. American critics looked down upon these films and considered them fake and used the term “Spaghetti Westerns” in a negative manner to differentiate these Cinecittà Studios (Rome) productions from traditional Westerns. The films were looked upon unfavourably when they first came out. Spaghetti Westerns have had a long road to recognition in the film world. The Calgary Cinematheque is pleased to present a six film spotlight on Spaghetti Westerns, a sub-genre of Westerns.
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