Westerns and social commentary

Throughout history Americans have had a fascination with unexplored, uncharted, and untamed territory. Never has this been so pronounced as with the American west. Stories of bravery, new peoples, cultures, and strange new lands have enchanted Americans for nearly two centuries. This attraction is strikingly prominent in the film history of the west. Yet, despite it's early and lasting popularity, the Western has not until recent years attracted the attention of interpretive critics. Many critics …

… Western's have been produced by Hollywood filmmakers. Many of these films are depiction's of white man versus white man confrontations in movies such as Young Guns and Tombstone. The social commentary that these films represent will make an interesting evaluation on 1990's society. Furthermore the hope is that these films will be a new generation of Westerns that will promote the lofty expectations of genre critics and continue the fascination with the American West.