Although we usually think of Western movies as an American institution, some of the best examples of the genre were produced in Italy, with the Almeria province of Spain standing in for the American West. There are some clear differences between Italian and American Westerns: The “spaghetti Westerns’” look is dustier, their action is more violent, their musical soundtracks are more significant, and some of their plots double as political commentary. In this course, students will watch, in advance, six classic Italian Westerns from the 1960s. We will begin and end with films by Sergio Leone (1929-1989). This will be primarily a discussion class. The study leader will provide background information about the films, the people who made them, and about the history of Italian genre cinema. Students will be encouraged to talk about their reactions to the major themes and distinctive characteristics of each movie.
((Lloyd Stires - Wednesday - Zoom))
