The Origin and Legacy of Spaghetti Westerns - Film Essay

There are few sub-genres in cinema as distinguishable, as the ’Spaghetti Western’. It birthed a uniquely grim yet colourful approach to the cowboy film, one where audiences could sympathise for mostly morally deplorable characters, whilst laughing along the way. A unique style, one pathed with extreme close ups, violence, catholic imagery and of course, the iconic music of Ennio Morricone. A sub genre which gave us some of the most unforgettable personas of all time. But to see where it all began, we have to travel back a few decades before the 60's.
Filmmakers influenced range from Quentin Tarantino to Martin Scorsese to John Carpenter. The iconic image that this sub genre created has been adapted in even games, with the upcoming release of Red Dead Redemption 2 seeming like a Sergio Leone film.
Beyond the violence, the Italian directors shared a sense of radicalism, of anarchy, of a moribund fantasy world being turned on its head to reveal terrible truths, social and political. - Financial times
Leone's biographer, Christopher Frayling, suggests that, thanks to the Dollars films, Hollywood action heroes stopped "being role models and became style statements. You don't identify with them because of what they believe in but because of what they look like."The archetypal character Eastwood played “became the model for not just his vehicles, but those of Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Will Smith, Chow Yun-Fat, and countless more. The Spaghetti Western may have burned out 40 years ago, but you can still see its children in multiplexes around the world. “ Flavorwire
Among the most inspired filmmakers were auteurs like Stanley Kubrick, who would frequently call Leone to praise and ask questions, John Boorman who called Once upon a time in the west, “Both the greatest and the last western.” and scorsese who would watch it once “per week”. These were more than just violent movies, they were hypnotic experiences which captivated a generation of some of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Forever changing cinema as we know it.

[@captain_starducks5048]

Didn’t expect to hear Kanye, MF DOOM, and Travis Scott on a video essay on spaghetti westerns

[@matthewdiston3917]

MF DOOM-the GOAT

[@Tigercam24]

Goodie MOb, THEN Travis my bruva

[@WHITEPERSUAS1ON]

Yet it worked great

[@GoGetItPeriod]

Most underrated channel for cinema discussion, thoroughly enjoy watching!

[@marcusmaddock8608]

Wonderfully edited as always, please keep it up. (also nice touch with mf doom as the background music)

[@mr.newmanthadreamer8434]

The best westerns of all time. I religiously still watch the Good The Bad and The Ugly to this day. As an aspiring novelist and writer, I hope I can continue to strive to make a great western as the likes of Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci

[@luke9947]

Your channel is a gem

[@dude07x]

I came for the spaghetti, I stayed for the amazing content.

[@larrypoppins6273]

Hey man, spaghetti is already amazing content.

[@LeungGeum]

Growing up I loved watching Spaghetti Westerns but never knew the history behind them, I really enjoyed this video.

[@therobulus]

It's incredible how you put so much work in your videos despite having so few subscribers, you are doing an awesome job!

[@MrCmoore0318]

Absolutely brilliant work! Beautiful editing and effects on top of a great script. Well done.

[@seymourbeetle]

This is a beautiful synopsis man, thank you

[@felixkristensson5159]

really good video

[@georgelong881]

This video is... incredible. The ending gave me goosebumps.

[@antoniocenteno1483]

I always gonna find hilarious how by turning up to eleven and been sarcastich the Spaggethi Westerns resembled much more of the real world than American´s Western. Great video.

[@BalaCosmica]

Very well put, great job!

[@ollilehtonen2762]

Very interesting video though there was a just little new information for a spaghetti western fan. But all and all a thorough essay. I would like see a video about lesser known directors such as Corbucci, Damiano Damiani or Enzo G. Castellari that also made many classic westerns such as Keoma, Navajo Joe and Any Gun Can Play. Leona is great but he only had total 5 westerns.

[@aprigio64]

A verdadeira idade de ouro do cinema Italiano.

[@juanromero1986]

Great video

[@gabrielbleuse988]

Perhaps one of the best videos about cinema I've ever seen.

[@FrMZTsarmiral]

What a great video. The editing in your videos is so stylish and unique, you deserve so many more subs.

[@aprigio64]

Parabéns. Faça um vídeo sobre Sergio Corbucci. Ele fez muito mais westerns que Leone.

[@filmishit]

God your editing is a masterpiece. I love this channel and I hope you keep up the great content!

[@NeonCinema]

Glad you enjoyed it lad, thanks

[@filmishit]

@@NeonCinema dude your stuff is better than Vox in terms of editing, it's really fantastic! Hope you make more interesting videoessays like this

[@EngPheniks]

I didn't realize that the best western movies I used to marvel as a kid were Italian movies

[@jimruthlessYT]

great video, nice edits and who doesn't love spaghetti westerns.

[@Jackwyldes]

That was an awesome edit

[@do0Mbot]

Randomly searched this topic & I'm taken aback by the editing & scripting here. Great work & fresh content with a good take on the material! Time to sub now...

[@NeonCinema]

Thanks bro, this comment made my day.

[@afiffaizal507]

just wanted to say this helped alot with a research paper im working on for Django, youre severely underrated!

[@Pablo113]

the Poncho was Leone's Idea, so was the scarf, the Hat, the Sheepskin Vest and the Blue Shirt. Eastwood brought his Gunbelt and Boots.

[@BatmaaanNananananana]

This channel is going places!!!

[@LiteralPhrasing]

I absolutely loved your editing style! It's so easy on the eyes and fits your narration perfectly. I also just made a video on the origin of the term "spaghetti western" but it's not edited nearly as well as yours. I'm looking forward to seeing your other videos!

[@NeonCinema]

Thanks man, appreciate it.

[@zionmiller1749]

This was very very great. I love all of your videos. I especially love the way you edit and choose your music. Keep of the excellent work

[@NeonCinema]

Zion Miller Thanks man

[@TheRealKnightFuryPremiere]

My grandfather love Clint Eastwood.

[@aliubed3162]

Spaghetti westerns never really died as even to this day it still knocks us out with everything it offers specially to the viewer I’m just surprised there’s no one else copying it anymore

[@sz8526]

Excellent​ video. Always love your essays.

[@NeonCinema]

S Z Likewise🙏

[@danielbarbisan2915]

Very well put together video, thank you for this!

[@proges]

thanks for this gem

[@alihuchyad7929]

cell therapy one of the most important songs in rap history and maybe the greatest song from the south

[@SceneOnFilm]

Then new Nerdwriter1! Great job as always!

[@MorphingReality]

Great work :)

[@kevingomez-johnson4194]

Man, Im surprised your channel is not out there! This shit is dope as fuck!

[@benjaminhuntergreen7142]

What do you use to edit your videos? Also please make more videos because they’re awesome!

[@grandpagrubber]

Utterly beautiful

[@negi859]

Wats the music at 1:49 ..pls....

[@CinemaRockPizza]

Do you build these effects by yourself? Admirable style of your videos

[@NeonCinema]

Thanks bro and yh, with the help of a couple plugins from red giant.

[@oldwarmonger8750]

I wish they could do one more

[@larrypoppins6273]

I dont know much about spaghetti westerns, but what I do is they go great with meatballs.

[@ladies_man217.]

Brooo when is your next video coming.

[@serjohntheboar2502]

Fonda nailed it as frank in once upon a time in the west but Eastwood was and is the man with no name!

[@fancyskull_2329]

My teacher is making me watch this

[@TheSpaghetti64]

The narrator sounds like Peter Lorre.

[@Durge75]

D is silent on Django man.

[@TheKilodead4]

Yakuza films??

[@dacho707]

Meat Grinder instead of Rhinestone Cowboy?

[@foxb5974]

Nice Eassy

[@pptemplar5840]

Do I hear DOOM?

[@thembanitheone]

Yeah yeah.leave me alone fascists!

[@PTabs88]

Fantastic video