Western Genre Quiz

Question 1

What is a Western?

Answer 1

It is one of the oldest and lonest lasting genres due to its impact on the American Film Industry

Question 2

When is a Western set?

Answer 2

It is set in the early days of the expanding American Frontier (Late 18 - 19th century)

Question 3

What are some influences of “The Wild West” (West and East Clash)

Answer 3

Lawless vs Structure

Question 4

What are some influences of “The Wild West” (Legends are born)

Answer 4

Billy the Kid, Calamity Jane, and Standing Bull

Question 5

What was the first successful, widely distributed Western?

Answer 5

The Great Train Robbery (1903)

Question 6

What are the first three rules of the Cowboy Code?

Answer 6

1) Never shoot first or take unfair advantage

2) Never goes back on their word and always tells the truth

3) Must help others and be a good worker

Question 7

What are the last three rules of the Cowboy code?

Answer 7

4) Always clean in look, thought, speech, and action

5) Respect women, elders, and law

6) The cowboy is a Patriot

Question 8

What are the 4 archetypes in a Western?

Answer 8

1) The Western Hero
2) The Heroine
3) The Side Kicks
4) The Villains

Question 9

What is the role of a Western Hero?

Answer 9

• Follows Cowboy Code
• Lawman or Cavalry Man
• Quick and accurate with pistol
• confident of his abilities

Question 10

What is the role of a Heroine

Answer 10

• Wealthy Southern Lady
• Struggling independent from East

Question 11

What is the role of a Sidekick?

Answer 11

• Comic Relief or Naive Character
• The Hero is their Mentor

Question 12

What is the role of a Villian

Answer 12

• Outlaws who bully or terrorize with force
• Often the “Savage” replaces the outlaw
• Greedy Businessmen using respectable background to often hide lust for power

Question 13

What is an Auteur?

Answer 13

A creative force behind film’s unity of theme and archetype

Question 14

Why John Ford is considered an auteur of the Western Genre?

Answer 14

He used ‘stock company’ of actors
- same actors in several films

Question 15

Who is John Ford?

Answer 15

A director who was the first Auteur of the Western?

Question 16

What are the 3 conflicts in a Western?

Answer 16

1) Nature vs. Industrialization

2) Individual vs. Community

3) West vs. East

Question 17

Who is Sergio Leon?

Answer 17

A director who began in film industry as WWII ended

Question 18

What and where did Leon work on before his directorial debut?

Answer 18

He worked on set of American Westerns filmed in Italy

Question 19

What is Sergio Leon known for?

(movie)

Answer 19

• A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
• The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (1966)
• Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Question 20

What is A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

Answer 20

• pioneer of “Spaghetti Western”
• a western produced in
  Europe
• Sergio’s movie
• Clint Eastwood’s breakout role

Question 21

What are the first three elements of a Spaghetti Western?

Answer 21

1) Anti-heroes with questionable and selfish morals
2) Despicable villains that represented the worst in people
3) Commentary on politics and relations, among others.

Question 22

What are the last two elements of a Spaghetti Western?

Answer 22

4) Hyper violent

5) Subversion of traditional Western tropes

Question 23

What is a Revisionist Western?

Answer 23

Western that subverts the traditional formulas and standards