When the earliest filmgoers watched The Great Train Robbery in 1903, many of them shrieked in terror at the very last clip when one of the outlaws turns directly toward the camera and fires a gun, seemingly, directly at the audience. The puff of smoke was sudden and it was hand colored so that it looked real. Today, we can look back at that primitive movie and see all the elements of what would evolve into the Western genre. Perhaps it is the Western's early origins-The Great Train Robbery was the first narrative, commercial movie-or its formulaic yet entertaining structure that has made the Western so popular. Whatever the case may be, with the recent success of films like 3:10 to Yuma and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the Western appears to be in no danger of disappearing. The story of the western is told in the Historical Dictionary of Westerns in Cinema through a chronology, a bibliography, and an introductory essay. However, it is the hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on cinematographers; composers; producers; films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Dances With Wolves, The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, High Noon, The Magnificent Seven, The Searchers, Tombstone, and Unforgiven; such actors as Gene Autry, Kirk Douglas, Clint Eastwood, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, and John Wayne; and directors like John Ford and Sergio Leone that will have you reaching for this book again and again.

About the Author
Paul Varner is professor of English at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.

Reviews
For a dictionary-style reference work, Paul Varner manages to weave a surprisingly strong narrative.... An excellent resource for researchers, yet the book has plenty to offer for the casual reader as well. Current fans of the genre will appreciate the lighthearted entries...while novice viewers will learn about every aspect of the genre.... Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. * American Reference Books Annual *



Book Information
ISBN 9780810855892
Author Paul Varner
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Scarecrow Press
Publisher Scarecrow Press
Weight(grams) 535g
Dimensions(mm) 224mm * 150mm * 22mm