Lots of people have called the westerns the most distinctively American genre and of course, it makes sense, it usually sets in the American frontier overall! However, as obvious from Sergio Leone’s films, not all the best westerns were made in America. So many people around the world enjoyed the western formula and its mythology. The westerns as a genre can be an allegory for a lot of modern-day issues, the same way as gangster movies or horror movies are which is why it always had a very universal appeal.
It’s not surprising that the influence of the Westerns extends far beyond Hollywood and the American independent scene in general, captivating audiences and inspiring filmmakers all around the world to explore their own tales that are set in a Western atmosphere, or sometimes directly in the American West. These international films may not always feature American cowboys but they embody the essence of the genre by exploring the themes we all know and love to see in these kinds of films.
From spaghetti Westerns to more obscure non-Hollywood gems, Westerns have transcended borders and now in this list, we’ll explore ten underrated non-Hollywood/non-American Western films that the fans of the genre might find interesting, especially because each movie showcases unique cultural perspectives on the Western archetype.
10. The Tracker (2002)
Australia has a long history with Western films, in fact, “The Story of the Kelly Gang” is considered by some as the world’s first feature film, and guess what, it is an Australian Western! That’s why it made sense to start the list with this one because ever since then the country has produced some very strong films in the genre. Perhaps, if you’re a Western fan you already know “The Proposition” which often appears on the best or underrated westerns lists (and it’s certainly great!), so it’s better to go with something more underrated/overlooked. Here we are with “The Tracker” which was described by Roger Ebert as one of the rare films that can be described as “haunting”.
Set in 1922, the film follows a group of white men, including a policeman and two civilians (The Fanatic, The Follower and The Veteran as they’re credited), as they pursue an Aboriginal fugitive accused of murdering a white woman. They are guided by “The Tracker,” an Aboriginal man played excellently by David Gulpilil, who becomes the moral and narrative core of the story.
The film is visually striking and mostly very interesting. For example, rather than depicting violence on screen, de Heer uses paintings by artist Peter Coad to represent moments of brutality, which is an interesting choice and it works. There are several other very fine stylistic choices that highlight the film’s thematic focus on the consequences of colonial violence.
Though the story is set in Australia, its themes of racism and the clash between Indigenous cultures and colonizers resonate globally as it was the case in some other Australian westerns like “The Nightingale” (which is another recommendation in case you haven’t seen). This is a film that refuses to give simple answers to its questions which is why it’d appeal to those who want their westerns to be a little more complex than they usually are.
9. Cut-Throats Nine (1972)
Brutal, dark, depressing, bloody, nihilistic – if all these sound great to you, then you perhaps will enjoy “Cut Throats Nine”, a strong Spanish entry in the genre which also works as a survival film and even as a horror film. It got a lot of attention at the time because some deemed it to be the most gruesome Euro-western of its time but still, it came out during the height of the Spaghetti Western boom, and it got lost among the bigger films of the era.
The film is about a small group of convicts and their escort, Sergeant Brown (played by Claudio Undari who claims the gore scenes were added afterwards to please the American distributors), as they traverse through a frozen mountain pass in the dead of winter. Things take a turn on their way to a remote prison when convicts rebel and kill the guards. The only survivors are Brown and his daughter, who find themselves stranded with the remaining convicts in a desperate struggle for survival. As you can see from the plot, this is not your average western about “good guys vs. bad guys” or about some kind of redemption, it’s a very dark and bleak study of human nature.
Every character here is morally grey, and some are way too brutal. That makes the story only more intriguing though, because it has no hero, no good guy and even by modern standards, it can be shocking to watch these convicts and their internal rivalries’ violence. One thing for sure no one can romanticize violence in this one. That said, it’s not some “torture porn” and it has lots of strong visual choices that gives it a certain poetic quality. The fans of the traditional kind of westerns will be highly disappointed but those who prefer to see darker corners of the Westerns with all its intensity, then it might be a great choice.
8. Deadlock (1970)
Paying homage to Sergio Leone’s films, especially to “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” are not something uncommon but when they try to do that, there’s always a risk of ending up as a cheap imitation. Thankfully, “Deadlock” has enough of its own character to set itself apart. It helps that it also has strong elements of European arthouse cinema.
This is a small but intriguing film. The story follows “The Kid” who stumbles into a desolate town in a desert, with a suitcase full of cash. Opportunistic man Charles Dump discovers it and then more characters arrive in search of money, including Kid’s ruthless partner “Mr. Sunshine”. Again, regardless of the homage/influence, the movie works so well. First of all, it sets itself apart with its setting. Shot in desert-like landscapes in Israel, the film has a look of its own. While obviously featuring a lots of western trademarks like the gunfights and themes of greed, the film also works as a psychological thriller with its great exploration of paranoia and survival game.
As some other films on the list, here also the film also doesn’t shy away from making its characters unlikable because they’re still mostly motivated by their greed rather than any kind of morality. The filmmaker Ronald Klick uses a dreamlike quality and minimalist approach to build the tension and it works. The atmosphere is indeed haunting, the film almost has a post-apocalyptic feel to it. The soundtrack, by the German rock band Can is also notable, with its score being an interesting mix of rock and avant-garde soundscapes and they add otherworldly dimension to the film. Nowadays, that’s the most popular part of the film in Germany. The film didn’t get much attention outside of its home country but through the years, it managed to gain a cult following.
7. Blood on the Land (1966)
Vasilis Georgiadis is the only Greek filmmaker whose two films got nominated for Oscar in Best Foreign-language Film category, “The Red Lanterns (1963)” and this one. Certainly, the Academy Awards usually bring attention to these films, especially if they win but even if not, them being nominated is still a big deal and it encourages many people to check them out. Yes, even if you hate the Oscars, it still holds a certain merit. However, in this case, it seems not enough people had checked this one out which is a shame. One would wish it was more available in a better quality around the world.
The westerns were very popular in Europe at the time and the Greek film industry was at first not sure what kind of western they could come up with because pretending they’re Americans in an American setting might not have work out well. Instead, Georgiaidis brings attention to deep-rooted tensions between wealthy landowners and poor farmers in a rapidly modernizing Greek society.
It’s about two brothers who return to their village after fighting in the Balkan Wars. Their father has leased a large portion of the family’s land to tenant farmers, causing a feud between the brothers. One of the brothers is more traditional kind and the other one has a desire for wealth, so they take different sides. Things soon get violent. It’s a film that is true to social and political realities of Greece of its time and highlights the struggles of the tenant farmers.
It has the influence of the American westerns but this is not a cowboys vs. outlaws type of story, it’s more about the class, about the rich and the poor, about the old and the new, about community and individualism, justice and greed. That’s what makes it a unique entry for the genre. It’s both distinctively Greek and universal. For those who want their Westerns to explore new cultural landscapes, this is a must-see.
6. Tears of the Black Tiger (2000)
Here comes a truly wild one. Very imaginative Thai film that blends many genres. Romero style horror, Sirk style melodrama, Tarantino style crime film, Peckinpah style western – these are just some of the things that the film got compared to, and for all the good reasons. It’s an equal parts homage and satire. Not only of these things already mentioned, but also of Thai cinema’s own romantic drama and action films of previous times. It’s a very hard thing to do; because you have to show both love and some critique at the same time. Here, they succeed it to make it work because first of all, it’s hard to see anything like it.
The story follows a poor farm boy who grows up to be an outlaw. He falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat and the class differences brings the further chaos. The story, while interesting and not something just thrown there for the sake of it, is not the main focus here. It’s this amazing, striking visual choices that makes it fascinating. The film’s hyper-stylized look is reminiscent of Technicolor films from the 1950s, hence the Sirk comparisions. But they have taken it to an extreme, creating a surreal and almost cartoonish aesthetic.
The hallmarks of a classic Western are all there as well but in its heart, it’s a self-aware melodrama with its central focus being the tragic romance between our lead characters. As you can expect, the action scenes are similarly intense and over-the-top as well. They pretty much defy the laws of physics at times and that’s what makes the film so much fun. Beneath all the playful, crazy stuff, there’s still a heartfelt story to be found. Possibly another action-packed Asian film of the time “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” got all the attention but this one deserved to be seen by more. Its weird charm will impress you.