The Evolution of the Movie Western

From the days of Tom Mix through the spaghetti Western to modern re-imaginings, the style and attitudes of the cinematic Western has changed greatly over the years in spite of the similar settings of the films and they changed in ways that reflect the changes of the attitudes of society. We'll chart this process and the legacy of the films.

We can explore a combination of some of the better-known entries in the genre and perhaps some more obscure titles with potential discussion of what led to the intense popularity of the genre in its hey day to its virtual disappearance from the movie landscape.

Before beginning the course, we will have a virtual free introductory meeting with the group to get a sense of what the individual experiences and interests are in the movie Western. The exact syllabus of the course will be determined from that initial meeting.

Teacher's Bio: Jonathan Betzler graduated from the Film/TV program from the prestigious New York University. He has worked as an industry professional on indie films, shorts and commercials for 25 years, including with the Oscar-winning Merchant Ivory Productions. He has directed the indie feature Homecoming, the web series Intersection along with many short films. He was the host of the film discussion show Film Revision for the NYC PBS affiliate WNET and now co-hosts the No-Name Cinema Society podcast.
Style of Offering: Interactive discussion with student feedback combined with instructor giving context and historical information along with technique analysis.
Max Estudiantes: 9
Date and Time : Flexible - once enough students sign up, we will find a mutually agreeable time to meet on a weekly basis.
Signup Deadline: None