The Western is a film genre that immerses us in the atmosphere of the American wilderness. It is the fruit of a bygone era where the conquest of the West and the life of the pioneers were tinged with legends and adventures. This article is not an encyclopedia but a tribute and a discovery of the mixture between two styles that are dear to us.
Key points
🌵 Origin of the Western : The term "western" comes from English, designating stories taking place in the American West in the 19th century.
🚂 Definition : The western is a cinematographic, literary or television genre, featuring stories in the American West, often during the conquest of the West.
🌍 Setting and Characters : Westerns are set in iconic landscapes and feature typical characters such as cowboys, sheriffs, and pioneers.
🎬 Great Directors : John Ford and Sergio Leone left their mark on the genre with cult films like "Stagecoach" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly".
🚀 Steampunk : This genre mixes science fiction and retrofuturism, with steam technology everywhere.
⚙️ Weird West : A subgenre where steampunk and western meet, creating universes with steam engines and Wild West settings.
🎩 Clothing Style : Steampunk western is distinguished by costumes combining Victorian elements and futuristic accessories.
🎥 Examples in Cinema : Films like "Wild Wild West" and "Cowboys and Aliens" perfectly illustrate the genre.
📚 Literature : Novels like "The Alloy of Justice" and "Vermilion" explore the steampunk western with elements of magic and science fiction.
🎲 Other Influences : Steampunk western is also found in music, manga, and role-playing games like "Deadlands".
What is the origin of the word western?
The origin of the word "western" comes from English and refers to the western direction. It is used to designate stories set in the American West, mainly in the 19th century, during the period of the conquest of the West and the territorial expansion of the United States.
The term "western" is closely tied to American culture and history, reflecting a fascination with the vast lands to the west of the country, marked by wild landscapes, frontier towns, and iconic characters such as cowboys, outlaws, and pioneers.
With the development of cinema in the early 20th century, the Western became a film genre in its own right, and the term began to be used to designate films, television series and literary works featuring stories set in this particular historical and geographical context.
How is a western defined?
A Western is defined as a film, literary or television genre that features stories set primarily in the American West, often in the 19th century, during the period of the conquest of the West and the territorial expansion of the United States. The Western is characterized by several key elements that distinguish it from other genres:
-
Geographic and historical setting : Westerns are usually set in iconic landscapes of the American West, such as the vast plains of Monument Valley, the arid deserts of Arizona , the mountains of Alabama Hills or the canyons of Nevada Smith . The historical context is often linked to the period of the conquest of the West and the expansion of the United States towards the west of the continent.
-
Characters : Westerns feature characters typical of the American West, such as cowboys, sheriffs, outlaws, frontiersmen, and indigenous peoples. These characters often face moral dilemmas and difficult choices, reflecting the values and issues of the time.
-
Themes : Westerns typically deal with themes such as law and order, the conquest of the West, the relationship between cowboys and Indians ( the iron horse) , violence, redemption, and the notion of the boundary between civilization and the wilderness.
-
Aesthetics and staging : Westerns are often marked by a particular aesthetic, with grandiose natural settings, period costumes, and elements such as horses, firearms, and saloons. The staging generally emphasizes the actions and confrontations between the characters, as well as moments of tension and suspense.
-
Style and tone : Westerns can vary in style and tone, from the classic Western with heroic characters and epic narratives, to the Spaghetti Western with a more stylized style and more ambiguous characters, to the Twilight Western, marked by a darker, more introspective tone.
What is the purpose of the western?
The Western primarily aims to entertain audiences with captivating stories set in the American West. It also explores American history and culture through iconic characters facing moral dilemmas. By exploiting the aesthetics of the American West, the Western evolves with the times, pushing creators to innovate and push the boundaries of the genre.
Who are the usual characters in westerns?
Common characters in Westerns include the cowboy, sheriff, outlaw, frontiersman, landowner, soldier, bandit, native people, and saloon woman. These characters reflect the diversity of issues and challenges of life in the American West in the 19th century.
Great directors like John Ford and Sergio Leone and cult films.
The great directors and essential films of the western include John Ford with works such as "Red Riding", "Rio Grande" or "The Searchers" with actors such as John Wayne or Henry Fonda , contributing to the codes of the classic western for decades. Sergio Leone revolutionized production with his spaghetti westerns, including the trilogy "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", "A Fistful of Dollars" and "For a Few Dollars More". Finally Clint Eastwood, actor and director, who modernized the western with films such as "Unforgiven", exploring darker themes.
The subsections or subgenres of the western
Western subgenres include the spaghetti western, characterized by a stylized visual style and ambiguous characters as in the films of John Ford . The twilight western, with a darker, more introspective tone, features aging characters seeking redemption, as in Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven."
The neo-Western transposes the themes of the Western into a modern context, with films such as "No Country for Old Men" and "Hell or High Water."
Finally, we can mention the revival of the western in the 21st century, with a title like "Django Unchained" or "The Revenant", it revisits the codes of the genre by proposing new and daring approaches.
Western and Steampunk?
Steampunk: A Mix of 19th-Century Science Fiction and Retrofuturism
The style officially appeared in 1987, generally combines the reflection of the world of yesteryear with contradictory elements of the future. Steam technology is often omnipresent, it replaces all other technologies and surpasses them all in a surrealist way. A retro futuristic trend that develops in many universes and fields, such as music, literary art, or even fashion and cinema. Steampunk has also contributed to bring a modern touch to the western genre by instilling a dystopia. A kind of alternative worlds that merge and mix the two influences.
Weird West: Western union with Steampunk
There are works that blend genres, creating a subgenre called "weird west" or "steampunk western." In these stories, steampunk aesthetics and technologies are integrated into the context of the 19th century American West.
Here are some points of convergence between the two genres:
-
The setting : The stories often take place in ghost towns, where traditional architecture is mixed with steampunk elements, such as steam engines and mechanical contraptions.
-
Characters : Characters are often heroes, such as a vigilante marshal , cowboys, or outlaws. They are often equipped with steampunk-inspired weapons and accessories, using steam guns or mechanical prosthetics.
-
Themes : Steampunk western stories explore themes that are common to both genres, such as the conquest of the West, the industrial revolution, the exploitation of natural resources, and conflicts between different factions and peoples.
How to connect the western to steampunk?
Steampunk is a combination of elements from Victorian England and the Industrial Revolution. Its Punk side is manifested by dystopia, excess and unbridled science fiction. This is quite easily linked to the western film genre. We must imagine the world of cowboys revisited with improbable gadgets and punk or Victorian outfits. Given that steampunk is becoming more and more trendy and developed, it is difficult to ignore this cultural revolution which has brought a futuristic, fantastic and impressive touch to the visual art of the western.
CattlePunk's Clothing Style
The steampunk western genre is easily recognized by the specific clothing style worn by the characters. Whether for women or men, steampunk fashion is undoubtedly distinguished by original accessories that are faithful to the cowboy look.
For example, there are women's corsets or pocket watches that perfectly illustrate the representation of the cattlepunk world. This kind of clothing evokes the type of costume worn during the western era, but better. In the same way, cowboy boots or stylish leather hats of steampunk riders are also essential.
Moreover, the gothic makeup that brings the mysterious and captivating touch, is also part of the steampunk style. These are particular signs that allow to list the steampunk genre among many others, whether in written stories, drawings, or classic works revolving around the western.
Western Steampunk settings and elements
Generally, the steampunk western film is distinguished by its typical setting, taken from a futuristic western version. It is usually a western town in the West or North America, with the typical setting of the 19th century. On the other hand, steampunk is often added by elements, weapons or gadgets that are crazy and impressive, coming out of nowhere, but when you look closely, they are much too advanced compared to their time. We can cite for example the robots that are at the mercy of humans, literally serving as puppets or the aliens who land in supernatural spaceships, or the doped steam trains where the technology is in contradiction with its time.
To distinguish a classic western from a steampunk western, we can also rely on the many specific elements that embody the universe of science fiction in the setting of the American West, or the supernatural, fantastic and extraordinary facts. For example, there are creations or inventions with complex technology or sophisticated elements that seem too advanced for the era of the Wild West.
Examples of works mixing western and steampunk in North America
Several films, novels and comics have explored the world of the steampunk western. Some of the most famous examples include:
-
Joe Benitez's "Lady Mechanika" comic book series, which follows the adventures of a heroine with mechanical prosthetics in a steampunk universe inspired by the American West.
-
Cherie Priest's novel "Boneshaker" (2009), set in an alternate 19th-century Seattle, is a mix of Western, steampunk and zombie narrative.
Steampunk Western in Cinema
Wild Wild West
A Barry Sonnenfeld film, Wild Wild West is clearly a western and action film that was not well received upon its release. It is indeed an adaptation of the cult series from which the film is too far removed. Without being brilliant, the film remains interesting through ideas and a successful steampunk aesthetic.
This is an adventure led by two special agents in the Wild West region. The story focuses on the adventures of James West and Artemus Gordon, who find themselves in an incredible universe of action and fantasy.
The two cowboys soon find themselves facing a mad doctor, Dr. Arliss Loveless, who is a southerner with dark ideas. He uses his scientific talents to set up a formidable weapon combining power and modern technology, an extremely advanced invention for its time. Wild Wild West symbolizes the distinct mix of the western and steampunk genres.
Westworld
Westworld is an American television series written by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, it is a story that perfectly embodies the western and science fiction. Indeed, the series tells the adventures of humans and robots in a kind of Wild West-style amusement park, but with a new and futuristic design, all illustrated by high-tech and sophisticated elements. The whole thing skillfully mixes the plot around the classic theme of the human / android relationship and the humanity of each. A scenario that will surprise you with its mysteries and depth.
Cowboys and Aliens
Considered one of the greatest stories of western and science fiction, the film Cowboys and Aliens combines in itself two completely different worlds, but which seem to work for this fantastic adventure. It is about the utopian existence of extraterrestrials who have decided to intertwine their destiny with the population of a small town in the Far West. The invaders or aliens have decided to kidnap the humans of this community of greenhorns and thus trigger an exceptional clash. Obviously the inhabitants decide to protect their town, the film is mixed with action, adventure and supernatural facts.
Back to the Future III
Another western film that perfectly embodies the cattlepunk style is also the enormous Back to the Future III, the one that ends the trilogy on the adventures of Doc Brown and Marty.
Thanks to their ability to travel through time, Doc Brown is projected into the past, and arrives in a typical town of the great American West which is none other than Hill Valley. With Marty, the two characters meet to correct their temporal errors and return to their time. The film is also a pretext for impressive and futuristic inventions in the retro-futuristic genre. A very advanced technology with a setting and a specific environment of the American West which is a pleasure.
Steampunk Literature and Western
Just like cinema, steampunk is also very present in literary works revolving around the western. Incredible stories that combine fantasy, magic, science fiction, western and punk, we can cite some essential references such as The Alloy of Justice, Games of Masks, the meaning of life, the damnation affair... Unlike cinema which emphasizes steampunk through gadgets, weapons and machines coming from the future, the genre is rather characterized by supernatural and phantasmagorical facts in these books to devour.
The alloy of justice
A fantasy novel that perfectly relates the theme of the steampunk western, The Alloy of Justice is the sequel to the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. The book tells the adventures of Wax and Wayne, two friends and lawmen who find themselves in a mythical town of the Wild West, with the famous railroad typical of the 19th century, but which is rather out of step with skyscrapers or electricity. The story integrates in addition to magic with allomancy and ferochemistry, ancient powers that bring more fantasy into the book.
Vermilion
Vermilion by Molly Tanzer is the first book that tells the adventures of Lou Merriwther. A literary work that combines fantasy adventure with punk and fiction, the story is composed of strange facts, magic and witchcraft. An incredible adventure in the Rocks of Colorado, it perfectly embodies the typical mix of the western with the steampunk style.
Other influences and random examples of Wild West Steampunk:
-
In music you have interesting artists like The Cog is Dead
-
In Japanese manga and anime we can cite Trigun and the excellent Cowboy Beebop.
-
In role-playing games there is Deadlands, with a fantastic western universe very much in the spirit of Cattle Punk.
So, is Cattlepunk a fad or a real genre?
It is clearly not a genre distinct from steampunk fantasies, or other genres that use wild west settings. Applying the word "punk" to many genres seems to have its limits. Cattlepunk seems to lack the punk spirit and other stylistic elements that are important to major genres. Some works are simply science fiction tales set in the Wild West, and that is fine. Additionally, steampunk often incorporates the Wild West, which ultimately takes place in the same era as Victorian England.
These two distinct genres, but their points of convergence have allowed for the creation of interesting and original works, mixing the codes and aesthetics of both universes. The "weird west" or "cattlepunk" is a subgenre rich in possibilities, offering authors and directors fertile ground to explore themes and stories mixing past, future and imagination.
If you are not yet charmed by the fantastic lands revolving around steampunk, do not hesitate to discover the information on our blog articles or the western works above and also visit the homepage of the online steampunk store.
Thanks for reading, cowboy, see you soon for more articles on the intoxicating world of Steampunk.