Western Films
Decades
1950s to 1970s: Conflict in the West
The Music

By: Liat Fishman, Helen Cohen & Melissa Leithwood

One defining characteristic of Western films that has become more of a convention is the musical scores that accompany these films. When ever there is a showdown, a shoot out, or a killing there is always a piece of music played to add to the dramatization of the scene. The most memorable musical score is the one heard at the end of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly , the scene where there is a showdown between Blondie (Eastwood), Tuco, and Angel-eyes all vying for the gold buried under a tombstone. In a sense, music evolved to be an important characteristic/convention used in this genre; the music, or lack of, could set the tone for what would either be a nice stroll through town or a big showdown. In a way, the music adds to the myth of the west as a “Wilderness” place:

“This movie is the most famous of all of Leone's work, largely because of the incredible Ennio Morricone score featuring the modulated screaming in the main theme that is the most instantly recognizable western theme of all time. There are only a few pieces of film scores that have risen beyond the films they are associated with to become part of our culture (the stabbing music in Psycho , for example), and this is one of a very select group. Morricone's theme was the attempt to recreate a hyena's cry, and while most people don't recognize a hyena, the pure energy and aggressiveness of the scream is a powerful motif in the film that Leone uses to good advantage, punctuating scenes with them throughout his film." (Excerpt from A Fist-Full of Leone).