Gunfight at the Eco-Corral

Western Cinema and the Environment

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Film, History & Criticism, Performing Arts, Science & Nature, Nature, Environment, Environmental Conservation & Protection
Cover of the book Gunfight at the Eco-Corral by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann, University of Oklahoma Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann ISBN: 9780806187396
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press Publication: October 1, 2012
Imprint: University of Oklahoma Press Language: English
Author: Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
ISBN: 9780806187396
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Publication: October 1, 2012
Imprint: University of Oklahoma Press
Language: English

Most film critics point to classic conflicts—good versus evil, right versus wrong, civilization versus savagery—as defining themes of the American Western.  In this provocative examination of Westerns from Tumbleweeds (1925) to Rango (2011), Robin L. Murray and Joseph K. Heumann argue for a more expansive view that moves beyond traditional conflicts to encompass environmental themes and struggles.  The environment, after all, is the fundamental stage for most western stories, from land rush dramas that pit “sod busters” against ranchers to conflicts between mining-town communities and corporations. Because environmental issues lie at the forefront of so many conflicts today, Murray and Heumann believe that the Western is ripe for such new examination.

Drawing on perspectives from both film studies and environmental history, the authors show how western films frequently deal with issues related to land use and different ways of looking at the natural world. In films as diverse as Gene Autry musicals, early John Wayne B-Westerns, and revisionist critiques such as the 2010 remake of True Grit, resources are exploited in the name of progress. Beginning with an analysis of two iconic Westerns, Shane and The Searchers, Murray and Heumann identify the environmental dichotomies—previously overlooked by critics—that are broached in both films, and they clarify the history that lies behind the environmental debates in these films and many others.

How do Westerns respond to the historical contexts they present? And what do those responses suggest about American views of nature and its exploitation? The conflicts these movies address grow out of differing views of progress, frequently in relation to technology. The authors show that such binary oppositions tend to blur when examined closely, demonstrating that environmental issues are often more complex than we realize.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Most film critics point to classic conflicts—good versus evil, right versus wrong, civilization versus savagery—as defining themes of the American Western.  In this provocative examination of Westerns from Tumbleweeds (1925) to Rango (2011), Robin L. Murray and Joseph K. Heumann argue for a more expansive view that moves beyond traditional conflicts to encompass environmental themes and struggles.  The environment, after all, is the fundamental stage for most western stories, from land rush dramas that pit “sod busters” against ranchers to conflicts between mining-town communities and corporations. Because environmental issues lie at the forefront of so many conflicts today, Murray and Heumann believe that the Western is ripe for such new examination.

Drawing on perspectives from both film studies and environmental history, the authors show how western films frequently deal with issues related to land use and different ways of looking at the natural world. In films as diverse as Gene Autry musicals, early John Wayne B-Westerns, and revisionist critiques such as the 2010 remake of True Grit, resources are exploited in the name of progress. Beginning with an analysis of two iconic Westerns, Shane and The Searchers, Murray and Heumann identify the environmental dichotomies—previously overlooked by critics—that are broached in both films, and they clarify the history that lies behind the environmental debates in these films and many others.

How do Westerns respond to the historical contexts they present? And what do those responses suggest about American views of nature and its exploitation? The conflicts these movies address grow out of differing views of progress, frequently in relation to technology. The authors show that such binary oppositions tend to blur when examined closely, demonstrating that environmental issues are often more complex than we realize.

More books from University of Oklahoma Press

Cover of the book A Surgeon with Custer at the Little Big Horn by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book Pathfinder by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book Al Sieber by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book A Dragon's Head and a Serpent's Tail by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book They Called Him Wild Bill by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book Ojibwa Warrior: Dennis Banks and the Rise of the American Indian Movement by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book The Senate Syndrome by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book Tarahumara Medicine by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book New Perspectives in Mormon Studies by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book "Hang Them All" by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book Custer and the 1873 Yellowstone Survey by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book An Osage Journey to Europe, 1827–1830 by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book The Sand Creek Massacre by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book Los Angeles in Civil War Days, 1860–1865 by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
Cover of the book Presidents Who Shaped the American West by Robin L. Murray, Joseph K. Heumann
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy