"'A shoot-em-up with ray guns'... A romantic fantasy about as serious as a spaghetti Western." -- George Lucas, describing the upcoming Star Wars to Newsweek, Dec 22, 1975
Most fans can easily rattle off the name of movies that were inspired by Star Wars or make some sort of sly reference to the classic 1977 movie that started the whole phenomenon. Most, however, have not looked beyond '77, to the earlier movies that paved the way for the unmistakable mix of characters, themes, and circumstances that make that the saga so unique. In making Star Wars, George Lucas looked at the whole of movie history and what inspired and excited him, and while creating something new and never-before-seen, he also crafted a loving tribute to a mix of classic genres -- key among them, the Western.
So, as a service to beginning cinephiles, or fans of any age looking for a place to start exploring the roots of Star Wars, we present a handful of essential Westerns that you should see. These are classics that you should seek out in their own right, but they also hold an extra bit of resonance for Star Wars fans.
