Spaghetti

The Western is protean. It readily adapts itself to other genres. There are Western comedies and musicals, Western films noirs, pornographic Westerns, even Western science-fiction and horror films. From the earliest days the genre was transplanted from America, taking root in several European countries. French companies were making Westerns in the Camargue in the early teens, while Germans made Westerns in the 1920s, and then again in the 1960s, with both East and West Germany turning out a string of titles shot in spectacular mountain locations, some with imported American stars. The Italians followed suit later in the decade, ultimately producing several hundred Spaghetti Westerns. The great exponent and creator of the Italian version of the genre was Sergio Leone, who lured Clint Eastwood to Spain to make Per un Pugno di Dollari (A Fistful of Dollars) in which he played the title role of the Stranger.

Excerpts from BFI Screen Guide: 100 Westerns by Edward Buscombe