I spent April taking a break from my latest manuscript. It’s necessary breathing room that allows me to get a different perspective when I start revisions (which I’ve started). Not wanting to waste that time I shifted focus on another story I’ve been toying with for a few years. A western horror about two families colliding over the expectations of the American dream. It’s a bit heavier in terms of storytelling, themes, and well out of my genre comfort zone. Seems like a perfect project, and I’m very excited about it.
In April I refined some story beats I outlined a couple years ago with my podcasting / writing buddy Tim, then turned those beats into a first pass at a scene breakdown. The blueprint for a first draft. It’s in good shape and is almost ready for me to pick away at. During this initial step I also put together lists of books, movies, video games, and research materials to work through. Helps me understand genre expectations, figure out what I like and don’t like, and figure out pacing while also helping me to visualize scenes I have planned. Thought I’d share some of the movies in the movie playlist that I plan to watch / re-watch for inspiration and genre expectations. The list I have is long so here I’m including just a few of my favorites.
The Man With No Name Trilogy
I’m cheating here with the trilogy but the Dollars trilogy is too important to the genre as a whole. The spaghetti westerns are simply fun flicks, with Eastwood, Sergio Leone directing, and Morricone’s soundtrack, they’re instant classics of the genre and can’t be skipped.
3:10 To Yuma
Original or remake you can’t go wrong with 3:10 to Yuma. I prefer the re-make with Russell Crowe and Bale (and Ben Foster), you can’t miss with that combo. Good guy rancher trying to make extra dough by bringing an outlaw to justice is about as western as it gets.
Unforgiven
Another Eastwood of course, but an older wiser Eastwood. With Gene Hackman as the villain, it’s a fantastic slow burn, following Eastwood’s character as a former outlaw and killer turned farmer taking on the ole one last job storyline. I remember seeing this in the theaters and loving it. Easily rewatchable.
True Grit
Another great original or remake, the remake by the Coen brothers is just fantastic. Plus a cast of Bridges, Damon, Brolin, and a young Hailee Steinfeld as the pursuer of revenge for her father’s death, makes for a great watch. Again the western tale as old as time, revenge, sits at the forefront. I think the big difference between this and the John Wayne adaptation, is the remake version is a bit more faithful to the novel in that it follows young Maddie’s POV.
