So, who would consider Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia a western? I do, if it wasn’t for the modern things in it, it would totally be one. Just curious.
I remember when I was at The “Gene Autry Western Hertiage Museum” a while back, in the movie section, there was a poster for the film “Thelma And Louise"and beneath it was a sign saying “when is a western not a western?” Basically it went on to say the same thing as you did, if it wasn’t for the modern setting this would have been a western, so useing that as a basis I would have to say “…Alfredo Garcia” fits into the western mold. But by saying that does this mean more modern films like “Desperado” Escape From New York”(and L.A.)and the horror action film “From Dusk Till Dawn” are also kin to the western? an interesting question.
i think bring me the head, COULD be a western, would it be set in the correct western era (like 1800s etc)
WOULD be a great spaghetti western, i say it all the time but its NOT, its set in Mexico in the 70’s (present), the story is classic western, so is the attitude of the characters, especially Bennie’s
too bad it’s not
Some people would consider films taking place in mexico, non westerns as well. Is the time period really important? According to the dictionary it has to take place in the “American West.” But it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes a genre.
I always wanted to know what makes a western a “western” ? Is it the setting ?? Is it the characters ? Is it the familiar guns, horses, spurs, showdowns, sheriff etc that make one ?? What about films like “Star Wars” or recent “Serenity”, Are these westerns ??? “Mad Max” is often called Post- apocalyptic western…so is “The Postman”. Is it the treatment of the plot or the setting that makes a movie western ???
well “Western” typically denotes the time and place of the American West, which would be the time during the expansion of the american settlement and the place usually west of the mississippi river or something. of course, the subjects and themes of these films are very important. the “frontier spirit” the mythology, the attitude, the understanding of good and bad, the struggle for survival and all that, and those are also the subjects that are carried over so that you could call Mad Max something like a Western, or The Postman, which really is a Western, just… you know…
So even if a plot doent involves the typical “west”, the movie can still be called a western like “Star Wars” which is a western by “Spirit”. Familiar rebels, good-bad elements, wilderness all contribute to a movie being called a “western”. I think i am getting a hang of this thing finally 
“bring me the head of alfredo garcia” is a great flick and i think it’s a modern western just as other Peckinpah’s like the "convoy"
the same thing with Rodriguez’s “el mariachi trilogy”
Let’s discuss here: http://www.spaghetti-western.net/forum/index.php/topic,209.msg2091/topicseen.html#msg2091
my personal definition of a western:takes place between the civil war-world war 1,west of the missouri river,and south into mexico. ;D
A modern western I guess, but Hex you may want to extend the time period to maybe 1920, you still had a lot of Mexican Rev going on and also western like stuff in Alaska and Yukon and the rest of the “Great White North”, lol.
I consider “Death Hunt” with Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson a Western.
i see your point cigar,its just the way i view’ em.i dont consider death hunt a western but i do like it,how can you go wrong with marvin and bronson? as far as the above mention of starwars thats a bit of a stretch…i mean similiar themes does not a western make,thats like calling blade runner a film noir.
i wouldn’t class “Bring me the head…” as a western.
it is my favourite Peckinpah movie though.
if everyone started thinking “is this a western?” for everything we could be here forever!!
for instance - a lot of 1970’s Italian crime films have the same storylines as some spaghetti’s but it is police/criminals in modern day, Luc Merenda get’s his hands smashed up a la’ Django in Sergio Martino’s Gambling city but it’s not a western.
It comes on at the end of the month I cant wait, i’ve been dying to see this movie forever!
You’ll love it it’s a really cool movie 8)