I know defining genre can get murky, so I’ve consulted with an expert to give us a solid definition of what makes a western.
My dad.
His credentials: He’s read approximately 3-400 westerns in his life. I don’t think we need more than that.
What makes a western?
According to my dad, a western has some common hallmarks:
- The protagonist often almost dies or severely loses at whatever he’s trying to do.
- The “big rancher“- someone with money and/or status that acts as a sort of middle-man antagonist. Often, he’s being influenced by a more powerful and sinister third party.
- Protagonist succeeds in the romantic endeavor set up by the narrative, i.e. “gets the girl“.
- Similar to crime dramas- there’s usually a mystery to solve
Plus there’s the obvious elements: the setting is almost always in the untamed American western frontier, though time period can be flexible (as we’ll discuss, there is some leeway for the “modern western”). We also see several elements quite often, such as horses, gathering a “posse”, shootouts, and exciting high-octane action, like train robberies, heists, and rescuing hostages.
What makes a horror western?
This is an easy one- take several of the elements described above, and add a horror element. Things we see often are supernatural/speculative elements (vampires, ghosts, etc), psychological elements (being “hunted” by something dangerous, shattered perceptions of reality) and body horror/gore.
So, to make a horror western, we pluck a few elements from each and make a delicious, creepy stew!
Example time!
Below, I’ll discuss some works that I’ve read or watched. Remember- genre can be murky and often subjective. From what I’ve read and seen, these works count as the blend we’re discussing. You may hold different opinions.
Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian (2023)
Red Rabbit is the most commonly recommended book (in my experience) when people on Reddit ask for horror westerns. And for a good reason- it is literally the perfect blend of horror and western. We follow a ragtag group of people as they make their way to a town claiming to be plagued by a witch, determined to kill the witch and collect the sizable bounty offered. Not only do we have outstanding and vivid characters, we even have a few ghosts that are part of the crew.
The best horror element in my opinion was the woods full of people who’d hanged themselves. The descriptions of this area are so vivid and thick, it was truly unsettling to see our characters navigate the area.
We’ve also got horses, a coach, shooting, outlaws, corrupt lawmen, and a thrilling adventure. This book is a shining example of this genre blend, and if you’re interested in this kind of soup and haven’t read Red Rabbit yet, make it your next read. It’s approved by my dad, as well.
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
This right here. This is the movie that perfectly encapsulates the concept of the Horror Western. If Red Rabbit is the perfect novel example, this is the perfect film example.
In Bone Tomahawk, a man’s wife is kidnapped by a particularly dangerous tribe of Native Americans. A posse forms (check that box), loading up their horses (check) with guns (check) and set out across the barren countryside in pursuit of the hostage.
It’s quiet horror at its best. I almost wrote an entire article just about this movie. Some are of the opinion that it drags in the middle, but I heartily disagree. Even though there isn’t a lot of exciting action during the traveling section, the direction somehow makes the entire thing feel full of dread. This is what I mean by quiet horror. Nothing really happens, but I was on edge the entire time.
The score in this film is very subtle and does not overstay its welcome, forcing you to sit there with these men as they hunt down men far more dangerous than themselves. Not to mention one of our party is seriously injured from the start, so you’re constantly nervous that something’s going to go wrong because of it.
You need to watch this movie. I’m serious. If you’re a horror fan or a western fan, this movie will scratch every itch. I will warn you- there are a few pretty brutal violent scenes. But if you’ve been watching the Saw franchise since age 11 (thanks ma), it shouldn’t do too much to you.
Blood Meridian by Corman McCarthy (1985)
Disclaimer: I only read about half of this book before giving up, which I think is not the craziest sentiment ever. McCarthy’s writing can be quite dense, and while I was able to enjoy The Road, I couldn’t get through this one.
But! I did read the first half, and I know enough to put it on this list.
Blood Meridian is a gritty fever dream moving across the North American frontier. If you’re not afraid of dense writing, you’ll enjoy this a lot. My favorite part was the massacre toward the beginning. Some great horror in there. The Judge is also a very eerie character, and I can imagine that he does some crazy shit later in the book.
While Blood Meridian doesn’t contain a lot of the usual plot points of a Western, the setting, time period, and interactions between characters earn it the descriptor, at least in my opinion.
The Wind (2018)
I’m still not completely decided whether the homesteading situation fully counts as Western. We have the setting and time period for it, and there’s often a ‘big bad’ of some sort (thinking of Brom’s Slewfoot and The VVitch). Even if it doesn’t count fully, I still wanted to mention this movie, because it’s fantastic.
In The Wind, homesteaders Lizzy and Isaac welcome new neighbors in the prairies of New Mexico. But a series of escalating events result in the visitation of an evil entity upon Lizzy.
This movie’s horror elements are absolutely stellar. The use of darkness and obscuring the entity for most of the movie are expertly handled, and the narrative revolving around “prairie madness” is well done and doesn’t fall into that “hysterical woman” stereotype we often see, since the film is written, directed, and edited by women.
Check it out. But don’t watch it alone at night, like I did. Or, I mean, do, if you want to be staring at every shadow the rest of the night.
Nope (2022)
Hear me out.
While I mention time period as a usual tell for the western genre, I don’t consider it a strict requirement. You may hold a different opinion, and that’s fine, but this is my article and I can say whatever I want.
Nope is a horror western for the modern day. Two siblings running a Black-owned Hollywood horse ranch encounter a strange phenomenon in the sky, believing that they’re being visited by alien life.
This thing checks so many boxes. Our setting is the vast California desert, isolated and with massive open skies. We ride horses, we face down a powerful antagonist, and we have something to say about the nature of animals and their unpredictability, and what it takes from us humans to overpower and tame that nature. (Side note: this is why the chimp scenes are in the movie. For all you who say it had nothing to do with the rest of the movie, it’s further enforcing that unpredictable nature that’s inside all animals, no matter how tame they may appear.)
We form a posse to deal with the ‘big bad’. We have a great climax scene full of tension and action- even though it’s with a literal alien, it plays out so much like a showdown. We even have the ‘big rancher’ element in Steven Yuen’s character, who represents the foolishness of humans who think they can tame wild predators.
Not to mention the performances from Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer are stellar. OJ’s quiet stoicism and determination are balanced beautifully by Emerald’s bright personality and constant stream of humor.
Check this one out if you’re looking for something you’ve never seen before. It’s a truly great experience.
Lone Women by Victor LaValle (2023)
I freaking love this book. It made me an instant LaValle fan.
Adelaide seeks a fresh start in the wilds of Montana after the death of her parents, but she carries a heavy secret with her that holds her back.
This baby has lots of western hallmarks. An untamed frontier, gritty survivalism in a broken-down homestead, a mysterious secret at the center, and a healthy dose of rustic romance. There are even two posses formed- one made up of men searching for a thief, and another made up of Adelaide and the other badass women of the settlement.
It’s exciting, spooky, and has a lot to say about secrets and the weight of them. It’s also a female-fronted tale, giving a refreshing perspective on homesteading and the willpower it takes to survive it.
What makes horror westerns so good?
We know why people like horror. That one’s easy. It allows us to face things that frighten us in a contained and safe setting, working out our fears without having to live them.
Why do people like westerns? I’m sure there are a multitude of reasons people would give, so I won’t say anything definitively, but I can tell you why I like westerns. Not only do I love history and all its exciting and interesting time periods, but the western takes place in a sweet spot for civilization (usually). There’s enough technology and humanist ideals to resemble how we see life and its meaning in the current age, but the facets of modern life are stripped away to their beginnings: frontiers, homesteads, the building of states and laws.
I think it’s escapism. Those who feel overwhelmed and pessimistic about the modern age can escape somewhere somewhat nearby in the timeline, but before things (in some opinions) “got too messy”. I can agree with that sentiment.
So why a Horror Western? Easy. It combines the release and comfort of facing horrors in a contained environment with the idyllic and stripped-down setting of frontiers and untamed lands full of potential.
This is why there needs to be more of it! There are so few works that fall into this category. And, you know, they say to write the book you’d want to read…
My Own Attempt: Project Name Space Cowboy
My passion for genre-blending has of course led me to try my inexperienced but enthusiastic hand at my own horror western.
This project is still in infancy in terms of drafting, but I’ve got a full outline and I’m very excited to bring it to life.
On a planet only useful to humanity for ranching, Maria Cardona must survive a plague of violent “zombie” cattle and help keep scientist Oliver Perry alive long enough to find a cure and stop the plague from spreading across the whole planet before it is destroyed to contain the infection.
There’s gross horror with rotting corpses, creepy cattle in the night, and a badass woman who battles not only the horde of infected but her own grief at the recent loss of her parents who gave up everything to give Maria the life she desired.
Hopefully it turns out okay!
Monthly Writing Goals Update
19,938 / 20,000 words
It’s been a rough few weeks for the word count, readers. A combination of pessimism and flailing self-confidence have made it difficult to sit down and write. Luckily, Saige lent me a sympathetic ear and gave me a much-needed pep talk. With that, I managed to crank out a little over 4,000 words just yesterday. Thanks Saige! Let’s hope you fixed me.
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