Although the genre had already lost its popularity by that time, the 1980s still saw the release of many excellent Westerns. Films of this genre released during the decade often featured a more subtle and self-mocking approach to common Western tropes. The 1980s also saw a rise in modern Westerns, transposing classic archetypes into a contemporary setting. Even despite the seeming decline of Westerns, many genre films achieved critical and commercial success in the 1980s.
However, many 1980s Westerns haven't held up well. While they may still have devoted fans today, these films are products of their era and, like many other memorable films, struggle to stand the test of time. For some, shifting cultural preferences have affected their perceived quality, while others have been overshadowed by higher-quality films in the genre. Here are five beloved 1980s Westerns that, despite their early success, haven't stood the test of time.
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Tom Horn
Tom Horn (Steve McQueen) squints at the horizon in "Tom Horn" - Warner Bros.
While 1980's Tom Horn may not be among Steve McQueen's best films, it earned approximately $12 million against a reported $3 million budget. McQueen plays the title character, a real-life pioneer whose story is based on Horn's memoirs, during the twilight of the Wild West. Horn begins working for powerful cattle ranchers to combat cattle rustlers, but his brutal methods begin to frighten the locals. Concerned about their reputation due to Horn's growing unpopularity, the ranchers decide to secretly turn against him.
In the years since its release, Tom Horn has been remembered primarily as McQueen's penultimate film before his death eight months after its premiere. However, the film's modest success and its post-McQueen reappraisal don't explain the fact that the film itself is a dull and tedious drag. While the role demands a world-weary performance from McQueen, his declining health is noticeable, he lacks his usual understated charisma, and he's relatively lethargic in the action scenes. Sluggish and formless, McQueen deserved a better ending to the genre that made him a global superstar.
Bronco Billy
Bronco Billy (Clint Eastwood) leads his horse by the reins under a large tent in the film "Bronco Billy" - Warner Bros.
Clint Eastwood's directing career flourished in the 1970s and 1980s, beginning in the last decade with 1980's Bronco Billy. Eastwood plays the title character, who runs a struggling Wild West-style show where he also specializes in marksmanship. Joining this eclectic ensemble is Antoinette Lily (Sondra Locke), a woman abandoned and robbed by her fiancé, who is seeking revenge. As Antoinette gets to know Billy and his traveling troupe, this unlikely pair begins to fall in love.
«Bronco Billy is another modest but box office success in the Western genre, released in 1980. Although a modern Western, it was the fourth collaboration between real-life married couple Eastwood and Locke, and their strangest, considering their other two projects paired Clint with an orangutan. Bronco Billy is a Western-style romantic comedy, devoid of any emotional attachment to the characters, with numerous plot contrivances too ridiculous to ignore. 1980 also saw the release of Eastwood and Locke's All You Can Do, and, God forbid, it was their best comedy of the year.
Urban cowboy
Bud Davis (John Travolta) holds a beer while leaning against the bar in "Urban Cowboy" - Paramount Pictures.
John Travolta was at the height of his popularity after films like Saturday Night Fever and Grease when Urban Cowboy was released in 1980. In this modern Western, Travolta plays Bud Davis, a hot-tempered young man working at a Texas oil refinery. Soon after moving to the city, Bud meets and marries a woman named Sissy (Debra Winger), although he is prone to intense jealousy that develops into cruel and controlling behavior. Tired of Bud's foolishness, Sissy begins a relationship with recently released prisoner Wes Hightower (Scott Glenn). As a feud between the two men develops, Bud and Sissy decide whether to reconcile or live separately.
«Urban Cowboy is by no means one of John Travolta's most poorly received films, but it's also not one of his best. While the chemistry between Travolta and Winger is strong, Scott Glenn overshadows him, even though the film's plot ultimately treats his character unfairly. The country-inspired soundtrack steals the show, but even that is a product of its era. Urban Cowboy is a melodrama that quickly dives into family turmoil but can't decide where to go from there, essentially becoming a rural soap opera.
Three Amigos
Ned Nederlander (Martin Short), Lucky Day (Steve Martin) and Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase) stand in their mariachi costumes in the film "Three Amigos" - Orion Pictures.
While certainly the most controversial film on this list, 1986's Three Amigos no longer holds the same impact it did 40 years ago. Set in 1916, the film follows three silent film stars—Lucky (Steve Martin), Dusty (Chevy Chase), and Ned (Martin Short)—as real, expert gunslingers. This leads to the actors being hired by a Mexican village to protect them from roving bandits, a clear nod to The Magnificent Seven. Although the group turns out to be nothing more than shallow Hollywood characters, they decide to become true heroes, even if it means their lives.
As with any comedy, the appreciation of Three Amigos varies greatly depending on the viewer's individual sense of humor. To its credit, Steve Martin wisely takes center stage, but Chevy Chase is far more laconic and aloof than in his more successful '80s comedies. One of the film's key elements is its parody of the singing cowboy films of the '30s and '40s, which now feels more like a drag than a laugh. A Western comedy that simply doesn't have the energy one might expect from its leads, it at least unites Martin and Short into a long-lasting and hilarious duo.
Young shooters
Steve Stevens (Dermot Mulroney), Doc Scurlock (Kiefer Sutherland) and Jose Chavez y Chavez (Lou Diamond Phillips) stand wary in "Young Guns" - 20th Century Studios.
«"The Young Boys" is another '80s Western with a devoted following, but its appeal stems largely from its time. Based on true events, albeit with a certain degree of artistic license, this 1988 Western follows the hot-tempered gunslinger Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez). After Billy's compassionate boss, John Tunstall (Terence Stamp), is murdered by rival ranchers, Billy leads his fellow gang members in a brutal fight against them and anyone associated with them. This makes the entire group wanted criminals, though they are usually always one step ahead of their relentless pursuers.
With its soaring electric guitar lines and young stars hanging out together, Young Guns feels like a Western for the Top Gun generation. But beyond its obvious attempt at a hip Western in the style of Band of Brothers, the film fails to make its sharpshooting hero a remotely likable or sympathetic protagonist. Estevez plays Billy as an arrogant, gun-toting guy who does whatever he wants, and somehow, it usually ends well for him. Apparently, this all worked for '80s audiences, because the film made enough money to warrant a sequel in 1990, but Young Guns has the depth of a music video series.
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