This Western Landscape Is the Genre’s Most Used Backdrop

The Western genre is as old as cinema itself, as stories of gunslingers, cowboys, and bounty hunters in America’s frontier era have been popular with audiences since stories could first be told on screen. While the genre has seen a recent revival thanks to the success of several long-running television shows, it’s impossible to deny that many classic Western films were quintessential in developing the cinematic art form as it is understood today. Unlike works within the fantasy and science fiction genres, Western stories are tied to a moment in history, and thus feel more authentic to viewers. There are certainly some Westerns that are more reflective of historical truths than others, but even the most superficial Westerns can succeed if they present a plausible depiction of the era’s aesthetics. There’s no better way to earn authenticity than by shooting in a practical location, and the Monument Valley within Arizona and Utah has been used in countless Westerns throughout film history.