ABSTRACT
This concluding chapter considers two pairs of films. One pair is from the early 1950s and heralded the Adult Western, which became so popular in the period. The other pair are recent films, over 50 years later. These are indicative of how the mythology of the West is interpreted in the modern times. All may be seen as game-changers, being influential in altering how both audiences and other film-makers perceived the Western narrative. The development of the Adult Western is usually explained as a reaction to the rapid spread of television. High Noon is a stylistic masterpiece. Its makers wanted a film that looked completely different to anything before. Opting for black and white, they chose a realistic documentary style. Open Range reverses many of the conventions of previous Westerns. Unlike High Noon, the townspeople eventually decide that they too must make a stand and rid themselves of the corrupt marshall and hired guns.
