Western

Westerns are a genre of film that blends elements of period films with action films. The setting of a western is latter half of the 19th century and the locations are generally the American southwest. Recurring themes of the western genre include the establishment and governing of new territories, herding cattle across the open range and tales of law enforcement vs. outlaws.

Following the timeline of the Civil War is the era of the Cowboy. Rugged manly men with big hats, bigger mustaches and even bigger guns. Men who yearned for nothing more than the company of a pleasing woman, the thrill of a game of Faro, camping out under the stars with a harmonica, and of course, the occasional shoot-out. Some of these individuals strove to be a little bit more however, even to the point of donning a black mask, taking up a partnership with an Indian kemosabe and riding forth with a revolver of silver bullets in the name of justice. Masked justice doesn't always require a white hat however. Sometimes the hat is black and may even be accompanied by a matching cape. Such was the case of a certain mustached "bandito" from California. No one ever had to inquire "Who was that masked man?" when he was around, for he signed his name in the stylish three-stroke sword swipe that legend recalls as the Mark of Zorro.