Spaghetti Westerns (also known as Italo-westerns) were Italian-made Western films that surfaced in the mid-1960s. They were significantly more violent and immoral than the average Hollywood westerns. They got their name from the fact that most were produced and directed by Italians, typically in co-production with a Spanish partner or a German partner.

Here are a few of the most notable Spaghetti Westerns films:

Tierra brutal (1961): English title “The Savage Guns.” Set in Sonora, in a isolated valley near the border of Arizona, ex-major Summer tries to forget about the horrors of the American Civil War. He is now a pacifist, refusing to even wear a gun, but everything changes when a gang of villains ravages the small town.

Da uomo a uomo (1967): English title “Death Rides a Horse” or “As Man to Man.” About Bill, who as a child witnessed the murder of his family by four robbers. Fifteen years later, he embarks on his revenge. During his journey, he crosses paths with Ryan, an ex-con who wants the money the robbers owe him.

Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (1966): English title “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” A classic spaghetti western starring the legendary Clint Eastwood. The Good is Blondie, a honorable gunman. The Bad is Angel Eyes, a sadistic hitman who never misses. The Ugly is Tuco, a Mexican bandit who only looks out for himself. Set during the Civil War, they search for a fortune in gold buried in a graveyard. Each knows a portion of the gold’s exact location, so for a while they’re dependent on each other. But of course, none of them want to share.