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Contents:
Introduction 5
I. WESTERN GENRE ANALYSIS 7 1. Possible Pathways 7 2. Guns, Horses and Cactuses – Defining the Genre 10 3. White Cowboys and Other Key Features 15 4. The Milestones in Hollywood Western’s History – A Short Genealogy of the Western 17 5. The Structure of Western films – Plot Variations 20 6. Stereotypes 23 6.1. The Hero 24 6.2. The Anti-hero 25 6.3. The Villain 26 6.4. The Woman 27
II. Cowboys Enter the European Continent 29 1. European Western Film 29 2. Czechoslovakia 35 2.1. Westerns and the Tradition of American West in Czechoslovakia 35 2.2. Jiří Brdečka and the Czech Western Movies 37 2.2.1. Árie prérie 38 2.2.2. Lemonade Joe – a Hero or a Salesman? 41 2.2.2.1. The Origins 41 2.2.2.2. Parody as a Genre 41 2.2.2.3. Narrative Structure 44 2.2.2.4. Joe, Horác, Winnifred, Tornado Lou and Other Stereotypes 45 2.2.2.5. The Style 51 2.2.2.6. Critique of Capitalism 55 2.2.2.7. Critics and Awards 59 3. Other European Parody Westerns – Manitou’s Shoe 61
CONCLUSION 67
APPENDIX 69
PRIMARY SOURCES 70
SECONDARY SOURCES 71
Introduction
The impulse to do a research on the Czech parody of western Limonádový Joe (1964) came from the experience which I had during my Erasmus stay in Greece. Limonádový Joe was shown in the Aristotle University cinema and I was surprised by the high attendance and reactions to the film. The Greek students liked the movie and understood its satirical jokes. Obviously, the movie has some universal message which could be appreciated not only in the country of its origin but also by the international audience. This function is possible because Limonádový Joe is a parody of American westerns of which the clichés are known worldwide. In my
Introduction 5
I. WESTERN GENRE ANALYSIS 7 1. Possible Pathways 7 2. Guns, Horses and Cactuses – Defining the Genre 10 3. White Cowboys and Other Key Features 15 4. The Milestones in Hollywood Western’s History – A Short Genealogy of the Western 17 5. The Structure of Western films – Plot Variations 20 6. Stereotypes 23 6.1. The Hero 24 6.2. The Anti-hero 25 6.3. The Villain 26 6.4. The Woman 27
II. Cowboys Enter the European Continent 29 1. European Western Film 29 2. Czechoslovakia 35 2.1. Westerns and the Tradition of American West in Czechoslovakia 35 2.2. Jiří Brdečka and the Czech Western Movies 37 2.2.1. Árie prérie 38 2.2.2. Lemonade Joe – a Hero or a Salesman? 41 2.2.2.1. The Origins 41 2.2.2.2. Parody as a Genre 41 2.2.2.3. Narrative Structure 44 2.2.2.4. Joe, Horác, Winnifred, Tornado Lou and Other Stereotypes 45 2.2.2.5. The Style 51 2.2.2.6. Critique of Capitalism 55 2.2.2.7. Critics and Awards 59 3. Other European Parody Westerns – Manitou’s Shoe 61
CONCLUSION 67
APPENDIX 69
PRIMARY SOURCES 70
SECONDARY SOURCES 71
Introduction
The impulse to do a research on the Czech parody of western Limonádový Joe (1964) came from the experience which I had during my Erasmus stay in Greece. Limonádový Joe was shown in the Aristotle University cinema and I was surprised by the high attendance and reactions to the film. The Greek students liked the movie and understood its satirical jokes. Obviously, the movie has some universal message which could be appreciated not only in the country of its origin but also by the international audience. This function is possible because Limonádový Joe is a parody of American westerns of which the clichés are known worldwide. In my