The Spaghetti Western genre refers to a wave of films produced in Italy — as well as a few other European countries — by filmmakers like Sergio Leone between the 1950s and the 1970s. These movies utilize settings that are similar to American Westerns, but they have morally ambiguous or completely evil main characters. Instead of heroes fighting villains and saving damsels in distress in the new frontier, these European westerns use the genre's settings to create action dramas about a broader variety of plots.

Although Leone's movies like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly are mentioned more often than any Spaghetti Westerns, there are several films made by other filmmakers that fans of the genre must watch. Fernando Cerchio's The Tired Outlaw is a movie released before Sergio Leone's debut that exemplifies the parody comedy style of the early European westerns, while Sergio Corbucci's Django exemplifies the dark, violent European westerns of the 1960s.

10 Django Is Franco Nero’s Breakthrough Role

Sergio Corbucci is one of the most important names in the Spaghetti Western era, and Django is one of his best films. A violent and dark story that explores themes like prostitution and racism, the 1966 release marks Franco Nero's breakthrough role as its titular main character.

Django was a commercial hit in and outside Italy, harnessing a cult following and a reputation as one of the most violent Westerns ever made. It only has one official sequel — 1987's Django Strikes Again — but it inspired many other productions, and the character Django became a reference within the genre. Quentin Tarantino referenced the movie in his 2012 film Django Unchained not only with its title and main character's name, but also with a short cameo by Franco Nero.

9 My Name Is Nobody Is Based on an Idea by Sergio Leone

My Name Is Nobody is an Italian-French-German international co-production released during the period of comedy westerns' rise in popularity in the 1970s. Although it is based on an idea by Sergio Leone and his name is mentioned in the promotion, he wasn't involved in most of the making of the movie. Assumptions range over how much Leone contributed, but it's known he directed at least one scene in it. It's directed by Tonino Valerii, who started his film career as an assistant director on Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars.

Henry Fonda plays Jack Beauregard, a famous gunslinger who wants to retire but is convinced by a fan to take on all 150 of the Wild Bunch single-handed before he does. Played by Terence Hill, the mysterious fan calls himself Nobody. It's one of the few European productions that was mostly filmed in the United States and tells a story set on the American continent.

8 The Tired Outlaw Satirizes the Dangers of Becoming Rich

Renato Rascel's hilarious character Pepito faces the challenges of suddenly becoming rich in this 1952 black-and-white comedy western. The Tired Outlaw is among the first wave of western films made in Italy, and has a tone of satire that was prevalent at the time. It's Fernando Cerchio's first western movie, a director who didn't limit himself to one genre. He made a much more dramatic western titled Mutiny at Fort Sharpe in 1966 at the height of spaghetti westerns, but The Tired Outlaw has a much more entertaining plot.

Pepito becomes a gold speculator and finds a lot of gold. Suddenly the richest man in town, Pepito makes enemies but also is finally able to impress women and relax. He has an interest in the beautiful singer Susana but decides to marry Carmen, who seems to be plotting something behind his back.

7 Keoma Is a Classic Tale of Revenge

Although Django made Franco Nero a pop culture icon, his most powerful performance is perhaps as the ex-Union soldier Keoma Shannon in Keoma. Some countries promoted the film as a Django-related story, but Keoma and Django are ultimately different characters. That said, Keoma was originally planned to be a sequel to Django, but changes made to the script during development led to a drastic reimagination of the plot.

Released in 1976, it's one of the best spaghetti westerns from the later period of the film movement. It incorporates slow motion and other cinematic trends of the late 1970s. The story follows Keoma as he seeks revenge for his hometown, now controlled by a gang of criminals.

6 A Bullet for the General Is the Quintessential Zapata Western

Interestingly, there was a wave of movies within spaghetti westerns that depicted the struggles of the Zapatistas — a leftist militant group that opposed the Mexican government. These Zapata Western movies usually take place during the Mexican Revolution of 1910, as evidenced by the 1966 film, A Bullet for the General. Perhaps the best film within the Zapata Western subgenre, this movie is full of thrilling fight scenes and shocking plot twists.

A Bullet for the General tells the story of the guerrilla fighter Chuncho and his gang as they perform heists on trains. It shows how morally ambiguous Chuncho is through his unexpected friendship with Tate, a mysterious American passenger on a train who ends up joining the gang. Tate often represents the will to do good and defend the weakest, but he also heavily relies on Chuncho's inclination to kill for both of them.

5 Death Rides a Horse Is One of the Darkest Revenge Movies

Spaghetti westerns often have dark premises, but some are more haunting than others. Death Rides a Horse is about Bill, a boy whose father was killed and mother and sister were gang raped and murdered in front of him by four men. Bill spends fifteen years training to get his revenge and has memorized specific characteristics of each of the criminals involved in the assault on his family.

John Phillip Law plays Bill, but the most interesting character in the movie is Ryan. Brilliantly played by Lee Van Cleef, Ryan is a gunslinger who was framed for an armed robbery by the same men who murdered Bill's family. Also out for revenge on the gang, Ryan becomes Bill's most valuable ally.

4 Tepepa Has Orson Welles’ Powerful Performance

Directed by Giulio Petroni, Tepepa stands out for its amazing acting. Starring the legendary Tomas Milian as the titular character and set during the Mexican Revolution, the film unfolds with political intrigue and intense action sequences. Milian's portrayal of the charismatic revolutionary leader captivates with his complex portrayal of a man torn between ideals and harsh realities.

Orson Welles plays Colonel Cascorro, the chief of police who persecutes Tepepa. Although there's some controversy as to Welles' behavior on set, it's definitely a powerful performance by the incomparable actor. With its striking cinematography and storytelling, Tepepa stands as a classic of the genre that explores the human spirit in the face of oppression.

3 The Mercenary Has One of Ennio Morricone’s Best Scores

Sergio Corbucci's take on the Zapata western is one of the subgenre's best examples. The Mercenary follows the journey of a Polish mercenary called Sergei Kowalski and a peasant turned revolutionary called Paco Roman as they navigate the treacherous landscape of the Mexican Revolution. Franco Nero plays the "Polack" and the American latino actor Tony Musante plays Paco.

The movie's biggest highlight is the impressive score by Ennio Morricone. Although the composer created other scores far more iconic, his work in The Mercenary is widely considered one of his best. He was reportedly inspired by the work of the Italian composer Bruno Nicolai and further developed ideas he first experimented with in the score of another spaghetti western released in the same year, Guns for San Sebastian.

2 The Great Silence References Che Guevara and Malcolm X

Known for its unconventional narrative and brave social commentary, The Great Silence is set in the harsh winter landscape of Utah during the late 19th century. The film follows the story of a mute gunslinger named Silence, played by Jean-Louis Trintignant. He confronts a group of ruthless bounty hunters led by the sadistic Loco, portrayed by Klaus Kinski.

Considered by some Sergio Corbucci fans to be his masterpiece, The Great Silence is an allegory inspired by the deaths of Che Guevara and Malcolm X. It's also an homage to two other "snow Westerns" — André de Toth's Day of the Outlaw and John Ford's Cheyenne Autumn. Along with the sober cinematography, Ennio Morricone's chilling score creates a bleak atmosphere that fits in perfectly with the violent plot.

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