Westerns are a staple of Hollywood cinema and have grown to mass success in recent years with films like The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, and Killers of the Flower Moon. However, Westerns were once one of the most prominent genres in the entire film world -- making up most of the release schedule for several years.

From Clint Eastwood to Sidney Poitier and all the way to Cameron Mitchell, the Western genre has seen legends of industry portray some of the roughest, gruffest outlaws in the wild, wild West. With these performances came stories that paint a picture of old frontier life and allow even modern audiences to connect with the country's history in a way a textbook could never -- and some Westerns have even branched out into other genres. It's for this reason -- among many others -- that the Western genre remains integral to the movie-going experience and the following films helped to solidify their place in the world of film-making.

10 Buck and the Preacher

• IMDb rating: 6.6/10

Buck and the Preacher isn't as widely known a film as the others on this list, but it's certainly one worth checking out. Starring legendary actors such as Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and even iconic B-movie star Cameron Mitchell, Buck and the Preacher delivered a true-to-form Western story. In a dynamic common to the genre, former soldier Buck and the conman Preacher didn't get along at first but were able to put their differences aside to face down a common enemy in the form of bounty hunters.

The dastardly Deshay presented a truly menacing villain and made the film all the more memorable for it. Buck and the Preacher is especially notable for its depiction of strong black characters in a post-Civil War America, illustrating how 19th-century laws that were put in place to prevent racist violence went unenforced, leading to the state of systemic racism that was rampant during the time of the film's release.

9 Desperado

• IMDb rating: 7.1/10

Desperado is the second in the Mexico trilogy by iconic director Robert Rodriguez. It had the unenviable task of following the director's debut, El Mariachi. While El Mariachi didn't set the world upon its release, it did put the film world on notice for Rodriguez's masterful precision when filming action and let audiences know that star Antonio Banderas was a juggernaut in the film world.

Desperado only furthered that belief among movie-goers, as both men stepped up their game for this iconic sequel. Both movies gained a cult following, which led to a third movie, Once Upon a Time In Mexico. Once Upon a Time In Mexico didn't prove as much of a critical triumph as the two smaller-budgeted films did -- but it is still a wildly enjoyable film in the genre and features one of the more memorable performances by Johnny Depp to boot.

8 True Grit

• IMDb rating: 7.4/10

True Grit was remade in 2010, which only goes to prove how popular this story was among audiences when the original was dropped in 1969. Considered one of the most important Westerns ever, in True Grit John Wayne puts in one of his most memorable roles during one of his latest outings, which only helps raise True Grit to another level when it comes to classic Westerns.

Viewers watching US Marchal "Rooster" Cogburn go out of his way to help 14-year-old Mattie Ross track down Jeff Corey's unforgiving Tom Chaney -- who killed Mattie's father -- is an unforgettable story that has lasted the test of time. This story is only strengthened by the timeless performance of Glen Campbell as Texas Ranger La Boeuf, who has his own vendetta against Chaney. While the 2010 is arguably just as great as the original, this classic film is still a satisfying watch.

7 Shane

• IMDb rating: 7.6/10

Shane is the quintessential Western when it comes to a hero trotting in, on horseback, and saving the day. This is a classic template for the early Western films, but few pull it off the same way Shane does. Granted, that's likely due to the exceptional source novel, written by Jack Schaefer -- published in 1949.

Shane is the epitome of a Western hero. Without a reason to, Shane helps fend off the ruthless Rufus Ryker. After saving Marian and her son Joey, Shane opts to ride off into the sunset, having accomplished his goal -- in what may be one of the most prominent examples of that Western trope. Shane ends with Joey, who idolizes the gunslinger, yelling after Shane as he trots off, seemingly never to be seen again.

6 The Outlaw Josey Wales

• IMDb rating: 7.8/10

Many movie-goers forget that The Outlaw Josey Wales is one of Clint Eastwood's earliest directorial efforts -- being just his seventh movie out of forty-five outings, but it's worth remembering. The message in this particular film is certainly worth examination -- as it does indeed paint the Union army as monsters when Josey Wales decides to join one of the final holdouts of the Confederate Army out of spite due to Union soldiers murdering Wales' wife and child.

While this could have been a practice of the Union army, there is nothing in the history books to suggest it -- so it's a curious decision to paint a Union commander as a ruthless villain. Still, questionable morality aside, The Outlaw Josey Wales is an extremely engaging tale and is worth a watch for any fan of the Western genre -- audiences should just take the revenge plot with a grain of salt.

5 Tombstone

• IMDb rating: 7.8/10

1993's Tombstone is loosely based on true events that happened in the 1880s, surrounding one of the most infamous outlaws of the Wild West -- Wyatt Earp. Tombstone is one of the highest-grossing Western films of all time, anchored by unforgettable performances from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.

Both actors over-exceeded the expectations placed on this film, and far out-performed other films based on the same source material. Tombstone was a critical and financial success but didn't seem to grow a huge following until years after its release. Now, the film enjoys a cult following that will ensure its status as one of the greatest Westerns for generations to come.

4 The Wild Bunch

• IMDb rating: 7.9/10

The Wild Bunch is a western that not many modern-day audiences recognize as an all-time classic -- and has even been rumored to be receiving a remake. Starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, and several other notable faces from the 1960s, The Wild Bunch was a controversial film due to its reliance on graphic violence and the portrayal of an outlaw gang looking to adapt to the societal changes of the early 1900s.

This is very much in line with what those who played Red Dead Redemption 2 met within that video game's story. The Wild Bunch is also held in high regard in the modern era of film-making for its complicated quick-cut editing style -- making use of multiple angles to really get the chaos across to the viewers. While The Wild Bunch isn't talked about nearly enough in today's film landscape, a lot of films in the genre owe something to this classic.

3 Unforgiven

• IMDb rating: 8.2/10

Far after his days as Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in Unforgiven, proving to be a return to form for the actor -- who is widely considered one of the greatest Western stars in history. Telling a tale that stretches morals to their absolute breaking point, Eastwood molded a film that is not only memorable but unforgettable.

After Will Munny opted to devote his life to farming following the birth of his children and the death of his wife, the aging outlaw is dragged into one last job. This morally ambiguous decision sets off a domino effect of bad luck for those surrounding Munny, which causes the man to step back into his old, stone-cold persona. Unforgiven is a must-see for any fan of the classic Western genre.

2 Once Upon a Time in the West

• IMDb rating: 8.5/10

Once Upon a Time in the West is a curious case of a film that the director didn't initially want to make. Following the Clint Eastwood-led The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, director Sergio Leone planned on retiring from Westerns. However, the promise of Henry Fonda and a hefty budget led to the director returning to the genre to produce arguably one of the greatest films of Hollywood's modern era.