Over the years, a slew of great Westerns have had unmistakable influences on the direction of the genre. The medium has enjoyed a long - but admittedly not always thriving - livespan, having lasted for more than a hundred years. In the 1930s, the Western genre found life in the form of low-budget B-movies , and grew from there, evolving with each decade.

So many Western masterpieces owe their existences to previous entries in the genre, movies that inspired filmmakers and carved a path for others to follow. Such films deserve at least one viewing, if for no other reason than to gain an appreciation for what they meant to the genre's development and future.

7 Stagecoach

John Wayne looking intense as Ringo Kid in Stagecoach.

Stagecoach was a transformative film for more reasons

See Full Page