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Red Dead Redemption: The 5 films that shaped Rockstar's iconic Western video game
The Western genre has a long and storied history, and Red Dead Redemption's influences are more eclectic than you might expect
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Cowboys live forever, at least in the American consciousness. And while the Western genre had its Hollywood heyday with John Wayne et al. back in the 1950s and 1960s, Rockstar tapped into a resurgence of the genre in the 21st century with the release of 2010's Red Dead Redemption. Of course, Red Dead Redemption follows 2004's Red Dead Revolver, but the level of detail in Red Dead Redemption gave the franchise a proper rebirth.
If you've been longing to saddle up and take a trip across the American West, why not take a gander at the films that influenced Red Dead Redemption? Without further ado, here are 5 films that influenced Red Dead Redemption.
The Wild Bunch (1969)
It wouldn't be Red Dead Redemption without copious amounts of gunfire, and we have The Wild Bunch to thank for that. Starring William Holden, who you might recognize from films like Sunset Boulevard and The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Wild Bunch told a story of the American West at a crucial turning point. Set in the year 1913, in the twilight of the "Wild Wild West" as everyone knew it, The Wild Bunch meshed brutal violence with a narrative about growing old and becoming obsolete. Given that Red Dead Redemption is set in 1911, The Wild Bunch's focus on this specific point in the West's history informed the perspective that Red Dead Redemption took.
The Wild Bunch can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
High Plains Drifter (1973)
Before it was a Beastie Boys song, High Plains Drifter was a Clint Eastwood movie. The actor also directed the movie, and his signature scowl immediately calls to mind Red Dead Redemption's John Marston. Like many other Westerns, there's not a whole lot going on in High Plains Drifter beyond its dusty vibes. Eastwood plays a, you guessed it, drifter who comes through a mining town to dole out some ol' fashioned frontier justice. It's a simple conceit that makes for a satisfying watch.
High Plains Drifter can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Unforgiven (1992)
Now, things start to get a little more modern for Red Dead Redemption's influences, even if this is another Clint Eastwood film. Eastwood returns once more to the director's chair, where he would work with an all-star cast of Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Marcus Aurelius himself, Richard Harris. Set in 1881, Unforgiven is more in line with the scope of traditional Westerns, the bulk of which are set during that decade. Eastwood plays an aging outlaw who hops back in the saddle for one final ride as he hunts down 3 cowboys with a bounty on their heads. The film swept the Oscars that year, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Film Editing, so needless to say, it's worth your time.
Unforgiven can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Heat (1995)
You might be wondering how Michael Mann's film, Heat, ended up on this list. Aside from being a banger of a film, its action sequences impacted the development of Red Dead Redemption. After all, Michael Mann is a master of directing gunfights, and Red Dead Redemption has plenty of those to spare. Al Pacino plays an LAPD detective pursuing a thief played by Robert De Niro. Val Kilmer also has a supporting role. Heat has an excellently tense atmosphere that makes it a worthwhile watch, regardless of its influence on Red Dead Redemption.
Heat can be streamed on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video.
The Proposition (2005)
The next film to influence Red Dead Redemption isn't an American Western at all, but an Australian film written by rockstar Nick Cave. Starring Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Emily Watson, and Danny Huston, The Proposition is set in Australia in the 1880s and pulls no punches when it comes to showing just how awful people can be to each other. It's got the grimiest-looking dudes you've ever seen in a movie. Nick Cave also composed the musical score for the film.
The Proposition can be streamed on Peacock, Tubi, and Amazon Prime Video.
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