While American Western movies make up the most famous entries in the genre, a number of Australian Westerns give them a run for their money. The Western is often viewed as a quintessentially American genre. This is partially because images of cowboys, the untamed frontier, and the lawless West have their roots in romanticized, inaccurate versions of American history. Another reason is that many of the best Western movies ever made came from Hollywood. During both the genre’s glory days and its revisionist revival, the Western was a Hollywood staple.
However, while some of the best Western directors ever were American, not all the genre’s masterpieces come from the U.S. For instance, Spaghetti Westerns were so named because their cast, crew, and filming locations were Italian, yet these remain some of the most memorable entries in the genre — though most were still set in America. Similarly, since Australia also has vast tracts of land and a long history of infamous outlaws, Australian Westerns, aka Kangaroo Westerns, have been around since the dawn of cinema. As proven by these great Western movies set in Australia, the country is a perfect fit for the genre.
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11 The Story Of The Kelly Gang (1906)
Believe it or not, one of the world’s first full-length narrative feature films was an Australian Western. The Story of the Kelly Gang was the earliest example of bushranger cinema, a commercial and critical hit that documented the life and crimes of the beloved Australian outlaw Ned Kelly. Sadly, sharing a fate with so many early silent movies, all but 17 minutes of The Story of the Kelly Gang have been lost.
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10 Mad Dog Morgan (1976)
Mad Dog Morgan is not for the faint of heart. However, for viewers who enjoy harsh outback Ozploitation movies like Razorback and Wake in Fright, this intense bushranger biopic is worth seeking out. Dennis Hopper stars in typical unhinged form as the titular bushranger, Dan Morgan, whose life story is wildly historically inaccurate but memorably nasty nonetheless.
9 The Chant Of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)
Bizarrely, 1978’s The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith was banned in the UK as part of the video nasty moral panic in the early ‘80s. Viewers hoping for gore would be surprised by this lyrical, brutally impactful Kangaroo Western. An adaptation of a 1972 novel, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith tells the story of an Aboriginal man who goes into hiding after killing a man.
8 Mad Max (1979)
While the original Mad Max might not seem to fit the mold of a traditional Western, the movie is secretly a pretty perfect example of the genre. Mel Gibson’s mild-mannered titular lawman is pushed to the edge and must take up arms against a bunch of wild-eyed outlaws, doling out bloody vengeance after a tragic fate befalls his family. Director George Miller only set Mad Max in the future to save on location costs, but for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Australian Western.
7 The Man From Snowy River (1982)
The Man from Snowy River could not be less like Mad Dog Morgan and Mad Max, but the movie provides an alternative take on the Australian West that is a lot more romantic and picturesque. This gentle, tender drama sees a young farmhand woo the daughter of his wealthy landlord after his father dies, and this sweet story provides the backdrop for some stunning scenery and fun genre set-pieces. Beautiful to look at and one of the best horse movies of all time, The Man from Snowy River also benefits from Kirk Douglas in a scene-stealing supporting role.
6 Return To Snowy River (1988)
Return to Snowy River couldn’t secure the return of Kirk Douglas, but screen veteran Brian Dennehy does an admirable job of replacing the Hollywood legend. Otherwise, life on Snowy River is as idyllic as ever with only a few subplots intervening in the romance that drives this series. This sequel is a fun, if inessential, Kangaroo Western, and a lot less harsh than many of the genre’s movies.
5 Quigley Down Under (1990)
Quigley Down Under saw Tom Selleck’s eponymous cowboy venture down to Australia for an adventure that is as campy and over-the-top as it is fun. While not groundbreaking, Quigley Down Under does benefit from a plethora of great performances. Alan Rickman puts in a typically superb supporting turn while the underrated Laura San Giacomo is in spirited form as Quigley’s love interest.
4 The Tracker (2002)
Director Rolf de Heer’s The Tracker stars David Gulpilil as the titular figure, a skilled Aboriginal tracker whose talents are exploited by a colonial cop searching for the murderer of a white woman. At once an intense two-hander and a compelling allegory for Australia’s mistreatment of its indigenous people, The Tracker is haunting, unforgettable, and unique among Kangaroo Westerns.
3 Ned Kelly (2003)
Heath Ledger stars as the eponymous outlaw in director Gregor Jordan’s underrated 2003 biopic Ned Kelly. Like many screen versions of Kelly’s story, this is a desperately romantic affair with an impressive cast including Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Naomi Watts, and Geoffrey Rush. Like Jordan’s Buffalo Soldiers and The Informers, Ned Kelly is a stellar movie that never got its flowers upon release.
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2 The Proposition (2005)
While Guy Pearce had numerous chances to be a major star, the actor admirably opted instead to take on risky projects like The Proposition, which ranks among the best Westerns of the 21st century. This pitiless film is the closest thing that viewers have gotten to a live-action adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s infamously brutal Blood Meridian. The lawmen are corrupt monsters, the outlaws are unglamorous murderers, and the eponymous proposition involves one convict being sent to kill his own brother. If he fails, his other brother will be put to death in a vicious analogy for the Australian West’s real-life history.
1 True History Of The Kelly Gang (2019)
True History of the Kelly Gang is a great Western that bombed at the box office, grossing less than half a million dollars. However, this star-studded Western should have been a huge hit since it is an even better retelling of Ned Kelly’s life than Gregor Jordan’s more romantic 2003 movie. With an incredible supporting cast including Russell Crowe, Essie Davis, Nicholas Hoult, and Charlie Hunnam, True History of the Kelly Gang is anchored by a great turn from George MacKay. While it isn’t quite as action-packed as other Australian Westerns, True History of the Kelly Gang still deserved better than its quiet box office failure.
