The Gunfighter is a modern take on Westerns. It uses comedy to point out the iconography of the genre as well as show how predictable narrative is in film. Narrative is driven through conflict which is caused by the diegetic voice over who reveals things about characters that they don't want other people to know.
The short film is set in a western saloon which is where the central character makes a typical cowboy entrance. The characters in the film are typical of western stereotypes. these characters include a bar-man, a prostitute and a cowboy. These are all old-fashioned representations which are seen in most westerns. the stereotype of the prostitute is maintained by her costume which is familiar with that type of character in westerns.
Todorov's 5 stages of narrative technique is used in the film and is also hinted at by the narrator who tells the audience and the characters that there will be a shootout. This eventually becomes true and a shootout kills all characters but one. This can be read as a criticism of hollywood film because of the repeated narrative structure, films are very predictable. The film its-self referential because the voice over is aware that it is a film and therefore, the audience is aware as the 'fourth wall' is broken.
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