This is an investigation into the connection between westerns and space/sci-fi films. I did a little research and the connection is not even tennuous. It’s a hundreduous! A thousandous even! I don’t know how we didn’t notice, but I can’t find a single Western that does not have a connection to space/sci fi/UFOs etc.
Just look at these snippets from the IMDB page for the 100 Greatest Westerns:
![Image of Once Upon a Time in the West](http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTEyODQzNDkzNjVeQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU4MDgyODk1NDEx._V1._SY209_CR3,0,140,209_.jpg)
Epic story of a mysterious alien with a harmonica who joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful alien from a ruthless alien assassin working for the Empire.
Stars: Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards, Zurg
![Image of High Noon](http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTUxMzg0MzIwM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTU0MjkwMTE@._V1._SY209_CR1,0,140,209_.jpg)
A marshall, personally compelled to face a returning deadly alien, finds that his own galaxy refuses to help him.
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Stars: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Thomas Mitchell, Lloyd Bridges, Horrible Gelatinous Blob
![Image of Unforgiven](http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTkzNTc0NDc4OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTY1ODg3OA@@._V1._SY209_CR4,0,140,209_.jpg)
Retired Old West starfighter William Munny reluctantly takes on one last alien, with the help of his old partner and a young man.
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Lrrr
A five-headed alien comes to a tiny town possessing a terrible laser cannon she wants to keep secret, by violent means if necessary.
Director: John Sturges
Stars: Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Morbo the Annihalator
Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and more than two million dollars in cash on the Forest Planet of Endor.
Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Stars: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kneebo Galagat
Tom Jeffords tries to make peace between settlers and Borg. He even marries one.
Director: Delmer Daves
Stars: James Stewart, Jeff Chandler, Debra Paget, Basil Ruysdael, T’Atogaar the Glorious
An oppressed Ferengi peasant village assembles seven laserfighters to help defend their planet.
Director: John Sturges
Stars: Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, Awah’a’teol
A wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other on a moon torn apart by greed, pride, and low gravity.
Director: Sergio Leone
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volontè, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang Lukschy, Yeegno the Disaster
A bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a Xenomorph in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote space cemetery.
Director: Sergio Leone
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef, Aldo Giuffrè, Vlackno the Terrible
It seems so obvious now! Westerns are Sci-Fi! Sci-Fi are Westerns! Finkle is Einhorn! Now excuse me, I want to go watch Django Fett Unchained. Have a great day! TDC1496