The classic 1990s WesternTombstoneis rated R, but why did it get that rating, and how does it compare to older classic Westerns? There are plenty of examples of R-rated Westerns, and some of thebest Western movies everare rated-R. However, there are also quite a few Westerns, especially from the 1960s and earlier, that are nowhere near as violent or mature. Westerns can vary in their ratings and maturity levels just as much as any other genre, from kids movies likeRangoto ultra-violent films likeDjango Unchained, so the reasonTombstoneis rated-R isn’t immediately obvious.
SinceTombstonetells the true story of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, it had to include some of the real-life deaths that happened at the time. It also came afterWesterns became unpopular in Hollywood, so there was some pressure to give the film more violence to convince viewers that the genre wasn’t outdated. There aren’t many moments inTombstonethat seem especially mature, though, and the movie doesn’t seem much more violent than other classic Westerns. Despite those facts,Tombstoneearned an R-rating that seems somewhat out of place today.
Tombstone’s R-Rating Explained - Does It Earn It?
Tombstone Does Deserve An R-Rating, But Not By Today’s Standards
Simply put,Tombstonedoes deserve its R-rating, but that rating was partly due to the year it was released.Tombstonewas released in 1993, but if it were released in 2024, it could have easily gotten a PG-13 rating by cutting out some expletives. There are several instances of violence, but most of the deaths inTombstonedepict a character simply falling over rather than featuring overt gore. Certain shots do highlight bloodshed, such as during Morgan Earp’s death, but actual wounds are only briefly shown. Aside from some pervasive swearing and alcohol and tobacco use,Tombstoneis a rather tame R-rated movie.
How Tombstone’s R-Rating Compares To Classic Westerns
Tombstone Is Far More Violent Than The Golden Age Of Westerns
ThoughTombstoneis rather tame by modern standards, it is much more deserving of its R-rating than older classic Westerns. Despite being made in the 1990s,Tombstoneis often considered a classic Western. However,Tombstonealso differs from classic Westerns by showing more violence, swearing, and substance use.When compared to a film likeHigh NoonorRio Bravo,Tombstone’s violence is much more likely to show realistic blood, actual wounds, overt references to sex, and drunkenness. Many classic Westerns were made to adhere to the Hays Code from 1934 to 1968, andTombstonewould not have passed its strict moral guidelines.
10 Best Movies To Watch Like Tombstone
Tombstone is a great entry point to the Western genre. But where should viewers go next? These 10 films have similar characters and themes.
Westerns did get more violent and gritty in the 1960s and early 1970s, mostly due to the rise in popularity of Spaghetti Westerns, Clint Eastwood, and Sergio Leone. Eastwood and Leone’s films often featured a more muddied version of morals than classic Westerns did, and there were far more killings in cold blood.There were also some instances of on-screen violence, such as when the Man With No Name was beat up inA Fistful of Dollarsor when Harmonica’s brother was hanged inOnce Upon a Time in the West, butTombstone’s violence was still a bit more visceral than that.
Tombstone’s R-Rating Looks Very Different Today
Modern Westerns Have Taken Violence To A New Extreme
Another reasonTombstonefeels like a very tame example of an R-rated movie is because newer R-rated Westerns are far more violent.Since 1993, films likeThe Revenant,Django Unchained, and especiallyBone Tomahawkhave brought Western violence to an extreme. While there’s certainly bloodshed and gore inTombstone, it doesn’t even approach the gore and visceral killings those films feature. From scalpings to torture scenes and cannibalism, newer Westerns feature a much higher level of violence thatTombstonedoesn’t come near, even with all of its deaths and injuries.
From scalpings to torture scenes and cannibalism, newer Westerns feature a much higher level of violence thatTombstonedoesn’t come near, even with all of its deaths and injuries.
Given the way modern Westerns have gotten more experimental and liberal with their use of violence,Tombstone’s R-rating doesn’t seem very fitting anymore. However, it does serve as a halfway point between the puffs of smoke of classic Westerns and the high-tech, stylized violence of the modern day. In a way, if films likeTombstoneor some of the otherbest Westerns of the 1990shadn’t paved the way, the violence the genre is capable of now wouldn’t have been possible. ThoughTombstoneisn’t a terribly violent Western, it was fairly important to violence in Westerns.
Tombstone
Cast
Tombstone chronicles legendary marshal Wyatt Earp and his brothers as they seek fortune in a prosperous mining town. Forced to confront a gang threatening the community, Earp joins forces with the infamous Doc Holliday, highlighting a tense battle between lawmen and outlaws in the American West.
