A fan has given The Mandalorian a Spaghetti Western trailer. Disney+’s new Star Wars series follows a wandering bounty hunter comparable to the gunslinger from Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy. That character, portrayed by Clint Eastwood, has, of course, no name. The Mandalorian’s Dyn Jarren (whose name hasn’t officially be released) has no face because Mandalorians are known for never removing their helmets. This only adds to the show’s mysterious atmosphere equatable to Leone’s famous films.

It’s not just Dyn Jarren’s anonymity and trigger-happy talent that makes The Mandalorian feel like a Western. The Mandalorian’s desolate setting and subsequent drama share elements with the aforementioned genre. In A Fistful of Dollars (the first Dollars film), Eastwood’s character arrives in a little town that is being terrorized by two families at war with one another. This protagonist remains relatively impartial—manipulating each side for his own financial gain. However, throughout the film, he shows compassion to those caught in the crossfire. Dyn Jarren’s circumstances regarding Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian are not unlike The Man with No Name’s; he just wants to survive (but not at the expense of innocent bystanders).

Filmmaker Lance Krall has taken his new favorite show’s vibe and ran with it. Krall, who might be best known for his role as Kip on The Joe Schmo Show, imagined Disney+’s hit series as a 60s-era Spaghetti Western. His trailer uses Italian credits (equipped with the characteristic font) and music from the iconic genre to introduce The Mandalorian’s characters, plot, themes, weapons, and technology. It’s quirky, campy, nostalgic, and cool. Check out the trailer below.

While The Mandalorian may take place in space and not the Old West/Mexico, the show’s amount of saloon entrances, tense standoffs, and gruff voices align with stereotypical cowboy swagger. Its Western similarities have been discussed by Pedro Pascal (Dyn Jarren), who has admitted to drawing inspiration Clint Eastwood’s Dollars character. The Mandalorian creator, Jon Favreau has accredited Westerns as well, calling it a cross between Mad Max and Star Wars that evokes the aesthetics of Star Wars: A New Hope.

One could argue that the original Star Wars film drew inspiration from classic Westerns; in particular, its sand-laced look and the outlaw character of Han Solo. The franchise has famously been inspired by many sources, from philosophy and mythology to fairytales and medieval fantasy. More overtly, The Mandalorian pays homage to its Western elements in a way the Star Wars has only teased us with before. Krall’s ingenious trailer draws direct lines between the past and the present, reminding us not only what we love about Star Wars but of cinema in general. Whether it happens in the outer reaches of the galaxy or in a small town in Mexico, something about a quick-draw duel never gets old.

More: The Mandalorian: 10 Must-See Classics That Inspired The Hit Series

Source: Lance Krall

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