10 Best Spaghetti Westerns You Must See Before You Die

2. The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly isn't just the most famous Western of all time, but also one of the greatest too. The film, released in 1966, serves as a prequel of sorts to the other Dollars films (both Fistful and More were set after the Civil War, whereas TGTBTU is set during the conflict), and positions Lee Van Cleef in a villainous role as Angel Eyes - one of the most sinister villains in all of Leone's films.

The set-up - following three reluctant parties as they forge a fragile alliance to track down some missing Confederate treasure - is as classic as it is genius, with the resulting conflict lending the film an epic feel other Spaghetti Westerns tended to avoid. It works though, and - running time aside - it should be the first port of call for cinephiles yet to broach the genre.

Everything about the film is just magnificent, right down to Ennio Morricone's magnificent score. No Western fan should be without it.