The Clint Eastwood Western Fans Are Calling a “Supernatural Slasher” is Free to Watch
I love a dusty, sunburnt Western. This might have something to do with the fact that I’m a sucker for a period piece. Or maybe it’s because of the genre’s super distinctive aesthetic. Maybe it’s because I’m a horse girl at heart. Whatever the reason, I can’t get enough. But despite my affection for the frontier, I admit that Westerns tend to follow a pretty standard storyline. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. You know the beats, you know you’re going to meet a mysterious drifter, you know there’s going to be a showdown at the end. So when a Western has some supernatural elements, it stands out immediately to me as a horror fan as well.
That movie is Pale Rider, which is streaming for free on Tubi (alongside some other Western-horror gems). Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, the film was released during a transitional moment for the Western genre due to the failure of Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate.
The story begins with a violent raid on a small California gold rush town. When mining baron Coy LaHood’s (Richard Dysart) gang of men destroy her community and kill her dog, fourteen-year-old Megan Wheeler (Sydney Penny) prays for a miracle to protect her and her family. Her miracle rides into town in the form of a silent stranger on a pale horse. He doesn’t have a name. He’s simply known as the Preacher (Clint Eastwood).
I first discovered Pale Rider on Reddit after I saw a post claiming that it’s “a lowkey supernatural slasher.” I hate admitting it, but they were right:
I love that the film never defines who or what the Preacher is, and I like that it doesn’t feel the need to. The ambiguity is what makes this such an interesting watch. When the Preacher starts dispatching the town’s tormentors with brutal, almost slasher-like efficiency in the film’s climax, it becomes clear that this town is dealing with something beyond their comprehension. In one of my favorite scenes, the Preacher is sitting in a restaurant, calmly drinking coffee with his back to the gang; he suddenly vanishes only to reappear beside the armed men who didn’t see or hear him approach. It’s such classic slasher staging, which makes me wonder if Eastwood is a secret horror fan. Is the Preacher the ghost of one of LaHood’s victims? An angel? Death itself? Pale Rider leaves every possibility open, which makes it fun to discuss with friends afterwards.
Watch the trailer below:
If you’re in the mood for something that feels both familiar and unsettling all at once, then Pale Rider is the perfect pick. And the fact that it’s streaming for free on Tubi makes it even harder to resist.
And if you love Westerns or films that blend genres, let me know: @ashjenexi on Instagram and X.
Categorized: Streaming News
