Wiktionary
alt. 1 (context idiomatic English) A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western. 2 (context idiomatic archaic English) An equestrian show, as in a circus. n. 1 (context idiomatic English) A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western. 2 (context idiomatic archaic English) An equestrian show, as in a circus.
WordNet
n. a film about life in the western United States during the period of exploration and development [syn: Western]
Wikipedia
A horse opera, hoss opera, or oat opera is a western movie or television series that is extremely cliched or formulaic (in the manner of a soap opera). The term, which was originally coined by silent film-era Western star William S. Hart, is used variously to convey either disparagement or affection. The name "horse opera" was also derived in part from the musical sequences frequently featured in these films and TV series which depicted a cowboy singing to his horse on-screen. The term "horse opera" is quite loosely defined; it does not specify a distinct subgenre of the western (as " space opera" does with regard to the science fiction genre).
Horse Opera was the 13th album of the Western swing trio Riders in the Sky, released in 1990, although most of it was recorded back in 1978 at the time of the band's first forming.
Usage examples of "horse opera".
The science discussed is idiotic beyond any possibility of exaggeration, but the point is that in this kind of fiction the bending of light or Heisenberg's formula is equivalent to the sheriff of the horse opera fanning his gun, the heroine of the sex pulp taking off her dress.
I want this story to be high tragedy rather than horse opera-full of gore and action as a Greek tragedy, but tragedy in the Greek sense.
I want this story to be high tragedy rather than horse operafull of gore and action as a Greek tragedy, but tragedy in the Greek sense.
This is called ``horse opera,'' a justifiably derisive term when such physical action is the only kind of conflict in the story.
It doesn't make any difference in a town that big whether they play horse opera on the week-end or not.
Steve shook his head and turned his hat around in his hands like a bashful cowpuncher in a horse opera.
She had been dressed as an Indian princess when she came through the Columbia gate, and had managed to pass herself off as an extra showing up for work in the horse opera currently shooting on that lot.