The Spaghetti Western has been the most iconic of the European Westerns. Films of this subgenre originate in Italy. Their Westerns were the most unique, critically acclaimed, often discussed, commercially successful, and well-remembered. The films were known for their use of extreme violence, gritty realism, morally ambiguous protagonists, and revisionist attitudes towards the Western genre. All films within this subgenre were produced by Italian film studios. They could be filmed in Italy, another European country, or even on location in the North American Southwest. Actors who starred in these films could be of any nationality (Italian, American, Spanish, etc.). These films were originally released in Italy with Italian dubs and were given English dubs when released in the United States.