Django
directed by Sergio Corbucci
starring Franco Nero
1966
I must have seen this, the most stylised of the Italian westerns, at least twenty times, probably many more. I watch it several times a year and one such time was this morning when I fancied a little cinematic mayhem to help me relax after a week of real life mayhem.
Director Corbucci had made westerns before Django but none had made the massive impact on the screen that, this managed. In fact the film is regarded as important to the genre as the Sergio Leone movies. It's not as well know around the world as the film never even had a UK cinema release, thought actor, Jack Nicholson did try and buy the world rights in 1967 but the deal fell through.
The plot is simple as it always was in the best oaters - Django arrives in unknown muddy town. He is on foot and dragging a coffin behind him. The town is controlled by two gangs - A Mexican gang led by General Rodriguez and a band of Confederate Klansmen led by Major Jackson. Now Django wants to kill Jackson and he doesn't care who gets in the way.The violence is played out in an operatic fashion and totally pushed to the limit - at one point Django pulls a machine gun from his coffin and wipes out the entire Klansmen in one go. He then goes off in pursuit of Jackson.
There were over a hundred sequels but the majority of these were unofficial and really just stole the character's name and situations but the official sequels number more than twenty.
The film has a surrealistic colour scheme which was the result of cameraman Enzo Barboni experimenting with the usually crisp Eastmancolour system. This effect gives the film a much more expensive look than the meagre budget would usually allow . We first see Django trudging through a muddy landscape, like a desert after a sudden deluge of rain and as the camera pulls back we notice he is dragging a coffin behind him and then, in
blood red letters, the title comes into view and we are then presented to the American sounding theme tune.
The film was released in April 1966 and was a phenomenon in its native Italy and turned Franco Nero into a superstar. The film went onto become popular all over Europe but it's extreme violence kept it out of UK cinemas and it quickly became a cult movie. When it was eventually shown on British television as part of BBC2's Moviedrome, respected film critic and director Alex Cox raved about the movie and went into what has become known as a Kermodian rant.
Below is the original trailer.
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17 comments:
I've heard of this but never seen it. I had no idea it was so well respected. Man, I've got to try and get ahold of it.
Charles - there are many DVD releases of this but watch which one you buy. Some are badly remastered but The Argent Films DVD features a great cut of the film and some great extras. The film can also usually be picked up for a budget price and Amazon are carrying the Argent Films release for a low price.
I think you'd love this one.
So you're a Movies for Men (channel) fan as well. I've always liked Franco Nero. Like Sam Elliott, he was born to make westerns. As for spaghetti westerns, what not to like. They've got violence, humour and a revenge plot. A great mix. I'll have to watch Django again sometime.
Was it on movie 4 men today? I actually watched the DVD but I do quite often watch movies 4 men beacuse it does what it says on the tin.
I'm with Charles. It's on my short list now.
Terrific movie. One of my favorites as well.
For the potential newbies here, I do suggest watching the Italian language track. It really is a lot better.
David - you'll dig the film.
Superb film, one of my favourites too. Just watched the trailer you included and it's made me want to dig my copy out and watch it again!
I've got the Argent version - and I watched it yesterday. Really good movie.
You have the most colorful blog, Gary. What's not to like with Franco Nero.
This film is awesome - maybe my favourite western of all time. Course the ear cutting seen from Tarantino's Res Dogs comes from this movie.
I'm glad you mentioned Alex Cox's Moviedrome showing as that's still the only version I have. You really can't better a guy who arrives dragging a coffin behind him. I've never been precisely sure as my recording goes a bit crinkly at this point as to what he does to defeat the bad guys at the end. One moment he's trying to take them all on armed only with his teeth and the next moment he's slamming lead into them.
Oh and whether that title music was original or not it's still gloriously cheesy. Django, will you fight another daaa-ay, Django, Djangooooo!
Ian - agree fully. That title music has a certain musakness to it but it's fun.
I must admit this was one of my all time favorite movies. Franco Nero was in my mind the ideal choice to play the part of Django. I can’t remember how many movies they made of this character, but compared to the original they were weak and the actors they chose did not carry it off at all well. Franco Nero for me…Was Django.
There is also a new series of Django books coming out loosely based on the movie character.
#1 Django: Violent Breed.
#2 Django: A Man Called Bastard.
Those books sound interesting - tell me more.
Here is a snippet from the first book. The second book comes out this summer.
I managed to find this on the net which is only available in the States at the moment.
The book is very violent, there is no doubt about that.
I will try and find out where you could obtain a copy in the UK.
Django put his foot on the dead man’s chest and pulled the sword clear. Bob was slowly coming to his senses and put his hand to his head to see if it was bleeding. Young Ginny was arched up against the wall and seemed oblivious to what was going on.
Django walked over to Bob. “Your head hurt fella?
“What the Sam Hill do you think?”
Django raised the saber high and with deliberation brought the blade down hard on the man’s skull. It sank deep, slicing through bone and brain tissue until it stopped just below the eyes. Blood and gray matter splashed over Ginny’s face. She cringed at the horrific sight before her.
There was a squelching noise as the saber was pulled from the wide open skull. The lifeless body slumped forward and onto the floor.
Django wiped the blade on Bob’s vest. “Must have been a splitting headache,” he said wryly.
Eek, that clip's put me off! To my mind Django was violent, but in a classy, stylish way, not with grey matter flying everywhere. And inane one-liners don't seem right for enigmatic heroes.
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