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Django (1966)
The film opens with our hero (or should I say Anti-Hero) carrying a coffin, while the opening credits roll. All the while a catchy western tune plays rolling out some almost laughable (but charming) lyrics to set the tone for the rest of the film. This is the story of Django! It’s easy to see the influence that Sergio Leone, and his Dollars films had on Django. But don’t think that for 2 seconds that this is another knock off of that series. As a matter of fact Django is a great film in it’s own right, one that stands the test of time quite well.
After saving a women from a group of bandits, Django (Franco Nero) rolls into a small quiet town carrying his coffin, and the women whom he saved at his side. Django sets up in a brothel/bar where most of the film takes place. It’s from here that the story really unfolds, and we learn that a group of bandits. Along with a gang of Mexicans often stop into town to make use of the women in the brothel, and this is where we learn that there is more going on with these gangs than we originally thought. As the story unfolds, it’s refreshing to see how genuine it is. You care about the characters, the pace of the film could not be any better, not to mention this is not your typical run-of-the-mill John Wayne-esque Western here. This films amps up everything we love about westerns, and does it well. It’s the reason I love Spaghetti-Westerns over North-American Westerns. They had limited budgets, up, and rising cast members who would go on to influence modern cinema. Not to mention the perfect balance of “less is more” film making. I think it’s a shame that this genre is not more recognized, and accepted by the majority of modern movie goers. But much like the horror genre, it’s a bit of an acquired taste.
To round out Django, this film has been an influence to this day on a lot of modern classics. From Robert Rodriguez’s efforts including his El Mariachi series. Director Takashi Miike just finished his remake of this classic film titled “Sukiyaki Western”. Which should see a release in the coming months. Django is a must see for any Western fan, and is a great start if your curious about these films in any way. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Rating - ****
-Jeff Wardle
