D: Sergio Corbucci; S: S.C., Bruno Corbucci; C: Enzo Barboni; M: Luis Enrique Bacalov; with: Franco Nero, Loredana Nusciak, José Bodalo, Eduardo Fajardo, Angel Alvarez

Tombstone is a muddy and desperate village, situated in the no man’s land between Texas and Mexico with saloon owner Nathaniel (Angel Alvarez) and his whores as sole citizens. Here rages a brutal private war between the fascistic gang of „Major“ Jackson (Eduardo Fajardo) and the Mexican bandits of „General“ Hugo (José Bodaló). Django, a disrooted veteran of the Civil War, arrives. He wants to avenge his girlfriend, killed by Jackson years ago. Firstly he vents his hate on the Jackson gang, who he nearly wipes out on his own. Then he confederates with Hugo, his former jug mate. Together they raid the mexican Fort Cheriba to rob some gold. But the confederates don’t wanna part the booty: The Mexicans make an exemple on Django destroying his hands by overriding and with rifle butts. The final showdown with Major Jackson on the cemetery is legendary.

The Gunslinger says:

Great and quite brutal stuff made by Sergio Corbucci in 1966. Besides Sergio Leone‘s Joe (Clint Eastwood) Corbucci‘s Django is another, darker archetype of the silent and disenchanted gunman. Django believes in nothing and nobody and has lost his hopes and illusions. The only thing being of any importance for him, is, that one has to die. But finally things look better thanks to the machinegun in the coffin and sweet Maria (Loredana Nuscak). Cool camerawork, disparate atmosphere and a great title theme.

Rating: $$$$+ (can’t give 5 $, because Nero isn’t Eastwood)

Bodycount: ca. 70 Mexicans, ca. 50 Gringos

Explicit brutalities:

- After a vain attempt to escape Maria smells the mexican whip

- Major Jackson shoots for fun at mexican Peones

- Brother Jonathan (Gino Pernice), member of the Jackson gang, loses an ear to General Hugo and is forced to take it in the mouth

- The Mexicans override Django’s hands before they smash them with their rifle butts

Luv‘:

Finally Maria gets the chance to solace Django over his suffered loss: 2/10

Splatter: 4/10

Specialities:

Guessed it? Rrrrrrrrright: the MG in the coffin