35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Corbucci's best film!, September 18, 2001
This review is from: Django (DVD)
Don't listen to any claims made made for Bullet For A General, Django is without a doubt the best non-Leone spaghetti Western of all time. The opening scene (blue-clad Nero carrying a saddle over his shoulder and dragging a coffin through the gooiest mud in film history)is beautiful. Corbucci's direction is more controlled here than anywhere else--less zooms, less jarring close-ups, and neater editing. And Django has to be one of the first action heroes to fire a heavy machine gun from the hip (without even pulling the trigger, no less!).
But make no mistake. This is Italian exploitation--love it or hate it. An ear is cut off, prostitutes fight in the mud, and our hero's hands are crushed in gory detail that would make One-Eyed Jacks mumble in disgust. Don't expect John Ford here. But if you're looking for something different, are curious about spaghetti Westerns but afraid to buy any because so many are horrible--then this is the movie for you!
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bravissimo!, January 19, 2003
Super collection of westerns--Italian style. They're not as good as Sergio Leone's classics but then again few films are.
It's great to finally see the rare "Django Kill." This is truly a cult oddity if ever there was one. As much a horror film as it is a western it's full of bizarre, religious imagery as well as references to everything from Luis Bunuel to Edgar Allan Poe. This extremely violent, unforgettable and supremely weird film is presented uncut and, as with all the films in this set, the transfer is immaculate.
"Run, Man, Run" successfully tosses liberal doses of comedy and politics into the mix. Like "Django Kill" it also stars the wonderful Tomas Milian as Cuchillo, a knife-throwing thief.
"Mannaja: A Man Called Blade" is the most conventional and latest film (1977) of the set. Still, it's very entertaining and stylishly directed by Sergio Martino (Torso). Maurizio Merli is good in the title, hatchet-wielding role.
The classic "Django" is exclusive to this set (and my favorite of the films presented here). Though Anchor Bay also released this title some time ago, this new transfer came from the original negative and is far more colorful and less grainy. As for the film, it's a must. From the great opening of Franco Nero dragging a coffin behind him to the insanely catchy theme song, "Django" holds you in its grasp.
All four films look exceptional, come with English language and Italian tracks with optional English subtitles and boast a nice selection of extras--interviews, trailers, poster/still galleries, etc.
Thank you Blue Underground for releasing such a cool set.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's Not Delivery...........It's Django, November 28, 2004
I think most people who don't care much for this movie had been spoiled by Leone before watching it. I mean, Leone really set the bar high for westerns and I don't think anyone has done it as good since. He pretty much reinvented the western and set the rules. Italian directors who followed in his wake were directors who usually did other kinds of films, but started doing westerns coz they were big bucks at the box office. Django was the first of the non-Leone spaghetti westerns, and it's a great movie. Sure, the budget shows and the acting isn't always the best, but I'm able to look past that. The look of the film is unique-Instead of the blazing hot deserts, most of this film is cloudy and muddy(I know it was shot in winter and I think it takes place in winter as well), giving it it's own look. Franco Nero is no Eastwood or Bronson, but he has the right stuff for the part and pulls it off nicely. Very violent for 1966, but we've become so desensitized over the years that it won't have you gasping in shock. It's still brutal enough though. Lots of complaints about the soundtrack again. Well, once again this isn't Leone, therefore the epic music isn't here either. But I don't see how you can hear the theme song and not laugh. You can just see Tom Jones singing this to a crowd of screaming women in Vegas. Once again Blue Underground has given another forgotten film the best possible treatment it can have. They give us an interview with Franco Nero and a very interesting short film with Nero as well. And as always, Blue Underground gives us the original poster as the cover(I love how they do that with these old flicks!). If you have any interest at all in westerns and have seen the Dollars trilogy too many times, you can't go wrong with Django-that is if you lower your expectations a tad.
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