Product Details

• Actors: Anthony Edwards, Louis Gossett Jr., John Glover, Joe Pantoliano, Robert Beltran
• Directors: Peter Markle
• Writers: Bill Phillips, John Carpenter, Tommy Lee Wallace
• Producers: Joe Wizan, Peter Burrell, Rick Nathanson
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: July 22, 1994
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301964411
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #325,834 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When a teenage schoolgirl is kidnapped by Mexican bandit El Diablo (Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Beltran), her clumsy, awkward schoolteacher Billy Ray Smith (Anthony Edwards) sets out to save her. The would-be hero in this offbeat Western teams up with crotchety veteran gunslinger Van Leek (Louis Gossett Jr.), who helps him form an unlikely posse to rescue Smith's damsel in distress. What sets this low-key, made-for-cable production apart from numerous other Westerns is its humorously skewed take on the myths and legends of the Old West, as it not only deconstructs Hollywood's romanticized view of the genre but Billy Ray's veneration of a mythical gunfighter named Kid Durango, whose literary adventures he regularly reads to his students. Gossett is wonderfully droll as unscrupulous six slinger Van Leek, whose motives are always suspect; Edwards is charming as the bumbling teacher; and the supporting cast--which includes Branscombe Richmond (Renegade), Miguel Sandoval (Get Shorty), and John Glover (Brimstone)--imbue life into their quirky gun-for-hire roles. Indeed the best aspect of El Diablo is the way in which many of its characters' façades are gradually revealed. The very tongue-in-cheek screenplay was coauthored by Halloween director John Carpenter. --Bryan Reeseman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprises and scares at every turn of this fun Western., August 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: El Diablo [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The unlikely pairing of Louis Gosset Jr. and Anthony Edwards makes this movie intensly engaging. These actors and their supporting cast take the viewer on a wild ride through the old west as a mild mannered school teacher "beats the devil". The rescuing of a lovely young school girl from the hands of a very sexy Mexican bad guy, is done with humor through the awkwardness of the rescuer Billy Ray, and lots of help from savy gun slinger Louis Gosset Jr.and his wonder horse Rio. Though this movie was made for cable TV it sacrificed nothing in quality. El Diablo is well cast, funny, sweet, action packed, and very worthwhile.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly Enjoyable Fun, April 5, 2003

By 

Erin K. Darling "naive cynic" (olympia, wa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: El Diablo (DVD)

I began watching this movie because there was simply nothing else on, and I like Lou Gossett Jr & Anthony Edwards. About 15 minutes into the film, I was hooked and really enjoying the ride. This is a very clever, witty, and funny screenplay, full of jokes both subtle and not, and it has a score that is nearly flawless, accentuating both action and comedy. There are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, and some truly unique comedic situations. In many respects, the whole film reminded me of "The Frisco Kid" with Harrison Ford and Gene Wilder, another of my favorite Western comedies.

Anthony Edwards (Billy Ray Smith) plays a tenderfoot schoolteacher prone to falling off and accidentally shooting horses. One of his students is kidnapped by the stunningly attractive El Diablo ("Star Trek: Voyager's" Robert Beltran,) and Edwards sets out to find the girl and bring her home. His misadventures with a band of misfit outlaws brings a lot of laughs and even some tender moments.

With only minor bad language and some blood here and there, this is a movie the whole family can enjoy. I highly recommend it, and plan to watch it again and again.

5.0 out of 5 stars Rollicking good fun, September 29, 2010

By 

mcbrair - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: El Diablo (DVD)

This has become one of our personal family classics. I saw it when it was first released on HBO (20 years ago now) and bought the VHS tape as soon as it was available. It was one of the films my son grew up with and still loves, one of those we go back to when we're wanting a feel-good movie. It is alternately silly, tender, ludicrous and suspenseful, but it is always enjoyable. It was extremely well done, from script to editing and everything in between. If you can enjoy saying, "spoiled by spare spurs" five times fast, you'll love this movie!