Customer Reviews

ASI ERA PANCHO VILLA BY PEDRO ARMENDARIZ (English, French, Portuguese subtitles)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first saw this whilst on holiday in the Dominican Republic; then again in Mexico. It burned into the memory and I had to have the DVD in my collection.

it's a collection of brilliant little stories based on the Mexican revolution that involved Pancho Villa.

The director was famed in Mexico across several genres and the star needs no introduction. This is a typical high quality Mexican movie with vivid colour amongst its other technical accomplishments.

Everyone will have their own favourite stories. Mine is the one where the captured officer sacrifices himself with a tragic dupe involving his friends.

Unmissable. The greater tragedy, of course, is that so few modern movies approach this high standard. Once again, we have to go back 50 years.

Excellent movie and what a GREAT CAST: Pedro Armendariz, Carlos Lopez Moctezuma, Maria Elena Marquez, Evita Munoz "Chachita", etc., need I say any more?
Directed by Ismael Rodriguez, this movie is a GREAT story of "El Centauro del Norte" and his "Dorados". Made in 1957, year in which Ismael Rodriguez lost his Mexican Super Star Pedro Infante, now he focuses on another Mexican Star, Pedro Armendariz.
The main focus of the movie is Pancho Villa, but not the "bandido, roba vacas, nor the asesino", rather it is a selection of stories and events that show his gratitude, his intelligence, his thirst for justice, his stuborness, his ideas, and his human side as well.
Pedro Armendariz has a GREAT performance as Pancho Villa, his voice and his presence are UNIQUE! I truly believe this is Armendariz at his best!
The movie is FULL SCREEN (the original way in which it was filmed) in FULL COLOR. Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. The film runs for 104 minutes. The image is CLEAR and really GOOD!
The movie ends with a TO BE CONTINUED...
This movie actually happens to be the first of 3 more sequels:
1.- Asi Era Pancho Villa (This was Pancho Villa)
2.- Mas Cuentos de Pancho Villa (More Stories of Pancho Villa)
3.- Pancho Villa y la Valentina (Pancho Villa and the Valentina)
4.- Cuando Viva Villa es la Muerte (When Long Live Villa! is Death)
These are real Mexican Classics,Golden Era Movies. I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy them!
VIVA VILLA! VIVA LA REVOLUCION! VIVA MEXICO!

This video I ordered was for a gift to a family member: I was extremely pleased
with the service rendered and the promptness of delivery.

Half way though the movie the subtiles kept printing the same line for two minutes of dialog, than froze.

The film is a must if you are interested in the Mexican Revolution. It is comprised of vignettes that seem to capture the personality of Pancho Villa. It's hard to picture a better Villa than Pedro Armendariz! One problem, the subtitles freeze up during the sequence with the priest. I saw this film on TCM and it did the same thing. You must fast forward to get through it, then back up as close as you can to where it freezes. Otherwise, it works like it should.