Quien Sabe/Opinions

From The Spaghetti Western Database
Jump to: navigation, search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
  • This groundbreaking political western was probably the first of the so called Zapata westerns, and Quien sabe?'s surprise success set the basis for lots to follow. With director Damiano Damiani, writer Franco Solinas and the lead played by Gian Maria Volonte, 3 key figures of the Italian political cinema of the 60s and 70s were involved, so no wonder that this was also one of the most serious examples of this type of SW. Set in the revolution years between 1914 and 1920, the film was aiming in fact at the illegal CIA underground activities in contemporary South America. In Damiani's view this film is not a western, but there are still enough western elements in it to be included as a vital part of the genre. // by Stanton
  • A Bullet For The General NTSC Region 1 US Anchor Bay DVD - Damiano Damiani is a politically-motivated director and A Bullet For The General (story adapted by Franco Solinas, himself a leftist) started an entire sub-genre, the pro-revolutionary Spaghetti Western movie. Gian Maria Volonte's character full portrayal of "Chuncho" is wonderfully counter balanced by Lou Castel's introverted performance of "Bill Tate" (or "Nino" as "Chuncho" affectionately calls him). Some people hint at the possibility of love interest between the two main characters, I disagree, "Chuncho" is gradually seduced by what "Nino" represents, capitalism. SPOILER WARNING! At the end of the film "Chuncho" is sickened, finding out his friend had orchestrated their first meeting as a way to gain access to the "General". Seeing how the capitalist "Nino" treats his fellow Mexicans, "Chuncho" shuns capitalism, kills his friend and gives away his new found wealth to a peasant, telling him "and don't buy bread with that money hombre, buy dynamite!" SPOILER ENDS! Klaus Kinski also gives a great performance as "Chuncho's" brother and crazed priest "El Santo" ("In the name of the Father..." I throw grenades at you!). The art direction on this movie is fantastic, a great deal of attention has been given to everything from the tiniest prop to the largest set and the result is a visually rich and very stylish film. The music score by Luis Enrique Bacalov under the supervision of Ennio Morricone is a great success, the main theme being particularly memorable. A truly great film and one of my most favourite Spaghetti Westerns of all time.--The Halitosis Kid 11:04, 17 December 2006 (CET)
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.