Django und die Bande der Bluthunde

Sort of a conglomeration of ideas stolen from other stolen ideas, with a result that is decidedly unconvincing. Anthony Steffen and his poncho drift about in what has been described as a ghostly manner, seeking revenge on three Confederate Officers who deserted Steffen's unit resulting in a massacre. This set up is fine, but what follows is tedious and repetitious. Character development is totally absent for both the laconic hero and worse for the villains. Steffen may be Italy's answer to Clint Eastwood, but unfortunately there is more to "spaghetti success" than simply wearing a poncho and gunning down endless bad guys. - MERK

This is an Anthony Steffen vehicle playing his usual character as revenger gunslinger as playing a phantom gone back from the grave to revenge his own death . An avenge-seeking soldier returns from the dead to take vendetta on three officers who betrayed his unit in battle during Civil War. The mysterious gunfighter without a name rides and arrives in the town to stay for execute his mission . After gunning down some desperado who tried to kill him, he set out to return to get their vengeance. Can the mysterious gunfighter without a name stop the outlaw brothers ? . This violent Western is set on eerie outdoors and dark interiors , the star is a mysterious revenger, ¨a man without name¨ , who comes to avenge against nasty villainous . It deals about a gunfighter (Anthony Steffen) arriving a little town that has the usual shops and buildings, as General merchandise, Livery stable, Hardware, Barber shop, Saloon , Hotel and of course the Church. The drifter will take on a couple of brothers called Murdock (Paolo Gozlino and Luciano Rossi) and their hoodlums (Carlo Gadi) , being only helped by the gorgeous Alida (Rada Rassimov) .

Well crafted Western with interesting screenplay written by main actor Anthony Steffen and director Sergio Garrone . Although atmospheric , it's also downbeat and sometimes just downright nasty. The story is almost terrific and creepy as the drifter comes to strange frontier town just in time to reckoning villagers and bandits . The film is made in somewhat similar style to ¨High plains drifter(1973)¨ , it has been said that is the uncredited inspiration and also ¨Pale rider (1985)¨, both of them acted and directed by Clint Eastwood , only this time the drifter appears to have been sent from hell rather than heaven to right from past injustices and double-crosses .

The picture is well starred by Anthony Steffen-Antonio De Teffe- , he began playing secondary roles into typical examples of popular Italian films of the late 50s as sword and sandal epics, comedies, adventures and was with spaghetti westerns that renamed achieved worldwide stardom. Anthony Steffen may be a name best remembered by Spaghetti Western aficionados, but in his day, from the mid-'60s to the early '70s, Steffen was one of the most popular actors of the genre — at the time cheap B movies, now revered cult classics . The handsome, Italian-born — actually at the Brazilian embassy in Rome — Antonio Luiz de Teffè von Hoonholtz began working in films as a studio messenger for Vittorio De Sica . From there, Steffen began acting in sword-and-sandal epics, later moving onto the Western genre, where he found his niche. Unlike fellow Spaghetti star Clint Eastwood, however, Steffen never became a top international box-office attraction. His acting is often accused of being wooden , but in many manners is ideally suited to playing the steely-faced gunslinger synonymous with the genre . His others successes include well liked features as Seven Dollars to Kill, The last Mohican¨, ¨Train for Durango¨, ¨Gentleman Jo¨ , ¨Four dollars for Django¨, ¨Shango¨, ¨Arizona colt¨, ¨Apocalypse Joe¨ and several others. He was still enjoyable in other genres, specially Giallos as the successful The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave¨, ¨Death in Haiti¨ or The ¨Crimes of the Black Cat¨, a good example of Giallo where he played a blind pianist - one of his roles he most liked- , and ¨Killer Fish¨ . The motion picture is interestingly directed by Sergio Garrone . Sergio started his movie career as a screenwriter and assistant director before making his solo directorial debut with the spaghetti Western ¨Se Vuoi Vivere... Spara (1968)¨. He continued to helm several other spaghetti Westerns that include ¨Three crosses of death (1968)¨, ¨Django Il Bastardo (1969)¨ his best film , ¨Quel Maledetto Giorno della resa Conti (1971)¨ and ¨Kill Django .. Kill first¨. He subsequently directed a wartime movie as ¨The dove must not fly¨ and Pornonazis and other exploitation films . Rating : Acceptable and passable.

Django (Anthony Steffen) scares his enemies by presenting them with crosses bearing their name - and the day of their death. Western movie with horror effects, similar to `E Dio Disse A Caino' by Antonio Margheriti. Christopher Frayling suggested in his book `Spaghetti Westerns' that this `is a revenge film, with the central character avenging HIS OWN death', and that hits it pretty much. Django appears and disappears like a ghost, an idea Clint Eastwood picked up for `High Plains Drifter' two years later.

It is interesting to compare Steffen's expressionless interpretation of the Django character to the one he did in `Pochi dollari per Django', an earlier movie where he portraits Django as a sheriff without all the supernatural attitude, more human and passionate.

Django il bastardo directed by Sergio Garrone is a good intersting take on the mutitude of Django movies I have seen. The best are still the original with Franco Nero & the one Terence Hill did. I really feel that the biggest weakness of Django il bastardo was Antonio De Teffè (AKA Anthony Steffen) as Django. He had a great coldness about him but it almost goes a bit too stiff at times. A rather traditional revenge plot that is always ok by me & with a bit of a supernatural tone to it.. Which is both creepy & makes for a good weird western. There are some great scenes in this movie.. The flashback scenes were well done in the sense that you as the viewer are not treated with the "in case you didn't get the hints we dropped.. This is what happened" that I see in other westerns from this era. I would have liked a less rigid Django but Antonio De Teffè did create a different character for Django that I did enjoy. Is he a ghost? Is he real? The crosses bearing the names of the victims, the soon-to-be victims faces reading the crosses with their names on them.. Great stuff. There are some really great scenes, good acting, and a twist on a character I have always enjoyed. I love the soundtrack, again with the usual chants of Django which never get old to me. Worth checking out for sure.

"DJANGO THE BASTARD" is a real odd horror flick. Usually in horror movies they take place in modern day. The setting for this movie is in 1880's southern states. During the civil war, Army officers sold their entire regiment to the enemy, who brutally massacred them. One survived, (or did he?) and his name is Django. 13 years later he comes back to get revenge on the Officers and kill ANYONE who gets in his way. Some people think Django is supernatural, is he? See the movie to find out. When Django plants the first cross in the ground, at the start, it really freaked me out. He places a cross in the ground with the name of the officer he wants dead, while they're still alive. When ever Django appears it scares me, because he looks like a cold killer who doesnt care if anyone lives or dies. He kills the officers with a gun most of the time or he beats them to death in some gory fashion. In one scene he's kneeling by a campfire, talking to gangsters. When he walks away an explosion occurs killing the gangsters...really scared me because I didn't expect it. This whole movie really gives me the creeps, call me crazy, but it does, it really scares me!, and the horror classic "HALLOWEEN" didnt give me a fright at all. This film is more Horror than spaghetti western, so don't knock becuase it takes place 100 years ago. Definatley on my top 10 Horror List. I give it an 8/10.