Todesmarsch der Bestien

Intriguing, grim and gritty Spanish Western has a very harsh, uncompromising tone. Sgt. Brown (Claudio Undari), a cavalry officer, is escorting a sextet of lowlife criminals, all of them chained together, across rugged terrain to prison. As it turns out, he has more than one reason for being deeply committed to this task. Accompanying him is his daughter Sarah (beautiful Emma Cohen). However, a gang of bandits intervenes, and they end up having to make their journey on foot.

As the viewer may expect, the forceful personalities of these cretins ensure many angry confrontations along the way. A flop upon its original release, an enterprising distributor came up with the idea, upon re-releasing it, to punch it up by adding a lot of gory business, all of it quite effectively nasty, and providing theatre goers with cardboard masks that they could wear if they couldn't stomach this material. This really didn't help the movie either, but it did acquire a cult following nevertheless.

Making no clear distinctions between "good" and "bad" in terms of its characters, it comes up with a fairly surprising and sadistic twist at about the half way point, and is very compelling for its portrayal of human beings at the mercy of the elements. With exteriors filmed in the Aragonese Pyreneo region of Spain, the scenery is breathtaking and the winter atmosphere genuinely chilling in more ways than one. The characters are interesting and entertaining in their own sordid way, with the actors delivering convincing performances. The music by Carmelo A. Bernaola is good if repetitive, and the frequent use of flashbacks is arresting, with much use of freeze frames. The ending is effectively downbeat, too. The pacing is rather unhurried, yet there are always fine moments, especially around the 67 minute mark as one of the convicts is stumbling through the wilderness on his own.

Western fans looking for something dark, violent, and morally ambiguous might want to check this one out.

Seven out of 10.

Dunno what the last reviewer was on, but this bleak movie was rather good, although very grim and quite gory in places. A neat ending which suited the tone of the rest of the film. Emma Cohen was good in the sole female role, and convincing enough to be scared and unsure of the all male cast. The snowy settings were a good addition, although I agree that the music was too repetitive, and the dubbing unconvincing. But as a macho western, this flick sure kicks arse!....quite disturbing in places. A sort of 'And Then There Were None' for grown ups! The type of movie that would not get made today, and a great addition to any exploitation collectors collection.

Good Gazpacho Western well realized by the best Paella Western director , Joaquin Romero Marchent , under pseudonym Paul Marchenti . Typical S. W. with itinerary's structure in which step by step are dying various cutthroats . Since a gold mine until Fort Green , a wagon load of convicts formed by an assortment of seven sadistic , murderous prisoners (Manuel Tejada , Antonio Iranzo, Ricardo Diaz , Alberto Dalbes , Rafael Hernandez , Jose Manuel Martin and Carlos Romero Marchent , director's brother) condemned to death row on their way to jail is being escorted through the mountains by a cavalry sergeant (Robert Hundar) and troopers . But it results to be a trick to deceive some bandits who attempt to rob the wagon . They then are attacked by a nefarious gang led by Woody (Xan Das Bolas) along with his hoodlums (Dan Van Husen) , and only survive 7 convicts and the sergeant , his beautiful young daughter named Kathy (Emma Cohen) whose wife (Mabel Karr) and mother has been killed by one of them . The survivors are left without horses or a wagon and the chained gang flees throughout snowy and dangerous landscapes . The sergeant must find a way to get his prisoners to their destination while protecting his daughter , watching out for the still chasing outlaws and attempting to determine which one of the cutthroats was the man who raped and killed his spouse.

This exciting picture contains thrills , chills , good dramatic pace , slick direction , graphic violence , action-filled with fierce fights and loads of gore and guts . Director Marchent achieved in "Nine cutthroats" possibly his best work of a modest career , with some memorable scenes , shockingly violent ,and good camera movement , as he creates a strange Western that manages to be both scary , tragic and skilfully made . This in a 1972 Spanish Western whose brutality and gore quotient led it to be marketed as a horror film during its original U. S. release with "terror masks" given out to ticket buyers . It turns out to be a rare spaghetti Western , as you can bone up on the bloodier side of that genre ; including rape , bloody killing , cannibalism , nightmares with zombie-alike and many other things . It relies heavily on a complex narrative , modern narration full of flashbacks , stop-frames and an uneven screenplay written by both , Santiago Moncada and the same director Joaqin Romero Marchent . The creepy images of wide range from the genuinely horrifying to the bizarre along with eerie and amazing frames . It packs a high body-count , it is sometimes slow moving and claustrophobic , in spite of setting on outdoors . It's a thrilling western with spectacular scenarios and breathtaking confrontation among protagonists . This interesting but depressing film contains nasty characters , ambition , human drama , passion , tragical events , complemented with a colorful cinematography and moving musical score . These elements provide the setting for this piece of dramatic deeds , giving it its own special quality and ambient ; making a strong description about a drama of survival and greedy . The musician Carmelo Bernaola composes a nice soundtrack , well conducted , this turns out to be one of the most memorable parts of the movie; as it's full of thrilling sounds and haunting musical background . Nice cinematography , though being necessary a right remastering , photography in Panoramic and Eastmancolor filmed by excellent cameraman Luis Cuadrado on locations in Spanish Pyrenees from Huesca , including gorgeous snowy outdoors ; good sets by Cubero and Jose Luis Galicia who carried out most production design on Western shot in Spain.

The motion picture was compellingly directed and in personal style by Joaquin Luis Romero Marchent at his best . He began directing two films for producer Ignacio F. Iquino such as ¨Juzgado Permanente¨ and ¨Sor Anqelica¨ . Marchent replaced Mexican director Fernando Soler filming ¨El Coyote¨ and the sequel titled ¨Revenge of Coyote¨ , both of them shot in Mexico . These successes along with ¨The shadow of Zorro¨ and ¨Revenge of Zorro¨ became a notorious writer and director of good Western . He went go directing Paella Western as ¨ Riding to death ¨ , ¨Adventures in the West¨ , ¨Three good men¨, ¨Sabor Venganza ¨ , ¨Fedra West¨ and of course ¨Condenados a Vivir¨ . Plus , he wrote for his brother Rafael Romero Marchent the followings Western : ¨Manos Torpes¨, ¨Ocaso Un Pistolero¨ and ¨Garringo¨ . Although he also made Neo-realist comedy such as ¨Fulano Y Mengano¨ , Hombre Viajaba Despacito , and ¨Hombre De Paraguas Blanco¨. ¨9 Cutthroats¨ rating : Better than average , this is his most popular and violent Western . Worthwhile watching .

Yep, terror masks. That's what they handed out to US audiences as a gimmick, when this ULTRA violent Espano Western hit their shores in 1970 or there abouts.

This very good movie is about a bunch of sadistic convicts being transported to a penitentiary. They get ambushed and their carriage is destroyed in the event. They then take off on foot, with a rather angry Sargeant and his daughter having to guard this evil chain-gang on the journey.

I won't say much more than this:

Gore hounds and western fans, find this movie! It is supremely violent and makes Peckinpahs "Wild Bunch" seem quite tame in comparison. All others get your Terror Masks ready!!!

Brutal, bleak and gory, this is an effective Spanish spaghetti western with no good guys at all. There is a hint at the start when we see the seven chain gang prisoners being led by the seeming good guy and his daughter, because counting up the procession, it is clear that the nine of the title includes them too. An engaging film, however desolate, but this is always going down all the way. There are one or two moments of respite but there are too many killings, a rape and hints of cannibalism, for this to be likely to have any happy ending. A rather good plot line, some excellent music, good photography in what looks like very difficult conditions in the mountains and yes, some really nasty killings.