Il lungo giorno della violenza

If you're a fan of the Zapatista sub-genre of Spaghetti Westerns, you will not want to miss this one. Chock full o' all the good Italian Marxist/Zapatista staples, it is not preachy but highly contemplative, ultimately leaving the viewer to choose their stance. Nice pacing, it never drags. A very considered and well executed Zapatista SW.

If you're simply a fan of Spaghetti Westerns I think you'd give it between 6-7, rather than the 8-9 that I'm giving it since I really love that sub-genre. I can't see how a straight SW fan would be disappointed though.

The only audience that I think might be put off by it is the "pat answers", "everything tied up with a bow on it" crowd. Throughout, it just refused to do that. That's tasty from where I sit, though.

This movie must be pretty rare. Few votes one way or the other on sites like this, and it is never mentioned in Austin Fischer's go-to reference on the genre, "Radical Frontiers in the Spaghetti Western". I have to think he's not familiar with it, because it makes many of his points better than the examples he gives. If you like studying that sort of thing, this one will let you get away from the feeling that the best examples of the sub-genre are pretty much written in stone. Here's one that has stayed below the radar waiting for your own personal discovery. I watched an original Italian wide screen version with English subtitles. I don't know where/how it has been released, but I really liked it that way as opposed to dubbed or whatever. Actually, I'm remembering now that I did my own subtitles file for it, so I'm not sure what's actually available.

I don't think this counts as a spoiler, because you never are told this in the movie, but the bandito's name is quite tongue in cheek. He has a sort of Brillo pad kind of hair, and his name translates as "Evil Hair", or "Bad Hair".

This one deals with an idealist young called Diego Medina : George Garvell who robs important official documents escaping with them , being pursued by a tracker and by officer Obregon : Jose Nieto . Along the way , he joins a bandit called Malpelo : Eduardo Fajardo and his revolutionary girlfriend : Charo López.

This is a road movie style story, a horse riding flick in which the protagonists carrying essential stolen plans, flee and being mercilessly hunted , as they go to Emilio Zapata headquarter at Chihuahua to give him the important military documents . Along the way , they ride throughout deserts , mountains and barren landscapes , suffering a violent chase, dangers , attacks , shootouts, assaults, traison and unexpected ambushes . It is set in Mexican revolution time , when was overthrown the Porfiriato, as called for dictator Porfirio Diaz , and subsequenty governing Madero, the latter was murdered by General Huertas , taking place the upheaval by Emilio Zapata and Pancho Villa against Huertas tyranny . Stars the unknown George Garvell in his only film as an idealist man who joins Revolution, stealing military plans to deliver them to Pancho Villa and the great Eduardo Fajardo who played lots of Spaghetti or Chorizo Western usually as the villain contender to Anthony Steffen . Fajardo's most known movie was the classy Django , from now on , he would go on playing a great number of Westerns in nasty roles as "Ringo the Mark of vengeance" , "A coffin for a Sheriff" , "Fuzzy the Hero" , "Gentleman Jo" , "Seven pistols for a massacre" , "The Mercenary" , "Pistol for a Hundred Coffins" , "O Cangaceiro", "Adventurer of Guayanas" , "Shango" , "A stranger in Paso Bravo" , and many others . Being a Spanish/Italian co-production , here appears various Spaniard players, such as : Charo López as a valíant revolutionary woman, Miguel Del Castillo , Rufino Inglés and Jose Nieto as a heinous captain who pursues relentlessly the starring.

It displays atmospheric musical score by Marcello Giombini in Spaghetti style. As well as washed-out cinematography by Paolo Santini, a perfect remastering being really necessary because of the film copy is worn-out. Produced in medium/low budget by Eduardo Manzanos who financed numerous Tortilla/Pasta Western, both Spanish and Italian . This Zapata Western was regularly directed by Giusepe Maria Scotese . He was an Italian writer and director who made some documentaries and films , mostly Adventure and Drama genre , such as : "Amazon death trap" , "Il Corsario Dell Mezzaluna" , "Il Mantello Rosso". "Flamme Sulla Laguna" , "Le Grande Aurora ," The Notte del Grande Assalto", "Pirate di Capri" , "Siempre Carmen" , "Sol de Montecassino", among others . Rating : 5.5/10 . Average but passable. Only for Spaghetti Western aficionados.