The Weekend Western: Django
Django is probably the most famous spaghetti western not directed by Sergio Leone. Sergio Corbucci’s film made a star of Franco Nero and spawned more unofficial sequels than probably any other film in history. It’s full of memorable images - Django pulling a coffin through the mud, Major Jackson’s band of renegades all wearing red hoods as they come into town, the revelation of just what is in that coffin and Django’s final confrontation with Jackson are some of the standout moments.
If Leone was fighting against the standard western hero image in his westerns, Corbucci’s Dajngo was a contrast to the cold almost superhuman killing machine that was Eastwood’s man with no name. Django’s quest is for personal vengeance, not profit, and while he’s handy with a gun he’s still human. It’s the characters vulnerability that makes the finale such a powerful cinematic moment.
The films definitely short on plot with much of it made up on the fly but Corbucci makes up for it with some stylish onscreen carnage and a political sensibility lacking in most European westerns. What lets the film down is some awful dubbing. The comatose delivery of the man given the job of voicing Django is just the worst example and it’s not helped by some duff dialogue either. I’ll be tracking down a copy of the Region 1 Blue Underground release as it features an Italian audio option (with English subs) which has Nero providing the voice of Django.
