‘Zapata’ / Spaghetti Western from Damiano Damiani. Arms dealer ‘El Chuncho’ and his bandits steal weapons from a train, with the intention of selling them to a group of revolutionaries. Slick, energetic, playful, twisting, stylish and compelling. A story of revolution, corruption, liberation, poverty, oppression and loyalty, with pervasive communist themes. Boasting solid performances across the board, with Gian Maria Volonté particularly impressive. The bond / friendship between Volonté’s ‘El Chuncho’ and Castel’s ‘Niño’ is strong, and their characters contrast and compliment each other really well. While Kinski is comparatively restrained as El Chucho’s zealot half-brother, he nevertheless finds opportunities to flash his unhinged intensity. Visually stylish, well edited, and featuring a good score. The action is well staged and violent. A gem.
Blue Underground release viewed. Also available to stream for free on YouTube.