Zapata Westerns

[tintin]

Most Zapata westerns are "fun"; not accurate. Even though "Villa Rides" was said to be based on a book, how come there are Federal troops ("colorados")  still around and fighting when Madero is in office?   Villa was very progressive, though--it was just like him to first suggest airplanes as an attack weapon. "Viva Villa", although the first, was frowned upon by the Mexican government, as they were afraid Beery would make Villa look like a buffoon--he had just played a clownish Long John Silver in "Treasure Island".  The actor originally playing reporter Johnny Sikes (based on Jack Reed) was deported after drunkenly pissing on a column of Mexican soldiers that   paraded past his hotel.  "The Wild Bunch" talks of "using them (airplanes) in the war";  when it is 1913. So  does "Villa Rides"--"gonna be a war, soon"--in 1912, in either case,  when no one had a clue. The few that told history well were grim--"They came to Codura"; "Viva Zapata!": "And Starring as Himself, Pancho Villa"; and "The Old Gringo" (one of the Few which had a character resembling Villa.) The "Young Indiana Jones" episode has a good grasp of history--those tired of war, period, who simply want to raise their chickens. This sentiment  is in DYS, too.

A real fun one, beautiful cinematography, was "Bandido" (Robt. Mitchum.) It  was shot in the  Northern Mexico deserts, the forests, jungles, Aztec pyramids, and seashore (Acapulco.) Should have got an Oscar for  its sweeping landscapes--like "Shane".

[cigar joe]

agreed

[titoli]

It seems like this euro Zapata western, pre-Fistful, might be worth searching for. I will, mainly for Ralli. The dance sounds morriconian, doesn't it?

https://vimeo.com/50270550 

[cigar joe]

It seems like this euro Zapata western, pre-Fistful, might be worth searching for. I will, mainly for Ralli. The dance sounds morriconian, doesn't it?

https://vimeo.com/50270550 

yes it does

[Novecento]

It is a fantastic film. It's available from Gaumont in France on DVD with French audio and subs.

We discussed it briefly here:

http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1590.msg153003#msg153003

[tintin]

Did some research--it seems General Pascual Orozco headed a counterrevolutionary group of red-flaggers ("Colorados".) This is Not explained in any Zapata western But is very important to continuity. Also, the Battle of Conejos ("Rabbits") actually occurred--so, I decided to keep "Villa Rides" and not sell my DVD online.

[cigar joe]

Did some research--it seems General Pascual Orozco headed a counterrevolutionary group of red-flaggers ("Colorados".) This is Not explained in any Zapata western But is very important to continuity. Also, the Battle of Conejos ("Rabbits") actually occurred--so, I decided to keep "Villa Rides" and not sell my DVD online.

I did a quick breakdown of the MexRev here http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1529.msg22451#msg22451 it used to have an accompanying map that the numbers were keyed but they are now long gone.