Peckinpah

[Jill]

Mapache is a great character. He's not only a villain, he's an individuality. And what a face... 

[Man with no dame]

Mapache is a great character. He's not only a villain, he's an individuality. And what a face... 

And the actor portraying him, one of the most revered directors of Mexico.

[Juan Miranda]

And the actor portraying him, one of the most revered directors of Mexico.

According to David Weddle's biography, he lived in a castle full of 13 year old girls. What a bizarre and disturbing image.

[Man with no dame]

According to David Weddle's biography, he lived in a castle full of 13 year old girls. What a bizarre and disturbing image.

Actually, that's not that big a deal in third world countries, but Emilio Fernandez having sex with anyone would be disturbing!

[mike siegel]

Of all the great people in my Peckinpah-film, Biographer Garner Simmons gave me my favorite line (talking about Emilio Fernandez): '...he killed a critic over a bad review...'

[Man with no dame]

Of all the great people in my Peckinpah-film, Biographer Garner Simmons gave me my favorite line (talking about Emilio Fernandez): '...he killed a critic over a bad review...'

[tucumcari bound]

This is pretty funny!

[Man with no dame]

This is pretty funny!

  Yes, I learned from the master!

[Man with no dame]

Of all the great people in my Peckinpah-film, Biographer Garner Simmons gave me my favorite line (talking about Emilio Fernandez): '...he killed a critic over a bad review...'

  So, Mike, do you have any biographical tidbits to share on this guy? My memory is hazy on this, but wasn't he the titular Alfredo Garcia's head? Haven't seen it in a long time.

[mike siegel]

pooh, he had a long life...
I spent some time in his homestate of Coaxial/Mexico, where Peckinpah shot THE WILD BUNCH. Fernandez grew up in midst the last part of the revolution, fought on the 'losers' side and fled the country to avoid a long term prison sentence. He went to LA (smart) and worked as a bit player as I understand. After an amnesty he worked himself up in the golden age of Mexican cinema. He made dozens of films, I only saw the famous LA PERLA (P.Armendariz). He worked a lot with G.Figuera, great camera man! (shot some US-films as well, as TWO MULES...)
Whenever the Americans shot in Mexico, they had to use a Mexico 'Co-director', to make sure, Mexicans didn't appear in a bad light. John Ford shot THE FUGITIVE in 1947 in Mexico and sort of became Emilio's 'Patron'. The same happened (the other way around), when Peckinpah shot MAJOR DUNDEE. They liked each other immediately.

At first Peckinpah didn't think of Emilio as Mapache. He first asked Mario Adorf (at least he told me that, and he is an honest man). Adorf had not liked his experience on DUNDEE much, the way the crew was treated for ex. He told me an interesting story about (buuh) Jerry Bresler, who later 'destroyed' the film by re-cutting it very badly: there was an old camera operator who tended to sleep sometimes on his crane between takes. It was very hot and he had no protection against the heat. Bresler noticed it one day and pointed his finger at him. The next day he was gone. (Peckinpah is always credited to fire the crew-members, maybe he learned from Bresler ). Then the local Mexicans invited cast & crew for a big feast. They were poor people but nevertheless slaughtered a cow for the guests. But when Adorf arrived at the meeting point, only Ben Johnson was there. Nobody cared. Adorf was terribly ashamed for his 'fellow Gringos'.
Anyway, the main reason why he didn't want to play MAPACHE was the fact, that he played Mexicans in Euro-Westerns before too often. Adorf took a deep look at me and said: 'It was wrong I turned him down, was it?' (Thank god he never saw my favorite film, so he'll never know what he missed ).

Fernandez & Peckinpah always teamed up when Sam was in town: PAT GARRETT, ALFREDO GARCIA. Together with Isela Vega they even formed a company in Mexico. Which never worked out ('Sam wasn't very good with money. Neither was Emilio. Nor I...' Another great woman).

[Man with no dame]

So, Mike, what about this guy on my signature? Who was he? Has he been in anything else?

[mike siegel]

You make this great signature and don't know Alfonso Arau ? 

Another actor turned director. I saw him in EL TOPO, ROMANCING THE STONE & POSSE (K.Douglas western) and some US TV westerns.
In 92 he directed his first bigger film, LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE. Rodriguez shot EL MARIACHI in the same area that time and the bathtub in which the Mariachi has his encouter with the letter-opener was on loan from Arau's set...
I forgot about the Keanu Reeves/Tony Quinn film, WALK IN THE CLOUDS (?).. Another one was PICKING UP THE PIECES (W.Allen starred), it's on my shelf but I haven't seen it yet.

Arau played a nice part in THREE AMIGOS, which contained a lot of THE WILD BUNCH refererences/hommages...


'CUT THE FUUUSE...'

[Man with no dame]

You make this great signature and don't know Alfonso Arau ? 




'CUT THE FUUUSE...'

  Contrary to popular opinion, I don't know everything, and am proud to admit it! I didn't even know much about SL's repetory actor's until I joined. Have heard Arau's name, but didn't put him with the face. He is more talented than I would have gave him credit for. I guess you can't judge a book.... My ex-girlfriend made me watch Chocolate. It gave me some good cooking tips. Anyway anything you can tell us about these guys(excluding Ryan, Jones and Martin):

[mike siegel]

Right.
Here's Paul Harper (standing in front of Ryan). He played occasionally, but not much. I remember CULPEPPER CATTLE COMPANY and recently CHARLES MANSON STORY (or words like that).

I talked to him twice, 'wanted to film him for PASSION & POETRY. But he seems to be a bit of a weirdo. We made an appointment at his place (almost looks like a shack, nice though, somewhere around Burbank as I remember. )
We waited for two hours in front of his house, he never showed up.
What's interesting about him is the fact that he took AWESOME stills during the shooting of THE WILD BUNCH with his RolleiFlex. If you watch AN ALBUM IN MONTAGE, Seydor's great doc, you'll see Harper horsing around with his camera when they're shooting the bridge scene. I heard that in LA is/was a gun-shop that displayed some of these stills. I did get some (not from him) and cherish them. Here's one:

[Man with no dame]

He was especially memorable with those teeth. Anything about the others?