The Big Gundown
Encyclopedia
The Big Gundown is a 1966
spaghetti western
directed by Sergio Sollima
and starring Lee Van Cleef
and Tomas Milian
. It was released by Columbia Pictures
in the US as a double feature
with A Time for Killing
.
It falls in to the subgenre called Zapata Westerns
which are spaghetti westerns with some political context usually concerning the Mexican revolution
.
Some critics, such as Leonard Maltin, consider the film one of the finest spaghetti westerns, second only to Sergio Leone
's "Dollars Trilogy
". It was the first film Van Cleef made following The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
(1966) and was his first leading man or hero role. Tomas Milian played Cuchillo, a charming rogue accused of rape and murder. Run Man Run (1968) was a sequel which brought back Milian without Van Cleef.
) meets Corbett. Brokston offers Corbett his backing to run as a Senator in exchange for tracking down Cuchillo the rapist and murderer of a 12 year old girl who has absconded to Mexico.
In close pursuit, Corbett and Cuchillo have several encounters where each learns to respect the other.
In 2005, a Canadian fan who goes by the name of "Franco Cleef" released a widescreen fan-made, unlicensed DVD of the film that many believe is currently the definitive English version of the film for North American audiences. Scenes that were originally cut from the film were restored. English dialogue was also added to most of these scenes. The scenes for which English dialogue was not found remained in Italian, with English subtitles.
Koch Media has also released the full cut of the film as part of a box set with 2 other Sergio Sollima spaghetti westerns for the European market. The release contains English subtitles but no English soundtrack option.
Koch Media is slated to release a stand alone release in April 2008.
1966 in film
The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...
spaghetti western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
directed by Sergio Sollima
Sergio Sollima
Sergio Sollima is an Italian former film director and script writer.Like many Italian cult directors, Sollima started his career by directing mostly sword and sandal movies that were very popular in the early 1960s. After the genre's popularity quickly died out, Sollima was among the first ones to...
and starring Lee Van Cleef
Lee Van Cleef
Lee Van Cleef was an American film actor who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. His sharp features and piercing eyes led to his being cast as a villain in scores of films such as High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Good The Bad and the Ugly.-Early life:Van Cleef was...
and Tomas Milian
Tomas Milian
Tomás Milián is a Cuban-American actor best known for having worked extensively in Italian films from the late 1950s to the 1980s.-Career in Italy:...
. It was released by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
in the US as a double feature
Double feature
The double feature, also known as a double bill, was a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatre managers would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown.The double feature, also known as...
with A Time for Killing
A Time for Killing
A Time for Killing is a 1967 Western film started by Roger Corman but finished by Phil Karlson, and starring Glenn Ford, George Hamilton and Inger Stevens....
.
It falls in to the subgenre called Zapata Westerns
Zapata Westerns
Zapata Westerns is a nickname given to a subgenre of Italian "Spaghetti Westerns", dating largely from the mid 1960s to early 1970s, which were set in and around Mexico and dealt with overtly political themes. They were named after Emiliano Zapata, the famous Mexican revolutionary from the Mexican...
which are spaghetti westerns with some political context usually concerning the Mexican revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
.
Some critics, such as Leonard Maltin, consider the film one of the finest spaghetti westerns, second only to Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter most associated with the "Spaghetti Western" genre.Leone's film-making style includes juxtaposing extreme close-up shots with lengthy long shots...
's "Dollars Trilogy
Dollars Trilogy
The "Dollars Trilogy" , also known as the "Man with No Name Trilogy", refers to the three Spaghetti Westerns starring Clint Eastwood and directed by Sergio Leone: A Fistful of Dollars , For a Few Dollars More , and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly .A Fistful of Dollars is an unofficial remake of...
". It was the first film Van Cleef made following The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone...
(1966) and was his first leading man or hero role. Tomas Milian played Cuchillo, a charming rogue accused of rape and murder. Run Man Run (1968) was a sequel which brought back Milian without Van Cleef.
Plot
Impressed by Corbett's (Van Cleef) unexcelled reputation of bringing criminals to justice and execution without question, a local powerbroker named Mr. Brokston (Walter BarnesWalt Barnes
Walter Lee Barnes born January 26, 1918 in Parkersburg, West Virginia died January 6, 1998 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Louisiana State University as...
) meets Corbett. Brokston offers Corbett his backing to run as a Senator in exchange for tracking down Cuchillo the rapist and murderer of a 12 year old girl who has absconded to Mexico.
In close pursuit, Corbett and Cuchillo have several encounters where each learns to respect the other.
DVD releases and US cuts
The Big Gundown was cut down to 93 minutes for its US theatrical release. An 89 minute version currently airs on American television. The original European release was 106 minutes. US viewers were therefore deprived of Sollima's complete vision of the film.In 2005, a Canadian fan who goes by the name of "Franco Cleef" released a widescreen fan-made, unlicensed DVD of the film that many believe is currently the definitive English version of the film for North American audiences. Scenes that were originally cut from the film were restored. English dialogue was also added to most of these scenes. The scenes for which English dialogue was not found remained in Italian, with English subtitles.
Koch Media has also released the full cut of the film as part of a box set with 2 other Sergio Sollima spaghetti westerns for the European market. The release contains English subtitles but no English soundtrack option.
Koch Media is slated to release a stand alone release in April 2008.