Keoma (1976)

Director:

Enzo G. Castellari

Writers:

Enzo G. Castellari (screenplay)
Nico Ducci (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 November 1976 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Western | Action

Plot:

Half-breed Keoma returns to his border hometown after service in the Civil War and finds it under the control of Caldwell...

Plot Keywords:

Half Brother | Half Breed | Revenge | Slave | Father Son Relationship

Cast

Franco Nero	...	Keoma
Woody Strode	...	George
William Berger	...	William Shannon
Donald O'Brien	...	Caldwell (as Donald O'Brian)
Olga Karlatos	...	Lisa
Giovanni Cianfriglia	...	Gang Member (as Ken Wood)
Orso Maria Guerrini	...	Butch Shannon
Gabriella Giacobbe	...	The Witch
Antonio Marsina	...	Lenny Shannon
Joshua Sinclair	...	Sam Shannon (as John Loffredo)
Leonardo Scavino	...	Doctor (as Leon Lenoir)
Wolfango Soldati	...	Confederate Soldier
Victoria Zinny	...	Brothel Owner

Also Known As:

Desperado (USA) (cut version)
Django Rides Again (USA)
Django's Great Return (USA)
Keoma il vendicatore (Italy) (alternative title)
The Violent Breed

Runtime:

Norway:97 min | Italy:105 min | West Germany:90 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | Norway:15 (DVD release) (2007) | UK:12 (re-rating) (2004 ) (cut) | Spain:18 | West Germany:16 (f) | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-15 (cut) | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | France:-12 | Norway:16 (video rating) | UK:18 | Norway:(Banned) (1978-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Campo Imperatore, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy

Company:

Uranos Cinematografica

Trivia:

Director Enzo G. Castellari has stated that out of all the films he has directed, Keoma is his personal favorite.

Quotes:

The Witch: Why did you come back?
Keoma: The world keeps going around and around. So you always end up in the same place.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Spaghetti West (2005) (V)

Latter day Spaghetti Western shines in all departments...... apart from the soundtrack

Talk to most Spaghetti Western fans and they will declare Keoma to be one of the finest of the genre's movies, and probably the best of the latter day ones. However they will also most probably comment on the atrocious soundtrack, which does take some getting used to. I honestly believe that if this movie had been given the Morricone touch, it would be firmly cemented as a true Spaghetti classic, standing side by side with The Big Gundown, Face to Face and Bullet for the General.

Aside from Django, this is Franco Nero's best role. A half breed venger, riding into a town decimated by both the plague and a gang of racist ex-Confederates, which includes his three hateful "brothers" in their ranks. There are also fine turns by William Berger as Keoma's adopted father Shannon, and Woody Strode as Keoma's childhood hero turned drunk, George.

As always, Castellari has injected true class into this film, with slow motion shootouts, effective flashbacks and clever camera tricks. This film is a true fitting end to the Spaghetti hay day, which had begun to loose its charm due to the ever increasing stupidity of the comedy westerns. The only negative aspect is that wretched soundtrack. Oh where was Morricone when we really needed him?