800 balas (2002)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Álex de la Iglesia

Writers:

Jorge Guerricaechevarría (writer)
Álex de la Iglesia (writer)

Release Date:

18 October 2002 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Western

Tagline:

Let the battle begin...

Plot:

Julián Torralba is a former movie stuntman in Almeria, Spain. He and several of his colleagues, who...

Plot Keywords:

Cowboy | Stuntman | Spain | Fight | Tourist

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Sancho Gracia	...	Julián
Ángel de Andrés López	...	Cheyenne (as Angel de Andres)
Carmen Maura	...	Laura
Eusebio Poncela	...	Scott
Luis Castro	...	Carlos
Manuel Tallafé	...	Manuel (as Manuel Tallafe)
Enrique Martínez	...	Arrastrado (as Enrique Martinez)
Luciano Federico	...	Enterrador
Eduardo Gómez	...	Ahorcado (as Eduardo Gomez)
Terele Pávez	...	Rocío (as Terele Pavez)
Ramón Barea	...	Don Mariano (as Ramon Barea)
Cesáreo Estébanez	...	Andrés (as Cesareo Estebanez)
Eduardo Antuña	...	Taxista
Gracia Olayo	...	Juli
Berta Ojea	...	Angeles

Also Known As:

800 Bullets (International: English title)
Ochocientas balas (Spain) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content/nudity and some violence.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish | English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:M (original rating) | Spain:13 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Alan Young Pictures

Trivia:

The young man with beard, curly hair and glasses behind Laura when she talks to the camera is not Álex de la Iglesia but 'Francis Aguilar'. An Almeria-born director of short movies ("Zombeach"), he joined the crew of 800 balas and became a friend of de la Iglesia. They look so much alike that they decided to give him a cameo role to fool the audience.

Goofs:

Continuity: The placement of bullets in Sandra's ammo belt changes from shot to shot near the end of the movie.

Movie Connections:

References Bad Man's River (1971)

The friendlier side of Iglesia?

The 12 year-old Carlos fools his rich corporate mom (who thinks he's on a skiing trip) and goes lookin' for his grandfather, an alcoholic stuntman who worked with Sergio Leone and Eastwood in the 60's. The grandfather and other boozehounds do daily Western shows for German and Japanese tourists, every nite they're out whoring and partying and they take Carlos with'em. Carlos's mom (Almodovar's regular Carmen Maura) hates her dad and wants to close down the shows in the Western town, but then the 'cowboys' band together and defend their lives and town, this time with REAL bullets instead of blanks. "800 Bullets" is a wildly entertaining 'light' comedy loaded with Iglesia's brand of anarchic humor. Since this film isn't that violent (compared to his other films) and if the sex and nudity was removed, "800 Bullets" could pass a feel-good-comedy-for-the-family! Joe Dante meets Fellini? It's not his best and its way too long at 121 mins, the silly and serious antics are an uneven mix, but "800 Bullets" is a must for fans of Iglesia. Most outrageous scene: 12 year-old Carlos' cheerful sexual debut with a hooker and her bouncing boobies!?! Only in Spain! I miss Iglesia-regular Santiago "Torrente" Segura though, he'd have been perfect as a scummy drunken cowboy.