Django the Bastard (1969) User Reviews

Horror and ghostly like spaghettiwestern

[von-13 · 7/10 · 2 April 2000]

"Wait a minute stranger, please...tell me who you are anyway"... a baddie asks Django, who replies, "A devil from hell"!! So yes...this movie certainly plays like a typical Italian horrorfilm.You know, one that takes place in an old remote castle where various people are destined to die horroble deaths. Technically this Sergio Garrone film is a much more skillful production than some of his "women in kz-lager" efforts of which he is so "famous"!!! The first 30-45 mins are visually very stimulating and this bears the film through. But after an hour or so, with lots'a style, thrills, atmosphere,moods etc, it just becomes too much(for me at least!!). Django appears everywhere never showing any facial expressions shooting down tons of baddies.Quite frankly, it borders on the tediously boring!!

The ghostly happenings does set the film apart from most other entries in this fine genre and for this I praise and recommend it.

Never double cross Django! He'll haunt you down! Movie was alright for the most part.

[ironhorse_iv · 6/10 · 20 June 2014]

Antony Steffen plays yet another unofficial Django type character. A man in black; face hidden by wide brimmed hat; whom has the burden to place a cross bearing the name of the people that wrong him in the past into the ground. He haunts his victims like the Grim Reaper arrive to collect their soul. I like to think of it, as WWE Undertaker, the movie with his Gothic themes. Anthony Steffen might not have the same dark premise as Franco Nero, but I have to give mad props to the man for trying. As you see, at the time, a lot of Spaghetti Westerns try to hook audience in, by trying to connect their movies with other Spaghetti Westerns movie that has popular characters. You can see a lot of them, sporting that their character is the same as the Man with No Name, Sartana, and in this case, Django. According to the IMDb, there were well over fifty of these "Django" imitations made. Unlike other movies, that do this, and have no similar themes. The film tries hard on the concept, and really look like it could belong to a Django film. Still, in the long run, the film has really no connection to 1966's Sergio Corbucci's film, Django, but seem more influence by the Man of No Name character from the Sergio Leone 'Dollar' trilogy. Anthony Steffen is very stoic and subdued. People would say wooden, but he under acts appropriately and does what he has to do. He knows how to be cool. The only problem is Anthony Steffen isn't that menacing. The more, you got to see him, the less, he become cool as the movie went on. Honestly, they shouldn't reveal way too much of his personality in the flashbacks. That was the fault of 1966's Django: A Bullet for You. That character had nothing to do with Django. It made the cool ghost, into an average man by the end. Django the Bastard also known as The Stranger's Gundown is a very interesting Spaghetti Western movie directed by Sergio Garrone. This movie was a key inspiration behind Clint Eastwood's 1973's High Plains Drifter and deserves credit for that reason alone. The execution however doesn't match the idea nor does it mine its full potential. The movie concept was better used in 1968's 'Once Upon a Time in the West'. The plot is a traditional revenge film with a man who everybody think is dead seeking revenge on his killers. At less, the movie made it believe that he was a ghost and that only epileptics and gypsies could speak with him. Obtaining an "X" rating on its initial Italian release due to its violence. It's now look upon as silly one-shot kills. Still, it had a pretty memorable intense action like the two men playing hot potato with a live dynamite. I love how the whole town people were exile, just for the villains to find this mysterious man hiding among them with his many men. It gave a near impossible fighting against the odd feel to the hero. The acting is alright for the most part, but the actual villains, the Murdock Gang are not that memorable. If anything, they killed off, Luke Murdock (Luciano Rossi) way too earlier. He is totally over the top insane, and brutal. Rada Rassimov's character Alethea is a bit annoying with her money hungry greedy ego. Every scene with her and Django made me want to see her met her end. Sadly, it never came. The English dubbing is a bit off with the mouthing. I really can't say, that it's better with other languages. It was very flat dialogue. I did like the devil out of hell talk scene. The music score is very creepy and atmospheric. It set up the Gothic horror feel, but in a fast paced. The real pacing in the movie is pretty slow. It get really boring at times, at less, in the beginning. The original version of this film has a pre-credits explanatory scene. The version released in the UK & the US places this scene, the entire reasoning behind Django's motives in the film in a flashback later in the film, roughly half way through the film, rather than before the credits, which is how it is presented in the Italian version. It kinda work and kinda didn't. It made the movie, really confusing at first as he don't know if Django is supposed to be the villain or the hero. The camera work is great for the most part. Garrone uses innovative camera work to good effect. He cracked the camera glass when filming, so he can give the three villains together with distort images. He uses a kaleidoscope affect in one scene. Also, he filmed night scenes for almost half the movie. It was great, not seeing day for night, or the night scenes being way too dark. These are filmed in a skillful style that never obscures the view and keeps the film interesting. Very good direction for the most part. Some really awful shots, had to be, the odd church roping scene, a scene where somebody walking by, hit the camera on accident, and the awful Civil War flashbacks in slow motion. Much of the daylight cinematography is poorly lit. There's some bad editing that makes me think that the original Italian version may have been longer, but in my surprise, the film wasn't cut up much, as the normal running time is supposed to 107 minutes. Surprising for a Spaghetti Western. The picture quality is great. It kinda depends on where you get the DVD. There are some lines and scratches, and some color distortion in some DVDs. In my opinion, MCP & Studio Canal often get restored copies. Overall: to combine the Horror genre with the Western, with a somewhat mixed, if interesting, result. It's a unique and interesting film in spite of whatever minor flaws it may have.

Anthony Steffen in his ordinary role as gunfighter seeks vengeance against some Confederate traitors

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 30 October 2011]

This is an Anthony Steffen vehicle playing his usual character as revenger gunslinger as playing a phantom gone back from the grave to revenge his own death . An avenge-seeking soldier returns from the dead to take vendetta on three officers who betrayed his unit in battle during Civil War. The mysterious gunfighter without a name rides and arrives in the town to stay for execute his mission . After gunning down some desperado who tried to kill him, he set out to return to get their vengeance. Can the mysterious gunfighter without a name stop the outlaw brothers ? . This violent Western is set on eerie outdoors and dark interiors , the star is a mysterious revenger, ¨a man without name¨ , who comes to avenge against nasty villainous . It deals about a gunfighter (Anthony Steffen) arriving a little town that has the usual shops and buildings, as General merchandise, Livery stable, Hardware, Barber shop, Saloon , Hotel and of course the Church. The drifter will take on a couple of brothers called Murdock (Paolo Gozlino and Luciano Rossi) and their hoodlums (Carlo Gadi) , being only helped by the gorgeous Alida (Rada Rassimov) .

Well crafted Western with interesting screenplay written by main actor Anthony Steffen and director Sergio Garrone . Although atmospheric , it's also downbeat and sometimes just downright nasty. The story is almost terrific and creepy as the drifter comes to strange frontier town just in time to reckoning villagers and bandits . The film is made in somewhat similar style to ¨High plains drifter(1973)¨ , it has been said that is the uncredited inspiration and also ¨Pale rider (1985)¨, both of them acted and directed by Clint Eastwood , only this time the drifter appears to have been sent from hell rather than heaven to right from past injustices and double-crosses .

The picture is well starred by Anthony Steffen-Antonio De Teffe- , he began playing secondary roles into typical examples of popular Italian films of the late 50s as sword and sandal epics, comedies, adventures and was with spaghetti westerns that renamed achieved worldwide stardom. Anthony Steffen may be a name best remembered by Spaghetti Western aficionados, but in his day, from the mid-'60s to the early '70s, Steffen was one of the most popular actors of the genre — at the time cheap B movies, now revered cult classics . The handsome, Italian-born — actually at the Brazilian embassy in Rome — Antonio Luiz de Teffè von Hoonholtz began working in films as a studio messenger for Vittorio De Sica . From there, Steffen began acting in sword-and-sandal epics, later moving onto the Western genre, where he found his niche. Unlike fellow Spaghetti star Clint Eastwood, however, Steffen never became a top international box-office attraction. His acting is often accused of being wooden , but in many manners is ideally suited to playing the steely-faced gunslinger synonymous with the genre . His others successes include well liked features as Seven Dollars to Kill, The last Mohican¨, ¨Train for Durango¨, ¨Gentleman Jo¨ , ¨Four dollars for Django¨, ¨Shango¨, ¨Arizona colt¨, ¨Apocalypse Joe¨ and several others. He was still enjoyable in other genres, specially Giallos as the successful The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave¨, ¨Death in Haiti¨ or The ¨Crimes of the Black Cat¨, a good example of Giallo where he played a blind pianist - one of his roles he most liked- , and ¨Killer Fish¨ . The motion picture is interestingly directed by Sergio Garrone . Sergio started his movie career as a screenwriter and assistant director before making his solo directorial debut with the spaghetti Western ¨Se Vuoi Vivere... Spara (1968)¨. He continued to helm several other spaghetti Westerns that include ¨Three crosses of death (1968)¨, ¨Django Il Bastardo (1969)¨ his best film , ¨Quel Maledetto Giorno della resa Conti (1971)¨ and ¨Kill Django .. Kill first¨. He subsequently directed a wartime movie as ¨The dove must not fly¨ and Pornonazis and other exploitation films . Rating : Acceptable and passable.

Unique and Creepy Spaghetti Western

[BillDP · 14 April 2003]

I've read alot about "Django The Bastard" and comparisons between it and Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter". I think it's safe to say that "HPD" is not a remake of "DTB" but is is also safe to say that it at least served as the inspiration for Clint's 1972 film IMHO.

I had high expectations for "Django The Bastard" and I was definitely NOT let down. It's an at times crude and low budget affair but it has enough action, tension and chills to make it a terrific little film that just may be one of the trendsetters in the Euro Gothic Western sub-genre. The atmosphere is thick in this creepy movie and Director Sergio Garrone goes all out showing us some unique camera angles which run the full spectrum from overhead shots to close-ups to fade-in's to handheld. Very effective as is the score which at certain times is eerie enough to raise a goosebump or two. Some remarkable scenes as mentioned in other reviews including a creepy opening that is almost completely silent except for the howling wind and the memorable scene in the graveyard.

Really wonderful stuff from the little SW that could. The performances are fine and I think that anyone who is a fan of Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter" owes it to himself or herself to check this one out. It's available on DVD from VCI under it's U.S. title of "The Strangers Gundown". Easily one of my favorite Westerns.

Interesting take on Django

[AriSquad · 7/10 · 7 March 2004]

Django il bastardo directed by Sergio Garrone is a good intersting take on the mutitude of Django movies I have seen. The best are still the original with Franco Nero & the one Terence Hill did. I really feel that the biggest weakness of Django il bastardo was Antonio De Teffè (AKA Anthony Steffen) as Django. He had a great coldness about him but it almost goes a bit too stiff at times. A rather traditional revenge plot that is always ok by me & with a bit of a supernatural tone to it.. Which is both creepy & makes for a good weird western. There are some great scenes in this movie.. The flashback scenes were well done in the sense that you as the viewer are not treated with the "in case you didn't get the hints we dropped.. This is what happened" that I see in other westerns from this era. I would have liked a less rigid Django but Antonio De Teffè did create a different character for Django that I did enjoy. Is he a ghost? Is he real? The crosses bearing the names of the victims, the soon-to-be victims faces reading the crosses with their names on them.. Great stuff. There are some really great scenes, good acting, and a twist on a character I have always enjoyed. I love the soundtrack, again with the usual chants of Django which never get old to me. Worth checking out for sure.

Django drifts into a town on the high plains...

[The_Void · 7/10 · 2 May 2006]

I'm used to seeing cheap Italian films ripping off popular American movies, but this may be the first time that I've seen it the other way around. In 1973, Clint Eastwood made a film called 'High Plains Drifter', and it's practically the same as this entry in the Django series! Well, I say this entry in the Django 'series' - even though the central character is actually called Django this time; the film still doesn't follow on from Sergio Corbucci's original, and is more of a cash-in on the name. Even so, it's still a worthy Spaghetti western and one that is more than likely to delight said style of film-making's fans. Like Eastwood's later film, Django the Bastard has a streak of horror running through it, which stretches from small things such as the crosses Django leaves to his victims, all the way down to the major plot points. The film follows a mysterious stranger who turns up in a small town. A man who is surprised to see him is promptly shot and killed, and soon we learn that this stranger may not be among the living...

Anthony Steffen takes the lead role as Django and delivers a performance that I don't like very much. The character is obviously meant to be enigmatic and brooding, but Sheffen is really flat and it's hard to believe that this is a man who would even bother to take revenge. After having seen the likes of Franco Nero and Thomas Milian in the lead role, Steffen's performance becomes even less enjoyable. However, the story he finds himself embroiled in more than makes up for the actor's lack of emotion. The small town setting makes for a great claustrophobic atmosphere as Django seeks out and shoots his enemies. The gun battles are impressive, and make for great entertainment. The dialogues can be a little clumsy at times, but you can't go into a film like this expecting great writing. This film may have been a big influence on High Plains Drifter, but in fairness; Django the Bastard does take its own fair share from Eastwood's partnership with Sergio Leone. Several shots of Django are extremely derivative of Eastwood's Man with No Name and it was Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood that were responsible for immortalising the lone drifter character in the first place. Still, this western is well worth seeing for fans of Italian cinema.

Django Meets The Man With No Name in a Supernatural Oater

[zardoz-13 · 6/10 · 21 April 2011]

Prolific Spaghetti western leading man Anthony Steffan, who imitates Clint Eastwood right down to slinging his serape over his shoulder before he whips out his six-shooter, stars as a mysterious gunslinger who rides into Desert City looking to kill three of the town's most prominent citizens. Thirteen years ago, it seems, during the American Civil War, three Confederate officers sold out their men and let the Union Army overrun their camp and massacre them. One of those dead men reappears to settle the score with these wicked villains. In director Sergio Garrone's atmospheric but often crudely helmed oater, Django (co-scripter Steffan) shows up in town and draws attention to himself when he sticks a graveyard cross in the dirt with his victim's name on it. Indeed, this is a rather distinctive way to garner attention and it suceeds for the most part. The chief heavy, Rod Murdok (Paolo Gozlino of "Son of Cleopatra"), has his gunmen run everybody out of town and then makes these trigger-happy gunmen hunt down the elusive Django. These hombres don't have much luck and most of them wind up biting the dust in this 107-minute western. Ironically, Murdok's younger brother, sickly-looking Jack (Luciano Rossi of "A Man Called Sledge"), manages to disarm Django by using a woman and money to lure him into a church.

Throughout "Stranger's Gundown," a.k.a. "Django the Bastard," the idea is that our protagonist is an apparition who returns to exact revenge on the elder Murdok and his two conspirators, Howard Ross (Jean Louis of "The Treasure of San Gennaro") and Williams (Teodoro Corrà of "Roy Colt and Winchester Jack"), for their treacherous act of betrayal. Jack proclaims that Django isn't a ghost because he makes him bleed. Mind you, we see our tortured hero bleed and nearly strangle from being hanged by Jack in a church. Nevertheless, throughout this oater, Django has a way of showing up with a minimum of fanfare and behaves like a specter. Occasionally, the dialogue refers to him as 'a devil out of hell,' but he relies on his long-barreled Colt's revolver to lay his adversaries to rest. "Stranger's Gundown" is pretty predictable as revenge westerns go. The villains are despicable, and they earn their comeuppance. Near the end, Django casts such a spooky spell on matters that some of Rod's hired gunmen turn against him, and they blast it out between each other on main street. Inevitably, after our hero dispatches Jack in the church, he faces off with Rod in main street with unsurprising results.

Although he acts like Clint Eastwood, Anthony Steffan makes a memorable hero and it is his uncanny ability to imitate Clint that lends so much power and authority to his character. He dispatches the villains much as Clint might, fanning his six-gun and sending them spinning. "Stranger's Gundown" boasts enough shoot-outs to assuage the appetite of any Spaghetti western aficionado. One of the more unusual scenes occurs early in the plot. Two men toss a sizzling stick of dynamite between each other while the spectators make wagers about who will win. This is probably of the more interesting scenes that has nothing to do with the revenge plot. The scenery isn't as stunning as in most Spaghettis, but the hardware looks authentic. Everybody sports either a Colt's revolver or a Winchester repeating rifle. One character brandishes a Derringer. The Civil War scenes are okay with the soldiers toting Springfield muskets with bayonets. Garrone isn't the most polished of directors, but "Blood at Sundown" lenser Gino Santini and he create some evocative shoots. The most memorable occurs at night as horsemen plunge out of nowhere with light behind them. Early in the action as Django saunters through a town, Santini places his camera inside a barrel and uses the curvature of the barrel to frame a shot of our hero's moving boots. During a shoot-out in a house, Santini and Garrone do a good job of thrusting us into the midst of the action, particularly when a gunfighter impales himself on a machete protruding through a door. Rada Rassimov appears as a money hungry woman who wants to hit the trail with our hero at fade out. When she tries to join him, Django vanishes into thin air.

"Stranger's Gundown" is neither the first supernatural western nor the best, but there is considerable reason to believe that it may have inspired the highly superior "High Plains Drifter." No, "Stranger's Gundown" doesn't surpass "High Plains Drifter." Produced on an obviously low-budget, this western isn't one of the best Spaghetti westerns. It qualifies more as an imaginative, but B-rated sagebrusher, not of the quality of the Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci westerns. It is also obvious that the filmmakers appropriated the name of the Corbucci hero. This Django is a rebel and he doesn't drag a coffin behind him with a machine gun in it. Altogether, "Stranger's Gun" looks like an exploitative hybrid of the two Sergios, but it is worth a look.

Django, The Ghostly Bastard

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 6/10 · 25 April 2007]

Sergio Garrone's "Django Il Bastardo" aka. "Django The Bastard" of 1969 is referred to by many as a great, creepy and particularly original Spaghetti Western. I am a Spaghetti Western enthusiast, and although "Django The Bastard" is certainly not a bad film, it is in my opinion overrated by many of my fellow fans of the Italian Western. Furthermore it is neither the only, nor the first, nor the best Spaghetti Western with Horror elements. This film also has the reputation of being the inspiration to Clint Eastwood's great "High Plain's Drifter" of 1973, and it might be true that parts of this movie inspired Eastwood, but "Django the Bastard" does in no way reach the quality and style of Eastwood's film.

First of all - "Django The Bastard" (such as most of the other unofficial 'sequels') has nothing at all to do with Sergio Corbucci's 1966 masterpiece "Django" with Franco Nero in the lead. While the original Django is a former Union soldier, the central character of the same name in this movie, which plays in 1882, has formerly served in the confederate army. "Django The Bastard" is a movie that has its highs an lows. There are some excellent, stylish and creepy moments, one of my favorite scenes in the film is right in the beginning, when Django sticks a cross with a name on it in the muddy ground of a Western town. However, the movie sometimes just gets too boring in the middle. Most of the dialogue is not too refreshing either. There is one character i loved, that is the character of Luke Murdoch (played by Luciano Rossi), the hideous and utterly insane younger brother of the local crime boss and rich landowner Rod Murdoch (Paolo Gozlino). Luke, who is desperately in love and obsessed with a woman named Alethea (Rada Rassimov) and often has a fit of extreme rage and insanity, can only be calmed down by Alethea, which is the reason why his brother keeps her locked in his mansion.

Anthony Steffen (Antonio De Teffe) fits pretty well in his leading role of the creepy silent stranger, although his performance is a little too stiff. As I mentioned above, Luciano Rossi also does a great job as the crazy villain. Rada Rassimov (whom you might recognize for her small role in "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly") also plays her role pretty well.

"Django The Bastard" is certainly an entertaining little Spaghetti Western, but nonetheless I think it is overpraised by some of my fellow Spaghetti Western fans. Fans of the genre will certainly have a good time watching "Django The Bastard" but, in my opinion, it is not a must-see. If you want to watch a truly great Spaghetti Western with horror elements and topics like resurrection in it, I recommend Giulio Questi's surreal and excellent "Se Sei Vivo Spara" aka. "Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot!" of 1967, with Tomas Milian in the lead, before watching this. Still, "Django The Bastard" is certainly not a bad film. It does have some very stylish, and some pretty creepy moments, and it is certainly worth the time. Recommended to enthusiastic Spaghetti Western fans.

Strange on the Range

[merklekranz · 5/10 · 15 September 2018]

Sort of a conglomeration of ideas stolen from other stolen ideas, with a result that is decidedly unconvincing. Anthony Steffen and his poncho drift about in what has been described as a ghostly manner, seeking revenge on three Confederate Officers who deserted Steffen's unit resulting in a massacre. This set up is fine, but what follows is tedious and repetitious. Character development is totally absent for both the laconic hero and worse for the villains. Steffen may be Italy's answer to Clint Eastwood, but unfortunately there is more to "spaghetti success" than simply wearing a poncho and gunning down endless bad guys. - MERK

Excellent soundtrack! (Film has it's good & it's bad)

[westerner357 · 7/10 · 1 June 2003]

(aka: DJANGO THE BASTARD or THE STRANGER WORE A GUN)

Presented by American schlockmeister Herman Cohen, this has an excellent opening title score by Vasco and Mancuso with a woman hissing "Django" and wailing vocals, similar to Edda d'Orso with great orchestration to boot !! I like it !!

According to the press release from VCI, this originally had an X rating (for violence) which might explain why it has a 1974 date on it, even though the film was made in '69. Not sure why that took place since there's nothing in this film to warrant that. It certainly isn't any more violent than a lot of the other films of this genre.

It has some decent gunplay as Django wreaks revenge on those three Confederate officers who betrayed them to the yankees, but there isn't a whole lot of blood compared to say Fulci's FOUR GUNMAN FOR THE APOCALYPSE (1975). Even the Eastwood trilogy has more blood in it than this one.

The flashback to the Civil War scene also looked sloppy and stagy, so don't expect a repeat of the Civil War scenes from THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Throw up a few tents and have a few extras fall unconvincingly. It had to be filmed quickly, I guess.

Also Anthony Steffan is kinda bland compared to say Franco Nero or John Phillip Law, which puts him in the REALLY bland category. He doesn't look particularly like an anti-hero, instead he looks like one of the bad guys. I guess that since he is a grim-reaper type of character in this film, you wouldn't want him to look the leading man.

Thomas Weisser, author of "Spaghetti Westerns" rates this one pretty high although I'm not as enthused about it as he is. I'll still give it a 7 out of 10, more for what I consider the exceptional score than for the film itself.

Watch a real Leone western instead

[pmtelefon · 4/10 · 5 January 2020]

If you didn't already know that Sergio Leone was a genius, watch people trying to copy his films. "The Strangers Gundown" (that's the title that I watched this movie under) is a weak attempt at imitating Leone. It has a decent story. Leone could have made hay with the premise. But "The Strangers Gundown" is uninspired. It has a weak cast, with an especially dull Anthony Steffen as a very poor man's Clint Eastwood. The music is bad and the dubbing of dialogue is even worse. There are some well framed shots (at times) but, overall, this movie is hardly worth the effort.

Creepy Spaghetti Western

[noahax · 9/10 · 20 March 2000]

This unusual horror film is one of the best examples of the spaghetti western genre. The plot is the standard "lone stranger seeking revenge," but in this instance, it's not clear if the stranger is a man or just a ghost. This aspect of the story, which is heightened by spooky music and scenes in fog-filled cemeteries, really sets this film apart.

The soundtrack is also excellent, with lots of distorted guitars and sci-fi organ music.

Dead man walking

[boardwalk_angel · 6/10 · 1 December 2005]

A tall, gaunt figure...wearing black...face hidden by a wide brimmed hat..places a cross bearing a name & date of death in the ground.......a creepy opening that is almost completely silent except for the howling wind.......so begins director Sergio Garrone's "The Stranger's Gundown", better known in Europe as "Django The Bastard" (Django Il Bastardo). Obtaining an "X" rating on its initial Italian release....it was released in the U.S. in 1974 as "The Stranger's Gundown" ....& has no connection to Corbucci's original "Django"....none..zip...zilch..nada...bupkis.

Here's a rather traditional revenge plot ....but.....revenge, whose origin lies in a dark secret............... & constructed w/ elements of a horror movie as well as a tale of vengeance.

Steffen portrays the title character... a character popularly considered to have inspired the one Clint Eastwood played in High Plains Drifter...not so much a remake..but the latter film clearly derived inspiration from it.

He is a man of few words - & when he does speak, manages to say very little. He walks slowly - . His expression doesn't change much, if at all. Steffen co-authored the screenplay with director Sergio Garrone....who directed 6 other Italian Westerns...then 'graduated' to a bunch of 'captive women in prison' movies. ....the visual style is unique & effective with its appearance and disappearing appearances of 'Django'..................in one very interesting scene 'Django' becomes a shadow, or melts into a shadow..becoming part of it.........it's quite well done. ......The innovative camera angles, which vary from overhead shots to close-ups to fade-in's to hand-held shots contribute to the creepy atmosphere.

The original version of this film has a precredits explanatory scene. The version released in the UK & the US places this scene, the entire reasoning behind "Django"'s motives in the film in a flashback later in the film.........., roughly half way through the film, rather than before the credits, which is how it is presented in the Italian version. I prefer the US edit.... the prehistory of 'Djangos' revenge campaign, spells it all out for you..& .detracts from the air of mystery & "who is this guy?" that supports & sustains the movie's mood. In a rare case...a US/UK edit of an original Italian Western actually improves the film.

I'm not suggesting that Strangers Gundown will find a place among the top non Leone SW...or jump to the top of anybody's list...but this little low budget affair is a pretty good one to take in...interesting, entertaining...& a little different.

Recommended.

Not very impressive

[existenz-6 · 4/10 · 22 January 2003]

This is a cheap, lackluster Spaghetti western that never manages to develop any suspense. The director has no style, the acting is stiff, and the action scenes are poorly shot. In fact, the photography is bad overall. Some say this is an influence on "High Plains Drifter", but in fact it is yet another rip off of Leone's films and "Django".

I say skip this film and go rent "The Great Silence". That's a much more interesting Spaghetti Western from about the same time. Better yet, rent "Keoma". "Django the Bastard" has some of the right elements, but it is just too derivative.

Crude and lewd..But to the point

[QKnown · 9 October 2001]

Ever since Bengt Enkerot approached Max von Sydow in THE SEVENTH SEAL and said the immortal words, "I am Death", it appeared as though cinema and its movie-goers had admired a new formula involving the supernatural...DJANGO THE BASTARD may not be in the same league as the mentioned Ingmar Bergman classic, but it may be responsible for elevating the "Avenging stranger" genre to new heights. In this Sergio Garrone-directed flick, Anthony Steffen bears the Django name (No relation to Franco Nero's DJANGO) and has a score to settle with some old Confederates that are responsible for many deaths, including...Django?? Did he survive? Or is he "A devil from hell"?

As I stated up above in the one-line-summary, yes there is some crude filmaking here, but there is also some effective stuff as well. Just watch the opening minutes involving a Grim Reaper-esque, Django, walking into town, camera angles panning from above and below. Stopping at his feet, then to have a man-made cross suddenly emerge from his cloak. The cross bearing the name of his first victim, planted into the earth with one stroke! Also kudos goes to the actor who played the demented, Luke Murdock. I got a kick out of that guy!

It takes time to die!

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 18 July 2014]

A mysterious stranger rides into town and sets about enacting vengeance on those guilty of war crimes...

A Spaghetti Western/Supernatural hybrid, Django the Bastard oozes atmosphere in spite of its obvious bargain bin budget. Anthony Steffen co-writes the screenplay with director Sergio Garrone and he also takes the lead role of the enigmatic stranger moving about the townsfolk like some grubby phantom. There's a splendid Gothic tint to proceedings, with crosses featuring prominently as Garrone and cinematographer Gino Santini dally with shadows and murky lighting techniques to enhance the other worldly pulse beat that the narrative calls for. Characterisations are pretty thin on the ground, though, while the action is only adequately staged. But genre fans are well served by the Spag Western staples that bring about sadism, wry social commentary and that old devil, Mr. Dry Black Humour.

Never dull because Garrone keeps it brisk, and Steffen plays it rightly restrained as Django, this Bastardo passes muster for genre fans without ever actually being essential viewing. 6.5/10

An Interestingly Flawed Spaghetti Western.

[JohnWelles · 7/10 · 29 June 2011]

"Django the Bastard" (1969), which also sometimes goes under the name of "The Stranger's Gundown", is a Spaghetti Western, directed by Sergio Garrone, that tries to combine the Horror genre with the Western, with a somewhat mixed, if interesting, result.

The script is by its star Anthony Steffen along with the director, and tells a tale that at first seems derivative, but then intriguing: Django (Steffen) brings his deadly vengeance against rancher Rod Murdoch (Paulo Gozlino) for betraying him 13 years previously in the American Civil War.

When Django's motivation is revealed, the only explanation left is that he is in fact a ghost. There are hints throughout and up to that point when all is revealed that he may not be one of "us", sliding into the frame and appearing in places where it would have been impossible for him to go without Murdoch's henchmen seeing him. Yet this is a ghost, that when shot, bleeds. However, his is shot by the madman Luke (Lu Kamante), son of Murdoch, and the only person, alongside the money crazed Alida (Rada Rassimov), who doesn't believe that his is a spook. This raises the interesting question as to whether Django is only a ghost to those who believe he is one. Perhaps though, I'm over thinking this. Garrone wasn't the most accomplished director and a number of scenes, like the wretched dynamite throwing scene at Murdoch's ranch, are simply badly made. However, the good does outweigh the bad: most of the gunfights are excellently staged, and when Luke tries to hang Django in a church, one of the most memorable scenes in Spaghetti Westerns take place. There is some very good photography from Gino Santini and while Steffen is his usual impassive self, which actually works quite well here, both Lu Kamante and Rada Rassimov are first-class. The music score, on the other hand, by Vasco Mancuso is pretty poor.

Finally, there are too many directorial inadequacies and missed chances here to make this a great film. The same year's "And God Said to Cain…" with Klaus Kinski shares many of its same features, but manages to surpass "Django the Bastard" with ease. Still, there a number of things here make it a must-see for genre aficionados, and if I ever see a decent print of the film, I might like it a lot more.

Somewhat strange and unsual tone that deserves a watch

[jordondave-28085 · 6/10 · 18 December 2023]

(1969) Django The B-stard/ Django the Avenger/ The Strangers Gundown/ Django il bastardo DUBBED SPAGHETTI WESTERN

Co-written and directed by Sergio Garrone that has Django (Anthony Steffen) arriving into town, bringing with him is a grave yard stake with Sam Hawkins (Victoriano Gazzarra) name on it. With the day Sam's and year he died. Except that he is very much alive, as Django plants it on front of the saloon where much of his gunmen is able to see it. And they in turn confront him about it and they are all shot dead before they are able to grab their guns first. The next scene has best of friends, Howard Ross (Jean Louis) making a wager with Rod Murdock (Paolo Gozlino) showcasing two different people tossing a stick of a lit dynamite to one another back and forth. Upon Rod Murdock gazing over the crowd he thinks he has spotted Django, until he became distracted when his friend paid him and looking at the same area again, he has disappeared. It was at midnight, and this time, Django confronts Howard Ross about a previous incident, and he manages to have him follow Django to the graveyard, with Howard seeing his grave yard stake over an empty burial. And just as he begins shooting, Django shoots him Howard dead he conveniently falls into the empty plot. When word has got around Rod Murdock's two friends are deceased, he then instructs and gives two of his loyal men, Brett (Carlo Gaddi) and Williams (Teodoro Corrà) thousands of dollars to find professional gun men to protect him and his younger crazy brother, Hugh Murdock(Lu Kamante). After Rod Murdock receives a grave yard stake that says he is going to be killed on the following day. Scaring Rod Murdock after this premonition, he then orders his new band of gun men to kick all of the townspeople out. Especially after, Hugh kills the town's sheriff in cold blood, as well as other residents, viewers finally realize that the two Murdock's pretty much owns the small town. After Django passes by a saloon and spots a specific liquor bottle, it was at this point, we go back to memory lane, that Django used to be part of the confederacy when his best friend, Evans sneaks a bottle of liquor into camp, and Django decides to share it with his superiors, Major Rod Murdock, Captain Howard Ross and Lieutenant Sam Hawkins 13 years ago. And after finding they were not in their tent, and discovering that the knife that was used to kill the guardsman belonged to one of them, they then put two and two together that after the ambush by the Yankees that the infantry group was being double crossed. That they were being bribed with money by the other side, assuming that the entire confederacy army had been dead, Django happens to be the only survivor. Meanwhile Rod's younger brother, Hugh devises a scheme to send his money hungry wife, (Emy Rossi Scotti) to send her to hand Django a bunch of money stored in small container. But as soon as she successfully sees him, Hugh then pulls a gun on him. Django manages to escape with Hugh manage to injure him. At this point Django has no gun and is escaping with his life, who manage to scare a portion of his pre-paid gun men that want to return the money given to them. After all been said and done, this only leaves four remaining gun men left with Hugh slipping away to head to the town's church. He manages to sneak a noose around Django's neck, but his plan backfired when Django manages to grab a knife from his boot, forcing Hugh to fall to his death. When one of Rod's men notifies him about it, he frantically goes after Hugh assuming he might still be alive at the church. Django takes advantage of this managing to shoot and kill the remaining of his gunmen before the final confrontation with by the time rod comes out, he sees a wooden stake placed on front of him so he can see it, and Django successfully reaches for his gun first, Rod plops right on front of the stake. And as he leaves Hughes wife then goes after Django holding the container full of money.

When I first saw this movie, I was unable to get into it, because it did not consist some of the same tone as the first "Django" movie that starred Franco Nero. But then after watching it again, I realize this movie has some original aspects to it by turning the hero "Django" into a kind of a mythical figure that cannot be tampered with. Perhaps if I had saw this with it's original language of either Spanish or Italian with English subtitles, I would have notice it's originality in terms of the approach.

Hardly original, but well executed nonetheless

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 25 June 2016]

All in all, this is a pretty good example of the spaghetti western genre. Aside from a few brief instances in my youth, I haven't really seen that many spaghetti westerns yet (apart from the more popular Clint Eastwood ones), so this was a good introductory experience for me. DJANGO THE BASTARD has the right look and feel about it, with crisp photography capturing the barren desert land and the isolated town just right. The director Sergio Garrone was an old hand at these type of films and his solid direction proves this, providing plenty of interesting camera angles (most notably in the excellent opening scene, showing a stranger walking into town via P.O.V. shots) and good editing. An excellent music score also helps, utilising the classic guitar string music associated with the genre and changing mood when needed to make things more exciting, whenever the situation calls for it.

For me, the cast is totally full of unknowns, yet all cast members are fine in their respective roles. The baddies are typically repulsive, although Paolo Gozlino lends just the right touch of class as the boss. Lu Kanante, on the other hand, is a snivelling psychopath who shoots up a street full of men and women while laughing manically. His sudden death is well deserved and a welcome end for this repulsive weirdo. The woman playing his wife (didn't get her name) is also very good, and thankfully her character is a well-rounded one, a woman out for her own benefits. Anthony Steffen takes the role of Django, and while he doesn't have the same screen presence as Clint Eastwood - or, indeed, Franco Nero - he's more than adequate at carrying the film when needed and invests his role with a likability towards the end which really gets us rooting for him.

There are plenty of shootouts to enjoy, although a few are poorly edited and therefore lack the necessary thrills. One gun battle between gangs of men is particularly well choreographed. The final twenty minutes are basically a protracted cat and mouse game between Django and the hired hands out to kill him, and is pretty tense. While the film isn't very violent (there's hardly a drop of blood on show), there's a neat trick involving an unfortunate victim getting impaled on a cleaver sticking through a door - you'd have to see it to understand. I also welcomed the addition of a few macabre horror elements into the brew, such as Django placing crosses in front of his victims before killing them, or a few scenes set in cemeteries. There's also an ambiguity surrounding the character of Django, who may or may not be a ghost. This makes things even better in my opinion. DJANGO THE BASTARD may not be a particularly original film, taking too much from what has come before it and relying on a strict revenge theme rather than branching out in new directions, but the execution is fine, making this an easy and enjoyable film to watch.

It has a cool name... not much else though

[K_Todorov · 3/10 · 18 April 2007]

I'm always interested in seeing a horror/western and this unofficial sequel to "Django" directed by Sergio Garrone and starring Anthony Steffen promised to offer just that. But evidently my impression wasn't positive. It's promise of combining the two genres, was overblown. "Django The Bastard" tried to create a seemingly supernatural atmosphere while at the same time keeping as close to reality as possible. And it failed.

Anthony Steffen stars as Django a loyal, honest soldier who is betrayed by his officers in the Confederate army and seemingly killed along with his whole detachment. Now he apparently has risen from the grave to exact his revenge. In the opening scene we see Django carrying a cross through town. He stops in front of a building, and pins it in the ground. The men inside suspiciously examine Django, while finally discovering that the cross bears the name of them. Further more, on it is written the day of his death, today. What follows is a traditional shootout that leads to the obvious conclusion, Django now triumphant proceeds to punish all those responsible for the death of his comrades and his in a similar fashion.

This movie has often been compared to Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter", claiming that it's more or less been the inspiration. Honestly the only similarity found in both these movies is that they are presented as quasi-supernatural westerns. On the threshold between supernatural and natural, both posses characters that could or could not be spirits of vengeance. Such story is not anything new though and tales of such content have long existed in the western mythology. But "Django The Bastard" suffers from the inability to exploit it's features. The plot is shaky at best, often contradicting itself. At one point we have the titular character displaying unexplainable supernatural abilities, such as appearing from nowhere, disappearing, and even becoming transparent. While at another sequence Django gets, beaten, practically tortured, forced to run and hide from bad guy's henchmen. These plot elements did a great job at leaving me confused, but did little in creating that mystical atmosphere which was the supposed goal of the entire film. Django didn't feel supernatural because he was being beaten and didn't feel real because at one moment he became transparent. On other points of interest, namely the acting. Anthony Steffen does have the intimidating look, but his performance was lackluster and quite frankly it was flat. Nothing different can be said about the supporting cast. There was not a single character that made an impression, in fact to be honest I forgot most of them shortly after I saw the movie.

Cinematography was a mixed bag. There were some really nicely directed tracking shots and overall stable, camera work. But the shootouts were unimpressive. Gorrene could have at least tried to put some more work in creating memorable action scenes to compensate for the second-hand plot. Ultimately what we get is a series of boring, uncreative, unsynchronized shootouts. What's even worse is that the gunned-down people tend fall in a slow irritating manner, it's as if they are being careful not to get hurt. Hello ? They are a supposed to be dead. Finally, the last thing worth commenting, namely the score. It is as forgettable as everything else in "Django The Bastard" I was neither able to remember who composed or any specific tune.

"Django The Bastard" might have a cool sounding name, but it doesn't have much else to offer. It's a forgettable experience failing to tap on it's quasi-supernatural plot, with just a few minor sequences sticking out from the otherwise bellow-average presentation.

How to avenge your own death

[unbrokenmetal · 8/10 · 1 February 2003]

Django (Anthony Steffen) scares his enemies by presenting them with crosses bearing their name - and the day of their death. Western movie with horror effects, similar to `E Dio Disse A Caino' by Antonio Margheriti. Christopher Frayling suggested in his book `Spaghetti Westerns' that this `is a revenge film, with the central character avenging HIS OWN death', and that hits it pretty much. Django appears and disappears like a ghost, an idea Clint Eastwood picked up for `High Plains Drifter' two years later.

It is interesting to compare Steffen's expressionless interpretation of the Django character to the one he did in `Pochi dollari per Django', an earlier movie where he portraits Django as a sheriff without all the supernatural attitude, more human and passionate.

one of my personal favorites

[spider89119 · 9/10 · 3 April 2006]

This is the movie that got me into spaghetti westerns. I have been a huge fan of horror movies ever since I can remember, and I especially love the Euro-horror of the 60's and 70's. I also love horror-westerns like Curse of the Undead, and the infamous "bad" movie Billy the Kid vs. Dracula. There are only 2 or 3 other films that I would consider true horror-westerns, and I like those as well. Naturally, when I found out about this movie, I knew I had to have it.

I don't really think of this movie as a horror-western, since we never really know whether the stranger is supernatural or not, but it is a spaghetti western with a strong Gothic Euro-horror feel to it. This is the closest thing there is to a Euro-horror spaghetti western. It's a shame there was never a full-blown Euro-western horror film with an obvious ghost, vampire, zombies or the like. It could have have been incredible. Especially if Barbara Steele was in it. Anyway, I digress.

I don't consider this movie to be a sequel to the original Django film either. The stranger here is a man named Django, but we know he is not the same Django as the one in Sergio Corbucci's film, because this Django is a former confederate soldier. Corbucci's Django fought for the Union Army. This Django is like the grim reaper, a tall, emotionless, shadowy figure in black who calls himself a "demon from hell," and he is here to take the three officers who betrayed his regiment back down with him. He doesn't just kill, he does it with a macabre sense of style, which we first see in the opening scene of the film, where there is some great camera work as Django strolls into the middle of town, sticks a grave marker cross with the date and his first victim's name on it into the dirt in front of the saloon, and waits for the doomed man to come out and see it. It's an incredible scene, and that's just the beginning of Django's ghastly revenge. There are many more cool scenes after that one, but I won't spoil them.

The music is very creepy and atmospheric. It's an excellent score that could fit right into a Euro-horror movie, yet it is totally appropriate for a spaghetti western as well. There is even a part where it sounds like they are using a theremin. The constant sound of howling wind is also a nice touch.

In addition to the macabre, there is also some classic spaghetti western craziness in this film. Luke Murdoch, the brother of one of Django's targets, is one of the highlights of the movie. He is wildly insane, violent, over-the-top, and very entertaining to watch. There is also a scene near the beginning of the film where two men are playing catch with a lit stick of dynamite, and there is a crowd of people watching them, betting and cheering like it's America's favorite pastime. You've just gotta love this stuff.

There's some bad editing that makes me think that the original Italian version may have been longer, but it's a unique and interesting film in spite of whatever minor flaws it may have.

This was my first spaghetti western, and now I'm hooked on the genre. Need I say more?

Excellent spaghetti-western

[f.gimenez · 10/10 · 11 August 2000]

A mysterious gunfighter dressed in black arrives at a western town and starts killing selected people who had betrayed him in the past.

The question is if the mysterious gunfighter is alive or dead... But you have to watch the movie to find it out!!...

Great performance of Anthony Steffen as the stranger who seeks revenge.

This movie could be a hybrid of Clint Eastwood`s "High plains drifter" and "Pale rider".

You won´t be disappointed.

SCARY Horror/Spaghetti Western

[MarKus-371 · 12 February 2001]

"DJANGO THE BASTARD" is a real odd horror flick. Usually in horror movies they take place in modern day. The setting for this movie is in 1880's southern states. During the civil war, Army officers sold their entire regiment to the enemy, who brutally massacred them. One survived, (or did he?) and his name is Django. 13 years later he comes back to get revenge on the Officers and kill ANYONE who gets in his way. Some people think Django is supernatural, is he? See the movie to find out. When Django plants the first cross in the ground, at the start, it really freaked me out. He places a cross in the ground with the name of the officer he wants dead, while they're still alive. When ever Django appears it scares me, because he looks like a cold killer who doesnt care if anyone lives or dies. He kills the officers with a gun most of the time or he beats them to death in some gory fashion. In one scene he's kneeling by a campfire, talking to gangsters. When he walks away an explosion occurs killing the gangsters...really scared me because I didn't expect it. This whole movie really gives me the creeps, call me crazy, but it does, it really scares me!, and the horror classic "HALLOWEEN" didnt give me a fright at all. This film is more Horror than spaghetti western, so don't knock becuase it takes place 100 years ago. Definatley on my top 10 Horror List. I give it an 8/10.

Best Anthony Steffan Movie.

[jeffsesi · 10/10 · 14 May 2022]

I am a huge spaghetti western fan. This is my favorite Anthony Steffan film. I think I read somewhere this movie was an inspiration to Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider and High Plains Drifter. This movie has an all star cast for that era in Italian Westerns.