"The Fastest Gun in the South"

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2016)

If ever the Spaghetti western was to enjoy a short revival in the 21st century, Quentin Tarantino would play a crucial role in kick-starting the great sub-genre. Today's Hollywood directors will never in a million years rival the visionary genius of Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah, although Tarantino has had a darned brilliant try and has in in the case of this particular movie, succeeded. As everyone knows, Django Unchained isn't a Spaghetti western, rather a profound love letter to my personal favourite sub-genre which borrows heavily from the ideas and execution of certain films within that sub-genre. Tarantino, being the expert he is in Italian cinema as well as a true Spaghetti western aficionado, is probably the only individual in Hollywood who can create a western which echoes the polished ability of Leone, Castellari and Corbucci and hence introduces a younger audience to such amazing movies.
I'll start on a simple point. I beamed with delight when I saw the 60s era Columbia logo at the film's outset. A little touch or attention to detail like this really conveys the director's strive to be unique and the presence of the logo itself is also reflective of the era when westerns were at their best. I was also extremely impressed when the logo faded and I could hear the familiar twang of a guitar as the credits opened. That's right, it was none other than Luis Bacalov's Django theme from the 1966 classic and Tarantino couldn't have chosen a better song to signify the arrival of this excellent movie, even the title font was the same as that of Corbucci's original-I'm loving the film already!. Other brilliant Spaghetti compositions that are featured include Riz Ortolani's Day of Anger, Bacalov's His Name Was King and Franco Micalizzi's Top of the West(from 1970s They Call Me Trinity)among a few other sublime pieces by Morricone himself. The connections created by these tracks between this movie and the original Spaghettis made it all the more special to me. Audio clips from various other Spaghetti westerns were also inserted into the end credits music which was also quite touching. I thought Jamie Foxx was terrific as our eponymous anti-hero and Christoph Waltz was on inspiringly charismatic form as dentist-turned-bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz. Both made for compelling protagonists who I'm sure Leone or Corbucci would be proud of. Leonardo DiCaprio dazzled as crazed plantation king Calvin Candie, his frenzied discharge of rage and brutality during the sequence at the dinner table was a real force to be reckoned with in one truly electrifying scene. I think the best performance in the movie came from Samuel L. Jackson as Candie's loyal manservant Stephen, the part was underplayed by Jackson fantastically. It was also refreshing to see the man himself Franco Nero in a cameo.
Tarantino continues to live up to his bloody reputation with the superb action scenes. The riotous shootout inside Candie's mansion was absolutely insane!, the amount of blood exploding from men's bodies as they were shot was crazy!. Until now I have never seen a movie in which the same individual is repeatedly shot so many times over. The sounds of the bullets cutting through the air as well as the blood pouring from the wounds only adds to the realism. The shootout was truly spectacular and showcases just how big a maniac Tarantino is(I mean that in a positive way). There's also a chilling scene where an escaped slave is brutally ripped apart by a pack of bloodthirsty dogs as well as a slave fight which is executed with vicious extremity. The film's ending is awesomely kick-ass and mirrors a true Spaghetti western finale. Django Unchained is a pretty quotable movie and the sequence with a large group of horsemen arguing over the fact that they can't see through their floursacks-cum-hoods will raise a decent chuckle.
With lashings of deliciously grim humour, Tarantino's pseudo-Spaghetti western is also a comment on racism. Either way, it is a highly enjoyable adventure and a trip I am more then willing to make again. 9/10