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One of the best-known niches in the Western genre is the movies made in Italy during the height of Western film popularity, commonly known as Spaghetti Westerns. Highly influential thanks to their political discussions, historical relevance, and boundary-pushing gore, Spaghetti Westerns have inspired great filmmakers of many genres, particularly those who have made contemporary Westerns. One of the most famous modern directors of Westerns and well-known for his violent stories, Quentin Tarantino, makes movies for audiences who would respond well to the classic genre.

Many of Quentin Tarantino's best movie characters share traits with the iconic anti-heroes found in classic Spaghetti Westerns. Grappling with the role of isolation and justice in the so-called "lawless" West, these characters are often forced to interrogate their own positions as forces for good or evil. While the graphic imagery and fast-paced fight sequences are definitive aspects of Tarantino's filmography, that's not all these Spaghetti Westerns have to offer.

“If you’re a coffin maker… you sure did pick a good town to settle.”

The “D” is silent; the movie is not! Django (1966) screens Wednesday, May 2nd at Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, Mo 63143) as part of Webster University’s Award-Winning Strange BrewFilm Series.

You never know what’s brewing at Webster University’s Strange Brew cult film series. It’s always the first Wednesday evening of every month, and they always come up with some cult classic to show while enjoying some good food and great suds. The fun happens at Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar in Maplewood.

Django (1966), Sergio Corbucci’s answer to Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy, helped entwine the spaghetti Western further into the DNA of world cinema. Starring as the title traveler is Franco Nero, the scruffy Civil War vet who pulls a coffin behind him as he drifts from town to town.

Chicago – The great cult movie studio Blue Underground continues their pattern of excellent Blu-ray releases for unheralded horror gems with the recent releases of the Lucio Fulci zombie film “City of the Living Dead” and one of the most underrated westerns ever made in “Django”. While they don’t have much in common outside of studio and cult status, both are worth a look.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

“City of the Living Dead”

Even though I admire some of his technique and willingness to do whatever inspired him, I was never a huge Lucio Fulci fan. The man has often been called the Italian Herschell Gordon Lewis and is probably most well-known for “Zombi II” and “The Beyond,” two films from the late-’70s and ’80s that earned Fulci a reputation for extreme gore. A large number of his films have been banned around the world and his “The New York Ripper...