Django Defies Sartana

I am a big fan of westerns, especially spaghetti, some are above average and i think this is one of them. It has a good, well thought out story and there is plenty of action and gun-play, ( fist fights and shoot outs ) to keep your attention. I also think the actors playing Django ( Tony Kendall ) and Sartana (George Ardisson ) are very good. The actual plot keeps you hooked and there are also a few surprises along the way. One thing i really liked was the rousing music score and the title song. There are of course many Django and Sartana movies some very good, some not so good, i have seen most of them and i think that, this is, one of the better one's and would recommend that if you get the chance,catch it.

The most dangerous gunman Sartana is in town, everybody expects the worst after he spectacularly taught a young wannabe a lesson. And to nobody's surprise, within a few days the bank has been robbed, Sartana disappears and Django's younger brother Steve as suspected to have helped him. Steve is hanged by the enraged citizens, although he swore he was innocent. Django follows Sartana to avenge his brother and find out the truth about the bank robbery...

This is a rather good movie, not one of the best, but among the upper half of the countless Django flicks. Especially Ardisson impressed me as Sartana - a professional, cold as ice! Django is portrayed more emotional by Kendall. The wild, jazzy music by Umiliani is almost over the top sometimes. "They call him Django" is a rather traditional title song, though.

Django (Tony Kendall) returns to his hometown of Tombstone to find his brother, local banker Steve, hanging from a noose. Steve has been executed following accusations that he had teamed up with Sartana (George Ardisson) to empty the safe of the bank, and had assisted his new colleague in the murder of bank manager Mr Singer (Bernard Faber). In reality, Singer had entrusted Steve with the task of confronting Sartana, and paying him to leave Tombstone rather than raiding the bank. A disgusted Sartana refuses this offer.

Believing his brother to be innocent, Django sets out in pursuit of Sartana to discover the truth. The two heavy-weight protagonists stand face to face in combat, before learning that all is not as it seems with Singer's murder, and team up on a quest for justice and revenge.

On locating a copy of "Django Against Sartana" I was immediately convinced that it would be a low budget, fairly average flick, name-checking the established characters in a vain effort to generate interest. But there is no denying that my squinting eyes display the threatening figures of Django and Sartana in front of me. It must be said however, a recent visit to the opticians had highlighted that I have clearly needed glasses for sometime (yet my vanity had prevented it). Reaching for said specs soon confirmed my original expectations - this Django is certainly no Nero (and not even a Hill or Steffen), and Sartana is no Garko. We are talking Z-list Django and Sartana here! Only the vague costume resemblance provides a hint to the identity of these feared gunfighters.

Despite my obvious mickey-taking, I must say that I did really enjoy this film - probably largely because it was such an unintentional parody of the genre to which it belongs (it certainly wasn't for the wooden character acting!). The story did provide some great entertainment though, even if it was fairly predictable. I did also enjoy the effect of the freeze-frame grand entrance of the main characters.

However...... I couldn't hold my hand to my heart and recommend it to anyone. And I guess, truth be told, I never thought I would be able to.

While Django is away, the town bank is cleaned out and the bank president killed. Django's brother is lynched by an angry mob, who believe he and Sartana responsible, sending Django on a mission of vengeance...against Sartana!

This has a few effective moments, like when Django discovers his brother's corpse and his first encounter with Sartana. Most of the time though, it's just plain slow, with forgettable title performances by Tony Kendall and George Ardisson. Things pick up in the final third of the movie, though not nearly enough for a recommendation.

If you ask me, Django doesn't get nearly enough revenge here. He should have made like Clint Eastwood in Hang 'Em High and High Plains Drifter, by violently killing the lynch mob and burning the whole crummy town to the ground!

I'm a fan of westerns, this was watchable, but very average. The story does keep you interested, the lead actors are reasonably convincing, and the camera work is different.

Djangos brother is accused of helping the gunman Sartana rob the bank. The townsfolk take the law into their own hands and hang him. Django blames Sartana for the incident, and goes out to track him down. However, there is a twist to the story and things don't turn out the way we're led to believe.

Worth watching if you've nothing better to do. The music at times leaves a lot to be desired.