Cut-Throats Nine

Joaquín Romero Marchent's "Condenados A Vivir" aka. "Cut-Throats Nine" is a raw and uncompromising film about survival, hate and violence, that has the reputation of being the most violent Eurowestern. And for good reasons - The most violent or not, it certainly is the goriest Eurowestern out there (I'm not calling it a Spaghetti Western since the film is Spanish and Claudio Undari is the only Ialian actor involved in it), and the movie is full of entirely despicable characters and a constant atmosphere of hate, greed and brutality.

Sgt. Brown (Claudio Undari) is to escort a bunch of dangerous criminals through a mountain wasteland in a cold winter. The Seargant's beautiful daughter (Emma Cohen) is also traveling with her father and the prisoners, who are chained together. Convinced that it transports gold, a gang ambushes the coach in the middle of nowhere, and the Seargant, his daughter and the seven murderous, blood-thirsty prisoners are forced to walk...

"Cut-Throats Nine" is a gruesome Eurowestern that is, in some aspects, atypical for the Western genre. There is not too much gunplay, for example. Gore-fans will be pleased to hear that there is a lot of more explicit violence, such as cutting, burning and stabbing instead. The (well-deserved) reputation as the goriest Eurowestern is not the only reason to watch his film, that not only Spaghetti Western enthusiasts like myself should enjoy. Any fan of brutal, uncompromising, pessimistic cinema should be pleased by this hero-less movie, in which almost every character is a real bastard. The bleak winter mountain setting reminds of Sergio Corbucci's masterpiece "The Great Silence" of 1968, although the locations and photography are, of course, not nearly as impressive here.

"Condenados A Vivir" may not be everybody's taste, but it is definitely a film experience that one is not likely to forget. Uncompromising, brutal and not for the fainthearted, "Cut-Throats Nine" is highly recommended to any fan of Eurowesterns and Gore-flicks!

Dunno what the last reviewer was on, but this bleak movie was rather good, although very grim and quite gory in places. A neat ending which suited the tone of the rest of the film. Emma Cohen was good in the sole female role, and convincing enough to be scared and unsure of the all male cast. The snowy settings were a good addition, although I agree that the music was too repetitive, and the dubbing unconvincing. But as a macho western, this flick sure kicks arse!....quite disturbing in places. A sort of 'And Then There Were None' for grown ups! The type of movie that would not get made today, and a great addition to any exploitation collectors collection.

Brutal, bleak and gory, this is an effective Spanish spaghetti western with no good guys at all. There is a hint at the start when we see the seven chain gang prisoners being led by the seeming good guy and his daughter, because counting up the procession, it is clear that the nine of the title includes them too. An engaging film, however desolate, but this is always going down all the way. There are one or two moments of respite but there are too many killings, a rape and hints of cannibalism, for this to be likely to have any happy ending. A rather good plot line, some excellent music, good photography in what looks like very difficult conditions in the mountains and yes, some really nasty killings.

By 1972, the spaghetti western was already past its hay day and was looking for different ways, styles and themes to push the envelope. Cut-Throats Nine belongs to that small variety that brought horror sensibilities to the genre (like Sartana, Django the Bastard and others) but it also took it one step further. Whereas other westerns were content to be dark and brooding in an atmospheric kind of way, Cut-Throats is as violent and graphic as any Italian horror movie from the 70's.

The plot is minimal but quite good. For better or for worse, the director doesn't go for the psychological angle between captor and captives like Anthony Mann's The Naked Spur did, but instead focuses on the violence and nihilism that is the logical conclusion when nine ugly, dangerous criminals chained to each other are transported through the barren, desolate terrain to a nearby fort.

On the western front, Cut-Throats is as bleak and unforgiving as the gritty works of Sergio Corbucci minus the finesse and style of that great cinematician. The feeling is there though. The snowy, rocky landscape, the nihilistic, unredeemable characters, the grit and the violence. There are no heroes and cowboys with white hats here. If John Wayne were to set foot in the western universe Cut-Throats portrays, he would sooner pack his things and find a new hobby like sewing. Much like Hitchcock's Psycho, the person closer to what we could identify as the "hero" is burnt to a crisp 30 minutes in. That's where the movie ultimately succeeds. By being deprived of all certainty, you're left hanging there in the snow with a bunch of ugly cut-throats. Speaking of cutting throats, there's more: people get stabbed, intestines pour out, others are burnt alive, beaten mercilessly, nailed to hooks, get their brains blown out, corpses are burnt, legs are cut off. And with all the same graphic detail one would expect from a gruesome Italian horror from the likes of Fulci or Lenzi. Coupled with the general take-no-prisoners, mean-spirited air that permeates every minute, Cut-Throats is more likely to appeal to exploitation fans than the traditional western crowd.

Good Gazpacho Western well realized by the best Paella Western director , Joaquin Romero Marchent , under pseudonym Paul Marchenti . Typical S. W. with itinerary's structure in which step by step are dying various cutthroats . Since a gold mine until Fort Green , a wagon load of convicts formed by an assortment of seven sadistic , murderous prisoners (Manuel Tejada , Antonio Iranzo, Ricardo Diaz , Alberto Dalbes , Rafael Hernandez , Jose Manuel Martin and Carlos Romero Marchent , director's brother) condemned to death row on their way to jail is being escorted through the mountains by a cavalry sergeant (Robert Hundar) and troopers . But it results to be a trick to deceive some bandits who attempt to rob the wagon . They then are attacked by a nefarious gang led by Woody (Xan Das Bolas) along with his hoodlums (Dan Van Husen) , and only survive 7 convicts and the sergeant , his beautiful young daughter named Kathy (Emma Cohen) whose wife (Mabel Karr) and mother has been killed by one of them . The survivors are left without horses or a wagon and the chained gang flees throughout snowy and dangerous landscapes . The sergeant must find a way to get his prisoners to their destination while protecting his daughter , watching out for the still chasing outlaws and attempting to determine which one of the cutthroats was the man who raped and killed his spouse.

This exciting picture contains thrills , chills , good dramatic pace , slick direction , graphic violence , action-filled with fierce fights and loads of gore and guts . Director Marchent achieved in "Nine cutthroats" possibly his best work of a modest career , with some memorable scenes , shockingly violent ,and good camera movement , as he creates a strange Western that manages to be both scary , tragic and skilfully made . This in a 1972 Spanish Western whose brutality and gore quotient led it to be marketed as a horror film during its original U. S. release with "terror masks" given out to ticket buyers . It turns out to be a rare spaghetti Western , as you can bone up on the bloodier side of that genre ; including rape , bloody killing , cannibalism , nightmares with zombie-alike and many other things . It relies heavily on a complex narrative , modern narration full of flashbacks , stop-frames and an uneven screenplay written by both , Santiago Moncada and the same director Joaqin Romero Marchent . The creepy images of wide range from the genuinely horrifying to the bizarre along with eerie and amazing frames . It packs a high body-count , it is sometimes slow moving and claustrophobic , in spite of setting on outdoors . It's a thrilling western with spectacular scenarios and breathtaking confrontation among protagonists . This interesting but depressing film contains nasty characters , ambition , human drama , passion , tragical events , complemented with a colorful cinematography and moving musical score . These elements provide the setting for this piece of dramatic deeds , giving it its own special quality and ambient ; making a strong description about a drama of survival and greedy . The musician Carmelo Bernaola composes a nice soundtrack , well conducted , this turns out to be one of the most memorable parts of the movie; as it's full of thrilling sounds and haunting musical background . Nice cinematography , though being necessary a right remastering , photography in Panoramic and Eastmancolor filmed by excellent cameraman Luis Cuadrado on locations in Spanish Pyrenees from Huesca , including gorgeous snowy outdoors ; good sets by Cubero and Jose Luis Galicia who carried out most production design on Western shot in Spain.

The motion picture was compellingly directed and in personal style by Joaquin Luis Romero Marchent at his best . He began directing two films for producer Ignacio F. Iquino such as ¨Juzgado Permanente¨ and ¨Sor Anqelica¨ . Marchent replaced Mexican director Fernando Soler filming ¨El Coyote¨ and the sequel titled ¨Revenge of Coyote¨ , both of them shot in Mexico . These successes along with ¨The shadow of Zorro¨ and ¨Revenge of Zorro¨ became a notorious writer and director of good Western . He went go directing Paella Western as ¨ Riding to death ¨ , ¨Adventures in the West¨ , ¨Three good men¨, ¨Sabor Venganza ¨ , ¨Fedra West¨ and of course ¨Condenados a Vivir¨ . Plus , he wrote for his brother Rafael Romero Marchent the followings Western : ¨Manos Torpes¨, ¨Ocaso Un Pistolero¨ and ¨Garringo¨ . Although he also made Neo-realist comedy such as ¨Fulano Y Mengano¨ , Hombre Viajaba Despacito , and ¨Hombre De Paraguas Blanco¨. ¨9 Cutthroats¨ rating : Better than average , this is his most popular and violent Western . Worthwhile watching .