Cut-Throats Nine

Yep, terror masks. That's what they handed out to US audiences as a gimmick, when this ULTRA violent Espano Western hit their shores in 1970 or there abouts.

This very good movie is about a bunch of sadistic convicts being transported to a penitentiary. They get ambushed and their carriage is destroyed in the event. They then take off on foot, with a rather angry Sargeant and his daughter having to guard this evil chain-gang on the journey.

I won't say much more than this:

Gore hounds and western fans, find this movie! It is supremely violent and makes Peckinpahs "Wild Bunch" seem quite tame in comparison. All others get your Terror Masks ready!!!

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.

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!

Cutthroats Nine, one heck of a bleak movie. Coming out in 1972, spaghetti westerns were no longer at the height of their hype, as most of them became terrible parodies of themselves. Then came along this ultra violent movie by Joanquin Romero Marchent. I for one woulden't call this the most original spaghetti western or paella western (since it's Spanish), but that don't mean it has to be bad. The scenery of where the movie is set is beautiful, which helps the film have a bigger feeling of a claustrophobic tension. Claustrophobic? Why i say that? Because despite it being set outdoors for most of the time, our nine main characters are cut off from the rest of the world and they only depend on each other, in order to survive. Essentially speaking, you don't really see any good characters and even though Spain were not completely fascist during the second world war, you could tell that elements of fascism found it's way in it's script.

As stated earlier, this movie has a claustrophobic vibe throughout the film and making the situation our nine titular characters are involved in even worse are most of the gruesome killings that take place throughout the film, including to the main character, played by Robert Hundar. Spoiler alert but seeing his character dying early on the film by being burned to death, leaving his daughter, played by Emma Cohen, distraught and alone and that part right there deeply affected and it made me realise "These guys have no future".

Overall, the film has good performances, although the dubbing is what one would say as amateur. The soundtrack is chilling, although it does get a little repetitive sometimes and it would have been great if this was way longer then the 90 minutes and make it into an epic 3 hour movie. I know Tarantino is influenced by this movie but it don't really affect the storyline that much. Great and unknown movie to watch.

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.