Screening of Cut-throats Nine (1971)

Joaquin Romero Marchent's Cut-throats Nine
(1971, Spain , 90 min., English version, 35mm)

A wagon load of execution-bound convicts on their way to prison is being escorted through snowy mountains by a cavalry troop. They are attacked by a bandit gang and only a sergeant, his beautiful young daughter and an assortment of seven sadistic, murderous prisoners survive, left without horses or a wagon. The sergeant must find a way to get his prisoners to their destination while protecting his precious daughter, all while watching out for the still pursuing bandits and trying to determine which one of the prisoners was the man who raped and murdered his wife.

At the time of its release, this Spanish-made film was considered to be the most violent Euro-Western ever made as it included graphic elements of the horror genre. It's not heavy on gunfire in the Sam Peckinpah sense, but it's packed with throat cuttings, charcoaled corpses, disembodiments, and a generous number of stomach stabbings complete with blood flowing uncontrollably (at one point you see mushy entrails leaking out!)

The characters and situations are very dark and gloomy, and the director uses slow motion photography to illustrate various traumatic or divergent past experiences of the cast members. Sergio Leone also employed this technique for several of his spaghetti westerns, so it's no surprise to see it imitated here.

Plans for a remake have been in the works for a few years now with Harvey Keitel attached as a lead and Slash of Guns n’ Roses as producer. The writer-director on this project is Rod Gudino of Rue Morgue magazine. As our guest speaker, he will introduce the film and talk about his remake-in-progress.

For your visceral pleasure, offered here is a very nice and very rare uncut 35mm print. Coffee, tea and home-baked desserts offered at intermission.