El Diabolico
The
evil one, or one of his mates, do a ride in the Wild West, created with
malice and wickedness a Western with several interesting aspects.
Satanism
and bullets, black magic and horses in this work of Dutch filmmaker
John Koorporaal transplanted to Mexico and more active in the
"documentary" instead of this kind of movie. Filmed partly in
Viesca and partly in Durango in 1977, "El Diabolico" has a snappy
start, brilliant and very interesting. Then, it goes slower losing its
speed finishing to dwell a bit 'too much with situations quite
unnecessary and away from the interesting core. The Evil indeed.
But
before that waterlogging, we see with very interest the story of Dave
Bolan and especially Oscar Peterson. The first a robbers with evil eyes
and with a strange amulet around his neck robs the bank and kidnaps the
daughter of the sheriff. He Rapes the girl and then is captured and
sentenced to death. On the gallows and thaks to his amulet he is able
to convince Oscar Peterson a servant of the Saloon, to help him to an
escape. Peterson, when Bolan died strafed with bullets in flight,
inherits the medallion and becomes himself a dangerous and elusive
criminal wanted by all. Violence and vicious crimes, but also a strange
love affair with an Indian girl.
Apart
from the excesses of the story and too many asides, this is a "western"
that deserves its own vision and also appreciation for the brilliant
commingling of genres.
"El
Diabolico" is interpreted by a long series of well-known actors in
Mexico, which are present in several films and also "soap operas".
