A Bullet for the General

Although the iconic works of Sergio Leone define spaghetti Westerns, many other examples of the genre exist, and one of the best is 1966's A Bullet for the General, which revolves around mercenaries and bandits operating in the lucrative chaos of the Mexican revolution. Gian Maria Volonté stars as El Chuncho, a charismatic leader who robs military transports and sells the arms to the revolution for hard cash. Klaus Kinski receives second billing as his brother, El Santo, a wild-eyed warrior priest in bandoleros dedicated to the cause, while Lou Castel plays American gangster Bill Tate, who signs on with the crew as cover for his own mission (riding through the desert in a neatly pressed three-piece suit). Damiano Damiani directs the proceedings like a 1920s gangster picture in the sun-baked plains and white-dust hills of the cutthroat West, where life is cheap, loyalty is rare, and rival thugs constantly battle for guns and contraband. But there's also a sophisticated story of personal commitment and political awakening behind the brutality and cowardice and betrayals, as well as an unexpected twist. Debuting on Blu-ray (with both the longer international cut and the American version), extras include a feature-length Italian documentary on Volonté, and an interview with Damiani. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)