Monday, July 29, 2013

‘SIX BULLETS TO HELL!’ IS SHOOTING UP ALMERIA, SPAIN!


Tanner Beard

Just got word that Tanner Beard, who co-starred in and wrote and directed the excellent Western LEGEND OF HELL’S GATE (read my review HERE ; read my interview with Tanner Beard HERE ), is in the stomping grounds of Leone and Corbucci and Solima – all the greatest Sergios --  making his second Western, ‘SIX BULLETS TO HELL!’ or ‘¡SEIS BALAS AL INFIERNO!’

Russell Cummings


Tanner tells me, “It’s a throw-back to the old Spaghetti Westerns in the vein of the original DJANGO or A FEW DOLLARS MORE.  We're shooting on the sets of those films and where they also shot THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, along with countless others here in Tabernas and Almería, Spain.”

Nalia Ma and Antonio Mayans


Interestingly, the inception of this film can be traced back to a festival last year, on those very locations.  Executive producer Danny Garcia tells me, “The script is co-written by Chip Baker and Jose L. Villanueva, and the first contact between us and Tanner happened at the last edition of the Almeria Western Film Festival, where Tanner won the audience prize with THE LEGEND OF HELL’S GATE.  We used Mini Hollywood (the set built by Leone for the film FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE) and Fort Bravo (used in hundreds of Spaghetti Westerns as well: DEATH RIDES A HORSE, BLINDMAN, CHATO’S LAND, etc.) and we shot in the desert of Tabernas and the mountains of Abla for the epic final duel.”

Aaron Stielstra

Tanner gave me a quick run-down of some of the international cast and crew.  He’s joined by a pair of compatriots from HELL’S GATE, Ken Luckey and Russell Cummings; Russell is co-directing with Tanner, and Ken is associate producing.  “The cast and crew is made up of people from all over the world, so that's been crazy to have so many languages on set, but very cool.”  Among them is British Crispian Belrage, who was seen in last year’s Western WEST OF THUNDER as well as THE DONNER PARTY.   Beautiful Magda Rodriguez was just in FAST & FURIOUS 6.  Also lending his sinister presence in Aaron Stielstra, who was chilling as the villainous lead in the remarkable THE SCARLET WORM (read me review HERE ).  Spaniard Norberto Morán was seen in the most recent PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN film, as well as LUCKY LUKE AND THE DALTONS (2004). 

Son of a bitch brothers -- Domingo Beltran Sanchez 
and Danny Garcia

And to give the movie some serious spaghetti western street cred (range cred?  trail cred? ), the cast also includes  Antonio Mayans, whose Western credits include the Mexican-shot GUNFIGHTERS OF CASA GRANDE (1964 directed by Roy Rowland from a Borden Chase script); and the Spanish-located DAKOTA JOE (1968), MORE DOLLARS FOR THE MACGREGORS (1970 - starring Peter Lee Lawrence), A TOWN CALLED HELL (1971- starring Robert Shaw and Telly Savalas), CALL OF THE WILD (1972 – starring Charlton Heston), DEADLY TRACKERS (1973 – starring Richard Harris and Rod Taylor), and DALLAS (1975 – starring Anthon Steffan).

Chris Bell


Chip Baker Films sounds very American, but it’s actually a Spanish company, and their previous films, documentaries, will be of particular interest to the rock and rollers among you: THE RISE AND FALL OF ‘THE CLASH’, and LOOKING FOR JOHNNY, about the life and mysterious death of celebrated guitarist Johnny Thunders.  Sharing exec producer duties with Tanner and Danny is Cesar Mendez, from Chip Baker Films and the Almeria Western Film Festival.  Stand by – I’ll have more details very soon!



'DAREDEVILS OF THE WEST', THOUGHT LOST, NOW AVAILABLE

The fabled action-packed Republic Western serial starring Allan 'Rocky' Lane, long thought to be lost except for four chapters, is now back, complete, and available.  Check out the trailer!  Thanks to Jon Boorstein for letting me know about this! 



THE WRAP-UP

That's gonna have to do it, pards.  Between trying to finish a script, and acting in a play -- three performances so far, and six more to go -- I'm kinda fried.  Have a great week!  Coming soon -- my review of the two-part opener for season three of HELL ON WHEELS!  Here's a teaser!


 
Happy trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright July 2013 by Parke -- All Rights Reserved

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